VinesBigCountry
Member
Is it ok to install a “portable” generator into the front compartment of my 2016 Big Country 3950FB as long as the exhaust is properly vented to the outside?
Generator Installation
- Thread starter VinesBigCountry
- Start date
wdk450
Well-known member
When the factory option Onan generators are installed they are covered with a sheet metal shroud along with the proper exhaust venting. Be sure you have one or more working Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector/alarms in the trailer, too.
Think long and hard about ever running your RV contained generator at night, as Carbon Monoxide is the silent killer that unknowingly puts you to sleep and/or kills you in your sleep. Remember the case of Weird Al Yankovic's parents who died in their sleep together from a blocked fireplace chimney sending carbon monoxide into their house.
Think long and hard about ever running your RV contained generator at night, as Carbon Monoxide is the silent killer that unknowingly puts you to sleep and/or kills you in your sleep. Remember the case of Weird Al Yankovic's parents who died in their sleep together from a blocked fireplace chimney sending carbon monoxide into their house.
VinesBigCountry
Member
Thanks for your advice. I would like to install an Onan but the cost is more than I can justify being that we’ll only use it occasionally. I think I’m just going to build a “carryall” and install it on the back outside of the camper. This seems to be the best option right now.
thewanderingeight
Well-known member
I would be worried about the amount of sound and vibration it would generate within the RV itself. The exhaust would be difficult to deal with as I don’t see a way to make a sealed connection from the output of the generator to a pipe going outside. If I were going to attempt it, I would add some fans within the bay to ensure airflow is going in the proper direction, and as others have already mentioned, double up on carbon monoxide detectors!
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VinesBigCountry
Member
Thanks for your input! This has been one of the most stressful decisions I’ve had to make since becoming a full timer 5 years ago! I’ve gotten so much conflicting information from various sources. If I ever trade my camper in on a new one it will have a factory installed generator!
VinesBigCountry
Member
centerline
Well-known member
ive installed a lot of gensets and the problem you're going to have with a portable generator is the cooling of it... and onan has a large fan that sucks air in from below, pushes it thru the engine housing and vents it back out the bottom...
you dont have this cooling option on a portable...... the exhaust on a portable generator is easy to deal with by removing the muffler and welding a nipple to it so that it can accept a vibration proof (bellows type) exhaust pipe section, to connect the tail pipe to....
FYI, you can find used modern onan generators in excellent condition for an average price of $1500.... which is more than reasonable for a genset with 300 to 800 hours on it.... if you're willing to use an older model of onan, good low hour units can be found for around $500...
you dont have this cooling option on a portable...... the exhaust on a portable generator is easy to deal with by removing the muffler and welding a nipple to it so that it can accept a vibration proof (bellows type) exhaust pipe section, to connect the tail pipe to....
FYI, you can find used modern onan generators in excellent condition for an average price of $1500.... which is more than reasonable for a genset with 300 to 800 hours on it.... if you're willing to use an older model of onan, good low hour units can be found for around $500...
VinesBigCountry
Member
Thanks for your input! It is much appreciated!! 😊
BLR
Well-known member
We have a 17 --4018 Cyclone..
We originally had a 2000 Yamaha, but if and when we needed to run an AC for our cats, 95° is there breaking point. (needed 3000 or more)we didn't want to run the big onan.
Barbara
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wdk450
Well-known member
LBR
Well-known member
That $500 is a decent price for an Onan, but is a 4.0Kw, not the 5.5Kw...that explains the lower pricing IMO.
wdk450
Well-known member
I was answering Taskswap's posting to the letter: "Not to be combative, but I have never seen a used Onan of any usable wattage in running/usable condition for $500 and would very much like to see that listing... Inquiring minds would like to know... " with a $500 Onan on San Diego Craigslist
I run my trailer with 15K BTU air conditioner with a 3100 watt Champion generator.
centerline
Well-known member
im not sure what part of the country your in, but all you have to do is search craigslist, offerup and FB market place... they can be found. im not saying the prices cap out at 1500, but if one is on a budget and has the patience to search, they are there for sale.... which is where I get the ones I install, unless the customer requests a new unit... and the 500 dollar units can easily be found... its true that they may be asking 700 or 800, but why pay full asking price for a used unit when there are so many available?....make an offer that you can live with and see what the seller says about it... one has to be willing to search if they want the deals, and be ready to buy as soon as they find one, because the good deals arent on the market long....
with very few exceptions, an onan that is kept serviced will last longer than one will ever own their trailer, and the average unit with 700 hours on it is generally about 15 years old by the time that many hours rack up on it... many generators never get that many hours before the trailer is scrapped...
centerline
Well-known member
taskswap
Well-known member
Yeah that is a pretty good price for that genny. Too bad it's in San Diego. I regularly search Craigslist for options here and rarely see them go below $1000 or so in that wattage range, although to be fair that's about as old as they come and still be running. I'd be worried about it needing a valve or ring job, and probably wouldn't put that in my RV, but it would be a great backup generator for a home or off grid situation. Obviously just my opinion.
Also just my opinion but I guess I'm pretty noisy about it... I think it pays to be careful what type of generator you install if you have a newer RV. A lot of newer appliances expect clean inverter-style power and older generators can fry them. This is why even though I long for a permanently installed generator, I'm sticking with my the Predator 3500. It's extremely quiet, inverter, electric start, comes with a 30A RV adapter, and can be paralleled if you want double the wattage. Maybe I'll use the front storage bay for a Webasto heater. I haven't decided yet.
Also just my opinion but I guess I'm pretty noisy about it... I think it pays to be careful what type of generator you install if you have a newer RV. A lot of newer appliances expect clean inverter-style power and older generators can fry them. This is why even though I long for a permanently installed generator, I'm sticking with my the Predator 3500. It's extremely quiet, inverter, electric start, comes with a 30A RV adapter, and can be paralleled if you want double the wattage. Maybe I'll use the front storage bay for a Webasto heater. I haven't decided yet.
carl.swoyer
Well-known member
The Craigslist post has expired
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david-steph2018
Well-known member
The easiest thing I would suggest is ask somebody with a factory install generator if you could look at their setup. This way you will get the first hand information on what you would need to do to install it.
Some will say you need a transfer switch to install with the generator but not so. If you install a plug on the outside wired directly to your generator you could just plug your shore power in there.
wdk450
Well-known member
BTW, just a reminder that according to construction electrical codes (which portable generators fall under) the neutral wire IS NOT internally connected to ground, like is REQUIRED for RV shorepower supplies (and RV manufacturer-installed generator sets). I solve this on my Champion 3100 portable generator with both a NEMA 5-15 standard household outlet and a 30 amp RV outlet by plugging in a shorting plug into the NEMA 5-15 outlet with the hot wire clipped off, and the neutral wire shorted to the ground wire. This satisfies the input power wiring neutral-ground requirements of my Progressive Industries power quality protection device, and allows power to flow into the RV.
