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Villas-Est1009's avatar
Villas-Est1009
Explorer II
Jun 26, 2025

Trouble turning my RV

Hello my name is Jazmin, 

my family and I just bought a 2007 Arctic Fox  990 “Silver Fox Edition’’ we bought it from a local family. Everything from the inside is in good condition, we struggle to learn how to use all the appliances because they didn’t have the manual book that comes with all the information. Right now we’re struggling on the switch to turn on the generator!! We try it few times and yes it turned on perfectly but today we did the game thing ( press the start button and push the little butterfly)it made a sound like it was about to turn on but then it stopped. It didn’t work at all! , I have looked everywhere( on the internet) to see if I can find a way to give us tips or show us what to do. Our general is Onan 2500 camp power, can anyone recommend any good resources that would help us with this situation!! I hope my message makes sense 

Thank you

11 Replies

  • Glad you got it resolved. And thank you for coming back to update us that you were successful.

     

  • Hello All, 

    Thank you so much for all the amazing support!! Like a lot of you guys said it was the battery.

    thank you so much 

    • Grit_dog's avatar
      Grit_dog
      Navigator II

      Well lesson learned for all your electric start stuff. Usually if it goes rrr…..rrrr real slow or click click when you turn the key or push the starter button, and doesn’t turn over fast, it’s a weak battery.  Assuming it’s not some old crusty pod with bad cables and grounds. 

  • Hi Jazmin, 

    This really sounds like the camper has a dead battery as suggested by way2roll. If the battery is low or dead the starter on the generator will not do anything. Does anything electrical work inside the camper?

    Also we are confused by the term metal butterfly that you said you moved. Yes there are butterfly valves inside the carburetor, but typically you don't need to manually move them. 

    Is the below what you are moving when you say metal butterfly?

     

    • way2roll's avatar
      way2roll
      Navigator III

      No idea. But my money is on a dead battery. They never responded to say if they checked the battery. 

  • Here’s some pictures!! I have try against to turn it on today. I did the same thing I press the start button and the metal butterfl, yesterday make some sound like if it was going to turn on but today there’s no sound at all!! Thank you all for all the good advice 

  • Does it have fuel, and are the batteries charged? A generator needs a good battery not only to start but to keep it running. 

  • agree with last post, as more information is needed.  The switch at the generator should be a rocker switch, along with one inside.  Is that what you have, push one side to prime the motor and hear the fuel pump start?  The other side it will try and start the generator.  do you have a picture?

  • Manuals are available online for most RV systems.

    Sounds like your start battery for the genny is low.

    • Grit_dog's avatar
      Grit_dog
      Navigator II

      And yet it’s common to NOT find manuals for most RVs or their systems. However you’re correct. Cummins/Onan has operation manuals online and easy to find. 
      To the OP, your question makes no sense until you can discern some simple terms and concepts, because “doesn’t turn on” is wholly meaningless. 
      I’d try reading a manual first. Especially since you said it ran fine yesterday and not today. Sounds like something simple. 

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