| Author |
Message |
Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (64.229.212.58)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 9:13 pm: | |
My fine learned and experienced friends,
I find myself being the only one at work who might offer some intelligent input into the choice for a new diesel generator for a mobile command post.
This is going into a government application, hourly rated, unionized employees, nobody particularly cares about the finer details. No obscure babying or screwing around. This thing has to be quiet and require no more thought than pushing a start button. Install has to be simple and straight forward.
Yes, I know, they are heathens, but it pays for my kids' teeth!
We're up here in Ontario, Canada, government money is involved, so there has to be a distributor north of the 48 excited states.
One of the "engineers" has suggested Onan's Quiet Diesel at the 10K or 12K size. He's been looking at glossy brochures... He's got a lot of pull...
What does the collective wisdom here know about Onan's quiet diesel as far as reliability and anything else you may be aware that has gone wrong with them? Price is not an object, reliability and simple silence is.
They've been out for awhile, and the high end motorhomes have been using them. A bit pricey for a lot of us, but what have you heard in the way of compliments or complaints?
I'll end up being one of the ones trying to light candles when the thing craps, so I have a bit of a vested interest...
happy coaching!
buswarrior |
Tim Jones (Torquester) (12.73.174.236)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 11:03 pm: | |
Hi Mr. Warrior,
I put a 10K in my Eagle. They are not as quiet as I thought they would be. They move a TREMENDOUS amount of air and this is what creates most of the noise. You can work around this as long as you are aware that you need ducting to route the air. I put it in an insulated steel box in a bay with intake and exhaust for the cooling air comming out of the floor of the bay (per the instruction manual). Ducting for this air would make a big difference but I do not have ground clearance for it. It's not real bad but I have heard quieter installations.
You can see some pictures at:
http://members6.clubphoto.com/tim393476/owner-49e8-1.phtml
HTH, Tim |
Bill Gerrie (209.50.74.78)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 11:44 pm: | |
Bus Warrior
I have talked with technicians that I know in SC that have worked on gen sets for over 30 years and they say the new variable speed Onan diesel gen set is the quietest they have ever heard. It is totaly enclosed and when the load is low it is at a reduced rpm. This keeps the noise and wear factor at an all time low. It might be worth looking at seeing as money is no problem. They are not cheap. Put in the best. You may be the one who buys it when you know who is finished with it. All kidding aside sir they are the best on the market but like I say expensive. Bill |
Phil (204.89.170.126)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 8:51 am: | |
I have a 7500 QD in my motorhome. It currently has about 400 hours on it and no problem. Fuel consumption is minimal and I find the noise level to be great. The worst thing I can say about it is the exhaust is a little unpleasant when under a heavy load (both A/C units running anf she fires up the hair dryer). An exhaust extension to the top of the roof fixes that. Overall the best I have had! |
bruce king (24.19.15.231)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 9:37 am: | |
Any generator will require some maintenance -- it's a little more involved than just pushing a button. Oil change every 200 hours of use, and some other stuff, spelled out in the manual.
I've got an onan QD 12500 installed in a bay of my bus. With the door on the bay closed, you cannot hear the generator running from 10 feet away in a city environment -- random city noise drowns it out. In a near-silent country setting, it's audible from about 30 feet, but you have to listen for it.
I cut a hole into the wall between the old condensor compartment on one end, and in the floor at the other end, so the generator is not completely enclosed. You can not hear the generator over the sound of the main engine - 8v71. |
Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa) (4.224.96.219)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 9:45 pm: | |
Onan parts are proprietary. You can't get them anywhere else. Once they discontinue a model you are SOL on parts because they also quit makeing them. I know a man who had one as a back-up on a radio sta. when it broke down they said they didn't make that one anymore and didn't have anymore parts but would be glad to sell him a new one. I do know that the PC board that controls them is over $400.00 to replace.
I'm currently looking for a diesel genset and have turned down 3 Onan's based on that knowledge.
I owned an Onan on a motorhome a few years ago and had problems with the carb.(not Onan's fault) and couldn't get it off without removing the intake manifold and a bunch of other stuff. I thought it was difficult to work on.
Look at the warrantys before you buy, and dealer availability. Whatever you buy, if you can't get it fixed locally it's a pain.
Ed Jewett |
JohnC (65.67.220.55)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 8:32 am: | |
You might want to check out Power Tech. The units come in thier own stainless enclosure, feature turbo charging, and supply continuous 20K power. We have been installing these units as standard OEM in our motorcoaches for quite some time. Warranty work has been minimal.
jc |
Soonda (Soonda) (12.47.224.12)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2004 - 11:10 am: | |
As far as parts for an Onan, a friend of mine was able to get parts from an auto parts store (CarQuest). The parts couldn't be cross referenced by their part number, but when he took the part in to the store, they were able to match them up. This was for plugs and a tuneup kit. |