Generator Won't Start on Travel Supreme

[ronbeck]

I have a 2006 Travel Supreme 42dl14. I just purchased 30 days ago.

I start it once a week but now generator won't start. Does the generator use the house battery or coach battery?

What should I do now?

[desertdeals69]

Usually it uses the coach battery. Does it not crank or does it crank and not start? Is the house batteries up?

[ronbeck]

It does not crank.

[wolfe10]

If the main engine starts, you KNOW that at least one battery bank is OK.

Use the BATTERY BOOST/BATTERY COMBINE switch and your generator should start if low battery is the issue.

[hermanmullins]

Ron,

Welcome to the Forum. When using the Battery Boost switch hold it down for about 10 to 15 seconds before trying to start either engine.

Herman

[elkhartjim]

Ron,

Welcome to the Forum. When using the Battery Boost switch hold it down for about 10 to 15 seconds before trying to start either engine.

Herman

I have never done that, Herman. What would be the benefit? I'm always trying to learn something. Thanks.

[hermanmullins]

My service company told me this information when my coach would not start. I told him that I must have a bad switch because I could never get the added boost when I tried it. He told me to hold down the switch for several seconds before I tried to start the coach. Wala, engine cranked right off.

So for me the benefit was that now know how to use the switch. As you said never too old to learn.

Have a good one.

Herman

[elkhartjim]

OLD! Who said old? I will admit I'm seeing more and more gray daily. Thanks for the reply.

[hermanmullins]

Jim, before my shoulder surgery(right) I buzz cut my hair because I knew that it would be hard to brush for a while. I found that even my scalp was GRAY.

Herman

[jleamont]

^{I had a similar problem with my old coach (Coachmen)-- it was a corroded ground on the frame, I was connected to the house batteries on that coach. I just followed the ground cable to the frame from the battery bank, strange thing was everything else in the coach worked great, but the generator would not start.}

^{Did you notice if anything dimmed down when you attempted to start the generator? Interior lights etc? Mine would shut off the interior lights while attempting to crank the generator.}

[manholt]

Try Herman's approach. How many hours on generator and when did it have a complete service?

[DAY8293A@CS.COM]

I have never done that, Herman. What would be the benefit? I'm always trying to learn something. Thanks.

If you hold the switch down for a few seconds, it will allow some of the charge of the good batteries to do a ''fast charge'' onto the bad batteries, and allow some of that charge to be used to help start the engine. It is the same as when you go to jump off someone's vehicle. You want to connect your car to the bad one, and charge up the bad batteries for a few minutes. THEN BE SURE TO TURN OFF YOUR MOTOR BEFORE TRYING TO START THE BAD VEHICLE! The new alternators have solid state regulators that can burn out if you keep them running while trying to start another vehicle. In the old days, you could keep the engine running, because they used to use mechanical regulators that could handle the starting current a lot better than the solid state devices. ... Depending on how low the bad batteries, the longer you hold the switch down, the longer it will help charge the bad batteries.. Also, by not allowing for the bad batteries to come up a little, the bad batteries act like an additional drain on the good batteries while also trying to start the engine. The lower the charge on the bad batteries, the longer you want to ''charge'' them by holding down the switch. Hope that helps explain what is going on when you hold down the switch and wait a little first.