Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Never assume anything
| [GMCnet] Never assume anything [message #269728] |
Thu, 15 January 2015 08:20  |
glwgmc
Messages: 1014
Registered: June 2004
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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Hi Ken,
Thanks for the operator error reminder. That is one I always assume first in a situation like this one so it is a process of elimination. The fact that I could get it to run both on points and on the module with the 9-5 jumper in place once I changed the coil polarity, and since both you and Matt both confirm that polarity shouldn't matter, I am moving to the board and if not that then the K1 start relay will be next on the list.
BTW, what was the wire you said to move?
Jerry
Jerry Work
The Dovetail Joint
Fine furniture designed and hand crafted in the 1907 former Masonic Temple building in historic Kerby, OR
Visitors always welcome!
glwork@mac.com
http://jerrywork.com
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 20:59:02 -0500
From: Ken Henderson
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Never assume anything
Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Jerry,
I'm not surprised that the Onan ran fine with the + & - terminals reversed
-- I'm not even sure why those markings are on there since the polarity
should not matter in the "lost spark" ignition. But the only explanation I
have for the failure to run is not one you want to hear: Operator error.
Sorry, but one specific Onan-related event tells me it's not beyond the
realm of possibiity:
Years back, when we first began installing Pertronix, I helped Bobby Moore
modify his at Bean Station. While we were doing that, a dear friend, now
deceased, with BSME and MSEE degrees from GA Tech, and many years'
experience in general and GMC's specifically, was doing routine maintenance
on another Onan nearby.
When we finished with Bobby's project, I wandered over to the other crowd
where the primary, smartest guy in the bunch, was getting LOTS of peanut
gallery help. They'd been trying for 30 minutes to get the Onan to run.
Having just come from having the wiring indelibly engraved in my short-term
memory, I glanced at the coil and said, "Move that wire from there to
there.", turned, and walked away. I wasn't 15 feet away when I heard the
engine running.
If it could happen to him, I could happen to ANYONE! :-)
Ken H.
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Jerry & Sharon Work
78 Royale
Kerby, OR
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| Re: [GMCnet] Never assume anything [message #269740 is a reply to message #269728] |
Thu, 15 January 2015 11:15  |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Jerry,
I said the wiring was engraved in my SHORT TERM memory! :-)
Sounds like you're on the right track. I'm betting on the control board.
At GMCMI Chippewa Falls we had a seminar and discussions with the chief
engineer for the design of our Onan. He and I talked about the K1 relay
because to me it appears redundant and superfluous. But he couldn't tell
me why they included it, much less why it has the weird little jumper tying
one of the coil contacts to the main contact wafer. It's so lightly loaded
that it's not very likely to be your problem.
Ken H.
On Thu, Jan 15, 2015 at 9:20 AM, Work Jerry wrote:
> Hi Ken,
>
> Thanks for the operator error reminder. That is one I always assume first
> in a situation like this one so it is a process of elimination. The fact
> that I could get it to run both on points and on the module with the 9-5
> jumper in place once I changed the coil polarity, and since both you and
> Matt both confirm that polarity shouldn't matter, I am moving to the board
> and if not that then the K1 start relay will be next on the list.
>
> BTW, what was the wire you said to move?
>
> Jerry
> Jerry Work
> The Dovetail Joint
> Fine furniture designed and hand crafted in the 1907 former Masonic Temple
> building in historic Kerby, OR
> Visitors always welcome!
> glwork@mac.com
> http://jerrywork.com
> -----------------------
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 20:59:02 -0500
> From: Ken Henderson
> To: gmclist
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Never assume anything
> Message-ID:
> 0Rw@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> Jerry,
>
> I'm not surprised that the Onan ran fine with the + & - terminals reversed
> -- I'm not even sure why those markings are on there since the polarity
> should not matter in the "lost spark" ignition. But the only explanation I
> have for the failure to run is not one you want to hear: Operator error.
> Sorry, but one specific Onan-related event tells me it's not beyond the
> realm of possibiity:
>
> Years back, when we first began installing Pertronix, I helped Bobby Moore
> modify his at Bean Station. While we were doing that, a dear friend, now
> deceased, with BSME and MSEE degrees from GA Tech, and many years'
> experience in general and GMC's specifically, was doing routine maintenance
> on another Onan nearby.
>
> When we finished with Bobby's project, I wandered over to the other crowd
> where the primary, smartest guy in the bunch, was getting LOTS of peanut
> gallery help. They'd been trying for 30 minutes to get the Onan to run.
> Having just come from having the wiring indelibly engraved in my short-term
> memory, I glanced at the coil and said, "Move that wire from there to
> there.", turned, and walked away. I wasn't 15 feet away when I heard the
> engine running.
>
> If it could happen to him, I could happen to ANYONE! :-)
>
> Ken H.
> --------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
>
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> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Never assume anything [message #269744 is a reply to message #269740] |
Thu, 15 January 2015 13:17 |
Emery Stora
Messages: 959
Registered: January 2011
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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>> Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 20:59:02 -0500
>> From: Ken Henderson
>> To: gmclist
>> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Never assume anything
>>
>> Jerry,
>>
>> I'm not surprised that the Onan ran fine with the + & - terminals reversed
>> -- I'm not even sure why those markings are on there since the polarity
>> should not matter in the "lost spark" ignition. But the only explanation I
>> have for the failure to run is not one you want to hear: Operator error.
>> Sorry, but one specific Onan-related event tells me it's not beyond the
>> realm of possibility:
>>
>> Years back, when we first began installing Pertronix, I helped Bobby Moore
>> modify his at Bean Station. While we were doing that, a dear friend, now
>> deceased, with BSME and MSEE degrees from GA Tech, and many years'
>> experience in general and GMC's specifically, was doing routine maintenance
>> on another Onan nearby.
>>
>> When we finished with Bobby's project, I wandered over to the other crowd
>> where the primary, smartest guy in the bunch, was getting LOTS of peanut
>> gallery help. They'd been trying for 30 minutes to get the Onan to run.
>> Having just come from having the wiring indelibly engraved in my short-term
>> memory, I glanced at the coil and said, "Move that wire from there to
>> there.", turned, and walked away. I wasn't 15 feet away when I heard the
>> engine running.
>>
>> If it could happen to him, I could happen to ANYONE! :-)
>>
>> Ken H.
>> --------------------------
>>
Sounds like deja vou.
At the GMCWS Albuquerque Balloon festival in 1999, Chuck Aulgur was giving a presentation on modifing and installing the Onan electronic ignition module to our GMC Onan generators.
He was installing one in the parking area on someone’s motorhome but it would not start.
I heard the cranking and cranking over and over and since I had just independantly made that modifiation myself about 6 months before and had posted the information to Gene Fisher’s site, the wiring was still in my mind and I was able to just glance at it and suggested that he reverse two wires. I had also walked away but quickly heard the Onan start and purr.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
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