Generator battery dead when sitting a long time

[seansco]

The generator battery on our sunseeker 2400 seems to be very low or dead after sitting without shore power for a while.
How does this battery get it's recharge? Does it need replaced or is there something I am not doing correctly?

Also what is the "arctic pack" switch but the generator start switch?

[trdutch]

The generator does not have it's own battery
Your engine has a battery and your coach has either one or two battery's that supply the DC supply
You can get the generator started by starting you engine
That in turn will start charging the house batteries and you should be able to start the generator and then shut off the engine
Gen will now continue to charge house batteries
You do need to figure out if you have an issue with your house batteries and why they were dead
Low Water?
Old Batteries?
One bad?
It's going to take a while to put a full charge back on them
Get that book out and read the electrical system chapter for a basic understanding
There is a lot to understand here and I'm still learning

[youroo]

Artic Pac might be Tank and discharge heaters? Youroo!!

[RvBill3]

Arctic Pack is a heating pad on the bottom of the gray and black tanks. Runs on 12 volts (battery power). When switch is on, pads will heat tanks to keep from freezing. Only turns on when temperature is below 40 degrees. The sewer outlets, water pump and filter, and space around the tanks is heated with hot air from the furnace. In cold weather, running the furnace is important to keep all this from freezing. Some people use electric heaters, etc., inside. While there is certainly nothing wrong with this, remember that running the furnace is the way heat gets to the water and waste systems. Arctic pack will help, but not heat water pump and filter or sewer outlets.


2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

[seansco]

Originally Posted by trdutch

The generator does not have it's own battery
Your engine has a battery and your coach has either one or two battery's that supply the DC supply

So is it the engine battery that starts the generator or the house battery? I'm assuming it's the house because the engine does not have any issues starting.

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by RvBill3

Arctic Pack is a heating pad on the bottom of the gray and black tanks. Runs on 12 volts (battery power). When switch is on, pads will heat tanks to keep from freezing. Only turns on when temperature is below 40 degrees. The sewer outlets, water pump and filter, and space around the tanks is heated with hot air from the furnace. In cold weather, running the furnace is important to keep all this from freezing. Some people use electric heaters, etc., inside. While there is certainly nothing wrong with this, remember that running the furnace is the way heat gets to the water and waste systems. Arctic pack will help, but not heat water pump and filter or sewer outlets.


2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

If you are going to use an electric heater you could do what I am going to do. Under the kitchen sink, my location you may find a better one, put in a 4" booster fan on a thermostat to blow air into the underbelly. That should take the place of having to run the furnace. Still recommend running it on occasion though just to be sure it is running with no problems.

Jim

[mtnlvr]

I was told to run my generator once a month for 5 min. to keep it starting quickly and running smoothly.

[ScottBrownstein]

You need to run your generator once a month for more like 30 minutes...and with a load. The carbs are very amenable to varnishing up and then they are a pain to clean.

As far as starting is concerned, the genny uses the house battery to start and if you had parasitic loads that killed the house you two options. 1) Start the coach and then try to start the genny or 2) hit the "boost" switch and try to start the genny. The boost switch is designed to use the house batteries to help start the main engine, but it also works the other way and the engine battery will boost the house to start the genny.

Either way, it is probably safest to start the engine and then try to start the genny.

[RvBill3]

Originally Posted by seansco

So is it the engine battery that starts the generator or the house battery? I'm assuming it's the house because the engine does not have any issues starting.

The house battery starts the generator. If the battery is dead, you can start the engine and the alternator will provide power to the coach (house) battery and allow you to start the generator. Also, most have an emergency start switch on the side of the drivers seat base. Pushing (and holding) that will connect the coach and chassis batteries. While that is primarily for starting the engine from the coach battery, it does tie the two together and could be used to start the generator (would likely take two people--one to hold switch and one to start generator. Easier to just start the engine.)


2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

[RvBill3]

Originally Posted by mtnlvr

I was told to run my generator once a month for 5 min. to keep it starting quickly and running smoothly.

Definitely start it at least once a month. Also important to run it with a load on it. During the summer that could be starting the AC. In winter (if above 32) you could run the heat pump (if you have one) or some other appliance that will draw some amps. Some use an electric heater. Five minutes seems a little short. You want to make sure it gets up to full operating temperature and the oil has a chance to circulate. I run mine about 15 minutes or more.


2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy

[trdutch]

Looks like others have given you all the info you need to get that generator started but again,if the house batteries (if in fact you have two like we have in the 2860) are bad obviously no amount of charging is going to help
Get them checked out and replace them both even if only one is bad
As was mentioned on other posts my 2014 was purchased in July '14
I put new batteries in last month (13 months)
Everyone is talking about "what may be pulling your batteries down"
I think you possibly have junk batteries that may need replaced.
If you are parked unplugged with the master battery switch off good batteries don't just drain