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04-02-2016, 07:24 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Texas Boomers Club Solo Rvers Club
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Fulltime Traveler
Posts: 1,041
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How long to reasonably run a generator
If you need to run the gen for A/C, I assume that running it 24 hours a day would be way too much for the health of the genny. How many hours a day would be a reasonable number to run it without worrying about damage or too much wear on the little guy 
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04-02-2016, 07:28 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Posts: 6,401
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I have run mine for 48 hours plus on 3 occasions. One time was almost 3 days straight. Just glad the tank was full of fuel.
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Wayne & Roberta
08 Winnebago Destination 39W Gas UFO Workhorse Chassis......It's really weird being the same age as old people. I thought getting old would take much longer.
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04-02-2016, 07:32 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 980
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Gennys are designed to run continuously(with proper oil and filter changes). Soooooo...run it
__________________
2016 R-Pod 176T
2002 Avalanche Z71 Tow Veh
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04-02-2016, 07:32 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 797
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run it. they are made to be used. check the oil once day..
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2004 Holiday Rambler Endeavor DST,07Chevy Colorado
Jefferson City, Missouri
Navy Viet Nam vet 67/71 USS Decatur DDG 31
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04-02-2016, 07:34 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 14,608
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I think it may depend on they make model of generator.
I have an Onan 7.5 diesel. This type of generator can pretty much run continuously with only down time to shut down for checking oil and coolant and the scheduled maintenance.
We've run ours for 2-3 days straight if we have not power available for AC in the summer.
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Jim J
2002 Monaco Windsor 38 PKD Cummins ISC 350 8.3L
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/5.7 Hemi
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04-02-2016, 08:14 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner Spartan Chassis
Join Date: May 2010
Location: McAlester Ok
Posts: 2,057
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Use to tailgate in a lot that had no electrical hookups. The last of August and most of September, the temps were high 90s or could be 100. The gennys came on Friday afternoon, and weren't turned off till we got home Sunday. Probably 75 rigs everyone running generators.Keep the oil clean and full, fuel filter fresh and run it
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2007 Newmar KSDP. 3912
2010 Nissan Frontier SE
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04-02-2016, 08:20 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner Spartan Chassis
Join Date: May 2010
Location: McAlester Ok
Posts: 2,057
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And..... Start it with no load, let run.10-15 minutes, then with half load ( one a/c) another 10-15 minutes, then add second a/c. Same procedure in reverse for shutdown
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2007 Newmar KSDP. 3912
2010 Nissan Frontier SE
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04-02-2016, 08:39 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 2,457
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The Onan QD in your MH loves to run, and run, and run. The worst thing you can do is not use it enough.
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2008 Itasca 37H
2011 & 2012 Len & Pat's "One lap of America"
27K miles & 41 states in 13 months
 Yellowstone Lake 6-1-2012
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04-02-2016, 09:28 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Texas Boomers Club Solo Rvers Club
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Fulltime Traveler
Posts: 1,041
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jacwjames
I think it may depend on they make model of generator.
I have an Onan 7.5 diesel. This type of generator can pretty much run continuously with only down time to shut down for checking oil and coolant and the scheduled maintenance.
We've run ours for 2-3 days straight if we have not power available for AC in the summer.
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That's good to know - mine is a 6000 watt Cummins Onan diesel
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04-03-2016, 04:11 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3,816
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They are designed to be started and not shut down, except for maintenance, from the time they leave the plant.
Service life for most is 20,000+ hours. Tour buses will not shut one down for the whole time the coach is in service.
You will never wear yours out.
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2011 MVP Tahoe 230 QB on Ford E350 Chassis
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04-03-2016, 05:27 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Port Orchard, WA
Posts: 4,217
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PDR John
They are designed to be started and not shut down, except for maintenance, from the time they leave the plant.
Service life for most is 20,000+ hours. Tour buses will not shut one down for the whole time the coach is in service.
You will never wear yours out.
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Ditto on this. The worst thing you can do to a diesel generator is to not run it. If not using it, run 2 hours each month on half load according to the manual. Design time figure used for the Onan 7500 is 20,000 hours as stated above.  run it!
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Scot & Laura Kellersberger, U.S. Army (ret)
Newmar 4 wheel drive Dutch Star 3891, SOLD
Now RV'ing on the water in a Trawler!
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04-03-2016, 05:39 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,751
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DGBPokes
And..... Start it with no load, let run.10-15 minutes, then with half load ( one a/c) another 10-15 minutes, then add second a/c. Same procedure in reverse for shutdown
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To each there own I guess!
I'm putting a load on mine after a couple of minutes of run time.
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Ben & Sharon
2008 43' Holiday Rambler Scepter PDQ
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04-03-2016, 05:47 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,400
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96WG--me too....never heard of the process stated above. Depending on battery condition, the inverter/charger comes on almost immediately. The A/Cs have built in start delays so after a minute or two they start. I do power down things and let it "cool off" a minute or two before shut-down. 13 years and 1500 hrs later--no issues, think I will stick with what I have been doing.....
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Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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04-03-2016, 06:04 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,742
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I run mine for weeks at a time while at the Race Track and sometimes Nonstop > The old saying Run Em or Loosen Em comes into play here ! If Your afraid of adding Hours just find an RV Park ! I have 4,000 plus hrs on mine.
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Chuck
Brownsburg Indiana
1992 American Eagle-8.3C-450hp
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