generator

It's gonna depend on use and maintenance.
If it's well maintained, and run quite often, you can probably get 30-50,000 hours out of them, though you will probably want to Overhaul it around that 30K mark. And, if it's well maintained, there really is no reason that it won't last longer than YOU.

Now, there is the other side of the story.....one that is run for 1/2 hour a month (or less), and maybe less than 100 hours per year. Wow, nice low hours, right? Well, that may have more problems than the one with 30,000 hours on it. It's problably not getting the maintenance, and certainly not getting run enough.

What year RV are you looking at? How many miles on the RV? I think that there really are to many variables to give a good answer here.

That is is a very difficult question to answer. First, is it a gasoline fueled generator or a diesel fueled? Second, what is the brand; I think higher quality brands would last longer. Also, like most equipment, how was the generator maintained? What type of oil was used: conventional or synthetic? How often was the generator "exercised" during periods of storage? Once a month versus once a year or never?

Maybe if you have a specific generator in mind, provide the details and you may get a more qualitative answer.

Ray

Greg1 wrote:
what is considered high hours on a MH generator

Greg,

That question is actually make and model specific.
If it is an Onan Power Drawer (old) than I would think about 3000.
If it is an Onan Emerald series I would start to be concerned at 2000.
If it is an Onan Marquis or Microquiet (3600) then about 1500.

If it is any 4 cylinder Kohler, we are in the 2500 range.

If it is a Honda RV unit then I would think we are back to 3000+.
If it is a Honda non-RV, then 1500 is all you can expect.

If it is a Generac and it runs at all then you can could on that much.

I know I have missed some, but those are my direct experiences.

Matt

Onan in a monoco dynasty 18,0000 mile on rig 5500 hrs on generator

The older 1800 RPM Onan Marquis 7KW gasser's have been known to run for 10,000 hours and more with routine maintenance. Mine has only about 1,800 hours on it, and my son-in-law has road service trucks equipped with them that have over 14,000 hours on them without a major overhaul. Diesel models may well outlast the coach they're installed in.

Wish Kohler would get into the RV market with their gensets (smallest they make is 5KW, smallest RV model is 10 kilowatts.) The marine guys swear by them. They cost 2x the Onans, but they tend to be on the water, not in the shop for the most part.

I wish Onan kept the older design with the four poles and pressurized oil system, as opposed to splash lubrication and two poles. Far less noise, far longer life.

The odd thing -- when I read about people with genset problems, it almost invariably is due to bad gas or neglect. This doesn't mean that a well maintained generator might have problems, but usually I don't read many stories about a well maintained Onan having to be completely dropped and replaced, even with 7000+ hours on the clock.

I have the Onan 7500 Quiet diesel and I have never had any problems with it. It is quiet. The engine on it is a Kabota engine.

Greg1 wrote:
Onan in a monoco dynasty 18,0000 mile on rig 5500 hrs on generator

So, we are talking about a diesel powered generator. WITH proper maintenance, easily a 10,000 hour generator. Be sure to read the WITH.