| Author | Message | ||
| joe shelton (Littlewind) (67.241.228.137)
Rating: N/A |
I need to replace my old Onan 6.5. I have found Onan 5.5 for $3000, Onan 6.5 for $3900, Honda 6.0 2 cylndr liquid cooled for $2700, then the Generac 5.5 for $1300. But the non-RV generators are soooo much cheeper! Like 6.2 kw diesel for $2700 or 8kw gas for $1300 (both Star from Northern Tool). So why shouldn't I use a non-RV gen set? Thanks, Joe 4106-2119 | ||
| FAST FRED (63.208.80.109) Rating: N/A |
There are 2 reasons , first most of the contractor stuff has service life measured in Hundreds of hours, rather than thousands. Second is NOISE , the cheap air cooled stuff is not designed to be inclosed in a box , so has to stand outside the coach & pound away. The cheapest genuine RV gen set seems to be the excellent water cooled Honda. Break it in on std oils , and switch to synthetic after the first 2 oil changes , and they seem to get unheard of lifetimes , for a $2000. gen set. Propane ( if you use it under 200 hours a year) is even longer lasting.) FAST FRED | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (66.190.119.82)
Rating: N/A |
Also, engines are 3600 rpm instead of 1800 which drasticly shortens life, and generator (alternator) is self excited and voltage regulation is very poor. Richard | ||
| Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.97.31)
Rating: N/A |
Before you go buying a northern tool generator....We are doing the entire bus conversion on a generator. When we started, we would drag the cords the 200 feet to the building, but then we just began using the generator...Much easier. We have a Northern Tool 6KW and a Honda 3.5KW. The Northern Tool will not run my 110V welder. It will run the compressor and a few power tools though. The Honda...Which is almost half the size of the Star and 5 years older...Will run the welder on 110V, the plasma cutter on 220V and the compressor. It will run the 110V compressor and the 220V plasma cutter at the same time. The Star will not do that. Don't waste your money on Star generators. They are junk. I know that Diesel for $2700 looks enticing, but don't do it. Ross | ||
| Rodger Manecke (Rodger) (65.239.11.15)
Rating: N/A |
Fred made some good points. Here's another: When I bought it, my Prevost had a Honda 6500 ES, water cooled contractor type gas generator. Great generator and noise level wasn't too bad. My objections were the inconvenience of refilling the integral 4.5 gallon fuel tank every 4-5 hours and carrying gas in jerry cans - dangerous and smelly. I sold the genset and installed a diesel with fuel lines plumbed into the main tank. Expensive upgrade but I deem it well worth the $. Rodger | ||
| Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.97.31)
Rating: N/A |
Fred...If I were to consider a Honda RV genset, where would be a good place to buy one? I'm still undecided between gas and diesel. Diesel is more convenient, but gas is cheaper, smaller and I probably quieter. Ross | ||
| Ace (24.28.44.126) Rating: N/A |
Just returned from Indy back to Fl. and from what I saw I wouldn't say gas is cheaper than diesel. Check the prices! Diesel $1.07... Gas $1.47 reg.!! These were average prices though they varied from state to state! The cheapest being Ga. the most expensive was Kentucky! Ace | ||
| Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.97.64)
Rating: N/A |
Ace....Gas generators are cheaper than diesel generators. I doubt I'd burn enough gas in the genset to justify spending twice as much for a diesel based on that reason alone...But you never know. Ross | ||
| Ace (24.28.44.126) Rating: N/A |
Ross I would agree to what your saying but if the gas generator last half as long as the diesel, and not counting the upkeep on it and the MANY gallons of gas used, I still think the diesel would be cheaper all the way around. Sure the initail outlay is alot but from there on it's pretty smooth sailing! Uh oh! I'm starting to sound like my little buddy! I used a boat phrase!  Ace | ||
| Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.97.64)
Rating: N/A |
