can not start generator

[jtad]

I have a 2004 holiday rambler endeavor with a Onan 7500 diesel geni. It shut down going down the road today. Found I had some bad house batteries. Replaced all four and generator still won't start. It seems there is now power to the switch on the dash or the one on the geni itself. Press either button nothing happens. Checked all the fuses that are inside the little access door on the front of the generator(the one where the radiator cap is) all three fuses are good and getting 13.8 volts to all of them. Any ideas?

[Bigdog]

gennie cranks and runs ocasionally. It seems as if it just runs when it wants too. I am on number 5 starter or is it 6 or seven. Replaced a couple about a year after I got it. Two Generac starters and then they gave us the number of an aftermarket one and those were lifetime replacements. It started more than not for a while then a couple of more starters. Put one in a year ago and it never did start all the time. Did ok for several months and I was running it every couple of weeks, now we're back into the old cycle of I'll run if I want too, otherwise I'm gonna turn over slowly and not start.
At least my after market warranty is covering the whole cost now.

[4x4van]

wantobefree wrote:
If jumper cables only caused the starter to get hot and not spin the engine. You either have a bad starter or a seized engine.

Exactly.

[wantobefree]

If jumper cables only caused the starter to get hot and not spin the engine. You either have a bad starter or a seized engine.

[Bigdog]

wantobefree wrote:
Have you checked the ground strap from generator to coach frame?

Have checked the ground connections several times and unless there's one I don't know about they're all good. I'm thinking that I should check the positive wires to see if they are running free and not worn anywhere, but that's a real job. Probably easier to get a roll of one or two grades larger wire and then just run that from the circuit breaker in the back to the gennie in the front. The jacks operate off the same circuit breaker and I'm not having any problems with them. Well, the rears have decided just the last trip or two that they aren't gonna retract all the way.
I did get a heavy set of homemade jumper cables from a friend and used his Dodge 1 ton dually Cummins pickup to jump it and all that did was to heat up the starter motor. We disconnected the MH wire and hooked onto the gennie and used the switch on the gennie to try to start it.
Bummer ????

[4x4van]

Just a thought, but did the genset itself freeze up? I was running mine for the A/C while going down the road and suddenly the A/C stopped, and the generator quit. Stopped and tried to start the generator, and it would even begin to turn over; nothing at all, it was locked up solid. About a week later (after getting home), I was able to, using a large allen wrench on the end of the unit, break it loose. Started right up and continued to run no problem. Still working fine a year later when I sold the RV.

[wantobefree]

Have you checked the ground strap from generator to coach frame?

[Bigdog]

On my Tradewinds, there is a 75 amp circuit breaker back on the house electrical panel. When mine pops, the gennie, 7.5 KW generac,won't even click.
Other times, the gennie turns really slowly and when you try to reset the breaker, it's hotter than fire. Which means that there is a major draw somewhere.

[jtad]

The issue is not fuel, tank is full. It isn't batteries. There is power 13.58 volts to the lugs on the back of the geni where the batt cables attach. There is a starting fuse inside the top inspection cover. It has power on both sides of the fuse (13.58 volts). There is no power to the start button on the dash or at the generator. You can press the switch nothing happens. Fuel pump doesn't prime, engine doesn't turn over, no clicking somewhere..Nothing, no power to the two switches.

[Fleet_Man]

Reconsidered initial comment. Deleted it, not relevant. Sorry.

[chaffeekid]

Push the start button and hold it in until the generator starts. The clicking is the fuel pump on the Generator.
Just hold the Button down until it starts.
If you push the button for OFF and hold it you should also hear the fuel pump running, this will prime the engine, then push the start button and hold it until the engine cranks. If you have the owners manual, read it and it will also explain the above. If you don't have the owners manual, search online for the specific manual based on the tag on your Onan.

[johnandbren]

i had generator running continuously for about 3 hours on a very hot day just so i could make sure my ac was functioning properly before i headed out for a weekend get away.everything worked fine.so i shut it down and when i tried to start the generator up the next morning i could not make anything happen with it.pushed the start button on dash and got no sound at all.tried the other switch that is located near the kitchen sink and got nothing there.went to the switch at the generator compartment and no luck there either.usually it would roll over and start immediately.went back to the switch located on the dash and pushed it again.this time i heard a noise coming from somewhere around the front of coach that kinda sounded like a clicking and it kept on making that noise after i let go of the start button.then it quit making any sound and does absolutely nothing again when attempting to start it.engine starts and runs fine. batteries work the lights.help!what can it be?

[chaffeekid]

John and Bren, When you push the button do you hold it for at least 15 20 seconds. The generator will not crank until the fuel pump has primed the engine. If you hold the button in the off position, pressing on it you should hear the fuel pump running.
Press and hold the start button for at least 15 or 20 seconds and see if the Generator starts. It does not start immediately upon pressing the button, you have to hold it until it cranks.
Hope this helps.
Jim

[johnandbren]

i am having that exact problem that u described.nothing happens when pushing start button for generator.did u ever get your problem solved.

[Ivylog]

I learned the hard way that my engine batteries start my generator on my 04 Dynasty. Have you started your engine since this happened? After holding the boost switch down for a couple minutes do you get anything?