Generators

[cerd]

I was looking at home generators and I realized that they are significantly cheaper than RV generators.

Aside from using an inverter generator for portability, I was wondering why people don't try and retrofit one of those in place of an expensive RV generator. They are plenty powerful and they have similar electronics to safely power sensitive devices.

 

[Isaac-1]

For one thing many home standby generators have an expected service life of only maybe 500 - 700 hours

 

[cerd]

For one thing many home standby generators have an expected service life of only maybe 500 - 700 hours

Where did you find that info?

The ones that I looked at don't have an hour rating, but some are meant for continuous use for power stations in remote areas. Generac, for example doesn't seem to have an hour rating, but they have a 5 year warranty.

 

[spdracr39]

Look at the noise rating. 69 vs 60 Db is a really big difference.

 

[Back2PA]

Aside from using an inverter generator for portability, I was wondering why people don't try and retrofit one of those in place of an expensive RV generator. They are plenty powerful and they have similar electronics to safely power sensitive devices.

Are you talking about a generator similar to the picture I've attached here?

There are many reasons this type of generator couldn't be installed in an RV - the fuel system, noise, vibration and cooling come immediately to mind

 

[skydivemark]

It would be very interesting to find someone (if anyone has ever done it) who successfully retro-fitted a portable gas generator to an RV and how long it lasted. Especially interesting to learn how much work went in to the project.
I would be somewhat surprised if it's ever been done, other than mounting it to a rack on the bumper/hitch and plugging it in with a cord.

 

[Isaac-1]

Read that 5 year warranty, it is only for residential standby service, and not for off grid use.

As to the base point, don't forget the safety aspect, most of these generators are designed to have gravity fed carburetors, etc. which have little safety to prevent a fuel spill in case of a stuck float, etc.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

For one thing many home standby generators have an expected service life of only maybe 500 - 700 hours

Do you really mean Standby generator or a home portable unit?

Putting a home portable in an rv needs to have a way to get clean air in for cooling and combustion and a way to get exhaust to the outside. Fueling is going to be a problem too in tight quarters and a spill will have fumes right under the bedroom on a 5th wheel.

A proper standby unit won?t run on gasoline (usually natural gas or propane) and will cost about what an RV genset costs.

 

[cerd]

Are you talking about a generator similar to the picture I've attached here?

There are many reasons this type of generator couldn't be installed in an RV - the fuel system, noise, vibration and cooling come immediately to mind

No, I would consider this to be a crude utility generator.

Do you really mean Standby generator or a home portable unit?

Putting a home portable in an rv needs to have a way to get clean air in for cooling and combustion and a way to get exhaust to the outside. Fueling is going to be a problem too in tight quarters and a spill will have fumes right under the bedroom on a 5th wheel.

A proper standby unit won?t run on gasoline (usually natural gas or propane) and will cost about what an RV genset costs.

A standby; they are compatible with LP or NG. When I was looking the other day, a 9000w was about $2500 vs an Onan RV Gen for about $5000.

 

[Roy M]

I have yet to see a standby unit compact enough to fit in an rv. They are designed for a different application and are reallly not suitable for your use. Of course with enough time and money just about anything is posible.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Propane generators aren't really the best choice for an RV.  Propane has less BTUs per gallon than gasoline so a propane generator will burn about 25% more fuel than the same size gas generator.  And RV propane tanks tend to be smaller than the main gasoline tank, meaning you'll have to refill them more often, especially if you're also using the propane for other things like the furnace, water heater, stove, etc.

 

[jubileee]

In 1997 I bought Briggs Stratton OHV 7 hp 4000 watt Coleman branded generator. Rebuilt the frame to get rid of some bulk, fabricated an aluminum mounting box with removable panels, and mounted it to the frame my new Peterbilt.
  Installed an hour meter, tried to change oil every 100 hours, and put about 1000 hours a year on it for heating, cooling ( large fan), and engine block heater for 8 years. Two different trucks.
  Generator had 8400+ hrs. on it when changed out and still didn?t have to add oil between changes. Adjusted valves and cleaned carb a few times, replaced low oil shut off and spark pickup and wire, that I remember.  Never did anything to generator. Brushes were completely worn out when pulled.
  Starter rope broke one -30 degree Montana night. After that, I started it with a 1/2? air impact gun. Removed recoil starter. Battery powered impact would work just as well for rv.
  Replacement unit was a Robin (Subaru) 4000 watt unit. It had about 2200 hours on it when I junked it.
Generator had lost one 120 volt side and engine was using oil and knocking.

 

[John From Detroit]

The Onan Emerald in my RV is very very close to an ONAN standby home generator., basically the difference is the fuel source... Cost is even close to a simular size "House standby"

Fact is I've used it for that.,

 

[LarsMac]

I have seen several attempts to retro a portable Generator to an RV.
I'll stick with my ONAN.

 

[cerd]

After that, I started it with a 1/2? air impact gun. Removed recoil starter. Battery powered impact would work just as well for rv.

The only thing I would worry about with using the impact is that it puts a lot of stress on the crank, especially if its been sitting for a month so its dry. I have done it as well to test engines for compression when they didn't have a starter connected, but I wouldn't risk it long term. But I also have the high torque Milwaukee impact. 700ft/lbs is way more torque than small engines are meant for...also more than most big block V8's.

 

[Top38]

I don't know why you couldn't. Something like a Honda 3000 which can be retro fixed with a remote start (wireless BTW) and would work fine for a number of RV's and they are quite and very fuel efficient! The only thing that would take some thought would be getting the fuel from the rv tank but certainly not impossible. I also know of many who use Honda's 3000 to 8000 externally to run their RV's because they aren't as noisy and get better fuel economy than the ones installed in RV's.