Few manufacturers have angered (different than disgusted) me than Onan. I have written in this forum about experiences with larger Onan generators from back in the eighties. When an off grid customer begged me to repair a one Megawatt Cummins Onan in the mid eighties that had parts backodered for months, I dove into it and was amazed at the purposely proprietary control circuitry with insane pricetags. An $1,100 voltage regulator that demanded current transformers. I counted eleven current transformers and absurdly complicated control and monitoring circuits.
I measured the basics. Field resistance, amperage and voltage. Although it took an extremely expensive Delco H-10 model voltage regulator to mate with high field current, it could be done. I replaced instrumentation and governing devices with Simpson, Woodward, and Murphey gauges I ended up with a hundred pounds or more of scrap garbage.
I even modified the secondary field with double-rated stud rectifiers (volts + amps)
The unit went online and ran flawlessly six months of the year for as long as "Neal" owned the resort. "It has -never- since new ran problem free like this, and -never- has controlled voltage like your modifications have done"
Onan, controls the RV aftermarket industry and has dominated military generator purchases for many decades. It wasn't just the arrogant stand-offishness I had to deal with, when the Onan rep discovered I had trashed a thirty thousand dollar repair job, they filed suit against me in superior court.
When I sent them a packet of information listing my qualifications including being an expert witness county of Los Angeles, they lost interest. Fast. Good news for me, litigation would have lasted years. I would have gone for the jugular. And lost my butt in the end. To have a congressional investigation of the complex relationship between Onan and the US military would gladden my heart.
So when I read stories like Mr. Bishop's my response is "Why Am I Not Surprised?" I laugh at the thought of Onan becoming angered at my public thrashing of their arrogance -- send a process server down here. Recommended attire -- polyester over Kevlar.
My recommendation: If given a choice, avoid Onan like the bubonic plague.
