Portable Generator

I think you may be able to get it rebuilt by an independent mechanic for about $1,500. The carburetor is available on eBay for $224.89


Onan Marquis Gold Carburetor Part #541-0765

Marquis Gold 5500 Generator with 80 to 100 hrs

It is an Emerald Plus 5000. . .I think the part number is 146-0663. The problem is the parts. According to the Cummins (onan) dealer the electrical parts are over $2000 alone.

I have ample room for two of the Honda 2000 portables in the original generator area. It has openings on three sides. I can't see where running one single cylinder 2000 Honda would create any where near the heat compared to the twin cylinder 6000 water cooled Honda original equipment. Jauguston, I would be very interested in seeing the box you have created. If you have the time, could you forward some pictures or further info to bwillett48@yahoo.com? I prefer boondocking and hate to run the generator very long when neighbors are close by. Thanks again. Brian

martolina wrote:
I got a quote to fix my generator for $4000. I could purchase a brand new Onan 5500 for about $3500. . .I can't drop that much right now. Has anyone every "rigged" a portable generator so that it will function as the Onan would. . .remote start, fuel pump from the main gas tank?? Is this even possible?

If you can find a cheap Chinese unit that can be stuffed in there by removing the portability portion of it, the rest should be easy. Try to find one with it's own fuel pump, rather than gravity feed, to save a fuel pump mod. AS for the remote, I seldom use it and usually start up outside before getting underway, shutting off back there also at the next fuel stop or campground, so no biggie, if you'd like to save on that.
Temporarily, you can even use the little built in fuel tank that should already be mounted on the genset.

Brian,

When I built the box about 7 years ago I posted a series of about 20 construction photos. They may be somewhere on the site history somewhere. I have since lost the file so I can't help you with building photos. Here is a recent photo of it. This was before I connected the exterior tank to the Honda tank. The small gray wire you see looping out of it on the right end is a magneto ground wire that runs to a button in the coach so this lazy old man doesn't have to go outside when generator hours end in the evening to shut it off. Push the button and it stops (-:

I had one of those water cooled Honda EV generators in a previous class C we had. The hot air outlets from the radiator and the generator were exhausted out the bottom of the generator compartment leaving no heat in the compartment. I didn't like it at all. The loud whine from the cooling fans was very loud.

This old post?

It has a link to a Picasa album with pictures.

TD,

GOOD JOB!! I had completely forgotten where they were. Its he** to be old (-:

That is them.

Thank you guys! I really enjoy this site and appreciate everyone's input. This looks like a spring project. I might have to alter the dimensions a little to accommodate the 2000, but will give it a shot. Brian

Brian,

If you plan to build a box like mine keep in mind that will be a lot heavier than mine. It is 60#. One for a 2000 will be probably in the 90# range. I wanted to be able to lift mine into and out of the back of my Samurai and a box with a 2000 I could not do it that was why I went with the 1000. All I use it for is recharging batteries so it is fine for that. The 1" sound deadening material I used is kind of heavy.

Couldn't u make it with camlocks (especially the bottom to sides) or butterflies to make it easier to dismantle and travel.