ONAN Gen Problem

[dan winchester]

Here is a real puzzle for you engineer types. I am also an engineer and
haven't been able to solve it.

When the start button is pushed some of the time the starter will not
disengage, even pushing the stop button will not stop the starter. The
only solution is to pull the wire from the starter solenoid on the starter
motor. This is rather inconvenient if you start it remotely from inside.

When pulling the wire from the start solenoid there is a small spark
indicating that power is getting there from somewhere, but the relay K1 is
d-energized. If I pull the choke wire from the output of K1 that also
stops the starter. There is however no power to the choke so it cant be
the source of power keeping the starter solenoid engaged.

After pulling the wire, plugging it back in does not re-engage the starter.

Got any good solutions.

Please replay direct as well as a copy to the list so I can see your
answers asap and not wait for the journal copy to be generated.

Dan Winchester

 

[clark searle]

> When the start button is pushed some of the time the starter will not
> disengage, even pushing the stop button will not stop the starter. The
> only solution is to pull the wire from the starter solenoid on the starter
> motor. This is rather inconvenient if you start it remotely from inside.

Don't have any first hand knowledge about the Onan starter electrical circuit,
but typically starters have a solenoid that uses a low current electro magnet to
draw the high current contacts (connected to battery cable) into engagement.
Sometimes the high current contacts will temporarily weld and stick together.
But that may not be the explanation in your case, since you mentioned that the
starter stops when the wire is disconnected. I'm assuming you are referring to
the small wire (switch circuit) and not the battery cable. If that's the case,
I'm uncertain how or why it still has any power when the start switch is off.
Power to the low current side should only come via one of the start switches.
Could be a switch problem. Does the starter do this when using either the
remote or outside start switch?

Clark
78 Kingsley
Mt. Pleasant, Mich