Generator Won't Start? - Printable Version +- Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum (http://www.wanderlodgegurus.com) +-- Forum: Yahoo Groups Archive (/forumdisplay.php?fid=61) +--- Forum: WanderlodgeForum (/forumdisplay.php?fid=63) +--- Thread: Generator Won't Start? (/showthread.php?tid=2796) |
Generator Won't Start? - Mike Meister - 06-18-2006 05:29 my generator has always started very easily and runs perfectly. 2 weeks ago I put a battery disconnect switch on the Gen Battery and it was running fine (started it 10 times) Today I went to start it,turns over, but won't start. getting plenty of juice but the light doesn't come on in the starter switch when I am trying to start it. looking for some quick help as we are leaving for Montana in less that 2 weeks Thanks Mike 80FC33 Taylor Mill, Ky Generator Won't Start? - Tom Warner - 06-18-2006 06:10 Why would you put a battery disconnect on a generator battery???? If its properly installed with the factory modification of the diode to protect it then it cant discharge after the coach engine is turned off. Sounds like that is your problem the battery is not charging. Take out the disconnect switch. tom warner vernon center,NY 1985 PT 40 At 01:29 PM 6/18/2006, you wrote: >my generator has always started very easily and runs perfectly. > >2 weeks ago I put a battery disconnect switch on the Gen Battery and >it was running fine (started it 10 times) > >Today I went to start it,turns over, but won't start. getting plenty >of juice but the light doesn't come on in the starter switch when I am >trying to start it. > >looking for some quick help as we are leaving for Montana in less that >2 weeks > >Thanks > >Mike >80FC33 >Taylor Mill, Ky > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Generator Won't Start? - John Suter - 06-18-2006 10:17 One possibility is to watch for a battery disconnect switch that may not be rated for the full starting amperage of the generator - as much as hundreds of amps. I'd try "jumping across" the disconnect switch with a heavy duty pair of jumper cables and see if "cutting out" the disconnect makes any difference. Just because you can read 12.6V at the starter without load, does not mean there is 12.6V when under a start load that is "pulled through" the disconnect wiring/lugs/switch. John Suter --- Mike Meister <mike.meister@...> wrote: > my generator has always started very easily and runs > perfectly. > > 2 weeks ago I put a battery disconnect switch on the > Gen Battery and > it was running fine (started it 10 times) > > Today I went to start it,turns over, but won't > start. getting plenty > of juice but the light doesn't come on in the > starter switch when I am > trying to start it. > > looking for some quick help as we are leaving for > Montana in less that > 2 weeks > > Thanks > > Mike > 80FC33 > Taylor Mill, Ky > > > > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Generator Won't Start? - Mike Meister - 06-19-2006 02:34 I put the disconnect switch in becasue the battery will drain overnight. I was getting tired of unhooking the battery everytime I parked the bus, thus the disconnect switch. I know there is another issue with the battery draining but I have no time to fix that before leaving. Mike Meister 80FC33 Taylor Mill, Ky --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Tom Warner wrote: > > Why would you put a battery disconnect on a generator battery???? If > its properly installed with the factory modification of the diode to > protect it then it cant discharge after the coach engine is turned > off. Sounds like that is your problem the battery is not charging. > Take out the disconnect switch. > > tom warner > vernon center,NY > 1985 PT 40 > > At 01:29 PM 6/18/2006, you wrote: > > >my generator has always started very easily and runs perfectly. > > > >2 weeks ago I put a battery disconnect switch on the Gen Battery and > >it was running fine (started it 10 times) > > > >Today I went to start it,turns over, but won't start. getting plenty > >of juice but the light doesn't come on in the starter switch when I am > >trying to start it. > > > >looking for some quick help as we are leaving for Montana in less that > >2 weeks > > > >Thanks > > > >Mike > >80FC33 > >Taylor Mill, Ky > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > Generator Won't Start? - Leroy Eckert - 06-19-2006 14:07 Mike: I would agree that the battery drain is an issue. Cannot immediately come up with the reason. Nothing wrong with a cutoff switch. I do not understand why the genset will not start. If you have battery power to spin the motor, fuel into the injectors, the start solenoid which lets fuel to the pump is operating properly( this in my coach turns on the light in the start switch when activated) and the overtemp sender is operating properly and is not grounded or sending a ground signal then the motor should start. I just have a funny feeling that your problem is related to the circuit that supports the auto overtemp shut down. Unplug the wire that is attached to the overtemp sensor and try to start the genset. If it starts the sensor is grounded internally and needs to be replaced. If the