Onan genset, old tech, too loud.
I am typing this about 10 feet from my MH. We are dry camped, and I need a couple of hours of battery charging. No solar, but we are in deep cover anyway. This is the first time I've ever let the O...
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mlts22 wrote:
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It is all in the installation. Shock mounts, acoustic insulation, exhaust resonators, suspending wires and pipes to help damp vibrations, suspending the exhaust pipe with rubber mountings so it doesn't rattle, and making sure there is easy access to the front panel for oil changes and checking the generator breakers.
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X2,+. Most RV makers do the cheapest & easiest install they can. Then owners sit around and gripe about the noise instead of getting the installation manual and seeing what improvements they can make.
It takes some thought, effort, and a few bucks but an installed Onan does not have to make a major racket. First check the installation manual for needed clearances and openings. Then be sure the exhaust is free to shake, and add the resonator; insulate the compartment and the door; put some rubber between the generator base pan and RV's frame.
Probably the biggest bang-for-buck reduction I made in my 2800's noise was when I found out from the manual that the Tiger had _FAR_ more than the required minimum cooling inlet opening. Bought some foil-faced rigid fiberglass insulation, and insulated the inside of the door. Reduced the inlet opening by 2/3's (still almost twice what Onan requires).
Since then, I've installed insulation on all sides of the compartment (quieter inside and out), added rubber sheet washers under the mounting points, and made other improvements.
Yeah, Onan could and should do better. But so could the RV maker; it's not all Onan's fault.
Jim, "Some days the best thing about my job is that the chair spins."
