Hi everyone, I am working on my grandpas rv, trying to get it fixed so he can sell it. It is a 1994 Fleetwood Pace arrow There is not enough power going to the generator to start it, here is what I know. The generator will start with a battery jumper pack attached to it. So the generator isn't the problem. With the rv plugged into an outlet the solenoid on the generator will buzz when trying to start it. That tells me it's not getting enough power. Then with the rv unplugged from the outlet, the generator will do nothing when trying to start it. I've cleaned all the connections, I really don't know what to do now. Some help would be awesome! Thanks

Did you check the house batteries?Will the generator start when the engine is running?

chestermalory wrote:Hi everyone, I am working on my grandpas rv, trying to get it fixed so he can sell it. It is a 1994 Fleetwood Pace arrow There is not enough power going to the generator to start it, here is what I know. The generator will start with a battery jumper pack attached to it. So the generator isn't the problem. With the rv plugged into an outlet the solenoid on the generator will buzz when trying to start it. That tells me it's not getting enough power. Then with the rv unplugged from the outlet, the generator will do nothing when trying to start it. I've cleaned all the connections, I really don't know what to do now. Some help would be awesome! Thanksvery very simple either check connections+water them+hand charge the batterys that start the generator or replace them;;; end of story

It won't start with the rv running either. I hooked up the battery jumper pack to the house batteries and that didn't work either. Could it still be the batteries since that didn't work?

It could be the ground connection at the genset.

When I had starting problems I had battery's checked and I thought I checked all connections to make sure they were all good. I re-checked all wires. Turned out I was not making a good enough connection to solenoid with a tiny wire. Not the battery cables but a little thing. It was a "spade" type connection not making enough contact. I found out by pushing start button and wiggling the wires one by one.

generator wiring problems | Good Sam Community

tropical36
Explorer
Dec 06, 2016
chestermalory wrote:
I got some data on the voltage. Thanks for the detailed instructions, I'll try that next. For now here is the info I have
Each house battery is running about 2.15v together they are at 4.3v
The generator is getting 3.8v from the batteries, 13v when rv is plugged in.
I'll go through all the connections and make sure they are good, then give the results again.

If you really want to be sure on the house batteries, disconnect them and charge them individually with a 6v charger and assuming they will charge up to specs. Then see if they'll hold overnight and if so, connect them back up again and observe the voltage drop while cranking the genset over. This should tell the story, but most likely with what you've said so far and assuming that all connections are clean and tight, a battery replacement is in order.
femailyetti
Explorer
Dec 06, 2016
At 2.15 volts at the battery, nothing is goin to work, most electronics require 11 volts to trigger a 12 volt rated relay or solenoid. Are the batteries hooked in parallel, or serial format.... are they two six volts, or two twelve volt units
chestermalory
Explorer
Dec 05, 2016
Appreciate it!
I am fairly knowledgeable on mechanic work. I work on all my own vehicle's and am restoring a truck as well. But on the electrical side I'm not very skilled. This is my first time really working on anything like this issue
JumboJet
Explorer
Dec 05, 2016
chestermalory wrote:
Hi everyone, I am working on my grandpas rv, trying to get it fixed so he can sell it. It is a 1994 Fleetwood Pace arrow.

Thanks

If you run across any SERIOUS issues you need help with, search the forum or do as you did with this issue, just ask.

Welcome aboard!

What is your mechanical experience level? Sounds like you may have bitten off a large bite.
10forty2
Explorer
Dec 05, 2016
DELETED
usersmanual
Explorer
Dec 05, 2016
10forty2 wrote:
Yep... I'd lean towards the house battery(s) being weak or dead. Check the voltage with a meter on them when you would think they were fully charged and if you don't have 12.5VDC or better, then you probably have a bad battery. And if you put a load on them when fully charged and the voltage drops significantly, they are not able to hold the charge anymore. If that checks out okay, then start tracing wires.

lean towards batterys being weak or dead?? LOL;; he told you the voltages are like 2.15 volts;; so no leaning here they are stone dead
10forty2
Explorer
Dec 05, 2016
Yep... I'd lean towards the house battery(s) being weak or dead. Check the voltage with a meter on them when you would think they were fully charged and if you don't have 12.5VDC or better, then you probably have a bad battery. And if you put a load on them when fully charged and the voltage drops significantly, they are not able to hold the charge anymore. If that checks out okay, then start tracing wires.
usersmanual
Explorer
Dec 05, 2016
chestermalory wrote:
I got some data on the voltage. Thanks for the detailed instructions, I'll try that next. For now here is the info I have
Each house battery is running about 2.15v together they are at 4.3v
The generator is getting 3.8v from the batteries, 13v when rv is plugged in.
I'll go through all the connections and make sure they are good, then give the results again.

exactly what I told u two hours ago the batterys are stone dead
you need to replace them I don't know what else to say
REPLACE THEM end of story
chestermalory
Explorer
Dec 05, 2016
I got some data on the voltage. Thanks for the detailed instructions, I'll try that next. For now here is the info I have
Each house battery is running about 2.15v together they are at 4.3v
The generator is getting 3.8v from the batteries, 13v when rv is plugged in.
I'll go through all the connections and make sure they are good, then give the results again.
usersmanual
Explorer
Dec 05, 2016
look lets keep it simple here
either your house batterys are stone dead or your house disconnect switch is off

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