Commendation for our rig - and this community

[MGH]

First, thank you to all the members here who have helped troubleshoot assorted issues on our 2000 Bounder 32H. We purchased this motorhome in June 2022. Spent the first year sorting out the bigger issues (A/C and some assorted electrical), and didn't get to use it much at all. Spent the second year sorting out remaining issues (in particular the generator), and using it a little more for short trips.

This year we (me, wife, 4 kids) finally went to visit family in north central Florida (pic below). We drove three days each way, overnighting at Cracker Barrels, and stayed 6 days at an aunt's house on the St. Johns river. Except for the generator inexplicably shutting off while driving within one hour of our final destination and refusing to restart until day two of the return trip, everything else ran perfectly.

Finally, we had a massive windstorm come through Omaha, NE last Wednesday. Tons of branches fell. 218,332 power company customers lost power (more than half of the total service area). We are fortunate to be able to keep the RV at the house (and that it wasn't damaged). We fired up the generator (Onan Marquis 5500) Wednesday and it ran non-stop five days until our power was restored yesterday. The generator powered in the house: an upright freezer, two fridge/freezers, the neighbor's fridge/freezer, and a power strip for a fan, lamp, and phone chargers. These were also some of the hottest and most humid days of the year, so we slept in the RV with the generator also running both rooftop A/Cs as well (sometimes concurrently, sometimes alternating based on the ECCM system, as designed). On Sunday two times we did trip the poor 30A main breaker in the RV that was doing it's best to channel all the amps. We were absolutely at the limits, but this rig came through.

Thanks again to all here. We look forward to future RVing - hopefully more by choice rather than necessity.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Thanks for the update. Nice to hear a success story once in awhile!

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Having an RV is just a plain handy thing to have around. I too have used the genset to run stuff in the house but never for that duration. It's our guest house when people visit, item storage during the winter and emergency water supply. The only thing we haven't used it for (yet) is to bug out but it's always gassed up and ready to go in the event that becomes necessary or useful. It may not be showroom shiny anymore but it's worked out to be way more than just a weekend camper for us.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[John From Detroit]

There are reasons a Generator may shut down... One (Double if you are driving) Is fuel. The generator needs at least a quarter tank give or take (That got me a few times but after the first (And I figured it out quickly as it happened when I was packing up and pulling out) Another is Over Temp. that too has happened to me a time or two. one time I'd left it running cause it was HOT and we were shopping and the kitties were still in the rig so i kept the A/C on Thankfully we were not long in the store but when I got back it had shut down.. Now I used a Gen-Turi when running the genny parked and that was the only time I needed gloves to handle the black pipes of Thing (It was on the sunny side of the rig I suspect had I parked facing east instead of west the Genny would have continued to run.

Fuel filters, Fuel pumps, Low Battery (The fuel pump runs on 12 VDC) all can stop it so can oil issues. Check the oil. In fact change it after that marathon run.

I added a 30 amp Twist lock outlet to the MH. a matching inlet on the house and a proper generator transfer.. VERY NICE when needed.. If I ever find myself owning another house you bet I'll have some way to power during failure.

 

[Mr Lars]

How much of what you listed, was running from that generator at the same time? We can’t run nearly that much stuff off our Onan Marquis 7000. We definitely cannot run both our rooftop a/c units at the same time. If we run the a/c unit in the main cabin, we have to turn it off to use the microwave, we can use it with a coffee purculator, and toaster, tv, anything small.
Maybe I’m mistaken, but a Marquis 7000 should have a lot more capacity than a Marquis 5500, yes?

 

[Onyrlef]

How much of what you listed, was running from that generator at the same time? We can’t run nearly that much stuff off our Onan Marquis 7000. We definitely cannot run both our rooftop a/c units at the same time. If we run the a/c unit in the main cabin, we have to turn it off to use the microwave, we can use it with a coffee purculator, and toaster, tv, anything small.
Maybe I’m mistaken, but a Marquis 7000 should have a lot more capacity than a Marquis 5500, yes?

The ECCM is the key, his is a 30 amp coach, whether using the Onan 5500 or on shore power, he's not going to run two ac's or likely one ac and a microwave without a management system. On a 50 amp coach and with a Onan 7,000 gen. they probably assumed an ems was unnecessary.

 

[MGH]

The ECCM is the key, his is a 30 amp coach, whether using the Onan 5500 or on shore power, he's not going to run two ac's or likely one ac and a microwave without a management system. On a 50 amp coach and with a Onan 7,000 gen. they probably assumed an ems was unnecessary.

Yup, this is what I was going to say.

 

[Mr Lars]

Ok, I gotcha. The way I read it, or better yet my comprehension, sounded like a lot of those things were running at the same time. Our Bounder is a 1995, so no load management system of any kind. I did segregate the bedroom a/c power supply, and that plugs into the campground pedestal separate from the main 30 amp supply. That way I can operate both a/c units at the same time.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Our Bounder is a 1995, so no load management system of any kind.

Really? Every Fleetwood model RV of that vintage that I've ever seen had the Intelletec 30A load manager if it had two a/c units and 30A shore power. It's usually in the form of the Electronic Climate Control, which combines a/c thermostat with 30A load management.