genset starts check this circuit by grounding the wire and the motor should stop. Hope this helps. The only other thing I can comne up with is air in the system. Have you disconnected any diesel lines recently? Leroy Eckert 1990WB-40 Niceville, FL ----- Original Message ----- From: Mike Meister To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 9:34 AM Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Generator Won't Start? I put the disconnect switch in becasue the battery will drain overnight. I was getting tired of unhooking the battery everytime I parked the bus, thus the disconnect switch. I know there is another issue with the battery draining but I have no time to fix that before leaving. Mike Meister 80FC33 Taylor Mill, Ky --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Tom Warner wrote: > > Why would you put a battery disconnect on a generator battery???? If > its properly installed with the factory modification of the diode to > protect it then it cant discharge after the coach engine is turned > off. Sounds like that is your problem the battery is not charging. > Take out the disconnect switch. > > tom warner > vernon center,NY > 1985 PT 40 > > At 01:29 PM 6/18/2006, you wrote: > > >my generator has always started very easily and runs perfectly. > > > >2 weeks ago I put a battery disconnect switch on the Gen Battery and > >it was running fine (started it 10 times) > > > >Today I went to start it,turns over, but won't start. getting plenty > >of juice but the light doesn't come on in the starter switch when I am > >trying to start it. > > > >looking for some quick help as we are leaving for Montana in less that > >2 weeks > > > >Thanks > > > >Mike > >80FC33 > >Taylor Mill, Ky > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Generator Won't Start? - Leroy Eckert - 06-19-2006 14:15 Mike: One other thing . I just saw a post about a cutoff switch on the genset battery system. It related to charging the genset battery. It will not charge if the switch is off. It should not drain either. That is another issue. Try to get your genset started then go after the battery draun problem. Leroy ----- Original Message ----- From: Mike Meister To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 9:34 AM Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Generator Won't Start? I put the disconnect switch in becasue the battery will drain overnight. I was getting tired of unhooking the battery everytime I parked the bus, thus the disconnect switch. I know there is another issue with the battery draining but I have no time to fix that before leaving. Mike Meister 80FC33 Taylor Mill, Ky --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Tom Warner wrote: > > Why would you put a battery disconnect on a generator battery???? If > its properly installed with the factory modification of the diode to > protect it then it cant discharge after the coach engine is turned > off. Sounds like that is your problem the battery is not charging. > Take out the disconnect switch. > > tom warner > vernon center,NY > 1985 PT 40 > > At 01:29 PM 6/18/2006, you wrote: > > >my generator has always started very easily and runs perfectly. > > > >2 weeks ago I put a battery disconnect switch on the Gen Battery and > >it was running fine (started it 10 times) > > > >Today I went to start it,turns over, but won't start. getting plenty > >of juice but the light doesn't come on in the starter switch when I am > >trying to start it. > > > >looking for some quick help as we are leaving for Montana in less that > >2 weeks > > > >Thanks > > > >Mike > >80FC33 > >Taylor Mill, Ky > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Generator Won't Start? - Curt Sprenger - 06-20-2006 02:24 Mike, From my experience. I'm no expert. Some gen. sets alternators create component voltage (voltage to components) at start time in order for the gen. engine to start. No voltage could be the problem you are experiencing. I suggest taking your bus to a good generator shop and have the gen. set tested. Maybe the voltage regulator is bad. One day our gen. set would start right up. The next time it would turn over but it would not start. I had to replace the alternator because on initial start it would not create the voltage necessary for the unit to start up. The large windings were bad due to sitting (lack of use). Our gen. set was the Yanmar engine and Kohler alternator. The Kohler alternator was the problem and it was replaced with a Newage unit. I hope your problem is not the same. Good luck. Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38, Anaheim Hills, Calif. Generator Won't Start? - jwasnewski - 06-20-2006 14:50 I am no expert on gensets either. However, I know this for certain. If I could place wheels on the crankshaft of a diesel engine, could feed it fuel without battery power and could push it down a hill to start it, the engine will run until the coolant runs out, the fuel runs out or it blows itself up. That being said, there is an external electrical issue to this problem. I think we need more feedback and think simple. Thanks, Leroy Eckert 1990 WB-40 Niceville, FL - In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Curt Sprenger > > Mike, > > From my experience. I'm no expert. > > Some gen. sets alternators create component voltage (voltage to > components) at start time in order for the gen. engine to start. No > voltage could be the problem you are experiencing. I suggest taking your > bus to a good generator shop and have the gen. set tested. Maybe the > voltage regulator is bad. > > One day our gen. set would start right up. The next time it would turn > over but it would not start. I had to replace the alternator because on > initial start it would not create the voltage necessary for the unit to > start up. The large windings were bad due to sitting (lack of use). Our > gen. set was the Yanmar engine and Kohler alternator. The Kohler > alternator was the problem and it was replaced with a Newage unit. I > hope your problem is not the same. > > Good luck. > > Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38, Anaheim Hills, Calif. > Generator Won't Start? - Curt Sprenger - 06-20-2006 16:02 Leroy, Agreed. That is what I'm pointing out. It could be electrical issues are keeping solenoids (or something else) from performing as required. Another thought is getting Mike's unit to a test station will hopefully support Mike having a working generator when he leaves on his trip in less than two weeks. If we were closer we could join in the search for the problem(s). The shop spent about an hour to test our gen. system, $85.00, cheap for this part of the country. Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38, Anaheim Hills, Calif. jwasnewski wrote: > I am no expert on gensets either. However, I know this for > certain. If I could place wheels on the crankshaft of a diesel > engine, could feed it fuel without battery power and could push it > down a hill to start it, the engine will run until the coolant runs > out, the fuel runs out or it blows itself up. That being said, there > is an external electrical issue to this problem. I think we need > more feedback and think simple. > > Thanks, > Leroy Eckert > 1990 WB-40 > Niceville, FL > > - In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > Mike, > > > > From my experience. I'm no expert. > > > > Some gen. sets alternators create component voltage (voltage to > > components) at start time in order for the gen. engine to start. No > > voltage could be the problem you are experiencing. I suggest taking > your > > bus to a good generator shop and have the gen. set tested. Maybe > the > > voltage regulator is bad. > > > > One day our gen. set would start right up. The next time it would > turn > > over but it would not start. I had to replace the alternator > because on > > initial start it would not create the voltage necessary for the > unit to > > start up. The large windings were bad due to sitting (lack of use). > Our > > gen. set was the Yanmar engine and Kohler alternator. The Kohler > > alternator was the problem and it was replaced with a Newage unit. > I > > hope your problem is not the same. > > > > Good luck. > > > > Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38, Anaheim Hills, Calif. > > > > Generator Won't Start? - Tom Warner - 06-20-2006 16:19 Its not clear what you mean by "it wont start". Does it try to start and then shut off or just never catch on? f the engine turns over at a normal speed but wont start then hold in the fuel solenoid lever and see if it starts. If it does then that eliminates the fuel problems. I would next look if the fuel solenoid is pulling in. If its not then check on the front of the control box and see if the circuit breaker is off. tom warner Vernon center,NY 1985 PT 40 At 10:50 PM 6/20/2006, you wrote: >I am no expert on gensets either. However, I know this for >certain. If I could place wheels on the crankshaft of a diesel >engine, could feed it fuel without battery power and could push it >down a hill to start it, the engine will run until the coolant runs >out, the fuel runs out or it blows itself up. That being said, there >is an external electrical issue to this problem. I think we need >more feedback and think simple. > >Thanks, >Leroy Eckert >1990 WB-40 >Niceville, FL > >- In > >Curt Sprenger > > > > > Mike, > > > > From my experience. I'm no expert. > > > > Some gen. sets alternators create component voltage (voltage to > > components) at start time in order for the gen. engine to start. No > > voltage could be the problem you are experiencing. I suggest taking >your > > bus to a good generator shop and have the gen. set tested. Maybe >the > > voltage regulator is bad. > > > > One day our gen. set would start right up. The next time it would >turn > > over but it would not start. I had to replace the alternator >because on > > initial start it would not create the voltage necessary for the >unit to > > start up. The large windings were bad due to sitting (lack of use). >Our > > gen. set was the Yanmar engine and Kohler alternator. The Kohler > > alternator was the problem and it was replaced with a Newage unit. >I > > hope your problem is not the same. > > > > Good luck. > > > > Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38, Anaheim Hills, Calif. > > > > |