does anyone know have a wiring schematic for this gen on a 79 barth or tell whats wrong i cant get enough power to it to crank have 2 new batteries and replaced all solenoids that i could find thanks

which part are you looking for i may have one.

Check the chassis, generator, and engine grounds, they're the most likely culprit.

I'll take a stab at this one, having the same genny. First, what's it doing? Click click, any turning at all? Have you tried the starter button on the genny? Assuming you have a dash button that is. If I can't get her to turn over enough I start the 454, let it run a minute, then push the "aux start" and try the genny with the 454 running, again using the starter button on the genny itself. The dash starter on my coach often works only when the batts are fully charged, brand new, the coach is facing east-northeast, with no more than a quarter moon rising, and Mars and Jupiter in perfect alignment just off the horizon in the twilight hour just before full darkness.
I have the original manual that came with the Onan and I'll see if it has any diagrams that may be of help that I can scan and post to you.

quote:

Originally posted by hatt64:
does anyone know have a wiring schematic for this gen on a 79 barth or tell whats wrong i cant get enough power to it to crank have 2 new batteries and replaced all solenoids that i could find thanks

Use a piece of copper to temporarily (for a moment) connect the two heavy terminals on the solenoid. What happens?

Take a known good, fully-charged battery out to the genset. With a set of jumper cables, connect the battery negative to the starter mounting bolt or some other good ground. Connect the battery positive to the starter batt terminal. what happens?

As Rusty asked, how are the grounds? Cleaning and retightening ground connections is always A Good Thing. Everything I own has a ground strap from the battery (preferred) or the chassis to the starter mounting bolt. Not much money, not much work, but worth a lot.



Then post here.

thanks i was thinking myself it was a ground cause the only ground strap i found was from the alt to the frame but i will add some grounstraps because everything i do to it causes things to work and then not work so i kinda figured it might be a ground thanks

I am moving this duplicate thread back into the correct post. Hatt64 is still having an issue and needs our help.

quote:

Originally posted by hatt64:
i think im goin crazy my genny dont have a starter i guess it turns the gen to start the engine? kinda like a golf cart redone all the grounds i could find but still will not start with the switch you can cross the hot post on solenoid to the start side and itll spin but you have to ground the ign side and shell bust off and run like a champ HELP confused

hatt, if it spins, you have a starter, and you've successfully (it sounds like) bypassed the solenoid. I'm trying to figure out what you meant by "ground the ignition side". Is it correct that you did get it to start? And what do you mean by "ground the ignition side"?

The typical genset engine of this vintage could use a centrifugal switch to feed the coil (on a car, the ignition switch does this). Push the start button, and when it fires, the centrifugal switch closes and allows you to release the "Start" switch. Another type of system picks up the generator output and closes a relay, connecting the coil, replacing the "Start" switch.

rusty you been alot of help thanks on the gen solenoid i run a jumper wire from the big hot post to turn the gen itll spin i also have a test light to a ground when it starts spinning it will not crank untill i touch the ignition side of the solenoid with the test lite then it runs really good other than putting out 186 volts

hey i have a 79 27 ft their is a solenoid in the cabin battery box does any body know what it does? i think it works the steps but im not sure

If it's putting out 186 volts, it's got a defective controller (NEVER should exceed 132 VAC). Output voltage is controlled by adjusting the current going through the armature ("excitation"). Unplug everything 120VAC in the coach including the microwave and TV (if you have), and the converter, otherwise you risk damaging the internal electronics, as they are always "on".

The fact it runs when you ground (through the test light) the IGN side of the solenoid is puzzling. That IGN terminal should be dead. Does the test light come on?

yes the test lite does lite up ive been a diesel mechanic 30 years and im lost as a ball in high weeds im wondering if i would be better off to rewire it all from the remote switch back i have pulled my last three hairs out worrin about this joker

Let me get this straight... When you hook up your test light to the ground, and then you touch the wires to see if you get power, the test light "Lights Up" and then it starts to crank over?

If I have this scenario right, this is telling me the solenoid works off of a grounding switch. When you hit the button in the cab of the coach all it's doing is making a completed ground and is then exciting the solenoid back at the starter.

Try this... The wire that shows up hot in the cab and then starts to crank the motor over. Ground that wire out and tell me if it starts up.

What you have is a hot solenoid that grounds out to start. It is a ground to start circuit. Chances are, you have a bad ground wire attached to the other side of the switch and this is keeping you from completing the circuit to excite the solenoid.

Now, hook up all of your wires at the switch. Push the button to start it up. Now use your test light and find out which wire causes it to crank over with the switch depressed to start AND your test light hooked up. That is the wire that has lost its ground.

It sounded to me like he jumped the solenoid to crank it, then touched the coil hot side to get it to run after cranking.

thanks everybody for all the tips and help soon as i can figure out how to explain what i done ill post it if yall think it might help somebody else next question i called camping world about the vent covers they both have double cranks on them and the lady said they didnt carry those particular types and couldnt tell where to find them i couldnt find a name on them anywhere but i guess you can just raise up one side at the time or both sides any suggestions thanks bo and paula