Generator under bed?

[rjsurfer]

I was looking online at a few of the Winnabago toy haulers and they place the Cummins Onan generator under the bedroom??

Does anyone have any first hand experience concerning the noise and vibrations coming from such a layout.

I would think that listening to the generator AND the AC at the same time would drive you crazy.....

Another question, with the rear deck setup how do you keep the cabin cool, if you have the rear deck down? I would think that with the large rear opening all the cool air flowing out the back would be keeping your neighbors cool not you?

Sure the drop down screen would keep the bugs out but thats about all it would do.

Ron W.

[rjsurfer]

Thanks for the informative responses, even to my not so smart questions.

I'll ask Winnabago about a three season drop down curtain/screen, seems like the best of way to go. If not plastic strips might work.

Ron W.

[rockhillmanor]

2001400ex wrote:
I have the generator under the bed, it's fine for our use, we don't can't where we need the generator running at night. I will say it was quieter than I thought it would be. I am going to add some sound material around the box that it's in.

For the rear door/screen. No you don't want the AC running while you have the patio open if all you have is the screen. The AC would work so hard, it would freeze. However, some have a 3 season door. I don't have one of those, maybe someone else can comment as to the effectiveness of the 3 season door, but they would hold the cold in better than a screen.

I got tired of not being able to have the door open when the air was on.

I was at U-haul renting a trailer and at the counter they had these rolls of perfectly clear, real thin, plastic with removable adhesive on one side.

It's for putting on your carpet when you are moving to keep stains from happening. And comes right off without damaging tile or carpet.

This roll of plastic is miracle stuff!
I put it on the RV screen door and trimmed the excess. You could see straight out as clear as glass AND you got to keep the door open. Comes right off real easy and with OUT any residue. I used it in winter too.

I have tinted side windows on my MH and sometimes I will open the slider on the window and put the plastic on that screen too to get some light in and to be able to see out.

[JAC1982]

Oh and yes, we don't leave the rear AC on when we have the rear deck open. We have an AC unit in the garage and in the front over the bed. We tend to only use our deck in the mornings when it isn't as hot yet anyway. If it's cool enough to leave it open all day, it's not hot enough to run the AC, or, we only run the front one and leave the slider closed. But our AC system is most efficient with both units running and the deck closed.

[JAC1982]

Ours is under the bed (5500) and it's not loud at all. AC is way louder. I can still nap with both on though. We're in a 5th wheel though so there's some space between the bed and the generator. I'm not sure we'd ever leave our generator on all night long though, even in the warmer places we camp, it cools off at night.

In our old bumper pull Raptor though, we had a 4000 directly under the bed and it was much louder, and it made the bed itself warm. Great when it's cold out, not so much in the summer, especially for a mid afternoon snooze 🙂

[rockhillmanor]

lakebum wrote:
I think you should get the Gen-Turi and dont think the noise will get you as much as for me, worried about waking up due to exhaust fumes right under our bed. The Gen-turi will get the sound and fumes above your rig.

The Gen-Turi on Amazon

X10! I never run my gen without the Gen-Turi attached. My gen is up front.

And...I know it had to pass some sort of federal law to be installed under a bed, BUT, I would NEVER buy an RV with the gen under the bed.

[dedmiston]

allcool wrote:

nayther wrote:

Do you leave the front door at home open with the AC on? Did you seriously ask that question? If you have the AC on close the F'g door!

LOL, was thinking exactly the same thing...

HAHAHA. If memory serves me, Nayther works in HVAC, so that's not just a rant, it's professional advice. :B

[2001400ex]

I have the generator under the bed, it's fine for our use, we don't can't where we need the generator running at night. I will say it was quieter than I thought it would be. I am going to add some sound material around the box that it's in.

For the rear door/screen. No you don't want the AC running while you have the patio open if all you have is the screen. The AC would work so hard, it would freeze. However, some have a 3 season door. I don't have one of those, maybe someone else can comment as to the effectiveness of the 3 season door, but they would hold the cold in better than a screen.

[allcool]

nayther wrote:

Do you leave the front door at home open with the AC on? Did you seriously ask that question? If you have the AC on close the F'g door!

LOL, was thinking exactly the same thing...

[allcool]

My 2cents...

FSW WW has the Onan5500 under bed.

Its in a insulated sheet metal box. Not real thick insulation. Have thought about adding some 1" duct board to its sides where its under the bed.But not so sure it would even help, since a lot of the noise probably is coming from outside thru the genny cover/door/exhaust and the sound is 'leaking in the window right above it...

Its not loud, and just a very little vibration. But you most definitely can hear, feel it running. For an afternoon nap, not a problem at all, barely know its running. But at night when its very quite, well sure some would not be bothered, but I can't go to sleep at nite with genny running under my bed. Maybe for a combination of reasons. Probably not a great idea to leave a genny running all nite for multiple reasons. But in PHX summer heat or similar, it might be a necessity and then much easier to accept its slight noise/vibs.

jmo

When you go to look at the TH, might want to start up the genny and lay in the bed and see for yourself..?

[nayther]

rjsurfer wrote:
I was looking online at a few of the Winnabago toy haulers and they place the Cummins Onan generator under the bedroom??

Does anyone have any first hand experience concerning the noise and vibrations coming from such a layout.

I would think that listening to the generator AND the AC at the same time would drive you crazy.....

Another question, with the rear deck setup how do you keep the cabin cool, if you have the rear deck down? I would think that with the large rear opening all the cool air flowing out the back would be keeping your neighbors cool not you?

Sure the drop down screen would keep the bugs out but thats about all it would do.

Ron W.

Generator noise is not too bad, AC fan is louder.

Do you leave the front door at home open with the AC on? Did you seriously ask that question? If you have the AC on close the F'g door!

[Y-Guy]

Keeping cool depends on the lay out. If you want to keep cool you'll need to close the rear ramp. If it has a garage and depending on how the A/C ducting is setup you may only be cooling the front part, but I don't know how that unit is setup. If it is all one room, no separate garage you'll need to close the ramp or all your cool air will fly right out.

[lakebum]

I think you should get the Gen-Turi and dont think the noise will get you as much as for me, worried about waking up due to exhaust fumes right under our bed. The Gen-turi will get the sound and fumes above your rig.

The Gen-Turi on Amazon

[rjsurfer]

I'm glad noise is not an issue, I like the layout. Any thoughts about keeping it cool if I have the ramp down?

All good info, thanks.

Ron W.

[rockhillmanor]

Also be on the lookout for gens on the passenger side. They exhaust right under the awning where you will sit and or eat at a picnic table. Not only bad for exhaust fumes but dangerous hot pipe where kids would get burned playing under the awning.
I still can't believe I saw MH's designed that way.:(