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Old 05-15-2014, 12:09 PM   #1
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Help Onan 8000 Generator issue

I have the Onan 8000 generator in my 2005 coach. I picked the coach up from the local cat shop after a couple up days service. The service was not on the generator. After arriving back at storage I turned the engine off and noticed that the light on the Generator start button located on the drivers side was on. The generator was not on. The start button light at the generator slide out was also on. I push the stop side of the button but the light stayed on. I tried to start the generator at the inside start button and the start button on the generator and it did not turn over. I could here a low hum coming from the generator, vet low. I turned of the power disconnect switch at the door and the generator start button light went out and the low hum stopped. I waited a few minutes and turned the power switch at the door back on and the generator start button light came back on as well as the low hum. The batteries show charged and I am connected to 15 amp shore power.

Any thoughts, thanks
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Old 05-15-2014, 02:36 PM   #2
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The Owners Manual, under Trouble shooting, give the method for retrieving self diagnostics. I'd start there.
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Old 05-15-2014, 03:03 PM   #3
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The owners manual under troubleshooting says if status indicator light stays on it is due to reversed battery connections. The light is solid does not blink. I can't access faults by pressing the stop button 3 times as instructed. The solid light stay on. The service at the cat shop was on the engine nothing to do with the batteries.
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Old 05-15-2014, 03:52 PM   #4
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There was another thread on the forum about the same problem

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f54/onan-...ml#post2053229

Some felt it may be a switch stuck in the on position

I replied to this one to see how it was resolved.
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Old 05-15-2014, 04:07 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adonh View Post
The owners manual under troubleshooting says if status indicator light stays on it is due to reversed battery connections. The light is solid does not blink. I can't access faults by pressing the stop button 3 times as instructed. The solid light stay on. The service at the cat shop was on the engine nothing to do with the batteries.
The shop may have removed the battery connections as part of their service. Does your generator use the house or the chassis batteries to start? Perhaps they got them reversed on the house batteries?
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Old 05-15-2014, 04:21 PM   #6
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The shop may have removed the battery connections as part of their service. Does your generator use the house or the chassis batteries to start? Perhaps they got them reversed on the house batteries?

No I checked with them, they said they did not touch the batteries. I am not sure what batteries start the generator. I do know when I turn off the main battery switch at the door the indicator light on the Start switch goes off.
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Old 05-15-2014, 06:18 PM   #7
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No I checked with them, they said they did not touch the batteries. I am not sure what batteries start the generator. I do know when I turn off the main battery switch at the door the indicator light on the Start switch goes off.
From that I would guess that the house batteries start your generator. I would turn the generator circuit breakers on then off at the generator. Then I would disconnect the house batteries at the negative side, make sure every thing is off and you are not connected to shore power before you do this.

FWIW, my SonInLaw had to remove and clean the battery connections at the rear of the generator to solve a problem. Perhaps those connections are corroded?
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Old 05-16-2014, 07:31 AM   #8
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From that I would guess that the house batteries start your generator. I would turn the generator circuit breakers on then off at the generator. Then I would disconnect the house batteries at the negative side, make sure every thing is off and you are not connected to shore power before you do this.

FWIW, my SonInLaw had to remove and clean the battery connections at the rear of the generator to solve a problem. Perhaps those connections are corroded?
I will look at that. I am set to leave town early next week for a few days. Can I turn off the circuit breakers at the generator to take it off line while I am gone if I can't fix the problem before I leave. I will not need the generator on this trip and can take it in for service when I return. Thanks
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Old 05-16-2014, 09:30 AM   #9
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No turning the breaker off at the generator does not do any thing since that controls the 110 volt out put I figured out. So is there another way I can turn off the battery power to the generator only until I can take it in for surface.
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Old 05-16-2014, 10:05 AM   #10
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OK by reading the owners manual I found that fuses are located behind the Access Plate located just above the switch on the generator. After opening the Access Plate I found 2 15amp fuses and removed them. Turned battery power back on and the indicator light stays off so that shuts off 12 volt to generator
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Old 05-16-2014, 11:11 AM   #11
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I checked both the house and chassis batteries and all connections are tight and clean and have not been touched .

Let me go through more detail on when I noticed the light be on at the Generator switch and maybe this will open up other things to check out. I picked up the coach and everything was normal when I entered the coach and stared home from the Cat Shop. The light was not on at the generator switch. and did not come on during the trip home. After arriving at my storage I parked and turned off the engine. I went to the back of the coach and plugged in the 15 amp electric. When I did this I remember a click sound coming from the electrical bay. I don't remember hearing that when I have plugged in at storage. in the past. But at the time did not give it much thought. I went back in side and checked my EMS read out and all was normal. When I went up front that is when I noticed the generator switch light being on. Could the click have come from the transfer switch in the electric bay and maybe causing this issue. Thanks for those that are reading these posts even if you don't have a response. It gives me chance to talk it out. Also thank you Jim for your input and thoughts. I will keep working on this and take it in for service after I get back from my trip next week.
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Old 05-16-2014, 05:06 PM   #12
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Don you are most welcome, anytime.

OK. Good clues. I would try unplugging the shore power and see if the light goes away. If it does, can you start the Generator? Does it work properly? The light on is standard for the generator if running. If the transfer switch does not isolate the systems perhaps the generator falsely senses it is running? Guessing, on that. What model transfer switch is it? There are several threads on the different brands of transfer switch. I think we're on to something now.
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Old 05-16-2014, 05:31 PM   #13
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What sort of service was done to your MH?

I would def isolate the 2 power source to the transfer switch... if shore power is plugged in, make sure that you have power where you are supposed to. If you don't have power normally... troubleshoot the transfer switch and after that. If the shore power system is good to go... then unplug the shore power and try starting the generator, if it doesnt start, then the problem sounds like it is internal to the generator.
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Old 05-16-2014, 05:51 PM   #14
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No I have unplugged from shore power and the light stays on and will not start. There are no other electrical issues either 12V or 110V. Lights work and I have power at the outlets. My Progressive industries 50 amp EMS does not indicate any problems at all when plugged in. The last time the generator was run was about 3 weeks ago under load and it worked fine as it always has. As covered in an earlier post today after reading the owners manual I found that fuses are located behind the Access Plate located just above the switch on the generator. After opening the Access Plate I found 2 15amp fuses and removed them. Turned battery power back on and the indicator light stays off so that shuts off 12 volt to generator and no more huming sound from the generator.

I will need to check on the Transfer switch that I have.
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