Generator

I wouldn't try let the starter run for 30 seconds. As others have said, I prime it once, try to start it. I let it go 10 seconds or so. If no start, prime it again. Rarely does it not start after the second priming.

When we first bought our Motorhome, we took a trip about a month after we bought it. The generator fired right up while we were driving. My wife tried to heat something in the microwave and the generator cut out after about 30 seconds later. Couldn't get it to start. It turned out to be a bad fuel pump in the generator. It was replaced under warranty. I don't think the generator had 5 hours on it when the fuel pump failed.

I don't remember off the top of my head, but the manual should tell you how to read an error code which might point you in the right direction. If I am not mistaken, we got error 34. If memory serves correctly, I believe the fix for error 34 was to have it serviced by a technician.

-Michael

By prime I assume you are talking about holding the stop until the fuel pump runs. When doing so continue to hold button and listen pump, it is filling carb bowl and the sound of it will change when bowl is full, then release button. Now start generator.

Double check the OIL level also. I don't have your model but when my Onan won't start it is usually low on oil. They have a switch that will turn it off if it gets to low.

Our Onan 4000 always (unless it's already warmed up) takes 3 to 4 primes. On ours, priming is just holding the rocker switch down until the yellow light goes off... 3 or 4 times, then hold the rocker switch up till it starts.

Mine take three or four ten second primes before it starts. Yes I count the seconds. Even though I do not like to. I do crank it ten to twenty seconds. It is annoying it gives no hint as to when it is going to start. Mine is a 2011 4KW Onen.

With the popularity and the prime feature, I trust you're talking the ONAN 4KY series. Ours was made in 2002 and has about 450 hours. I don't use it often so it can be a couple weeks or more between uses. I prime it before the first start attempt. I only crank it for maybe 10 seconds. If it didn't start, I prime it again. I've gone to as many as three attempts but it always starts.

Don't get "priming guilt." You aren't squirting gas where it shouldn't be, or excess gas where it should be. All you're doing is running the fuel pump to make sure the carburetor's float bowl, where the engine gets it from anyway.

If your car (or RV!) has Fuel Injection, the pump prime the system by pressurizing it a pre-run the second you turn the key toward Start.

You'll put more load on the coach battery, and more wear and tear on the ONAN's starter, NOT priming it and waiting for the ONAN's fuel pump to catch up.

Just Prime It.

I checked the gas level and I have over 1/2 tank of gas. I started the chassis engine but the generator still won't start. I'm reading the manual and it says to prime the generator for 30 seconds, if it has run out of gas, which mine did not. However, that leads me to believe that you shouldn't prime if you have not run out of gas. The dealer told me to prime for 5 seconds everytime before I started the generator and that worked fine for all the times I have tried to start the generator in the past. Sometimes it took 2-3 primes and starts before the generator would actually start, but it always started. The manual also said to hold the start button for 30 seconds. On my trips, I only had to hold the start button for about 3-4 seconds and it would start. Should you really hold the start button for 30 seconds?

So maybe i need advice on the best way to start my generator!!

If my house battery is low I start the chassis engine before I start the generator.

I'll look but I'm pretty sure there is over half tank - but I'll go check.

How much fuel is in the gas tank? Roughly 1/4 or less and the generator will not start. This is so you can still drive to get fuel.