Calisdad
groveland, ca
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Joined: 08/28/2008
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Hi Everyone. This is my first post. I'm stumped. My '94 Tioga has an Onan 4k Microquiet generator and lately I have to turn the ignition key on for it to start. I just put in a new battery, pulled the solenoid and cleaned all the connections and cleaned all the multipin connections with electrical contact cleaner.
From either the generator start or the remote starter switch the solenoid just clicks like crazy. If I just turn the ignition key on it fires right up from either location. The oil and gas are full btw.
What could cause this?
Thanks in advance.
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teb1272
Memphis
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Joined: 12/14/2006
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The most likely cause is that your coach battery system is dead, and it only works when the ignition switch actuates a relay that allows the alternator to charge both chassis and coach batteries by connecting them together. However, the solenoid can click but not make contact, and it might be shot. Was the new battery for the chassis or the coach? Another possibility is a poor ground on the coach battery system that doesn't allow it to send the generator starter enough current so you have to get the chassis battery ground into the circuit before it will start. You might try cleaning the coach battery ground connections first.
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Calisdad
groveland, ca
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Thanks Teb I'll check the grounds. The new battery is for the coach, actually I have 2 coach and 1 chassis battery. I'm getting 12 volts to the solenoid. But as you say if the ground is faulty it wouldn't make much difference. All the battery terminals are clean and tight.
There is a small terminal board under the hood. I believe it's function is to keep me from draining the chassis battery. I've checked and cleaned those connections too. Now I need too find the actual ground. There must be one on the genset too, no?
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MrWizard
Van Nuys, Ca
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key on, but engine NOT running ? = battery combiner ON, chassis battery now connected to coach battery
problem = weak coach battery or missing / bad connection at coach battery
of course i've seen RV's where the genny was connected to the chassis battery, and a weak or dirty connection on that cable caused problems because the genny is further away on a longer run of wire
so the RV engine would crank but the genny would not
CHECK every cable on both batteries
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Solenoid clicking like crazy = one of two conditions
1: Bad connection on the 12 volt leads check battery connections (I suspect yours starts on the house battery) and pay special attention to BOTH ENDS of the battery NEGATIVE cable.. Odds are it's the chassis end of that cable (But could be the battery end) also check the battery positive
2: Bad house battery (If it was a bad chassis battery your rig would not start)
NOTE that I am guessing.. But it's a guess based on having been there many times in 40+ years of driving cars and 20+ years of RVing
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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Calisdad
groveland, ca
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Thanks guys. Trying to find the chassis end of the cable is like looking thru the supermarket window for a can of Campbell chicken noodle soup.
So. I ran an additional grounding cable. No luck. Going to go climb back in there. I did find the generator frame to chassis ground, but wish I could find a ground from the generator itself, or even the house grounding point.
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Hurricaner
Hurricane Utah
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Joined: 02/17/2007
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Why a new battery and not two new batteries?
Sam
Sam & Kari
Hurricane, Utah
2004 34' Damon Challenger 315
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Calisdad
groveland, ca
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I may not have even needed the one but I like to have as much as I can get.
The chassis battery has 13.25 volts and the old house had 12.35 volts. (And will be my 2nd boat battery.)I charged the new one up (trickle) to 13.35 before I put it in. Second house battery has 13+ volts also.
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Oswald38
3rd Rock
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My experience is the clicking is a week battery far more often then a bad connection or solenoid problem. For some reason, "we" have a hard time believing our new or nearly new batteries are capable of getting discharged so fast or often.
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teb1272
Memphis
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The clicking occurs because there is enough power to the solenoid to operate it, but when you put the heavy load of the starter on it the voltage falls off until the solenoid no longer works. Once it breaks the big connection, there is then enough power to operate the solenoid, until it reconnects the big load. Therefore it seems it is likely to be a poor connection somewhere between the battery and the generator. However, I have also seen this happen when the starter locks up, because a locked starter draws so much current it can disable the solenoid-but yours starts when the chassis battery is connected, so that seems very unlikely. I still think it has to be a poor connection. You may have to take every one of your connections between the two apart and clean them. Sometimes it is hard to see that a connection is so corroded it won't carry a heavy load.
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