Northstar portable tri fuel generator that won't crank. I found and fixed a rat chewed red wire to the gas valve so I suspected a blown fuse. The starter clicked and immediately went dead
I have fixed the wire. Battery is charged, not a fuel issue, checked fuse inside the ignition box and it is good. Oil is good. Can't find any other fuse or breaker on the engine side. Any ideas on what would suddenly go bad as a result of a short to prevent the engine from cranking? What could have blown?
Electrical Supplies
Answers & Comments
If you had a direct short when you engaged the starter and it didn't blow a fuse, it most likely blew/melted the contacts in the switch. This can be easily check with a volt/ohm meter. If you check ohms across the switch terminals, the reading should be zero ohms; otherwise, you could be reading the carbon inside the switch from were it blew. Or, you can ground the black meter lead and check the voltage on the terminals with the red meter lead. Should have 12vdc (on a 12vdc system) on one terminal and zero in the other until switch is engaged and it should read the same reading within a few decimals.
Hope this helps!