Apparently I do have an hour meter for my gen set. Kinda hidden.

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BigNormitasca

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Apr 25, 2018
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I've had my 1976 Itasca C25 for about 2 months now and I still get excited when I discover cool features I wasn't previously aware of. Like the wooden stove cover that was hidden in the pocket under the stove.  Or the leather privacy snap on shades that snap around the front windows completely intact after all these years.  I happen to be working in the cabinet under the booth seat and noticed a plastic cover leading to behind the driver seat.  A quick look around the corner and behind the driver seat I will be damned a generator hour meter and voltmeter for both the engine and house batteries.  336 hours on the old kohler apparently. So I ran the genny for a few and it clicked over to 337.  Still works!!  How cool is that.  Just excited I found this and confused why it was placed in such an unoticeable spot. But cool none the less. 
 
John Canfield said:
Be sure and run the gen set under load for about an hour every month - use it or lose it!
John should that be done even for a portable generator.
 
Well the gen set has been running just barely since I got this rig.  Today I rebuilt the carb. New head gasket. New carb gasket. Added online fuel filter amd fuel pressure regulator . and that generator roared to life this time. Its a real beast.  And given the 110 degree temperature here in Phoenix knowing that I have a power plant in demand to run my ac brings a Lot of peace of mind.
 
John Canfield said:
Too bad the generator has so few hours for a rig that old, my Onan QuietDiesel is 13 years old and I have over a thousand hours on it.

Why is it a bad thing it as per hours?  I'm not getting the joke.
 
The generator needs to be exercised at least monthly for an hour under load, running it for several hours a month would be best for a gasoline generator so the fuel gets used and not sitting for weeks in the carb bowl. The OP's rig is about 42 years old any my math tells me that generator has run for an average of eight hours a year.

Most likely his generator has sat for months at a time with zero hours turning on the clock. My motto is use it or lose it.
 
John is correct (as usual) use it or lose it. Onan used to say a 1/2 hour/month under at least 1/2 load. They have now gone to 2 hours/month with at least 1/2 load. (at least on my model of genny, 4000 watt, gasoline). If you search generator problems on any RV forum, most issues are with the carburetors on gasoline units that don't get exercised. Loading it up at least halfway also lets the generator portion to produce some heat to drive any moisture out of the generating portion.
 
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