starting gas generator from "One Place" in 2015 Cambria

crh97 · 07-19-2015, 07:42 AM

I've got a new Cambria 30J (downsized from a 40 foot FRED and I love it BTW) and do not understand the starting procedure from the "one place" Winnebago panel.

I can push and hold and it finally starts. It's a little sluggish but probably just no broken in yet with only 7 hours.

There is an "auto start" that flashes sometimes and I don't understand it. The manual is vague.

John Hilley · 07-19-2015, 09:01 AM

What model generator?

grtharris · 07-19-2015, 09:18 AM

crh97, hold the stop button is for a few seconds to prime the carburetor before pressing the start button.

tnteacherguy · 07-19-2015, 09:52 AM

Push auto start once. Then push enter.
The display will then read autostart instead of manual.

Then the generator will start on its own if there is a need. Needs could include low voltage, a/c command (if not plugged into shore power) and more.
I learned some of this from a class last year at GNR and more from this forum (search: auto gen start).

crh97 · 07-19-2015, 10:05 AM

It's an Onan 4000 KY/FA 26100

I don't think the auto start function on my readout means what you think it does tnteacherguy.
The Cambria doesn't have an autostart to compensate for high temps etc., I don't think.

I think this is a function Onan has that takes the prime and start and does it automatically but I don't understand how it works. I didn't know that I was supposed to push the stop button to prime.

RLBCCB · 07-19-2015, 04:17 PM

On my Onan 4000, regardless if I am starting from the panel or starting at the generator I have to hold the stop button to prime it before it will start. Parking on a grade will also impact how fast it starts. I press stop and count to 20 then press start.

Sent from my iPhone6 using iRV2 mobile

tnteacherguy · 07-19-2015, 04:31 PM

If it doesn't, I'm sorry. My Tour works that way.

Waef (when all else fails)...read the manual. My wife says that to me a lot.

Winnebago technical hotline is valuable too. But, probably very busy right now with all of the GNR visitors.

crh97 · 07-19-2015, 06:34 PM

I've read the manual. It didn't click with me. I will call the hotline.

Maybe it does have an auto start function that I'm not aware of. I hope so but I can't believe they would put that in this price coach? There are only 3 choices of buttons on the one place.....start, stop, and meter. There isn't a place to choose enter.

grtharris · 07-19-2015, 06:58 PM

crh97, I believe this is what the auto start on you panel is referring to:
Generator Basic Operation
NOTE: If the GenSet Start or Stop switch is
momentarily pressed, the monitor panel
will automatically try to start or stop the
Generator. It will try 4 times (10 second
crank, 10 second rest).
I noticed that the Winnebago manual does not mention holding the stop button in to prime the generator but the Oman manual does. It makes a big difference when I start ours when I hold the stop button in first if it has not been ran for a couple of days. I can hear the fuel pump when I do it.
And you are correct your coach does not have the "Cummins Onan® Energy Command™ automatic generator start system"

j.smith · 07-19-2015, 07:18 PM

Used to have a Cambria 27K with the same system. You can start the generator by just pushing the start button and then taking your finger off of it. The generator will prime itself (if needed) and try up to three times to start the generator. If it cannot start the generator within 3 attempts it will quit trying and display an error. All you need to do is push the start button once and it will take care of the rest.

Jeff

crh97 · 07-19-2015, 08:02 PM

I think I have been rushing the sequence. I will unplug the coach and try it with more patience.

crh97 · 07-20-2015, 08:42 AM

I unplugged the coach and touched the start button. It primed for a few seconds and started the genset. It died and although the readout said auto start it never went back to a start function. I probably gave it a full minute.

I never primed the diesel generator....it just started. Knowing that this thing can be primed by pushing the stop button, what does that do? Does it throw raw gas into the system? It started right up after it was primed.

grtharris · 07-20-2015, 10:32 AM

The generator probely ran just long enough to drop out the auto start.
Priming just runs the fuel pump filling up the float bowl in the carb and getting air out of the fuel line.

j.smith · 07-20-2015, 08:13 PM

Give it a chance, it seems to take forever but it will keep trying until it reaches the max number of tries (3 or 4 whichever it is). If all else fails, just push the start button again. There is nothing preventing you from manually priming before starting, but you should not have to.

JBP · 08-07-2015, 04:07 PM

My 2015 cambria seems to start best if I let it go through the auto start. If it fails the first time it seems to take forever but eventually it tries again. This will happen 3 times. Mine has always started on the second try if it did not start on the first. The Trend has the same system.