2000 Four Winds Generator Specifics

[bluesurf]

Hello,

We are borrowing my MIL's 2000 Four Winds 31S over the upcoming holidays, and she has indicated that the generator is not working.

The specific problem that she communicated is that pressing the start/stop switch results in no action.

So, my question is what drives that start/stop switch? Is there a separate battery specific to the generator, and if so, how do I found out which one in order to replace it? If not a specific battery to the generator, then what?

Unfortunately, the RV is 120 miles away, and I'm currently unable to view it in person.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[BruceMc]

Handbasket wrote:
I think the Onan Microquiet 4000 has a 'prime' function built into the start switch. It's not uncommon to need a bit of cranking to get fuel to the generator if it's not been run in a while, so priming is a good idea.

Not to be the bearer of bad tidings, but if it hasn't been run for a while, it may not start even when the starter cranks it over just fine. Or it may run poorly, with the RPM rising and falling. This is the result of carburetor varnish. They need to be run for an hour or two every month or so to avoid this. If you're going to be on a tight schedule, there's not much that can be done for this issue in a short amount of time.

Agree... once they get it to crank. I'd say the first objective is to get it clicking/rotating first.

[wgander]

My Four Winds will start from the engine battery when the coach battery is low/dead. There's a battery disconnect switch just inside the entrance door: I think it has to be in the on (connected) position for the generator start switch to work.

[tenbear]

My 2004 Four Winds has a Generac generator and it gets its power from the house battery. Pretty much what others have said applies to the Generac.

[Handbasket]

I think the Onan Microquiet 4000 has a 'prime' function built into the start switch. It's not uncommon to need a bit of cranking to get fuel to the generator if it's not been run in a while, so priming is a good idea.

Not to be the bearer of bad tidings, but if it hasn't been run for a while, it may not start even when the starter cranks it over just fine. Or it may run poorly, with the RPM rising and falling. This is the result of carburetor varnish. They need to be run for an hour or two every month or so to avoid this. If you're going to be on a tight schedule, there's not much that can be done for this issue in a short amount of time.

Jim, "I'm not a pessimist, I'm an optimist with experience."

[bluesurf]

Thanks all for the great feedback! It looks like I might need to take an evening trip to debug prior to using the RV.

[BruceMc]

Our 2000 FW 26Q does not have a transfer switch, rather, it has a receptacle in the shore cord storage compartment. To power the MH with the generator, the shore power cord needs to be plugged into that receptacle.

We have the Onan 4Kw Microquiet as well. There's a start/stop switch with hourmeter just inside the side door and a start/stop switch behind the service door on the generator. As J-d mentioned, the power necessary to start the genny is the house battery/batteries.

As others have mentioned, if either switch doesn't work, then there probably is no 12V power to the generator.
When you get a chance, or when the person you are borrowing it from has the chance:
If the house batteries are sufficiently charged, check the 6 gauge power lead from the batteries to the generator - the terminal at the battery end may be corroded and/or loose; the genny end is connected to the starter solenoid behind the access door. Check the lead from the solenoid to the starter as well.
Check the ground lead from the MH chassis to the genny chassis; the genny chassis mount point is a bolt at the lower left corner of the generator housing.

These things can be difficult to troubleshoot when you are looking at the beast, but it'll be interesting how you troubleshoot it from 120 miles away.
Good luck!

[j-d]

Very likely this RV uses the ONAN MicroQuiet 4000 genset, which has a generator-mounted Start/Stop switch, along with a master circuit breaker right next to it. The coach builder no doubt put a remote Start/Stop panel inside as well.
First, make sure the Coach/House Battery (not the one that starts the Road Engine) is There, that it's Charged, Connected, and Turned ON. Then if genny won't crank from inside, see if it'll crank from the switch on the genny itself.
Circuit Breaker won't keep it from cranking, but might figure in if you get it started but don't have power to the coach's outlets.
If you in fact get it running, next step is to find out how the coach gets powered from the genny. Many have an Auto Transfer Switch (ATS) but others have an outlet powered by the generator that you must plug your shore tie cable into.

[tatest]

The generator usually draws power from the house battery, which might be down or disconnected. When the house batteries are down, I've sometimes been able to get enough power to crank the generator by running my engine at fast idle.

Or it could be a problem with the switch. There is more than one start/stop switch, one on the generator, and a remote inside. If there is no connection to the remote, it might be possible to start the generator from the switch on the generator.

When th