Generator info

[homerbw]

Hi everyone, I recently lost my Onan 5500 after running it 3 days continuously during a Texas power outage (due to ice storm). I had the unit taken out and it was the roller bearing on the generator housing (not the engine). Possibly it could have been avoided if I had known in advance this bearing will run dry of grease or need replacement sometime during the course of it's lifespan. The person who bought it for parts said this is very common so I am passing on the information.

[TandW]

Wonder if this is the same bearing we see on the Emeralds or Microlites. I always thought perhaps it was some sort of oilite bearing and squirted some oil onto it from time to time.

[Argosy]

The DKD manual says inspect every 1000 hours for rotation in the case and replace every 5 years, the grease dries out.

It's probably the same for most of the rv generators. They're in a confined area, a lot have air cooled engines which run hotter than liquid cooled, and the generator is also making heat. Not a nice place for a bearing.

[TandW]

Mine will be getting a better application of oil from now on. It'll creep in and revitalize the grease.

[exrench]

Would you please post the model of the failed Onan generator?Tkanks.

[THenne1713]

I looked at my 99 Emerald Plus IPL, and engine on one end, ball bearing on brush end