Community Forums

baddmann · 09-14-2016, 06:11 AM

I have a 2016 Anthem 44B with a RV QD 12500 HDKCB generator. Yesterday I was doing generator maintenance and changed the oil and cleaned the spark arrestor.

Oil change was easy, but spark arrestor took forever. You have to remove the top of the generator (14 or so bolts) to get to the muffler. (All they had to do was cut an access panel in the side to fix this issue...)

3 hours later, while I am installing the top back on, I am not sure if I put the wire brackets back in the correct bolt hole. Can anyone take a picture of the driver side of the generator and post it? The red power cable is what I am unsure of... If you can't post a picture, maybe you can count the bolts?

Thanks in advance

okcnewbie · 09-14-2016, 06:32 AM

I don't have that Onan but your install manual is here and might help.

http://www.twinslan.net/~n0nas/manuals/onan/

I also found the service manual there as well; Search for 981-0540

Just hit <control F> and type HDKCB to find your manuals.

Sorry if this doesn't help. I'm sure the guys over at Smokstak.com can help if you don't get the help here.

brobox · 09-14-2016, 06:41 AM

I don't think it really matters. Mine has a big loop in it from the factory and I keep saying I am going to remount it.

As for the spark arrestor so others don't get into a 3 hour project, did cleaning the spark arrestor get that much out? I have just about doubled the hours called for as mine have always been clean on my last MH when cleaned.

Plasticman · 09-14-2016, 06:46 AM

+1, I'd like to know how much soot and crap you got out of there too. I haven't serviced my generator but am about to give it all the love an attention it deserves.

hawgguy · 09-14-2016, 06:59 AM

I have never gotten any significant soot/carbon out when cleaning previous models.

Cruzer · 09-14-2016, 07:01 AM

I've never gotten any soot out of any of our three Onan diesels over the years. It got to the point where I didn't bother to pull the soot plug until three year intervals, and still didn't get anything.

brobox · 09-14-2016, 07:10 AM

Mark, glad to see you have had the same experience. I think it might be an Onan CYA in case a fire is started from the generator spark in a National Forest.

Cruzer · 09-14-2016, 07:31 AM

That is the purpose of a spark arrestor and in some areas, such as USFS sites, spark arrestors are required so Onan builds them in. They basically trap any sparks via a screen so that they can't exit the exhaust. If (and that's a big if) the generator runs rich enough the soot can get trapped there as well and the engine runs very anemic-like. That was something more common in the earlier years (70s and 80s) but engines have gotten so clean that they just don't pout out much soot unless there is something seriously wrong with the generator's engine. The Kubota engine in the Onan isn't electronically controlled like your Cummins coach engine but it is one of the best engines around and runs very clean. Maybe if you did a lot of high altitude camping you might see some soot but we've camped at 11,000' a number of times and even though it belches smoke on startup at that altitude, it runs clean soon thereafter and I still don't see any soot when I pull the plug. If my generator was running badly I would pull that plug and check it as one of my first things to do but otherwise it's pretty much not required as often as the manual says.

baddmann · 09-14-2016, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

I don't think it really matters. Mine has a big loop in it from the factory and I keep saying I am going to remount it.

As for the spark arrestor so others don't get into a 3 hour project, did cleaning the spark arrestor get that much out? I have just about doubled the hours called for as mine have always been clean on my last MH when cleaned.

The big loop is what I am referring to. I found several stock photos online and it looks like I used the wrong bolt. I need to move it forward one.

Mine has 200hrs on it and the manual says clean it at 150. The plug was clean and I got 0 soot out of there. I was irritated 2X at that point.

I searched forever to find out how to get to it and I found a post where someone cut a hole in the side panel and mounted an aluminum cover over it. That is what I plan on doing next time. I think I can cut a nice hole and make a door in the amount of time it takes to remove the top!