Battery for generator

[Hoosierkav]

I need a new battery for my old Coleman Vantage 8000 generator; a normal lawn mower battery doesn't have enough juice, so I have to use jumper cables from the truck (hardly ideal, and makes it a pain to have any practicality to the generator). I called Coleman, who is now owned by Generac, and they couldn't figure out how "big" of a battery I needed.

My online search has been futile. The owner's manual just refers to a battery--no specifics. Any help from the masses here?

 

[pute62]

Might give these guys a try
https://buckeyepowersales.com/

 

[CampingJosh]

I'm assuming it's a 12v. Just buy highest CCA rating that you can get to fit in the available space.

 

[thunderchicken]

Might be worth a drive over to Interstate batteries on E 21st ST just west of Shadeland

 

[tmschuller]

check out chrome batteries on ebay and they are based in Carmel.. AGM batteries and very cheap.. and good batteries. I have bought 3 for atv's and have been as good as anyone else.

 

[Butch627]

Normal sized lawn mower batteries are able to start 20hp motors for years on end. I think you need to look at your cables, your connections, and most likely your starter motor.

 

[HoughMade]

Normal sized lawn mower batteries are able to start 20hp motors for years on end. I think you need to look at your cables, your connections, and most likely your starter motor.

I agree. Something isn't right. Those little jump start batteries, some of them under 12ah can start a car or truck once or twice. How much cranking does it have to do to get it started?

 

[tmschuller]

not knowing what motor is on it look at valves for adjustment.. after the simple stuff like connections. Hope you get it figured out.

 

[Hoosierkav]

I'll have to see if I can jump it by connecting to the cables (to see if they're the issue), vs direct connect to the unit's terminals.

Simple troubleshooting--thank you.

When I jump it, it starts just fine...

 

[Hoosierkav]

Bringing this back from the dead.. much of the spring and summer was spent building a box for the generator, and trying to fix the problem.

I cleaned every connection, and when I looked at the starter itself, I noticed and replaced broken contacts. Without the magnet "sleeve" in place, the starter turned easily; the sleeve did have a small section of broken magnet at the far end of it.

Anyway, with everything reassembled, I gave it a try and the starter solenoid clicked vigorously, and that's it. I got new heavy duty cables for everything , since some wires had broken/cracked due to rusty connections.

I rechecked everything, confirmed it off of documents from the web for the generator and the motor, and still no change. Even jumping it off the truck didn't change things.

My searches suggested the solenoid might be to blame, so I got a new one (at a Briggs & Stratton shop, so I assume it's the correct one), hooked it all back up, and I still only get the solenoid clicking.

What in the world!?!?!

If the generator didn't weigh a ton, I'd bring it to a shop, so I'm crowdsourcing the help for now...

 

[nate77]

Someone mentioned valve adjustment up thread. When the Briggs v twin on my John Deere wouldn’t turn over, I initially thought battery or starter problems, but it turned out to be a valve adjustment problem, the starter didn’t have to power to overcome the engines compression with the valves out of adjustment.

 

[jgressley2003]

I had the same issue on my lawn mower last fall. Took the old starter in to see if it could rebuilt and when they tested it, the starter drive shaft was bent.

 

[tmschuller]

I have adjusted a couple Briggs engines and it’s really easy. YouTube can be your friend on this. You will only need a few hand tools. Nothing special .. a feeler gauge. Worth a try

 

[HoughMade]

How about a grounding of the starter issue. When you jump it, there is an alternative path to ground.

The valve adjustment makes sense to an extent as there is normally a decompression lobe that gets activated at starting, but then I'd think it would still labor even when jumped.

 

[Hoosierkav]

The grounding of the starter seems to make sense... as far as I can tell, the two long retaining bolts that go the length of the sleeve are in their place, which would ground the starter... I just had an thought that perhaps somehow the bolt in the starter brush retainer is touching the sleeve... the bolt does "require" a special nut (I think that is its official name), so perhaps it is non-conductive to ensure the current coming from the solenoid is isolated?? I'm grasping at straws.

 

[Hoosierkav]

Ok It took nearly 2 years to get back to this project and this is what I found.

No, not a dead battery I removed the starter and tested it, and it spins up wonderfully. Reinstalled it and it tries to engage the flywheel, but it give a pathetic "ruh" and stops; if I manually rotate the flywheel, I get a better "ruh" before it stops. So, I took off one of the cylinder cover/combustion chamber (it's a horizontally opposed twin cylinder 18hp), and with it off, now it spins/cranks like a champ. So, it looks like it is a valve issue.

The valve covers are beneath the exhaust, air filter, throttle cables, and such (on the top of the motor)... the journey isn't over yet, but it's getting there.

 

[Butch627]

The starter motor may be weak. I would look into the cost of having it rebuilt or buying a new one. In the mean time I would try turning the engine over by hand with the plugs removed. Unless it is very difficult to turn than it is your starter.

 

[churchmouse]

This is not a valve issue. The valves are there to seal the cylinders to create compression which is the resistance you may be feeling. If you can turn it over with the plugs out I would concentrate on the starter and also see that the battery is well charged.

Not a valve issue.

 

[Hoosierkav]

I'll admit, I'm learning this as I go... Why does it crank over perfectly when the cylinder head is removed?

 

[Dirtebiker]

Because there’s no compression!?