generator question

hud60 wrote:
does anyone know if I can pair a 2021 onan gen. prepped 5th wheel with a Honda 6500 generator? could a knowlable electrician be able to do this?

It should be possible, the EM6500 (not sure if that's the one you have) does output 240V across 2 120V legs. It will only provide around 25A per leg so you may not be able to run every appliance like you would on a real 50A power source.

Looks like Camco already makes a dogbone adapter to let you plug your 50A cord into this generator. But, you need to be careful about neutral bonding.

I just saw that you said you have the EU6500 -- I'm pretty sure this inverter generator does not have a bonded neutral (I'm not sure about the EM6500, most (but not all) larger contractor style generators are bonded). This is where you might want to talk to an electrician, I *think* that an RV generator should bond neutral+ground but I'm not an electrician and I've seen sources online that say the opposite. If you have an EMS, it may refuse to let power flow of the generator is not neutral bonded.

Here's some more discussion on generator bonding.

I don't see any ready-made 50A bonding plugs, so this is probably something to talk to an electrician about.

I'm not sure what the question is now.

I think you are in luck; the remote control connections for the Honda generator appear to me to likely be compatible with typical Onan controls, at least for the start and stop controls. The pilot light circuit may not be compatible. Your generator manual has a wiring diagram that includes the remote control connections for the start and stop controls.

the generator is an eu6500 very quiet. it stays in our pu box to use while traveling. it will not be installed in rv. just want to be able to control from rv while parked for the night

Afaict those are not inverter gens. An electrician *may* be able to.. really don't know.

The manual for the Honda 6500 says to keep it 3 ft away from everything while it is running. How big is the spot where you want to install it?

I'm assuming you don't have the Onan generator in the RV, just the prep package for a generator.

It should be entirely possible to wire in a connection for the Honda generator to the prep wiring. Fuel connections and physically installing the generator in the space are likely to be rather more difficult, and might be altogether impractical or impossible.

Note that the Honda EB6500 and EM6500 generators (in all their subvariants) are open-frame, contractor style generators and as such fairly loud. The EU7000IS is a quiet inverter generator, and would be much preferred, particularly if you're camping in proximity to other people.

If you have the Onan generator installed, paralleling it with a Honda generator won't work.

May I ask what you are attempting to run?

All kinds of gens are used to power RVs. My concerns would be exhaust, carrying gasoline, noise/vibration, everything else.