| Author | Message | ||
| Larry & Lynne Dixon (Larry_d)
Registered Member Username: Larry_d Post Number: 159 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 71.111.188.44  Rating: N/A |
Well its been about two months since posting on troubles. I have most problems fixed. I had a generac dealer look at the generator he said the electrical part was no good burned up, the unit has 436 hrs on it and the diesel engine sounds very good.This has put Girly Girl in the parking lot for some time. Sounds like six to eight grand for new gen set 4905 larry f | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 621 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.106.212  Rating: N/A |
Re: "....I had a generac dealer look at the generator he said the electrical part was no good burned up.... ....Sounds like six to eight grand for new gen set...." Holy ^%&%$#, Larry! Well, Generac isn't a great name among RVrs, and the name is usually either preceeded, or proceeded with an expletive... That said.... I don't know how your model is configured, or if it's diesel powered or gas... But... Harbor Freight has generator heads of all sizes that can match up with a decent engine, for very reasonable prices. Before I took that route however, I would see a reputable automotive electric repair shop (one that rebuilds generators/alternators), and find out about having the genset head rebuilt. There isn't much of anything, that can't be repaired or rebuilt. I wouldn't go spending thousands of bucks before exploring all the options! It'd be a shame, if after spending 8 grand, you find out it was only a $35 diode pack gone bad.... Used RV 6.5 gensets are fetching around $300- $1,500, and it'd take you along until you find what you want... If all else failed... Six to eight grand? Good grief! | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 507 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 74.32.83.140 Rating: N/A |
Larry,Dick Wright( Wirco) will sell you a better head for about the same as northern tool and made for rv use with or without the electronic controls I prefer the non electronic my self but FWIW my son in law has a 10kw in the Allegro a Rv dealer told them the unit was no good he needed some work done at Stewart and Stevenson on the transmission they check it repaired the unit for $185.00 4 years ago he has had no trouble since (Message edited by luvrbus on August 19, 2008) (Message edited by luvrbus on August 19, 2008) (Message edited by luvrbus on August 19, 2008) | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1333 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.69.140.133  Rating: N/A |
Beware of the dealers who sell faulty equipment... They'll soak you again and again and again.... Seek diagnostic help somewhere that is NOT a Generac dealer. You need specific details as to which parts have failed. "all burned up" doesn't cut it, and is aimed at taking more of a dumb guy's cash. On the positive, rarely, if ever, has a busnut come on here reporting an engine related problem with a Generac, it's usually the electricity producing bits. So, a new head from elsewhere and that motor might be a good choice, if it truly is ruined. happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Larry & Lynne Dixon (Larry_d)
Registered Member Username: Larry_d Post Number: 160 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 71.111.188.44 Rating: N/A |
Hey all thank you things have not been going real well so thot this was another nail in the coffen. The genny is diesel,7.5 KW, somehow he checked and said the wiring in the wraps is bad. Electricity and I do not get along. We do have a retried auto electric and commerical motor rebuilder in town I will talk to him. I do think the next genny will have a slideout. If i can find one way under $500. Thanks everyone I do feel better and will go out and look at it more. Also about taking it out. Larry I wonder about this retirement, between house cleaning, kennel work and looking after mate there is barely time to sleep. My god it sounds like I am whining, I'm not and wouldn't have it any other way. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member Username: Drivingmisslazy Post Number: 2081 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 75.108.85.14 Rating: N/A |
I suggest you take it to WRICO (Dick Wright) who should not be too far from you. Get it out of the coach and into a pickup or something. He can then check it out and advise you exactly what it needs. Maybe call him first and see if it needs to be removed from the coach. As I recall, Northern sells 3600 rpm alternators and I suspect yours may be 1800 rpm. Based on the many many complaints about Generac, I would not trust anything they say. Richard (Message edited by drivingmisslazy on August 19, 2008) | ||
| Wayne Ellenburg (Wlnburg)
Registered Member Username: Wlnburg Post Number: 20 Registered: 6-2008 Posted From: 128.158.122.21  Rating: N/A |
Richard I have helped a friend build a genset using a unit from this company. It works great. We mounted under a train car at a railroad museum. I had to buy a regulator for my Onan and with 2 hours labor it cost me $1,000. Have a look. http://www.generatorparts4less.com/index.html | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member Username: Drivingmisslazy Post Number: 2082 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 75.108.85.14 Rating: N/A |
I agree. Marathon is one of the top rotary manufacturers in the country. They purchased Lima several years ago and also purchased Fidelity I believe. All were great products and I used literally hundreds of them when I was manufacturing rotary power conditioners and frequency changers. Kato was another great name and I believe they were purchased by Cat. Richard | ||
| John Jewett (Jayjay)
