Genny won't start

[rdtaylor]

I have a 94 Coachmen Class B. I was trying to start the generator Friday night and killed the battery. Replaced the battery today (because it would charge) and now I get absolutely nothing from the generator. Any clues to what might have went wrong. This unit has always started w/o a problem. Thanks in advance.

Ray

[rdtaylor]

Problem solved it was the dang battery connection. Thanks for all the replies. They help me sort it out!

Ray

[rdtaylor]

Where might one find this reset button? I have look high and low for something like this. I will search for it when I get home

[SwanInWA]

We also have a reset button, which totally threw us for a loop the first time we tripped a breaker.

[Liketoroam]

Inside my van there is a reset button that trips if you try too long to start the generator. Sometimes mine trips after a few seconds other timer 10 or 12. When this happens nothing happens until reset.

[Handbasket]

Agree with check the fuse. Then be sure with meter or test light that you've actually got at least 12V at the battery. Also check to be sure that your generator's 12V start circuit doesn't go thru the batter switch.

If all that's OK, go back and check the new battery connections for proper polarity and clean/tight. Then look at the generator to see if there's a 12V ground wire, and check it for clean & tight at both ends.

If there's no ground wire, loosen and tighten several mounting bolts; 20 years may have caused some corrosion that interrupts your 12v ground there. You can maybe access the splice in the 12V+ lead between the RV maker's power lead from the battery and Onan's to the starter solenoid. Check it.

If all that's OK, post back, and tell us if the generator's in an underfloor mount, as I suspect. It'll have to be pulled out to do any more.

Jim, "Mo' coffee!"

[eric1514]

There's a fuse on the generator itself, right next to the start button. Pull it and check it.

[francheska]

Is there a fuse between switch and battery? I have read that holding the start button down for to long a time can burn them out. Try to jump start the generator from a different battery directly to it to by pass
the switch or try to determine if switch is still working. Sorry I have no better ideas.

[rdtaylor]

The generator will not do anything. It is completely dead no response from the remote switch in the van and nothing from the switch on the generator. The unit is a Onan 2800. The van runs great. The house lights turn on, but I cannot get anything else in the coach to turn on. Tried to turn on the water heater and it would not kick over either. Haven't tried the fridge yet.

[ol__grouch]

rdtaylor wrote:
I have a 94 Coachmen Class B. I was trying to start the generator Friday night and killed the battery. Replaced the battery today (because it would charge) and now I get absolutely nothing from the generator. Any clues to what might have went wrong. This unit has always started w/o a problem. Thanks in advance.

Ray

Well, let's trouble shoot the problem and narrow it down. Will the van start? Does the van battery or the RV battery start the generator? Does the generator crank over but not start? If it doesn't crank, is power getting to the switch and starter for the generator? If it cranks but won't start, is it getting fuel? Is it gasoline or diesel? Have you tried a short shot of starting fluid (NOT gasoline) into the air intake of the generator?

Now let's do some "What if's". Let's say it cranks but doesn't start. You take the air filter off and slap a short shot of starting fluid into the intake. If it cranks but doesn't start with starting fluid in it, you have an ignition problem. On the other hand, if it cranks and then starts for a moment and then dies, you have a fuel delivery problem. Beyond that, there is so much I don't know about what ypou have, I can't be more specific.