Generator won't start

"My dad heard a noise in the car today"

"What did he do?"

"He turned up the radio"

(Charlie Brown talking to Linus, in a Peanuts, strip)

First step: verify that the batteries are charged.

Second step: If the batteries are well charged, check that the battery connections are all tight and clean and solid (at both ends of the cables).

peighlyn wrote:
My 2005 Damon Astoria has generac diesel generator. Just replaced house batteries (2-6v) and after a week the generator won't start unless plugged in to shore power. Any ideas?

I would guess that the batteries have enough phantom loads they just ran down. You could try starting the coach, letting them charge off the engine for a minute then try starting the genset. Then, use a disconnect when leaving it for more than a few days.


It's also possible the batteries were not fully charged after you installed them.

My 2005 Damon Astoria has generac diesel generator. Just replaced house batteries (2-6v) and after a week the generator won't start unless plugged in to shore power. Any ideas?

Congrats on a good way to solve a repair issue...remove the offending item, lol.
Hope you enjoy the new rig. Happy trails!

Ok, I said I would update with the results. I solved the problem once and for all. I SOLD IT. My wife found a 29' Trek online the other day. We went to look at it yesterday. Done deal.... Dealer took old coach in trade for the Safari Trek. PROBLEM SOLVED. ;)

Now I will have the adventure :h of finding all the new "problems" of a different coach. Didn't think we would part with the old one but after about eight years, needs and desires change. Hope we enjoy this newer one as much as we did the old one. We unloaded the old one yesterday and , BOY, what a surprise. We don't realize how much "stuff" we haul around after a few years. :S Going to do a lot of sorting before we reload.

bobwalter wrote:
The generator normally starts from the coach batteries. The voltage of the coach batteries measured at the solenoid is 13.57 volts on both sides of the solenoid.

A voltage of 13.57 volts is NOT the battery's voltage. It is the converter/charger's voltage. The converter/charger does not have enough amps to turn the starter. I still think you have a dead battery, and the converter charger can't provide the power without the battery online.

You may save yourself some money by taking the battery out and carrying it to a big box auto parts store for a load test.

The generator normally starts from the coach batteries. The voltage of the coach batteries measured at the solenoid is 13.57 volts on both sides of the solenoid. The line leading to the starter, when removed from the solenoid, reads as a dead short to ground. There is no access at all to turn engine manually. The starter has worked intermittently several times in the past but I thought it was a dirty switch not making good contact. Now, I am thinking it was the starter sending me a message. I am going to have the local service facility diagnose and repair because I have no help to remove and replace the genny myself. If I was 20 years younger I would be pulling it out already myself. I have an appointment for next Wednesday. Will post the results when I find out. Glad I found it now. Nothing planned until August.

I agree that a battery reading 12v is a dead battery, in addition to your symptoms point to a dead battery.

Moved to Tech Issues forum from DIY.