Ive considered all of that...and I agree. Thats why I'm still on the fence over the genset issue. A nice compact 7KW gas Onan would fit so nicely in the front AC bay on my MC9 and it would be cheaper. On the other hand...a diesel would last longer and be much more convenient to operate. No gasoline to carry. The downside is cost and installation. The diesels are much bigger in size. The installation would be more complex. I need to figure out how much I plan on using a genset. That will determine if the added up front expense of a diesel is justified. Ross | ||
| Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.97.64)
Rating: N/A |
I think the ideal diesel genset would be the Onan Quiet Diesel. It is compact, in its own enclosure and would fit nicely in the AC bay. Problem is that they want stupid money for it. Ross | ||
| Ace (24.28.44.126) Rating: N/A |
Yea I know what you mean about them wanting money! Should be another way! HMMM! Look at the bright side. Once you spend it, it's yours and remember the old saying... you can't take it with you so why not get off it now? Ace | ||
| joe shelton (Littlewind) (67.242.199.57)
Rating: N/A |
Ross, for Honda RV genset go to www.esquirehonda.com/. I haven't decided yet either. am looking hard at the EV6010 liquid-cooled twin cyl but understand they crack at something like 3K rpm which makes for hi vibes. Joe | ||
| Ross Carlisle (Ross) (216.107.197.77)
Rating: N/A |
Hmmm...Seems the honda 6010 is priced at just under 4K. For just a few bucks more I can get a 8KW Isuzu from Central Maine Diesel. Makes the decision a little easier. For me to go with gas over diesel, the price would have to be considerably less, not just a few hundred dollars. Ross | ||
| Jojo Colina (Du1jec) (68.8.172.117)
Rating: N/A |
Does anyone know what type of fuel pump the honda 6010 has? I have an ES6500 which uses the same GX360 engine as the 6010 with the exception of the gravity feed from the integral fuel tank. My goal is to install a remote fuel tank so I can carry more fuel than the 4.5 gallon tank will take. | ||
| Ross Carlisle (Ross) (216.107.197.77)
Rating: N/A |
You could always install a small electric pump and a pressure regulator. I think thats how I'd do it. Ross | ||
| Jojo Colina (Du1jec) (68.8.172.117)
Rating: N/A |
Question is how much fuel pressure? | ||
| FAST FRED (65.58.189.243) Rating: N/A |
IN ordinary RV use a diesel does NOT have a longevity advantage over gas. To have a diesel live a very long life it needs proper loading. The units on the back of a reefer truck get started in CA and run cont to ME. One cold start , heavy load most of the time, service when stopped. Frequent use , no months of down time. In an RV the unit is usually vastly oversized, as it has to run the total coach load , and have enough reserve for the last air cond to start. Then the unit spends most of its life with only one air cond , or just a batt charger. Perhaps 5% to 25% of rated cap.This is sure death for most diesels , but Gas can handle the lack of load OK. For longst service life a propane set will have the least amount of maint , oil contamination and least wear at light loads. The problem is that propane is now expensive for long operating times. For folks that want to live / travel in 100% air cond required areas , a small diesel , with a big inverter to carry the start / surge loads , would be easiest to live with , although the "convience" of only one fuel tank , gets paid for in diesel service life, and a $2500 inverter, and BIG batt set. For the folks that can go to less horrable climates ( your conversion should move) the use of gas is safe and less expensive overall. Folks that have used metal 6 gal outboard tanks , with OB fittings on the noisemaker seem to be able to handle the dual fuel aboard problem simply, and with reasonable safty. Of course a Large installed propane tank would be very simple for those that only need Air cond during the heat of the day , and not 100% to survive. The "Best" gen set is the one that is best for YOUR needs , figure it out before getting stuck with a big expensive noisy high maint lump of iron. FAST FRED | ||
| Don KS/TX (64.24.4.28)
Rating: N/A |
For you who are still considering the options, I think Fred is correct. I thought I needed a 9kw diesel. I find in real life that it seldom runs, never gets a full load, and was really a waste of money. I wish I had gone with a quiet 6.5 LP Onan (Like I think Scott did). The first year I left the genset at home, never missed it really. The next year I brought it along, then spent my time "exercising" it with starts to keep things operational. | ||