Registered Member Username: Jayjay Post Number: 385 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 66.138.255.133 Rating: N/A |
Harbor Freight generator heads are poorly built with a 5%THD (total harmonic distortion) and are not recommended without adding a line conditioner. (HF's recommendation) A good head will have about 1 to 2 % THD. Go to the nearest HF retail sales and put a thin wooden dowel against the bearing area and the other end against your ear, rotate the shaft, and listen to the thrashing of a poor quality bearing. I've listened to three and they all sound like a hay baler banging around. Northern Tool ($650.00)has one with a 2% THD that is better, or contact Marathon for one at 1% THD, but about $1750.00 The above are all in the 6.5 to 8 KW range. Cheers...JJ | ||
| Larry & Lynne Dixon (Larry_d)
Registered Member Username: Larry_d Post Number: 161 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 71.111.188.44 Rating: N/A |
Thank you all for the help. I think I have looked at reality and am going to take the genny out, put is somewhere I can work on it over the winter. As the price of the repair and the price of diesel are bad. Thank you again for the help and I know I will need more, hope you all are there. Thank you is still not enough for all of the help. 4905 Larry | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1335 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.66.19.166 Rating: N/A |
hmmm..JJ is onto something here... Home made high end generator for middle pricing... take the good engine from a nfg Generac and mate it to one of those good Marathon heads. Can it be that easy? (asks another guy sitting on one) happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 509 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 74.32.83.140 Rating: N/A |
A economical way to build a generator would be to buy a refer unit from a old trailer seen them sell for 3 hundred bucks for one with a Kubota engine with radiators auto start complete setup | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member Username: Drivingmisslazy Post Number: 2083 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 75.108.85.14 Rating: N/A |
The refer gen sets that I looked at several years ago utilized induction alternators that had no external control of the output voltage. With only a single load, that was not really any drawback. I really do not know how the performance would be with various and sundry loads coming on and off. Richard | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 444 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 208.100.193.113 Rating: N/A |
A economical way to build a generator would be to buy a refer unit from a old trailer seen them sell for 3 hundred bucks for one with a Kubota engine with radiators auto start complete setup Great concept as these were created for stationary service not a garden tractor. So most have HUGE oil sumps , so they can run for 10 days unattended. FF | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 512 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 74.32.83.140 Rating: N/A |
FF the ones I saw had auction had the same oil pan as my 15 kw which holds 3.5 gals my New Holland garden tractor holds 3.1 gals have a good day (Message edited by luvrbus on August 21, 2008) | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 266 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 72.12.39.78  Rating: N/A |
Richard Bowyer wrote: "The refer gen sets that I looked at several years ago utilized induction alternators that had no external control of the output voltage. With only a single load, that was not really any drawback. I really do not know how the performance would be with various and sundry loads coming on and off. " __. Please correct me if I mis read the earlier posts but I understood that they were saying "combine the *engine* from a reefer unit with a high-quality generator head" to make a very useful bus-conversion (or any other RV) generator unit. Wouldn't this generator head have regulation etc. to make it suited for our purposes and thus the issue of single load/varying load wouldn't be a problem? __. It certainly seems that the engine from one of these units would be an excellent choice (if it's the right HP output, noise factors etc.). __. Not one of my areas of expertise so please correct my mis-understandings. BH NC USA | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 513 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 74.32.83.140 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Bruce my point | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member Username: Drivingmisslazy Post Number: 2084 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 75.108.85.14 Rating: N/A |
Bruce, I did not understand from the post that it was to only use the engine and replace the alternator. I did buy a couple of units like this many years ago and decided I did not want to use the complete unit in a coach, due to the type of alternator but that is not to say that they would not work satisfactorily. These type of units were also utilized on a lot of barges. If I were to use one I would probably set the half load frequency at 60 hertz. The unloaded frequency would probably be around 62.5 hertz and the full load would probably be around 58.5 hertz. Not really a problem for most applications. I also recall seeing some systems with a diesel driving a A/C compressor but I really have no information on them. Richard | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1336 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.69.141.195 Rating: N/A |
Would the kind person who e-mailed me offline regarding this thread resend their note? The blue screen of death appeared as I was starting the second paragraph, and all of today's e-mails are gone. happy coaching! buswarrior |