[rvguy]

Hello, new to this site.. Richard has helped me with the air issue. now to the gen.  previous owner stated generator was running fine in drive way, then just shut down. so after looking over stuff, I have found that when you try to even crank the gen or turn the switches on, there is no power at the switches. Any diag help would be appreciated.   And Richard Thank you again for all the help on the air system.

1999 newell  coach # 480

[Richard]

Hmmmm.

Do you have 12V at the starter terminal?

Have you tried cranking the gen with the switch located on the gen control panel? You extend the gen, and reach in on the right side. There is a rocker switch? There are also two fuses on that panel, the round glass old school variety.

Is the light on the panel above the driver that is labeled Generator Fire Extinguisher on? If it is not, you have to figure out why. There is a fire extinguisher in the gen compartment, and that light depends upon continuity in a pressure switch that is on that fire extinguisher.

[MrE]

I can't remember the exact symptoms mine had, but it was the 220v squirrel cage cooling fan that was bad.

[bestgenman]

Extend the set and operate the switches located on the set itself.  If nothing, check battery voltage at the starter, as Richard stated.

You won’t find much meaningful voltage at the switches inside the coach as the system uses a “ground to start- ground to stop three wire system”.  At rest ( again inside at the gen control station) there will not be any 12V at rest.  While running, there will be 12v on gauges and hour meter and a few other points.

You haven’t specified the make of your set which makes location of things different.  On 99’s, it most likely is a Kohler and again as Richard pointed out, there are two fuses.  Check them although it is unlikely they are the problem.  

To be of more help, more information is needed and pictures are most helpful.

[rvguy]

Thanks for the help. So yes it is a kohler gen set believe 20kw. There is 12 volts at the starter. both fuses on the control panel are good. the unit will not crank from the switch on the control panel.
I noticed the green light is not on on the fe system, going to check that today, can i temp bypass the fe system to try and see if it will fire off ?. also what turns on the cooling fan. Like stated previously. no crank from either switch . fe light will not on. if i hit the lift pump switch on the side of the gen, it works.

[Richard]

The cooling fan is powered directly from the generator. It is a 220V setup.

Others have bypassed the fire extinguisher system, but I do not know the details of how they did it.

[rvguy]

so again checked the voltage at the starter and have 13.4 volts. Today i jumped the solonoid on the starter and the gen fired up. so it ran so a good thing. unfortanatly because i jumped the system off, I dont think it knows it is running. I cannot turn the unit off with the switches, I have to manually shut off the fuel with the solonoid. And no power put into coach. I did pull the fe and found it is out of charge, wondering what I can do to bypass temp to make sure gen is in good working condition. All fuses are good, good battery voltage. no green light on fe system. and again no response to turn off the gen while running after jumping from starter solonoid. switches on the gen also will not shut the unit down..

[Richard]

There has to be a pressure switch on the fire extinguisher. Jump it. It is either NO or NC. You have a fifty fifty chance of getting it right the first time