even thoigh the batteries were full it would burn fuel infinitely because of the atmo sensor telling it to go

That's not how coal generators work. Absent any automation, they will only attempt to run if there's demand from the attached battery network.

Since you've set this up, have you added any new generators to your energy mix? Or have you modified the battery and wiring layout? Have you added any transformers or otherwise modified the distribution of energy across your entire grid? It's very possible that other generators are now fulfilling the majority of your energy needs before the coal generators and your energy draw from devices on the same circuit as the coal generators is no longer of sufficient demand to maintain a 100% duty cycle for the generators.

The tooltip is clearly telling you why they're not running. Why they were running before is an entirely different question, so it's irrelevant to helping you now. To be able to give you any further guidance, we'd need to see the larger picture of your energy grid.