Generator switch question

[Big Dave]

I have a 2007 monaco caymen xl 36 ft. It has a 8000 Onan diesel generator.  Does anyone know what this switch does?  Also.  The remote start from inside the motorhome either back panel by the bathroom or the remote start from the dash will only turn on the generator but won't turn it off.  I have to use the button switch on the generator to turn it off.  What do you all think?

[Ivan K]

The 'switch' on your generator is a breaker, it kills power output to the ATS.  

If none of your remote switches inside the rig works to shut if off, the problem is most likely in the connector on passenger side front of generator. Pull it apart,  clean with contact cleaner or at least wd40 and it should work again. 

[Big Dave]

Thank you.  I will Try that tomorrow.

[Larry Laursen]

The switch you show is the circuit breaker that protects the generator.  It has to be in the ON position to get power from the generator.  If you look at the bottom of the panel it is mounted on it says 35 Amp 2 pole AC breaker.  If it trips the lever needs to be pushed down and then back up.

[FLynes]

Thanks for the suggestion, Ivan. When we bought our coach, the remote dash switch (we only have one inside) wouldn’t start the genny but would stop it. Now it does nothing but light up, when it’s running. I bought a new switch, thinking that was the problem, but it didn’t help. I never thought about cleaning the remote connection. I love this forum.

[Tom Cherry]

24 minutes ago, FLynes said:

Thanks for the suggestion, Ivan. When we bought our coach, the remote dash switch (we only have one inside) wouldn’t start the genny but would stop it. Now it does nothing but light up, when it’s running. I bought a new switch, thinking that was the problem, but it didn’t help. I never thought about cleaning the remote connection. I love this forum.

If you have a remote auto Genny start, it might NOT work if there is a connection problem.  The switches are momentary contact….so they are parallel connections including the auto Genny. On mine, Magnum has me test it and also went through an exhaustive trouble shooting while I was on the phone.  I found out that many Monaco’s are NEGATIVE start circuits….as in, the switches actually make a ground or negative circuit….surprised me…

[FLynes]

35 minutes ago, Tom Cherry said:

If you have a remote auto Genny start, it might NOT work if there is a connection problem.  The switches are momentary contact….so they are parallel connections including the auto Genny. On mine, Magnum has me test it and also went through an exhaustive trouble shooting while I was on the phone.  I found out that many Monaco’s are NEGATIVE start circuits….as in, the switches actually make a ground or negative circuit….surprised me…

The first thing that popped in my head, when I read this, was that those bastards from Lucas are still at it (British joke, for those who aren’t familiar)!

In all seriousness, I have a couple of electrical gremlins to sort out behind the dash, that being one and the other being my power mirrors. The fun starts, when I get the coach back from the interior shop.

“Why do the British drink warm beer?

Because Lucas makes refrigerators too.”

😉

[Tom Cherry]

13 minutes ago, FLynes said:

The first thing that popped in my head, when I read this, was that those bastards from Lucas are still at it (British joke, for those who aren’t familiar)!

In all seriousness, I have a couple of electrical gremlins to sort out behind the dash, that being one and the other being my power mirrors. The fun starts, when I get the coach back from the interior shop.

“Why do the British drink warm beer?

Because Lucas makes refrigerators too.”

😉

Lucas lives in Onanland.  Think of the Genny that live in marine vessels.  I admit to being  an old gea4head and you SWITCH” POSITIVE.  But ONAN designed the Genny for Negative Switching,  Magnum had me verify by checking the ground on a terminal, #1…which is the center terminal on the array of switches.  Then jumping, with a paper clip, the start and stop.  It worked….so they knew that the auto start module was wired correctly.  See the screen shoot from the Onan Manual.

There is always positive voltage to the PCB control board.  So, you energize it with Negative.  Likewise, when you shut it down, you are shorting out  or grounding the board and that kills the 1w VDC power and it stops.  Much like the kill switch on a lawn mower or weed eater…

Past that….don’t ask me.  

[FLynes]

10 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

Lucas lives in Onanland.  Think of the Genny that live in marine vessels.  I admit to being  an old gea4head and you SWITCH” POSITIVE.  But ONAN designed the Genny for Negative Switching,  Magnum had me verify by checking the ground on a terminal, #1…which is the center terminal on the array of switches.  Then jumping, with a paper clip, the start and stop.  It worked….so they knew that the auto start module was wired correctly.  See the screen shoot from the Onan Manual.

There is always positive voltage to the PCB control board.  So, you energize it with Negative.  Likewise, when you shut it down, you are shorting out  or grounding the board and that kills the 1w VDC power and it stops.  Much like the kill switch on a lawn mower or weed eater…

Past that….don’t ask me.  

Since my plastic briefcase is in the coach, which is still at the interior shop, I can’t answer my own question, which is whether the Class A gas models are wired the same way.