| degojo (198.81.16.24) Rating: N/A |
Gasoline is dangerous and if the fabrication of tanks, lines, location etc is done by an amateur your liability carrier will drop you like a hot potato. Diesel doen't cause such a concern | ||
| Johnny (63.159.192.92)
Rating: N/A |
I plan to use my old Tecumsah 8500W gas generator. We currently take it RVing, & it's been reliable. It is pretty big & heavy, though. | ||
| ktrout01 (12.243.136.90)
Rating: N/A |
I have a "contractor" Coleman 5KW gas generator that I plan on using til it dies. I got it for the best price, free, with zero hours on it so it's pretty cost effective right now. I also want to find out what size I really need before I write a big check to Wrico or Onan for more gen than I'll ever use. Having been an electrician and having all the test equipment, I plan on doing some rather complete testing on how much load I really have and then sizing the genset appropriately. Fred is right on the money that gensets work best under load. The power is more stable and they last a lot longer when they have "work" to do. Loafing a gen is the worst thing in the world for it. | ||
| Scott Whitney (24.205.234.60) Rating: N/A |
You may be using that Coleman for a long time then! My little 2.5Kw Coleman with a Briggs engine just keeps going, and going, and going. . .I've used it for nearly all the power to do the conversion so far. But now that I have a big inverter and run the 6.3Kw genset for battery charging, my trusty little Coleman is being neglected. . . Runs great. Noisy lil' bugger though. | ||
| Jim Rulison (65.229.140.232)
Rating: N/A |
But isn't it a pain to stop every couple of hours to fill the gas tank? And don't you have to wait till the set cools down? eaglebusnut | ||
| Scott Whitney (24.205.232.201) Rating: N/A |
Eaglebusnut, Are you asking me? Or someone else? If me, yes and no. I would have to stop every hour to fill it up - puny little tank. But I was constantly sawing, drilling, grinding etc. , so stopping to fill the tank is no big deal with all the other work going on. I actually stop and start it more often than that depending on the task at hand. But I don't wait for it to cool down - just shut off, fill up, and fire it up again. BTW, I might have not been clear. I like my little coleman, but just for 'shop' use while doing the conversion (in a storage yard with no power). Too noisy for RV use unless you are boondocking in the desert or something. . . But a nice little unit with hundreds of flawless hours of use. All for about $300 bucks plus gas. Scott | ||
| mel 4104 (208.181.100.47) Rating: N/A |
we run a honda 3500 and have had it in the bay for 10 years and have used less than 6 times. it starts 2 pull and sits for years without a problem and we have 3others here on the farm and are quit and cheap to buy and cheap to run, to buy a high priced deisel gen. would remind me of my ac. purchase it has sat ont roof for 23 years and never been used. we use solar pannels not a noisey gen. of course some people like a yapping dog so they like niosey generators gas or deisel will do just as long as it makes a noise. mel 4104 | ||
| joe shelton (Littlewind) (67.241.228.124)
Rating: N/A |
I have a pickup truck gas tank installed in the forward bay. the onan 6.5 would run 20-24 hours on one fill-up. I have a gage for the tank up stiars so i never run out. and i just fill it at the pump, no cans. I don't like having three fuels but the system is installed, it works and its safe, so I'll buy a gas unit. The Honda EV6010 can be had for under $2500 (I think). I think that is the unit for me (I think). I'm putting together a spred-sheet of the generators I'm looking at if any one wants a copy. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (66.190.119.82)
Rating: N/A |
Joe, I think the choice really depends on the use of the bus. 20-24 hours operation between fillups would really be a problem for me, since I typically make many cross country trips and the genset runs for 7-10 days continously. For me, this would mean a daily fill up of diesel at the high volume truck stop dual pumps, and then moving to the RV side of the truck stop for gasoline fill up. I also go to the desert and many times I have to run the genset continously for a week or longer, due to the heat and needing to run the A/Cs. I can easily stay out a couple of weeks with the diesel genset without having to worry about a fill up. If I had to fill up with fuel every day, I probably would not even bother going to the desert. As I said earlier, it really depends on how you plan to use the bus, and I have found that that changes as time progresses. Richard | ||
