old hobart 200 amp 2 cly Wisconsin eng HELP

[mass welder]

I bought this gas welder acouple of days ago and don't know much about it. I'm having problems getting the engine started. I can get it started with the hand crank( after losing all the skin on my knuckles). I bought 2 brand new batteries ( I was told it was a 24v system). It turns over very slowly and will not fire. Anyone out there who can help me out would be a big help. Thanks.

[GilaSlim]

If you are using two 12v batteries, are your batteries wired in Series? What condition are the battery cables in? If they are fine and connections are all good, I would suspect the starter is about to die, or perhaps the solenoid.

GS

[mass welder]

I put brand new cables on it. and the batteries are in series. I have two huge marine batteries on this thing, and it looks like it should have 2 small tractor batteries. I was told that the generator starts the engine. So thats were I'm lost. Is there a place were I can get info on old welders?

[GilaSlim]

Hmmm. Generator used as starter - haven't seen that since I rode small Japanese motorcycles back in the '60s. My bigger Honda 750s and 900s used a separate starter.

For that to work here, I think you would need a regular-sized battery cable directly connected to the generator. Is that the way it is set up?

Is the generator gear or belt driven? If belt driven, is the belt slipping during the start?

Got any pictures?

I'm not that familiar with the old Wisconsin two-holers, so I'm just applying general automotive principles here.

GS

[mass welder]

I'll try to explain as best I can. The positive cable off the battery runs to the back of the of the neg side ground clamp( welding cable). Then there's another wire that comes off the same post and goes into the generator. The neg off the battery goes to a post then seems to run to a transformer then ?. Maybe the transformer is bad. I was thinking it must take the 24v and make it a larger voltage. I don't know. Do you know if they still make the owners manuals for this machine.

[GilaSlim]

All I can suggest now is contact Hobart technical support and see if they still have the owner's manual, or can give you answers. Good luck!

GS

[mass welder]

Here is the model number G-213 serial# AAW 82389. I need some help with this one.

[mass welder]

I'm hanging my head down in shame, I got my meter to start looking for the problem. I HOOKED UP THE BATTERIES WRONG. WOW. Thanks for the help.

[runserjohn]

mass welder I know its been awhile but I also have one of the g-213's can you show a picture of how you wired the batteries up.