Generator size for 79 Holiday Rambler

[79 Rambler]

Good afternoon everyone. I have a 1979 Ford Holiday Rambler Imperial 5000. When I bought it a year and a half ago it was missing the generator. I have spoken with couple RV repair shops/dealers in my area and none of them are sure of the type or size of the generator that was in there before. The only thing I know is that it was a Kohler generator. I do not know what power size it was or its dimensions. I have measured out the spot that it goes and searched through Kohler generators and haven’t been able to find anything that fits there. Does anyone have a 1979 Holiday Ramble, that would be able to guide me in the right path and maybe even have a model number I can search for to be able to buy one. Thanks

[tderonne]

Had a 1977 Class C Holiday Rambler for MANY years.

It had a 4000 watt Kohler generator. I forget the exact model, but it looked exactly like this:



I doubt it'd be worth finding the original generator, the one shown happens to be on ebay, but hasn't run in 6 years. It's a model 4GM21 if that helps your search.

Couple thoughts/ideas.

What are you trying to do? Run the AC all summer? Watch some TV?

Portable unit. I'd bet a Honda EU2000i would store in the generator compartment (not RUN there). The money you spend on it will be good as long as you own the generator, which will probably outlast your time with your motorhome. Any money you spend on a mounted generator will not be recoverable when you sell the motorhome.

BIG battery bank. Get some golf cart batteries and and inverter. Run the engine when you need to charge the batteries. Would use about the same amount of fuel.

[79 Rambler]

Honestly I am still trying to get this RV running smooth haha. I've put a lot of time into just the mechanical side of the RV and it still needs a complete remodel on the inside. I almost have the mechanical side done, I just have couple things I'm not sure about that I am trying to figure out. It doesn't matter to me if its mounted or not, if I plan on selling the RV they can take it with them haha. I would like the generator to be able to run the fridge if I am driving and have it full of food, and be able to run the AC whenever needed. Right now it isn't road worthy and I am unable to take it somewhere to plug in and see what all works and doesn't work. I was hoping to find the same generator because I see it also has a hookup for fuel that leads right to the fuel tanks and it also has a gauge on the inside of the RV behind the driver seat that shows how much fuel is in the generator and a button to start the generator from the inside of the RV. Honestly I paid $500 for this RV and I am not trying to spend more on a generator than I did on the RV lol. Thanks for the picture and the model number, it gives me something to search for now and maybe I can find its dimensions and I will at least be able to find something that will work and fit in that spot.

[4x4van]

The fridge doesn't run on 120VAC, it runs on LPG. That vintage doesn't even have a 12vdc control board, so no power required for the fridge at all. 120AC (generator or Shore Power) is needed only for roof A/C and Microwave. Everything else is either LPG (stove, oven, water heater?), 12vdc (lights, water pump), or a combo of LPG & 12vdc (furnace, water heater?).

[79 Rambler]

Thanks for that info, now I need to figure out the LPG and start checking it to make sure everything is good with it, along with trying to locate a generator and trying to figure all of this out lol 🙄

[tderonne]

Does it have the original refrigerator? Lots get replaced with dorm refrigerators when they fail.

[79 Rambler]

No it doesn't have the original refrigerator.