| joe shelton (Littlewind) (67.241.228.186)
Rating: N/A |
Richard, Good info. If mom would do/could do the desert I would get a diesel too. But we are mostly in the north and do alot of winter stuf as well. I found a Generac quit-pak enclosed w/muffler 6.6kw 55 amps V-2 gas 3 year worranty for $2250 delivered. I think that is the one for me. I also found re-man Honda EV6010s for under $2K delivered. Cheapest delivered new EV6010 was $2566. My Excel spred-sheet of generators now has over 20 comparisons, 6 suppliers, and 10 diff generators. Joe | ||
| Scott Whitney (24.205.234.150) Rating: N/A |
Careful of Generac. I have no personal experience with them, but I hear almost nothing but bad about their RV models. A friend, however, is very happy with his Generac contractor model. (being used in very light, intermittant duty) If I were buying a gas genset for RV use, I'd be looking at either Onan or Honda - leaning towards Honda. I've got an Onan 6.3 Propane in my bus. Very happy with it so far, but only have 100 hours on it. Scott | ||
| john marbury (Jmarbury) (65.100.118.47)
Rating: N/A |
Well,I've been reading all these post and now wonder what I should do. when I bought my 4905 It had been partially coverted but very poorly. I've started over. It had a Honda EV 6010 generator (gas)in it but I wasn't going to use it. I was going to get a diesel. I don't like the idea of having an additional fuel but I'm now wondering if I could convert the Honda over to propane and use it until I find out if it is sufficient or not. Any comments or suggestions? John | ||
| FAST FRED (65.58.191.90) Rating: N/A |
Conversion Kits are a couple of hundred bucks , and you will loose about 10% of the sets capacity. You gain by having much less wear & less frequent oil changes. Also the exhaust will not stink or kill you , or the good folks in the tent in the next site. FAST FRED | ||
| Ross Carlisle (Ross) (207.88.96.134)
Rating: N/A |
"""Careful of Generac. I have no personal experience with them, but I hear almost nothing but bad about their RV models. A friend, however, is very happy with his Generac contractor model. (being used in very light, intermittant duty) """ My RV dealer friend stopped selling generac because of frequent failures. I noticed last weekend that RV Surplus and Salvage in Elhart is selling the Generac gensets cheap. It was tempting. Ross | ||
| dalefleener (64.66.216.183)
Rating: N/A |
While shopping for generators I came across a very nice one that ran on gasoline, but I want LP power. I called a shop that was recomended to me by the distributer as a place to have it converted and was told that such conversions or modifications were illegal in California. Big fine if you are caught, 10X more if you are the dealer who converted it. Something to think about. Dale | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A |
I'd like to have that shop verify what it told you. To my knowledge there is no law against converting a gasoline engine to Propane in California. To convert a vehicle engine, it will require a certification from Impco or someone similar before they'll sell you the parts, but unless I'm pretty dim-bulbed, that's as far as it goes. At any rate, email: orcapower at nc dot rr dot com (I put it this way so the poor guy doesn't get spammed) and buy a kit for $65 that works exceptionally well. I've purchased three so far and love them. Very simple, very effective. Cheers Gary Stadler | ||
| Dan7 (142.165.70.130)
Rating: N/A |
Where can I find dry element air filter retrofits for an MCI 5 with oil bath type. Thanks everyone.. | ||
| DaveD (142.46.196.34)
Rating: N/A |
You might try MCI Parts. DaveD | ||
| Will (12.162.39.175) Rating: N/A |
Hey Ross, RE: Diesel or Gas Genset. A gas genset fits real well in the spare tire compartment. You can also PROPERLY install a small fuel tank there so that you don't have to fill all the time. Consider this; by the time your gas unit wears out, we will all be wanting the new Hydrogen Fuel Cells they're coming out with. Will mc-7 |