Generator Won’t Start
I have a 2007 Winnebago Tour with an Onan 8000 generator. I let the house batteries go too low and can’t start the generator. Does it use house batteries to start? I have the Motor running to see i...
Forum Discussion
camperdave wrote:
yeah, starts off the house batteries. I had dead house batteries once (dumb mistake...) I started the engine, then waited 20 or so minutes until the house batts had enough juice in them to fire up the genny.
Stupid to have the generator start off the house batts, as when I need the generator is when those batteries are in need of a charge! Seems like it should be fired off from the chassis battery (which is a better starter battery anyway than the deep cycles).
The generator needs 12V power when it's running, not just to start it. If it were connected to the chassis battery and there were no provision for charging the chassis battery from the house battery (as is not at all infrequently the case), you'd run the chassis battery down using the generator for a somewhat extended length of time.
There are tradeoffs to every setup. Some might suggest that having a separate generator starter battery, dedicated just to it, with some means of charging it when the generator is running is the best option of all; but of course that adds complexity and is yet another battery to maintain.
