Thor Compass 23TW Generator won't crank

[reportingguru]

Hi,
I have a 2022 Thor Compass 23TW. It has a Cummings Onan OG 4000 generator. The generator has been working fine. I had it in storage a few months and got it out, and the generator won't crank at all. Seems like it isn't receiving any power. Any ideas? Is there a fuse or breaker somewhere that I am missing?
Troubleshooting details thus far:
- House Battery is full
- I plugged into shore power too charge everything
- I have run the motorhome engine and tried to crank while running
- It won't crank using the control panel
- It won't crank directly on the generator switch either. When pushing the prime, it doesn't light up either.
- I flipped the switch that is next to the start button on the generator (not sure if that is a breaker)
- I reset the fuse/breaker that is on the house batteries
- I flipped on an off all breakers inside the coach

Any other suggestions of a fuse or breaker somewhere?

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by reportingguru

Hi,
I have a 2022 Thor Compass 23TW. It has a Cummings Onan OG 4000 generator. The generator has been working fine. I had it in storage a few months and got it out, and the generator won't crank at all. Seems like it isn't receiving any power. Any ideas? Is there a fuse or breaker somewhere that I am missing?
Troubleshooting details thus far:
- House Battery is full
- I plugged into shore power too charge everything
- I have run the motorhome engine and tried to crank while running
- It won't crank using the control panel
- It won't crank directly on the generator switch either. When pushing the prime, it doesn't light up either.
- I flipped the switch that is next to the start button on the generator (not sure if that is a breaker)
- I reset the fuse/breaker that is on the house batteries
- I flipped on an off all breakers inside the coach

Any other suggestions of a fuse or breaker somewhere?

What breaker would that be?

The only breaker inline between the house batteries is a 100 amp DC breker in, or very near, the house battery compartment. Find it, trip it, reset it. If that doesn't solve your problem, measure the voltage at the starter solenoid on the generator itself. If 12+ VDC there, and it won't crank using the switch on the generator, then you have a controller problem.

[DavidEM]

I agree with Ted. I had similar problems with my 2021 Axis and the Onan 4000 generator. I measured the voltage at the solenoid terminal where the starting power ties in to the generator. It showed 12+ volts. I then jumpered from that terminal to the starter and it cranked. I then jumpered the solenoid itself and it also cranked.

I concluded that the problem was internal to the generator and with the solenoid and starter working, it was probably a problem with the control module as Ted notes above. I took the RV to a Cummins Service Center about two hours away.

They concurred and replaced the electronic module and it started fine. Make sure you get it fixed within Cummins 2 yr warrant period, otherwise you are looking at $1,000.

David

[reportingguru]

Thanks David and Ted. It sounds like it might be a controller problem. Weird that it just stopped working while in storage for a month. I will try to get it back to the dealer. Getting warranty work at the dealers in Austin has been a nightmare with 3 month waits.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by reportingguru

Thanks David and Ted. It sounds like it might be a controller problem. Weird that it just stopped working while in storage for a month. I will try to get it back to the dealer. Getting warranty work at the dealers in Austin has been a nightmare with 3 month waits.

Might be quicker to swing by a Cumins/Onan location and have them look at it directly, especially if it's under warranty. Cut out the RV dealer middle-man.

[DavidEM]

Don't bother with the dealer. Take it directly to Cummins. That is what the dealer will do and your coach may sit around at the dealership for weeks before they get around to sending it to Cummins and I don't know what they will do if there is not a Cummins Service Center close by.

Go to the Cummins website and search for a Cummins Coach Care RV Service location near you and make sure that the service center deals with gas RV generators. Make an appointment and take your coach to them. You can wait in their customer waiting lounge until it is fixed. It took about 3 hours for mine. Make sure you bring a bill of sale or something to verify the date of sale for when the Cummins two year warranty period starts. Cummins has another warranty period that kicks in after two years but it only covers things like casting failures. It won't cover the control module after two years.

They replaced the electronic control module on my barely 2 year old Axis 24.1. I had put it up in storage in mid October last year and I ran the generator then for 15 minutes or so. I went back a month later and tried to start the generator and it was dead.

Good luck.

David

[rtaggio]

I had a similar no crank experience with my genset. It was indicating trouble code 32 (cranking speed less than 180rpm). Took it to Onan/Cummins and starter was bad, fixed under warranty, bill was in excess of $800 if I had to pay out of warranty.