Another generator question

[et2]

Does the generator start from the house battery or engine starter battery? Or does it have its own battery.

I feel real silly asking all these questions as I should have done so during the PDI. Usually I'm a fairly technical guy. I guess I'm just too lazy to crawl under the MH and look for one.

[deandec]

Bobbo wrote:
Or, disconnect the house batteries (there is a disconnect switch, right?) and see if the generator will turn over.

Aw, come on, that is just too easy and logical. Where's the fun in that? :B

[Bobbo]

Or, disconnect the house batteries (there is a disconnect switch, right?) and see if the generator will turn over.

[wny_pat1]

You have a brand new Fleetwood. Some where in all your coach manuals you should have a wiring diagram. Just take a look at it and trace the 12 volt starter wiring back and see if Fleetwood uses the house batteries or the chassis batteries. Or give Fleetwood's Technical Support Center a call at 800-322-8216 and ask them. Just be ready to give them you model, VIN, and build number, as they will need to identify your specific coach to answer your question.

[Matt_Colie]

From all the coaches I have worked on, my thumbnail survey would say that:
90% of the coaches start the APU with the house battery.
8% of the coaches start the APU with the main engine battery.
2% of the coaches start the APU with a dedicated battery.

About 2/3 of the emergency cross over switches actually work when needed.
1/3 of the A & C coach owners don't know where the house bank is actually located in the coach and have never checked the batteries at all.
I may be a little optimistic with the 2%.

Matt

[tatest]

Yes. Any of the three. There is no standard.

Mine starts from the house battery, but if I start my engine, the alternator will also feed that circuit. I also have a momentary contact switch that will combine the two circuits, if the house battery is strong enough to close that relay.

[deandec]

Mine starts with a dedicated generator battery mounted near the generator.

[Bobbo]

I have not seen a generator with its own battery, but I have seen them using either of the other two. The house battery is most common, but chassis battery is sometimes used. The rationale of using the house battery is, if the chassis battery is dead, you can start the generator to charge the chassis battery, and if the house battery is dead, you can start the engine to charge the house battery. You are only up the creek if you manage to discharge both batteries.

[Sully2]

My genset runs from the coach battery bank

[gbopp]

On our 96 Southwind the generator starts off the house batteries.

[goldwing58]

Hello all, I am new to the site, I have a 1979 Southwind 28L. I am retiring in a few months and am looking forward to some nice relaxing times with the wife after 31 yrs railroading. anyway,, my generator runs off the house batteries. Looking forward to some nice conversations from time to time.

[JohnnyT]

Normally the generator will not have its own battery... I believe different manufacturer's use either.. In my case its the chassis batteries that starts the generator. Hopefully a Fleetwood owner will join the thread.

JohnnyT

[glamisorbust]

It starts off the house batteries. If they are too dead to start it, there is usually an "emergency switch" on the dash or someplace else that you can hold down while you use the regular start switch. Then it is pulling from the coach battery to start the generator.

[jy]

Most (not all) use the house batteries to start the gen set.

[Mandalay_Parr]

Some are wired either way. Mine is off the engine battery.