Gen Set shutdown - help

Kwajdiver · October 31, 2009, 05:11:10 AM

My gen set shut down in the middle of the night. I have fuel, battery connected to it is questionable. This morning I added a little water, not sure it needed it. Oil lever is fine, was just serviced. The gen set has been running since we departed Winter Haven 48 hours ago. It's a 8kw Power Tech.

This morning, I connected a known good battery. When I hit the warm up pre start button, nothing. When I go to the start postion, all I get in clicking, but the gen does not turn over.

The sun is coming up and it's going to get hot.

Any suggestions? Is something telling the gen not to start? Perhaps a thermal overload or something?

Thanks for the help,

Bill

robertglines1 · October 31, 2009, 05:33:52 AM

the clicking sounds like a bad electrical connection loose terminal .can you check voltage at battery to gen delivery.point? look for any connection showing being hot.try tightening.try skipping pre heat..that draws alot of current..Why it shuts down..low water....low oil....low voltage...no fuel delivery to unit..(transferr pump or to low of fuel in tank pickup is above bottom of tank)

robertglines1 · October 31, 2009, 05:39:11 AM

I didn't add good luck..

John316 · October 31, 2009, 05:57:39 AM

Fuse? Starter solenoid (that would not explain the shutdown)?

Otherwise, I don't know.

Hope you can get her fixed. I would assume that you are very confidant that the battery is good.

God bless,

John

Kwajdiver · October 31, 2009, 06:30:21 AM

Pulled one of my bus batterys out and connected it with jumper cables to the gen. The click click click, normally would tell me the battery is weak. This click click click, is VERY strong.

Yesterday, I did notice when both overhead A/C were running, that every now and then, the gen set sounded like it was pulling a heavy load. More than what I believe to be normal.

I will go out and try it again.

Thanks, Bill

gumpy · October 31, 2009, 06:40:02 AM

Sounds like a dead battery. You said it was questionable.

My Onan does that when the battery gets low. I'm using an old battery out of my decommissioned ranger pu. It's about 8 years old and highly sulfated, but will start the gen 4 or 5 times before I need to recharge it. My Onan didn't come with the alternator option, so I have to charge with a separate charger. I'm going to hook an outlet into the gen side of the transfer switch so the charger will come on automatically when the gen starts up. It will then switch to 2A charge for the duration of the gen run. Or, I may hook up a solenoid to the transfer switch or inverter and tie my 12v converter to the gen battery while my house bank is charging.

I missed your followup post till after I had posted this.

Is it possible you have a short inside the case? Maybe your battery cable connection is shorting to the frame?

How big of a spark did you get when you connected your bus battery to the gen battery? Big spark indicates high load.

Make sure your AC output breaker is off when you try starting it.

robertglines1 · October 31, 2009, 06:49:56 AM

when it clicks do you get power out of the outlet side of the selinoid.you can jump around it.. try hitting the starter with a hammer if it is stuck sometimes it will release...if this works it is just a temporay fix.where are you?

luvrbus · October 31, 2009, 07:01:33 AM

Bill, check to see if you can turn the engine by hand the end bearing could have siezed causing the problem that is they way they do when going bad loading up and stopping and not starting BTW how many hours on the generator

good luck

Kwajdiver · October 31, 2009, 08:31:05 AM

Thanks for the inputs. I charge the battery for an hour. The coach battery that is. Let me back up,,, went to start the bus, wouldn't start, battery had 11.02 volts. Charge that battery, started the bus, in order to move to the shade. Used jumper cables from one side of my bus battery, the gen set started up. So it was a low battery, not sure why it shut down in the first place. It's running now with both a/c running full blast.

Since the bus has been in storage, I haven't brought new house batteries. Been limping along on one old 8D. Guess I'm replacing that this morning.

Meanwhile, do I dare post the photos from Fantasy Fest, Key West....?

The first hour on the street Friday night, the only thing that came out of Hyeyong's mouth, was OMG, OMG....!

Bill

Kwajdiver · October 31, 2009, 09:51:45 AM

Looks like the old 8D was the problem. Guessing it drop below an operating for the gen. Gen shut down.
New battery on the house side, and all is well again.

Meanwhile, going downtown to take more photos.

Bill

Dreamscape · October 31, 2009, 03:40:31 PM

Hey Bill,

Now I know why you didn't post any pictures! All I can say is this, enjoy!

I don't think there is a snowball's chance in H*** that I'll ever make that trip!

Glad to hear you're up and running.

belfert · October 31, 2009, 04:19:46 PM

Why would a battery with low voltage cause a genset shutdown? Doesn't the Powertech charge the battery and provide 12 volts to itself while running?

I have a seperate battery for my Powertech genset that is pretty old and the genset still works.

white-eagle · October 31, 2009, 06:21:44 PM

i'm with belfert. i want to know if there is something i'm missing.
when we rebuilt the floors and walls this past summer, we accedently cut the remote cable to the powertech, and had a problem when we pulled the frig also. so when i tried to start the genset, clik, clik, start. i thought a bad cable, but after charging, turns out the battery was bad, cables in need of cleaning, etc. New battery, fully charged and all is well. but it never shut down, even with the marginal battery barely able to start it.

Kwajdiver · November 01, 2009, 06:17:47 AM

My Gen Set, does not have an alternator. I know, doesn't make any sense to me either. That's how it came, when I bought the bus. In order to charge the battery that starts the gen I have to use a battery charger.

I had turn the battery charter off, (the 8D), which was questionable anyway. Took 12 or so hours, but the 8D took a dive. When it drop below a certain voltage, the gen set shut down. I actually was under the believe that the gen set would run without any battery. Now I'm thinking that is not the case. Of course I don't have my manuals with me, so I'm guessing.

On top of that, the last three days here in Key West, we've been partaking in a lot of "refreshments". Brain cells are dying.

Bill

paul102a3 · November 01, 2009, 07:03:28 AM

Bill,

You need to enough voltage/amperage for the start/stop solenoid to stay energized. I would guess you charge the battery, the genset runs until the battery loses it's charge and the start/stop solenoid trips shutting down the genset.

My genset does not have an alternator either. I do have a dedicated 12 volt charger that that runs off the 120 volts to keep the genset battery charged and the DD has a separate 12 volt alternator driven from the radiator blower to keep a charge in the genset battery when to DD is running.

Welcome back.

Paul