Generator Problem March 22, 2006, 03:07:52 pm Yahoo Message Number: 64423I hope someone can put my mind to ease on this. Today I started the generator to give it an hour or two of exercise. I turned the heat strip on to add load.After about an hour and a half, I went outside to turn it off and found that it was already off. It apparently automatically shut itself off. I knew the gas was down to close to 1/4 tank but figured I was ok. I just checked and it is at 1/4.Did I do anything to harm the generator??? Why did it shut off automatically? Should I fire it back up for a moment to make sure it is working?Thanks for any input you can give me.Patti 2003 26'RB
Re: Generator Problem Reply #1 – March 22, 2006, 03:28:13 pm Yahoo Message Number: 64427"goinrvin2003" wrote: After about an hour and a half, I went outside to turn it off and found that it was already off. It apparently automatically shut itself off. I knew the gas was down to close to 1/4 tank but figured I was ok. I just checked and it is at 1/4. --- This is "Engine Stopped -- Code Fault 36" in my Onan manual! ;-) Patti, I doubt that any damage has been done to the generator. The genset (likely) stopped because the fuel level of the truck was too low; the fuel gauge on the truck is pretty much like the tank level indicators -- usually a wild guess. The generator won't start if the fuel level is too low, so fill the truck's gas tank and fire up the generator again. (A reminder: check the genset's oil level before you exercise it, and make sure that you're running enough of a load to really work it out!)Joan
Re: Generator Problem Reply #2 – March 22, 2006, 03:29:43 pm Yahoo Message Number: 64428QuoteAfter about an hour and a half, I went outside to turn it off and found that it was already off. It apparently automatically shut itself off. I knew the gas was down to close to 1/4 tank but figured I was ok. I just checked and it is at 1/4.Did I do anything to harm the generator??? Why did it shut off automatically? Should I fire it back up for a moment to make sure it is working? If your gas tank is really at 1/4, then I doubt very much you did any harm to your generator...it is, after all, supposed to stop once the gas tank gets down to 1/4 so that you don't run of gas and, thus, get stranded someplace. I wouldn't start the generator up again until you fill up the gas tank.Linda Hylton2004 Red 23.5' TK See where we are: http://map.datastormusers.com/user3.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com/
Re: Generator Problem Reply #3 – March 22, 2006, 04:19:21 pm Yahoo Message Number: 64430Joan - You're the best - you've come to my rescue again. Boy, was I worried! How was I going to explain this to my hubby who's working out of town?? I can't back the rig out myself to go get gas (tight spot) but will do so this weekend and then start it up again. Yes, good idea to check the oil level.Do you think turning on the "Opt heat strip" is not sufficient load for exercising the generator?Patti QuoteThis is "Engine Stopped -- Code Fault 36" in my Onan manual! ;-) Patti, I doubt that any damage has been done to the generator. The genset (likely) stopped because the fuel level of the truck was too low; the fuel gauge on the truck is pretty much like the tank level indicators -- usually a wild guess. The generator won't start if the fuel level is too low, so fill the truck's gas tank and fire up the generator again. (A reminder: check the genset's oil level before you
Re: Generator Problem Reply #4 – March 22, 2006, 04:22:10 pm Yahoo Message Number: 64431Linda, thank you also for easing my mind. The indicator does show it's right at 1/4 tank, but like Joan said, those indicators aren't 100% accurate. I'll get gas and check the oil and fire it up again this weekend. PattiQuote If your gas tank is really at 1/4, then I doubt very much you did any harm Quoteto your generator...it is, after all, supposed to stop once the gas tankQuotegets down to 1/4 so that you don't run of gas and, thus, get stranded someplace.I wouldn't start the generator up again until you fill up the gas tank.
Re: Generator Problem Reply #5 – March 22, 2006, 05:12:17 pm Yahoo Message Number: 64434I hope someone can put my mind to ease on this. Today I started the generator to give it an hour or two of exercise. I turned the heat strip on to add load. After about an hour and a half, I went outside to turn it off and found that it was already off. It apparently automatically shut itself off. I knew the gas was down to close to 1/4 tank but figured I was ok. I just checked and it is at 1/4. Did I do anything to harm the generator??? Why did it shut off automatically? Should I fire it back up for a moment to make sure it is working? Thanks for any input you can give me.Patti 2003 26'RB Hi Patti Nothing much I can add except once I started to do a routine generator run with the main tank under 1/4 full. I had come back late a couple of days before after a long trip and had not bothered to top up the tank like I usually do before getting home. The generator started up and ran for a short time with what gas was in the fuel line and carburetor and then just flat out quit, even before I had added an electrical load. No harm done that I could see; it's worked fine since. It did take me a while to realize what I had done, though.My usual electrical load consists of running the AC, or the AC heat strip, or my space heater depending on the weather.Will 2004 23.5 TK
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Generator Problem Reply #6 – March 22, 2006, 05:28:45 pm Yahoo Message Number: 64436Patti, I'm not positive about this, but I am pretty sure there is a safety cut-off on the genset to prevent using gas past a certain point, so as to ensure you won't run yourself out of gas while camped! Even my SOB has this feature. If it was down to a quarter tank that is most likely the reason!
Re: Generator Problem Reply #7 – March 22, 2006, 07:51:16 pm Yahoo Message Number: 64440Let's put and end to this. There are two fuel lines to the fuel tank in an LD with a generator. The V10 engine's fuel line uses the entire tank capacity. The generator fuel line is positioned so that it stops drawing fuel when then fuel is down to 1/4 tank. In effect, the generator then runs out of gas since the fuel level drops below the intake tube for the generator fuel line. There is no automatic cutoff. As stated by others this design makes certain you don't get stranded with an empty fuel tank.Ron in Ohio 26MB diesel I don't worry about this since my generator runs on propane.
Topic: Generator Problem (Read 7 times)
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Topic: Generator Problem (Read 7 times)
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