Generator question
I have a sunseeker 2300. I turned off the master switch for the house batteries to put it away for the winter. While checking around to my dismay the generator started when I pushed the start button...
Forum Discussion
We've talked about his before as there are various strategies regarding starting power for on-board generators. Someone corrected my statement regarding the majority useage which was appreciated as my experience was different.
We used to see three systems for on-board generator starting:
1) Generator starting power from the chassis (engine battery).
2) Generator starting power from the house batteries.
3) Generator starting power from a dedicated generator battery.
IME & IMO, everyone should know how their own unit is arranged. Make notes in your on-board documentation as this can save time and money if problems are encountered. You will be better prepared to troubleshoot or seek help in doing so, and informing a tech ahead of time can save labor.
In addition, and once you have determined how your generator's starting power is routed, check to see whether your generator has a dedicated battery charging circuit. Some generators depend on the output to the converter to recharge the starting battery which means that the battery used to provide generator starting needs to be the same one powered by the converter. In RV applications, this would mean that the house batteries should be the starting ones.
If this is not the case, and the chassis (engine battery) provides the generator starting power, the chassis battery is not being recharged unless the engine is running. Not noticeable if engine is being used reasonably frequently but can drain the engine battery if the rig is parked for some time and generator starting drains the engine battery.
Most of the generators we used to encounter had a small "12 volt" charging output directly to the starting battery terminals which meant that the generator's starting battery was recharged by the generator's own "12 volt" output regardless of what else the generator might be powering. This is the best system but better still if the chassis (engine) battery is the generator starting one as it will not be cycled down by house loads.
Clip a voltmeter to the house batteries and to the chassis battery while the generator is running and converter turned off to determine whether the generator has a battery charging capability and where it is connected.
We changed over a run of service trucks which were not using the generator's own circuit to charge its starting battery so the batteries went dead over time. Can't imagine what they were thinking when wiring those systems....
All these things are nice to know about your own rig prior to working out a problem on which the wiring strategy may bear.
HIH
We used to see three systems for on-board generator starting:
1) Generator starting power from the chassis (engine battery).
2) Generator starting power from the house batteries.
3) Generator starting power from a dedicated generator battery.
IME & IMO, everyone should know how their own unit is arranged. Make notes in your on-board documentation as this can save time and money if problems are encountered. You will be better prepared to troubleshoot or seek help in doing so, and informing a tech ahead of time can save labor.
In addition, and once you have determined how your generator's starting power is routed, check to see whether your generator has a dedicated battery charging circuit. Some generators depend on the output to the converter to recharge the starting battery which means that the battery used to provide generator starting needs to be the same one powered by the converter. In RV applications, this would mean that the house batteries should be the starting ones.
If this is not the case, and the chassis (engine battery) provides the generator starting power, the chassis battery is not being recharged unless the engine is running. Not noticeable if engine is being used reasonably frequently but can drain the engine battery if the rig is parked for some time and generator starting drains the engine battery.
Most of the generators we used to encounter had a small "12 volt" charging output directly to the starting battery terminals which meant that the generator's starting battery was recharged by the generator's own "12 volt" output regardless of what else the generator might be powering. This is the best system but better still if the chassis (engine) battery is the generator starting one as it will not be cycled down by house loads.
Clip a voltmeter to the house batteries and to the chassis battery while the generator is running and converter turned off to determine whether the generator has a battery charging capability and where it is connected.
We changed over a run of service trucks which were not using the generator's own circuit to charge its starting battery so the batteries went dead over time. Can't imagine what they were thinking when wiring those systems....
All these things are nice to know about your own rig prior to working out a problem on which the wiring strategy may bear.
HIH
