Community Forums

RonNBama · 08-05-2009, 06:07 PM

For those with "older" RV's out there, how many hours are showing on your generator speedo? I now have 1400 hours on a 1998 Onan diesel. Kinda wondering at what point can I expect major mechanical issues. I exercise this one at least monthly for 30-min and under load. I was changing oil and filter every 50-hours or so but the owner's manual indicates something over 100-hours as I recall.

So what's the deal? Who has top-gun hours on their gen set?

Old Snipe · 08-05-2009, 09:27 PM

You have plenty of life left in your genny. You are doing all the right things, generators are made to run. I have just under 800 hours now on my 2 year old Onan 8KW Quiet Diesel.

Oil changes are at 150 hours after the inital 50 hour oil change. I change my fuel filter every year as well as the air filter. After my third year, I'll change the coolant.

I remember an article in Motorhome magazine a couple of years ago where a gentleman borught his MH in to the dealer because he was having an overheating problem, the tech found a mouse had made a nest and it was blocking the air flow. Upon cleaning it out, the genny ran fine. When they looked at the hour meter, the generator had over 25,000 hours on it and never had anything but routine maintenance done on it!

Best Regards!

RV Wizard · 08-06-2009, 02:10 AM

The number of hours a generator can survive depends on many variables. One of the biggest variables is the model of generator you have. A Microlite 4000 will be dead at about 1000 - 1200 hours. I have seen as many as 3000 hours on a 7.5 Quiet Diesel less than 2 years old. Maintenance and proper exercising is paramount to longevity with these.

Gary RVRoamer · 08-06-2009, 08:28 AM

Just shy of 1400 hours on my early 2004 Onan7.5 Quiet Diesel. It had 1100 hours on it when we bought the coach in late 2006 and we've added about 100 hours/year since. I change genset fluids and filters every two years.

REWahoo · 08-06-2009, 08:35 AM

Just over 2800 hours on my 2001 Onan 7.5 Quiet Diesel.

duflochy · 08-06-2009, 08:39 AM

My onan 7.5 was declared dead @ 1387 hrs......I replaced it with a Generac 6.5 and it has a 3 yr or 4000 hr warenty.....its got 105 hrs on it now.....

RonNBama · 08-06-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duflochy

My onan 7.5 was declared dead @ 1387 hrs......I replaced it with a Generac 6.5 and it has a 3 yr or 4000 hr warenty.....its got 105 hrs on it now.....

What do ya think caused it's demise? I assume that was the diesel version?

electricks · 08-06-2009, 07:19 PM

we had a 1996 8kw onan with 5900 hours and it was still going when we sold it for our newer coach.that one had to have the stator and field replaced at 750 hours go figure(still under warranty) it was a 12.5 kw onan??

inpath · 08-09-2009, 08:57 AM

Who, I guess ours was rarely use. A 1990 Onan 4,000 watt with just 450 hours on it. Mind you, we bought it second (or third) hand and just personally got into Dry Docking over the last year and a half. Previous owners must have been RV park only people.

DandS · 08-09-2009, 09:49 AM

Had 38 hours on my genny when I sold my four year old MH. Most of those hours were from monthly exercise in storage. Don't really go much where I need to use it, prefer electric hook-ups for all my conveniences.

RonNBama · 08-10-2009, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DandS

Had 38 hours on my genny when I sold my four year old MH. Most of those hours were from monthly exercise in storage. Don't really go much where I need to use it, prefer electric hook-ups for all my conveniences.

I hear ya Dan, but here is DixieLand, the temperature and humidity are such that the roof-top units have to be used when traveling. I have started the gen set before disconnecting from shore power in Navarre Beach, FL, at 9:00AM and kept it running until I get home 8:00PM. Us old folks just must be COOL!

The friend who now owns our 1984 Barth said he started the generator on a Thursday afternoon and didn't shut it down until Sunday afternoon. I guess those old Kohlers are pretty tough too.

SEMO Mike · 08-10-2009, 07:29 AM

An Onan rep told me he'd rather see 3000 hours on an older generator than 100 hours. There are less problems the more they are used. A friend was looking to purchase a generator head to put in his bus conversion. He asked how long he could expect the generator to last. The factory rep told him he didn't know, they had them running in South America non-stop for over 10 years except for maintenance.

Triker56 · 08-10-2009, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Snipe

When they looked at the hour meter, the generator had over 25,000 hours on it and never had anything but routine maintenance done on it!

That is a big Hour Meter.

Most RV hour meters can only go to 9999.9 hours then turn over to 0000.0 and start all over.

Even a google search for a hour meter only came up with ones that could only go to 9,999 hours. Found none that could record 25,000 hours.