Genset Start Hookup?

[Kent & Cathie]

Hi,
Now that I have an inverter/charger and battery bank, I want to add a 4K genset.

When the Onan is running, there is a trickle charge going to charge the start battery.

Do I use the same battery bank for starting or do I need a separate Onan battery?

If the battery bank is used, how does the inverter's charger act with the Onan's trickle charge?

How does the trickle charge work trying to feed 4 big batteries?

OK, that's lots of questions.

Help
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1988 Jayco 24.5 , 5er
"assembled" 1 ton Peterbilt flatbed dump
with '63 cab & hood, supercharged 454,
Allison 545 4 speed auto, 373 rear gears,
19.5 's

[harkerr]

Your 4 coach batteries will be taken care of by the converter in the coach. Leave the trickle for your Onan battery. You will need a transfer switch to change the coach power to the Onan. Onan and others make these and need to be installed with the gen set.

Roger
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Roger

[Kent & Cathie]

Hi,
I am reading into your answer that I should have a separate battery
for the Onan, and then the genset should keep that battery charged.

As for the transfer switch, while I might install one someday, the
old Winnie I rescued the Onan from had a very simple way to "switch."

There was a receptacle in the small power cord bay to plug in the shore power to.

Simple and low cost, as I kept the outlet and the door.

kentr
_________________
1988 Jayco 24.5 , 5er
"assembled" 1 ton Peterbilt flatbed dump
with '63 cab & hood, supercharged 454,
Allison 545 4 speed auto, 373 rear gears,
19.5 's

[alanbarreca]

I have a 5500 watt Onan Marquis Gold, and was told that it has a trickle charge to boost its dedicated start battery. Maybe yours is different, but mine did not work well enough. So my wizard electrical friend rewired my configuration, taking power off my four house deep cycle batteries and going to the dedicated Onan start battery. My house batteries are at the rear, and my generator and dedicated start battery are in the front. With a blocking diode to prevent running down the starter battery with the house batteries, I always have enough power to start the generator. While my electrician was at it, he rewired my jack motor to run off the generator battery, which provides more power due to nearness to the jack. Smart people are hard to find, but sometimes you get lucky.