Community Forums

AGP · 09-15-2013, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diplomat Don

A propane generator would be a deal breaker for me. If you expect to very RARELY use it, it would be okay. If you expect to use it on an average to more than average basis, it will be a pain to keep up with the propane use. They're generally louder too.

Ditto to that.

62_inrightlane · 09-15-2013, 12:13 PM

I owned a 2011 Coachman Mirada 34BH and the quality of construction was consistent with what I paid for it. In other words I was happy with the quality for what I paid. I sold it and bought a DP for all the reasons you hear from others. Higher CCC, air ride, improved drivability, towing capacity, higher level of construction, etc.

Our Mirada 34BH had a gas generator as standard equipment. Are you certain that the one you are looking at is propane?

If my budget was only enough to buy a Mirada, I wouldn't hesitate in buying one again.

jerichorick · 09-15-2013, 12:31 PM

I had a propane genset on my first coach. One day it quit working. The mobile tech replaced the genset regulator. It was full of oil naturally found in propane.

As stated earlier, propane does not produce the same power for the same genset running on gas. But the diesel gensets are the best. But I have never heard of a diesel genset in a gasser. Only gas or propane.

If you look at the specs from Onan they show the difference in output for the same genset with propane or gas.

flaggship1 · 09-15-2013, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triker56

... Snip snip ....All the noise complaints baffle me .... All ...have a noise level of between 64 dBa and 71 dBa Normal speech is 60 dBa and inside a car at 50 MPH 80 dBa. And by post some on here can tell a big difference between 64 dBa and 71 dBa to say a LP generator is much louder.

Onan says a 5.5 is 67 dBa at 1/2 load.
Onan diesel generators ... are rated between 66 and 71 db

I'm not a sound guy but as I recall - a 10 db increase is perceived as twice as loud. So noticing a difference between 64 and 71 db wouldn't surprise me. Neither here nor there but - i don't believe db is linear. if the volume knob on your radio were from 1 - 10 db gain you would really know it. Could be wrong.
RVM2

jerichorick · 09-16-2013, 05:13 AM

As I recall the original question was something about which was better...

Propane does not deliver the same BTU as gas in the same engine. That relates to horsepower or work. So for two identical gensets running sided by side the gas set will produce more electrical energy than the propane set.

About the noise level? That is all controllable by design. I have seen after market exhaust pipe extenders that rout the sound and exhaust to the roof of the RV thus reducing much of the noise.