onan 400 genset/petrol..wont stop (1 Viewer)

harryoxford2

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Hi all,
Just to be different, as I have read alot about how to get a genny started, as non starting seems to be a problem...Ive got the opposite.

My genny wont stop once started...not even the stop start switch on the genny itself stopos it.

After a few hours of annoying the neighbours I did discover that if I disconnected the leisure battery the genny stopped.

The whole story is that it always starts...now that I realise you have to have enough in the battery to crank it....and if the panel inside shows the hours its totally run..8 in this case, and the output amps..5.5 i think then it will stop....but if there is nothing in that panel then it wont.

????

Im in a mind to install a heavy duty emergeny on off switch to the battery. Unless anyone can help with a better solution.

I have seen a battery isolation switch mentioned in all the bumf paperwork..they just dont tell you where it is.

For starting the genny my plan is to carry a smaller fully charged battery disconnected that I can jump to engine or leisure battery so I dont get stuck....Overkill?? or do others do this.

My spare cost me £10 quid from the scrap yard..he let me keep charging likely good batteries up to see if they held charge so this is a decent spare.
 

Peter JohnsCross MH

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More than likely the stop/start switch is knackered, it normally earths the magneto so take it apart and find the earth lead and use that or a new switch.

Peter
 
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pappajohn

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More than likely the stop/start switch is knackered, it normally earths the magneto so take it apart and find the earth lead and use that or a new switch.

Peter

good point Peter, but 'arry did say it wont stop from either the dashboard switch or the actual genny control panel switch.

points to a common (to both switchs) wiring/relay or selonoid fault

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Snowbird

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May sound at first like a daft question Arry, but what engine is in the RV...petrol or diesel???
If its petrol, the genny is petrol.
If its diesel,chances are the genny is LPG.
 
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pappajohn

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May sound at first like a daft question Arry, but what engine is in the RV...petrol or diesel???
If its petrol, the genny is petrol.
If its diesel,chances are the genny is LPG.

the clue could be in the thread title Dave....:ROFLMAO:


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onan 400 genset/petrol..wont stop

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scotjimland

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Not sure but I think only diesel would have a solenoid, petrol ones ?

Peter

correct Peter .. diesel or lpg ..

note to self.. engage brain before typing nonsense :Doh:

As previously suggested.. a faulty relay , probably the contacts fused together

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slobadoberbob

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master turn off switch

There should be a master chassis turn off switch, it is normally around the door of the habitation area.. mine is on the floor, some are above the door as you go out.. it closes everything down when it is pressed. That should stop the genny. I have the same genny in my Winnibago Aspect.. normally it is as good as gold. But I do notice it takes longer to crank it to life from the panel than it does from the on off switch on the genny it's self.

Bob:Eeek:
 
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Oct 15, 2007
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Get a mirror on a stalk, bendy type and torch and examine the whole genni, mirror and torch for down the back otherwise torch and a good look.

Whilst our genni started, stopped and ran fine I discovered there had been a criter living in the geni compartment the had chewed through a wire, no idea what it did and a bugger to fix given it disappeared down the back of the unit but worth a good investigate as as others have said it's going to be something common, and on the genni itself, as none of the switches stop it (you are holding it down and not just 'flicking it'?).

Just a thought?

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slobadoberbob

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not such a silly remark

Get a mirror on a stalk, bendy type and torch and examine the whole genni, mirror and torch for down the back otherwise torch and a good look.

Whilst our genni started, stopped and ran fine I discovered there had been a criter living in the geni compartment the had chewed through a wire, no idea what it did and a bugger to fix given it disappeared down the back of the unit but worth a good investigate as as others have said it's going to be something common, and on the genni itself, as none of the switches stop it (you are holding it down and not just 'flicking it'?).

Just a thought?

Not such a silly remark as some may think... as when you crank it up you have to hold the switch on until it fires and that is the same with the stopping of it. Same goes for firing the hot water boiler up.. OK it is just a flip up to stop .... but on the genni it has to stop before you let go of the button.

So I agree with Simon (Dodgey) that this could be the issue if you ahve not owned an RV before.

Bob:thumb:
 
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harryoxford2

harryoxford2

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wow..thanks guys

Thanks to you all....thats got my mind working overtime. Yes I will check diesel petrol or lpg.

Check 1 ..not diesel..never put any in and no place to put it.

I have instalation and user manuals for this..but generic ones. Ie if you have this then do that...if you have this ..do the other..and of course in the manual it gives all 3 versions diesel petrol and lpg. Sat here I have doubts.

But being mechanically minded the earth cable sounds good as it would explain why both switches dont work.

I am inspired..Ill keep you updated.
 
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harryoxford2

harryoxford2

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ok.. petrol

Just checked and it says on the certificate stuck on it

onan 4000 4ky
fuel type...GASO

It just started and stopped fine whilst I was under there but I did notice a red light in the center of the on off switch was lit. Not flashing..as it flashes a sequence of on and off to denote if it needs a service or over cranking etc.

The red light when it wouldnt stop was not illuminated at all. I should have said that before but of course you dont notice something that isnt there sometimes until another time it is there and then you realise it wasnt the time before...?

It is something I have noticed that when it wont stop the display inside the rv which shows hours and charge ist lit or displaying figures.....and now I know that neither is the red light on the on off switch on the genny itself.

Electrical earth sounds a good place to start.

