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Old 05-07-2016, 05:45 PM   #1
Red7
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Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1
Default Onan 4000 Generator not supplying power/shuts off under load

I have a 2006 Gulf Stream BT cruiser 5291 that is fairly new to me and I'm very new to RVs in general so i could use your help. A few months ago we drove 8000 miles to Oregon and back and everything ran great including the generator but it sat for a couple months here in Tampa Florida. I was good about running the engine and running the AC every month but let it go about 2 months and when I tried to start the generator it would not fire. I realized one of the two ring terminals (for the two thick red power cables going to the battery) that were on the same positive threaded battery post completely corroded to where nothing was left of the ring, keeping the cable from making contact with the battery. Due to the crimped piece still being on the end of the cable I wasn't able to install a new ring so I used a different fitting that clamped on with two bolts and now have that cable connected to the large round positive post (same post as what a normal car battery would have). The generator now fires up and runs fine but shuts off when I try to turn on the AC. Basically, it will start surging and then die.

I have tried flipping the circuit breaker (by start/stop switch) on the generator itself (not sure if there is another breaker) and generator seems to run the same with circuit breaker in either position. All electrical appliances including microwave and ac work fine under shore power. If I have the ac going on shore power and start the generator and then unplug shore power, the ac immediately turns off. Lights will still turn on inside the rv with the generator on but I don't know if the generator is providing power or if it's slowly draining the house battery. How can I test if the generator is providing some power but just not enough to run the ac or if something is keeping the generator from providing any power? What should I test and in what order?

Also, is it ok that the two red power cables (I assume one is providing power to the rv and one is to recharge the house battery) are now on two separate posts (one threaded and one the thicker traditional round post like a car battery)? I wouldn't think that would matter but it's the only thing that changed before I had this problem.

The generator has about 450 hours on it but only about 10 since I've owned it. What type of service should I perform on it...oil change...filter...carb cleaning...etc based upon the symptoms I'm experiencing? I want to get everything working perfectly because I will be selling the RV in a couple weeks. Thanks so much for your help!
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