Is your Onan MicroQuiet 4.0 quiet?

pnichols wrote:

mgirardo wrote:
When both are running, I can hear the generator over the A/C.

The situation in our Class C is just the opposite.

When the A/C is running on either high fan settinr or low fan setting, it's louder than the Onan 4K. This may be due to the thick carpet and padding on the floor above the Onan.

If RV owners keep thinking that the 5500 Evap is quieter than the 4000 Evap, then Onan better change their specification sheet for these two models because the specs don't show this.

The new 5500 EVAP runs at 2400 RPM whereas the 4000 runs at 3600RPM. This will produce a quieter more pleasant noise in my opinion. 1800 RPM would be even better.

mgirardo wrote:
When both are running, I can hear the generator over the A/C.

The situation in our Class C is just the opposite.

When the A/C is running on either high fan settinr or low fan setting, it's louder than the Onan 4K. This may be due to the thick carpet and padding on the floor above the Onan.

If RV owners keep thinking that the 5500 Evap is quieter than the 4000 Evap, then Onan better change their specification sheet for these two models because the specs don't show this.

I think our 4k Watt Microquiet is quieter outside than it is inside. We were without Power for 5 days and ran the generator for about 6 hours total each day to keep our single battery charged. Our neighbor commented on how quieter our generator is. I thought maybe he was joking, but he was serious. His site is about 35 feet behind ours.

In the camper I think it is loud. A little louder than our rooftop A/C. When both are running, I can hear the generator over the A/C. Sitting in the camper at the dinette the generator runs at about 65 dB measured with a sound meter app on my smartphone.

-Michael

vacuumbed wrote:
Is the 5500 larger in physical size?

I believe it should fit the same compartment as the 4000.

My previous RV was a 2003 with a 4000 Onan and it was not very quiet. There were many openings and the muffler was not shielded.

My new RV has the Onan 5500 EVAP which is supposed to replace the Marquis Gold. It is very quiet! It is sealed very well and the muffler is in a sealed compartment. I used to carry a 2k inverter generator just for quiet evening running. This will no longer be necessary.

Is the 5500 larger in physical size?

pnichols wrote:
This Onan 5500 LP or gasoline generator for RVs runs at 2500 RPM - notice that it's sound level is 69dB:

https://powersuite.cummins.com/PS5/PS5Content/SiteContent/en/Binary_Asset/pdf/Consumer/specsheets/a-1425.pdf

This Onan 4000 LP or gasoline generator installed in many RVs runs at 3600 RPM, but is slightly quieter at 68dB:

https://powersuite.cummins.com/PS5/PS5Content/SiteContent/en/Binary_Asset/pdf/Consumer/specsheets/a-1399.pdf

I've listed to plenty of 5500 and 4000 series side by side to tell you those dB figures are complete B.S. The 5500 is noticeably quieter. Like 2X quieter.

There is NOTHING "quiet" about the Onan 4K in my new 5er. Most of the noise on mine comes from the cooling fan and bottom side of the genny. Exhaust is not all that loud from what I can tell. I have since added a small inverter to my trailer so as to avoid having to run the noise maker when watching TV or powering/charging small appliances.

The Onan 5500 Gold series is MUCH quieter than the 4K

This Onan 5500 LP or gasoline generator for RVs runs at 2500 RPM - notice that it's sound level is 69dB:

https://powersuite.cummins.com/PS5/PS5Content/SiteContent/en/Binary_Asset/pdf/Consumer/specsheets/a-1425.pdf

This Onan 4000 LP or gasoline generator installed in many RVs runs at 3600 RPM, but is slightly quieter at 68dB:

https://powersuite.cummins.com/PS5/PS5Content/SiteContent/en/Binary_Asset/pdf/Consumer/specsheets/a-1399.pdf

The 4000 runs at a steady 3600 RPM. The 5500 watt run at 1800 and are much quieter.

The Onan 4K in our small Class C is pretty quiet - due entirely to how Winnebago installed it.

There's heavy padded carpeting on the floor over the Onan - so we can leave it running and get by just fine inside for as many hours as necessary. We even have left it running at night while we were drycamp sleeping in the extreme heat and humidity of the Southern U.S. in the summer.

Winnebago mounted it in the external cabinet up high so the whole unit is up inside - not with it's bottom hanging down low enough so it can be seen from the outside like others I've seen in Class C motorhomes - which then makes the Onan louder from the outside.

I have listened to our Onan A LOT from outside at all angles and distances. To me, camping next to it would be tolerable ... especially when our motorhome is parked on a surface that doesn't reflect sound well - like grass or dirt. It could be quieted even more from the outside by gluing sound-proofing material onto the cabinet's interior walls facing the generator.

Most of our Onan's sound is from it's cooling fan, as I would expect it should be from a $3000 generator intended for full power use even in high temperature extremes - like boondock camping in Death Valley, which we have done.