So if my only discovered action when it wont stop is to simply disconnect the battery..is that normal too?, I dont understand why once running the battery would have anything to do with circitery...unless of course the battery was the only source of earth for the appliance....

well at least one good thing it actually ran for 8 hours without fault...you cant ask fairer than that?:ROFLMAO:
 
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Oct 15, 2007
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Could just be lightly corroded contacts in the/a switch and a bit of 'exersize' is needed, especially as you said the RVs been standing 4 years?
 
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harryoxford2

harryoxford2

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Could just be lightly corroded contacts in the/a switch and a bit of 'exersize' is needed, especially as you said the RVs been standing 4 years?

Thanks Dodgey....ermm whats the "the/a switch" is that alternator??

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Oct 15, 2007
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Thanks Dodgey....ermm whats the "the/a switch" is that alternator??


The switch on the genni or a switch elsewhere, I would suspect the genni one. Try it now and again and see if the fault has gone or reoccures that'll confirm light corrosion on the contacts, ie if it seems fine after a couple of tests I'd go with it (now) aint broke so don't fix it:thumb::ROFLMAO:
 
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Snowbird

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Thanks to you all....thats got my mind working overtime. Yes I will check diesel petrol or lpg.

Check 1 ..not diesel..never put any in and no place to put it.

I have instalation and user manuals for this..but generic ones. Ie if you have this then do that...if you have this ..do the other..and of course in the manual it gives all 3 versions diesel petrol and lpg. Sat here I have doubts.

But being mechanically minded the earth cable sounds good as it would explain why both switches dont work.

I am inspired..Ill keep you updated.
Hi again Arry, What I originaly asked was what engine does the RVhave, this will denote what the genny runs off.IE if the RV is diesel chances are the genny is LPG,if the RV is petrol the genny will be petrol.Chances are the genny is not diesel on that model.Hope this is clearer.

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harryoxford2

harryoxford2

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hmmm

Hi again.

Not quite a eureka post but ive found the earth from the genny at last. So working on that area to strip it down and clean away all the rust and gunge to make a better contact.

They really thought out clearly where to put the earth...at the back of the genny behind the real wheels and where backdraughted spray gets sucked to.

Snowbird its a petrol 6.8 Ford engine. On the genny plate near the start button it says "Fuel GASO" which im guessing is short for gasoline. if it had said "Gas" then Id still be scratching my head l:ROFLMAO:
 
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Snowbird

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OK Arry,well at least you now know that the genny is petrol and not LPG.:thumb:
 
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harryoxford2

harryoxford2

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still workin

Ok Im definately ontop of the earth situation as a place to start.

(I havent got my head round the cicuit breaker switch on the side of the control panel as I cant see which is on and which is off as not shown in diagrams)

It seems to please itself if the red light is on or off on the on/stop switch on the genny but in common with that, if the red light is off when the genny runs then it wont stop and also the display inside the rv does not show the display numbers.
If the red light is on ..on the genny located on/stop switch then so is the display numbers in the rv.

If the numbers are on in the onboard remote display then the remote WILL stop it. If the remote has no display then the remote WILL NOT stop it nor will the genny located switch.

After all your most welcome advice , Im stripping down the earth cleaning greasing and reassembling.

If that doesnt cure it then Im guessing its the motherboard or electrics in the processor.
Ive run the batteries down to half on the vehicle and leisure and am doing a charge test to see which if any the genny recharges.

Cut me a little slack if im taking too long here but im being cautious having read all I can on the genny and to honest your advice has focused me in directions I wouldnt have thought of...Im very very appreciative and have alot more confidence in what Im doing.

Im also doing an oil change and petrol clean on it as the vehicle was standing for 4 years and your comments along with reading up on what happens to fuel as it degenerates over loing periods of time has pointed me in this direction.

Will get back asap with FAIL or Eureka...

Geeezus you guys have saved me a bundle.

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slobadoberbob

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I agree look at the earth issues

I have been looking on the IRV2.com site .. you can join that for free.. it is a USA based site, but it has a forum very like our own and you can put questions on that or look up problems. There are several post about genrator problems. Not running on, but non starting and only starting with the engine running and most of the prob lems seem to come down to the earth strap from the genny to the chassis.. need to do mine when the weather is better.

My B class Winnibago is based on the E350 super duty Ford chassis and I suspect you are on a similar build as I am.. where the genny is a onan 4000 and is located behind the rear wheels.. pig the change the oil on and no it does not have an oil filter.. good old fashioned points and a plug.. it is a case of laying on your back.. the oil is better sucked out using a syphone..... But I would start with that earth lead.

I find my genny will start faster from the genny switch on the genny than the remote in the kitchen.

Bob:thumb:
 
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harryoxford2

harryoxford2

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Sep 14, 2010
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Bishops Stortford Herts
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B
Exp
2010 and camper all my life
I have been looking on the IRV2.com site .. you can join that for free.. it is a USA based site, but it has a forum very like our own and you can put questions on that or look up problems. There are several post about genrator problems. Not running on, but non starting and only starting with the engine running and most of the prob lems seem to come down to the earth strap from the genny to the chassis.. need to do mine when the weather is better.

My B class Winnibago is based on the E350 super duty Ford chassis and I suspect you are on a similar build as I am.. where the genny is a onan 4000 and is located behind the rear wheels.. pig the change the oil on and no it does not have an oil filter.. good old fashioned points and a plug.. it is a case of laying on your back.. the oil is better sucked out using a syphone..... But I would start with that earth lead.

I find my genny will start faster from the genny switch on the genny than the remote in the kitchen.

Bob:thumb:

Once I laid on my back and saw the rust on the genny base and the cage holding it I thought the earth looks good as yourself and others have suggested. ty
 
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