Generator Info

[wsfurrie]

The generator from my 05 Excel is currently being tested at the Commins/Onan facility in Orlando. They checked a few things before I left it there and the service manager told me that they had
found that the low oil switch had been disconnected (nothing to do with my problem). I purchased the unit new in 05 from Great American RV in Fife Wa. and had never had the generator worked on nor had I done anything other than routine service. The service manager told me that since the unit in class Bs is so small and holds so little oil that some dealers and manufacturers unplug the switch to keep the generator running if it is being used while driving. The thinking being that it could shut off if a sharp corner caused the oil to flow to the outside.
I was wondering if anyone else had ever heard of this being done? He seemed to think it was OK but I question manufacturers or dealers doing it without notifying the owner.
In the meanwhile I am still waiting to hear about my genset, no travel plans for the immediate future anyway.
Wayne 05 PW Excel

[Arizona_Kid]

I would highly recommend cleaning the spake arrestor on any gen-set from the 90's. A clogged arrester can cause run problems.
No I have never heard of a manufacture disconnecting the low oil sensor.

[PCarnathan]

Our Onan 2800 was installed in 1999. I had to replace the carburetor a couple of years ago due to lack of use. Now I run it under a load every other week just to keep everything in good shape.

I also run it while driving the van out to the Colorado River in the summertime so the rig stays cool. We've never experienced any kind of problem.

Pat in Menifee, CA
www.patcarnathan.com

[miken807]

My onan 2.8 in my 1998 coach house B is 13 yr.s old and running strong. Nothing done to it except oil change.

[mlts22]

Replace the whole generator after three years? I can see yanking the carb and getting a new one, or perhaps a replacement genset if the windings are absolutely trashed, but I've seen 10+ year old Onans still in service, even with very spotty maintenance.

Only downside to how a generator is mounted in most Bs is trying to change the oil. I have a friend of mine who uses an oil evacuation pump to suck the oil out of the genset, then another pump to get the new oil from a bottle into the generator without too much of a mess. Another friend of mine just drops the generator with a forklift come oil change time, and does the job on the workbench.

[retraite]

Two comments.

First, the 2800 (or 2500 if yours is a propane genny) is the ONLY unit in the Onan lineup with a small wrinkle in the oil fill details.

All the OTHER units, one uses the oil fill dipstick marks to determine the correct fill line. But, for the 2800/2500 one is to fill the oil to the top of the fill hole. The fill hole is angled a bit, but, you fill it right up to the "lip" - and yes that's higher than the full mark on the dipstick. If you look carefully in the Onan literature, Onan says to do this - rather than it being an "old wive's tale" or "street smarts".

I'd guess that some Onan dealers may not be aware of that little detail - but ours sure did know about it.

Since I've filled ours by that "rule", I've never had another failure (shutdown) - parked, driving, whatever. 'Tis like magic.

And, though the Onan literature recommends an oil change every 150 hrs, ours is always changed every time we change the Chevrolet engine oil. It's up in the air, 'tis easy to do, and the genny seems to like fresh oil.

Second, if you're spending some money at Cummins/Onan, you might look into the "Cummins Power Club" (www.cumminspowerclub.com). A $15 annual fee gets you 10% on parts and labor at participating Onan dealers. And, you can "join" after the work is done but before you pay the bill.

When I learned of it, the Onan dealer here pointed me to it when he saw what my bill was. Bill of about @250 - but spend $15 to save $25. Not to difficult to figure that one out.

Cheers.

[retired4fun2002]

I have a RT 190P, and the Onan uses a quart of oil. I don't understand disconnecting anything to operate while your driving, I use ours frequently while driving, and in almost nine years have never experienced a problem. I have never used Onan ServiceCenters, but spoke with a fellow B'er, and he said his unit was just three years old and they told him he needed to replace it. He opted for a second opinion - he is running fine! Safe travels.