Well....I am brand new to RVing. Flew down to Bakersfield and bought a 34-foot super-c Four Winds coach with the Duramax. It was an awesome drive back to the Seattle area, but one issue has me perplexed, as everything was working when we left. Here it is:1.Generation only hums when I attempt to start it (much like a dead battery in a car).2.Put brand new batteries in the coach last night (wired it identical to the way it was)3.When shore power is unplugged, the coach lights flicker on and off and the GFCI protected outlets do not work.4.Other inverted outlets (near the TV's seem to work.5.Found the inverter, converter and the transfer switches in the back bedroom, but know very little about these.6.Also tried to start the generator when the Duramax diesel was running with no luck. Just a click an a hum. For some reason the power from the batteries is being limited when disconnected from shore power and causing all the above, include the generator not starting.Does this ring a bell for anyone? Any help is appreciated!! Not ruling out operator ignorance as I am an RV rookie. Thanks in advance for any help!!

did it start on your test run at the dealer? assume its propane? is the tank turned on? stop at the nearest rv dealer and beg for a show and tell. tip the guy who shows you how to start it.

Yes.....they started it and it ran fine at the dealership.It is a diesel 6000W Onan generator. Looks like new.

It sounds like you have a high resistance connection somewhere in the wiring between the battery and the genny. If you can, measure the voltage at the genny when trying to start it, also at the battery. Check all the connections and don't forget the ground connections.

Could it be that the pre-heat is cycling due to a colder outside temp, and it might take several on-off cycles of the switch to complete the pre-heat/priming cycles.

If it is a diesel, I assume that it runs off the fuel in your "gas" tank. Usually there is a level of fuel in the tank that a generator will not run when below that level. Sometimes a 1/4 tank, sometimes more or less. Make sure your tank is past a half full. Onan generators also will not run if the generator's oil level is low. Check that if there is sufficient fuel in your tank.

Power Issues - Generator not starting - brand new batteries

Schneider
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
Four brand new 6-volt batteries wired for 12-volt operation.
Chassis batteries operating flawlessly.

Investing in a multimeter on the way home. Someone is going to need a new toolbox :) Will report back.
Schneider
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
I will try that tonight!
I would love to connect this to the issue with the lights coming on and off and the GFI outlets not working when the shore power is disconnected and running solely on 12v. Do you see a connection between these? The only way I can see a connection is if the power to start the generator comes from the coach-batteries, through the inverter, back through converter and then then to the terminals of the generator. That seems a bit crazy to me, but if it does could point to the inverter as the potential problem. I might try to reset that guy tonight as well.

Thoughts?
othertonka
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
Most MH have 2 sets of batteries, one battery or set for the chassis and one battery or set for the "House". Which batteries did you replace? Also most MH use the House battery/ies to start the generator. Sounds like your house batteries are low or dead. use a volt meter to check the batteries, a fully charged battery should read 12.6 volts. If it all checks out you have a bad connection somewhere along the line, maybe a bad ground where it connects to the frame.
1775
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
If it is a diesel, I assume that it runs off the fuel in your "gas" tank. Usually there is a level of fuel in the tank that a generator will not run when below that level. Sometimes a 1/4 tank, sometimes more or less. Make sure your tank is past a half full. Onan generators also will not run if the generator's oil level is low. Check that if there is sufficient fuel in your tank.
We_Cant_Wait
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
Could it be that the pre-heat is cycling due to a colder outside temp, and it might take several on-off cycles of the switch to complete the pre-heat/priming cycles.
tenbear
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
It sounds like you have a high resistance connection somewhere in the wiring between the battery and the genny. If you can, measure the voltage at the genny when trying to start it, also at the battery. Check all the connections and don't forget the ground connections.
Schneider
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
Yes.....they started it and it ran fine at the dealership.
It is a diesel 6000W Onan generator. Looks like new.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Dec 16, 2013
did it start on your test run at the dealer? assume its propane? is the tank turned on? stop at the nearest rv dealer and beg for a show and tell. tip the guy who shows you how to start it.

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Power Issues - Generator not starting - brand new batteries

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