Generator is broke

[Prepilot_3ck]

Sooo I'm out camping doing my thing. Generator works great. We get on the road for a while and stop for groceries, leaving the dogs in the RV so I run the generator for the airconditioning. Works great. We're driving down the road, I realize I forgot to shut the generator off, no big deal, turn it off... on we go. I get to our full-hook up site and we stay for a few days. We pack up and leave. We're on the road again and decide to stop for some deisel fuel. While we're sitting there my wife wants to charge her laptop, 100 gal of fuel takes some time to fill so I go to fire up the generator...it cranks and cranks and cranks and cranks, nothing.

I don't think much of it other then it's frustrating but we're low on propane also so I figure maybe it's just that I'm below a 3rd of a tank of LP. I go and get the LP tank filled... crank crank crank crank nothing.

I get to our next full-hook up spot and open the little compartment. Check for blown fuses, I check for spark at the plug wires, I can smell LP when I crank it (It's not real strong but it's there if you stick your nose right on the exhaust pipe), check for correct voltages (per the manual's instructions). I shut off the propane and crank it a few times (hoping to bleed the LP out of the fuel line) then open the LP valve and try it again.... Nothing.

Anyone have any ideas? It's a 7KW 50AMP Onan running on LP in my 2000 Forest River Reflections DP.

Brian

[TulsaSteve]

Any chance a safety feature kicked in that prevents you from cranking (making a spark) when fueling?

It's a long shot, but hey...

[PumaPro]

This one might be a long shot, too.
Is there an on/off switch on your LP detector by your entrance door or kitchen area? Sometimes (more so in the past), they put a switch on there that turns on a little solenoid on your LP tank. There might have been a feature on there that automatically shut it off when you opened your fuel cap. Does your stove or furnace work? That would rule that possibility out quick.

[TulsaSteve]

Okay.. one other idea...

How about walking through all the routine maintenance in the manual to see if you find something?

Oil levels, filters, etc..

[Prepilot_3ck]

Originally Posted by TulsaSteve

Any chance a safety feature kicked in that prevents you from cranking (making a spark) when fueling?

It's a long shot, but hey...

Yeah, I though that too. I looked at the fuel doors and don't see any sort of sensor on them, but maybe it's somewhere else. Think maybe it tripped and got stuck? It is 10 years old.

Brian

[Prepilot_3ck]

Originally Posted by PumaPro

This one might be a long shot, too.
Is there an on/off switch on your LP detector by your entrance door or kitchen area? Sometimes (more so in the past), they put a switch on there that turns on a little solenoid on your LP tank. There might have been a feature on there that automatically shut it off when you opened your fuel cap. Does your stove or furnace work? That would rule that possibility out quick.

Yeah, everything in the kitchen still works. I might play with that switch any way.

Brian

[Prepilot_3ck]

Originally Posted by TulsaSteve

Okay.. one other idea...

How about walking through all the routine maintenance in the manual to see if you find something?

Oil levels, filters, etc..

Oil level was good, I topped it off as a precaution though. Filters... I wasn't able to check on the road. The nut that holds the cover on is in a really bad spot and my wrench was WAY to big to get in there. I'll check that tonight. I put my hand over the intake just to see if I could build pressure and I just about gave myself a hand-hickie while I was cranking it, so there there air going in. Maybe it's not getting to the engine though. I can smell LP, but maybe it's not getting air. I think I'll check that when I get home from work today. Maybe just take the filter out and see if it starts.

Thanks,
Brian

[Shawomet3]

Mine is a gas one and it did the same thing....running great, turn it off and it never restarted. It turned out to be the controller board which let it crank, but not let it start. Only had a few hours on it. My generator is an emerald 4000. It does get very frustrating!

[Prepilot_3ck]

Originally Posted by Shawomet3

Mine is a gas one and it did the same thing....running great, turn it off and it never restarted. It turned out to be the controller board which let it crank, but not let it start. Only had a few hours on it. My generator is an emerald 4000. It does get very frustrating!

It is... I was leaning toward the controller board also. That's that sealed (mine is gray-ish) box with 4 wires running into it. Two go to the ignition coil, one to some goofy valve thingy on the fuel line and one... I can't remember. Pricey?

Brian

[Shawomet3]

warranty