Alternative Options to Onan Generators for Class A Motorhomes?

[ROAquaman]

Hello all,

Has anyone found an alternative to the factory provided generators made by Onan for thier MH?

I have searched online but have not had much luck finding competition to the Onan with the options I want.

I would like similar options as Onan; electric start, fuel supply tied into main MH fuel tank, quite, higher reliability, fuel injected instead of carburetor.

Maybe Onan is the only game in town?

Thanks and have a wonderful day!

[dons2346]

Genrack or Genwreck depending on your experience with them is an option.

[Greatscot]

You seem to like all the features of Onan. You don't say what you want that is different from Onan.

[DGBPokes]

I'm have owned two rigs with Onan generators. Bought a 07 KSDP this March...it came with a Power Tech generator.I had never heard of them, so I did some homework. Used lots in marine applications. Kabota engine, much lower fuel consumption per hour than Onan. Downside.....man it is loud! But it starts and runs well. I have yet to hear it surge like the Onan's did on occasion.

[jondrew55]

I believe Onan quiet diesels are Kabota engines. I don't think Onan is necessarily an unreliable generator. I think most people don't use their generators enough or at least run them under load while in storage. I have an Onan quiet diesel on my Excursion and a Honda EUI 6500 at home as a back up generator. I think they're both nice machines. Not sure which is more expensive.

Originally Posted by DGBPokes

I'm have owned two rigs with Onan generators. Bought a 07 KSDP this March...it came with a Power Tech generator.I had never heard of them, so I did some homework. Used lots in marine applications. Kabota engine, much lower fuel consumption per hour than Onan. Downside.....man it is loud! But it starts and runs well. I have yet to hear it surge like the Onan's did on occasion.

[ROAquaman]

I guess my fear is if I replace my current Cummins Onan 4000 in kind, I will experience low reliability and high repairs. This is based on all online reviews and I realize unhappy owners are typically the owners that write reviews. (Generally out of dealing with failures)
Seems most reviews rate reliability low and repairs high. Not all are due to lack of maintenance or exercising.
Just thought Onan would have a strong competitor in the MH market.

[xflyer]

I am properly going to get a lot of flack with this post but here goes. My Generac died this past summer on a two month trip. I replaced a couple of obvious parts but didn't help. Thank goodness our dash air worked well. After our return I pulled the generator out and discovered brush holder, brushes and slip rings burnt to a crisp. Parts are hard to get and outrageous priced. My alternative is a Harbor Freight 7000 constant watt generator at a fraction of the cost of repair of the Generac which was only a 5500 watt model. I used my old 12 volt fuel pump which was plumbed to the coach fuel tank. I'm in the process of building a exhaust pipe. It hasn't been a overly easy or problem free swap but I like challenges. It came with a electrical starter which I plan to use. Just got to figure out the wiring. It's actually quiter than the Generac. It does not have fuel injection. It's a Honda look alike. What motivated me the most was a trip to my local RV dealer. The service shop told me they just finished a Generator upgrade/swap on a coach and the bill was over $9,000.00!!! The service manager said he knew of a couple of simular swaps that I'm attempting that had good results.

[Mr_D]

PowerTech makes lots of units that are used in high end yachts.

Power Technology Southeast Inc | Power Technology Southeast, Inc

We had an 8.0KW on in our '02 Dutch Star, worked very well and was as quite or quieter than the Onan'a around us as it was a constant speed engine (1800 rpm) and lower fuel consumption too.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by dons2346

Genrack or Genwreck depending on your experience with them is an option.

Genejunk also fits! Had a propane unit in our 2000 DSDP, NEVER again!!

[bluepill]

Honda 7KW EFI Inverter genny link:


Honda EU7000i Model Info | Super Quiet 7000 Watt Inverter Generator | Honda Generators

[jondrew55]

Originally Posted by bluepill

Honda 7KW EFI Inverter genny link:


Honda EU7000i Model Info | Super Quiet 7000 Watt Inverter Generator | Honda Generators

Basically a newer version of my 6500. A great machine, very pricy

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by ROAquaman

I guess my fear is if I replace my current Cummins Onan 4000

A 4000 watt generator is a rather small one for a class A coach..... you could get 2 Honda EU2000i portables and link them together for 4000 watts output.

Or 2 of the champion generators can be linked in this fashion also.



Or this is a really inexpensive option

[speed racer]

Honda EV6010

[Bucky1320]

I will chime in here as I have certainly looked for options. I have a DP, which has a propane generator. We drag race, so we are at the track all weekend at times with no hookups. So we rely on our generator for often three days at a time. But you can't carry that much propane realistically. So I started looking at Diesel replacements. Well I quickly figured out they are larger, and we were looking at $10k or more for new, and not that much less for used Diesel Onans. So I am converting our propane unit to gasoline and mounting a fuel tank for it. That will carry us all weekend.

Portable units are ok, but then you have to figure out how to store them, and fuel them, and start them when you are in your slippers and wanting to make breakfast. And you can't run them going down the road. So that isn't ideal. We do use a Champion inverter 3000 at the track if we aren't using two air cons. It sips gasoline, so that is nice. And it is pretty quiet for that matter. And we have the trailer with us. So it is an option.

Generac? They make a TON of CHEAP generators. But they tend to be loud from day one, and reliability isn't any better either. Onans are really usually quite reliable. But under use deteriorates things that tend to be expensive to repair. On the positive side, you can usually get Onans serviced a lot of places. So they aren't a throw-away.

My ideal would be to mount a gas Honda 6500 in the motorhome. They are quiet and economical. But they aren't intended for mounting like that. So not only is the installation complicated, but they may not stay cool like that, and exhaust is going to have to be well thought out too.