Generator Start Power

[Our Time]

Went to the coach last night and all the coach batteries were dead (not plugged into shore power). So dead they don't even register on the display panel. Generator would not start, even using the battery boost switch. Chassis batteries are charged. I always thought the generator started off the chassis batteries. Not true?

[vanagon41]

Had the same problem, had to jump from the chassis batt to house batt to start the gen. Bob

[Robi.1014]

Chuck,
Just to confirm: the GenSet draws it starting juice from the house batts. The "battery boost" solenoid would not pick-up for you because its coil is also powered by the house battery bank. So some sort of manual jumpering can get your generator started.

And for what it's worth: driving for a long period of time so that the alternator can recharge the house batts is not recommended by most manufacturers (for those coaches that have the house-batts-charge-while-driving electronics).