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Blanco1's avatar
Blanco1
Explorer
Oct 21, 2017

Running a Geni in the storage compartment?

Being so many 5th wheels come without a Geni, I was wondering if any of you ever installed ( let's say a 3000 Geni ) in the storage compartment & if its a good or bad idea?

I figure it wouldn't be hard to route the exhaust out of the compartment.

I'd prefer to buy a trailer that already has one installed from the factory though.

Lifting a Geni that big by myself is probably not easy?

18 Replies

  • Cummins12V98 wrote:
    Almost not worth fire caulking as there is a huge hole below the gen for fresh air. Most have a 5 sided metal box around gen.

    Kinda curious why so many get the 5500 VS the 6500 gen? Mine is a 6500 Cummins 220V LP Commercial gen.

    dfletch, when you say dual 30 Amp breakers is your Gen 220V?


    I imagine because 5500 is capable of running both A/C's. Which equates to enough power to camp with in the long run.
  • Unless you are just looking for a project, I think I would just get 2 Honda 2000 gens with a IPI extended run kit. Less than 50# each. $2500 ought to cover it.
  • Almost not worth fire caulking as there is a huge hole below the gen for fresh air. Most have a 5 sided metal box around gen.

    Kinda curious why so many get the 5500 VS the 6500 gen? Mine is a 6500 Cummins 220V LP Commercial gen.

    dfletch, when you say dual 30 Amp breakers is your Gen 220V?
  • Is a 5500 what required to run a 5'er?
    Or did you go bigger than needed to be safe?

    I imagine a 5500 is pretty pricey?
  • I ordered the Onan 5.5 LP with dual 30 amp breakers from Norwal Power. Then the fun began. I used flame retardant 1/2 plywood for the base and enclosure. Using a template from Onan I cut out the holes in the base and fire calked all the seams. After getting help to lift the 300lb geny into the enclosure I tapped into the LP supply just below my regulator and ran a hose to the fuel inlet of the genny. Then ran the 120 volt supply and remote start cables to a location in the docking bay. In that bay I added the 50amp outlet and remote start switch. Next on the agenda was adding a run of 8ga wire from the genny to the house battery (using an inline circuit breaker) for starting the genny. Then came the exhaust. I got a section of flexible exhust and ran it from the genny to the drivers side of the RV using automotive hangers to support it. After all was installed I ran a leak check on the LP then fired it up and checked for exhust leaks. Verified proper power output and then plugged in RV and ran a load test.
  • I thought all 5th wheels have the forward facing compartment for the optional generator? Your's doesn't?
  • dfletch wrote:
    Mine did not have the prep package. I added an Onan 5.5 LP and fabricated the enclosure from scratch.


    Might you have pictures?

    & maybe you can share with us what was involved?
  • Mine did not have the prep package. I added an Onan 5.5 LP and fabricated the enclosure from scratch.