Battery Issues

[Robin Goffrier]

OK, time to once again reveal my ignorance.  We're hoping to get out of frozen Bend, OR mid- next week.  Headed to Indio.  Bend is cold and has been for the last few weeks.  Temps can get into the single digits at night and stay freezing all day.  I keep the motor home in a secure storage lot, outside and without the availability of power. I try to start it every 10 days or so.  Today I decided to start getting ready for the trip south and planned to bring her home for a couple days.  I usually start the genset first, then the diesel furnace/Aquahot, cycle some heated coolant through the block and then she fires right up.  Not today.  The genset won't turn over, which I presume means the chassis batteries are low.  Linking the house set also did not work.  So, there I sit in the cold clear air and snow. Since its Saturday and the day after Christmas, my RV mechanic is not working and none of the shops are open. Is it possible to jump the starters and if so, what does it take? Thanks.

[Bill Randle]

I'm not an expert, but I don't know why you couldn't just jump start the generator like you would a car or truck with a set of jumper cables from another running vehicle. A diesel pickup, which usually has two batteries, would be even better and give you more cranking power in this cold weather we're having.

P.S. Which storage lot do you use? Is the one on High Desert Drive off Empire?

[Robin Goffrier]

No, the Scandia lot off Reed Lane.

[Dick Simonis]

I would call Coach Net or whatever roadside service you have and have them come out and help.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Robin,
Sounds like the cold got to the batteries. Apparently solar panel charging current couldn't keep up or you had a snowfall that covered the panel. After roadside service gets you started and batteries charged to some degree, I'd get all the batteries checked.
Good luck and stay warm.
Steve

[Robin Goffrier]

Thanks, guys.  I brought the batteries home and have them on a charger.  I also checked them with a multi-meter and they were both 12.5V Isn't that enough to crank the genset?  I tried to start at the set and could hear a ticking sound when I hit the switch.   

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Robin,
In the summer, 12.5 would be enough, but with the cold temps, turning the genset over is probably going to take a fully charged battery(IMHO). Get them fully charged ~13.1 v and try them.
Steve

[David T. Richelderfer]

Hi Robin - Don't get in a hurry.  It's Saturday afternoon at 4 pm.  I'm parked in the Sunland Casino at the casino's hookups.  It's 37F and snowing.  Upwards of 7 inches of snow is expected overnight.  The Sun Bowl is being played right now about 2 miles from here.  It's no wonder WSU is winning.  This weather is right up WSU's alley!  It was in the 50s and almost sunny when I pulled into El Paso at 11:30 late this morning.

[Mike Groves]

Another thing regarding the generator would be waiting long enough.  The ticking can last for several seconds and is normal.  On my '99 the 10K quiet diesel is heating the fuel so it could take a while.  I've started mine in pretty cold temps but not in the single digits.  You might simply wait a bit longer before taking your finger off the start switch.

Mike

[Keith Moffett]

This brings to mind an interesting question.  At least for me it does.
Who knows if the Onan uses a glow plug or compression start?   
Perhaps the starting problem was the heat build up prior to start and the button wasnt held down long enough as mentioned above.
I might be picking nits here but a clear understanding helps.

[Lee Welbanks]

Yes the Onans have a preheat built into the starting circuit, when the switch light blinks when you go to start I think is the preheater. The manual states that there is a preheat. The problem I had with my gen starting was the cable size and routing they had to the gen. I replaced the undersized cable with some 1/0 welding cable and now the gen gets full battery voltage and starts every time.

[Dick Simonis]

I have found on mine starting is a bit easier if I hold the button done for a few seconds (not letting it crank) than doing it a second time for starting.  This seems to work real well.  In my case I think the additional time not only gives the glow plugs more opportunity to heat it also ensures a good fuel prime.

[Edward Buker]

The Onan first fires the fuel pump and starts the glow plugs which I believe is a timed circuit within the main circuit board controller. When that sequence is complete, then it enables the starter solenoid circuit to start the cranking while you are holding down the starter switch.

I have seen the glow plugs and wiring arrangement on the 10kw Isuzu version when I had it apart to change the fan belt. They looked like conventional diesel glow plugs like those that I have on my Suburban GM diesel.

Later Ed