Class C Generator

Anything used and mechanical could give you problems at some point, but I would not be too concerned about the number of hours on the gen set. Better to have a well-used and maintained gen set than one that sat unused for years and years without excercise.

Thanks, I have never owned a on board generator and did not know if this was a big deal.

Guessing it's an ONAN MicroQuiet 4KW (model 4KY). If it starts easily, carries a load, runs smoothly with load, my take is that it's a good genny that you won't have to spend time or money on.
Oil that's full and relatively clean would be another tip. If it doesn't meet the above criteria, get back with us.

That is almost exactly the hours I have on my 4000 microquiet...
honestly I would be more concerned about the low miles....
it has been sitting quite a bit

Have you driven the Freelander on the open road and been satisfied with the handling? I ask because some C's don't track real well. Contrast with the solid tracking of an HD pickup with a ton of fiver right on the rear axle. What's the wheelbase of the Freelander? If it hasn't been disclosed by Coachmen on a door jamb label or a piece of literature, you'll have to measure to find it. Our Jayco's been stretched to 218" but the chassis was deliverd by Ford at 158" so that's what shows on the label. On a 31' coach, the longer the better. Less might be OK but I'd like to see it in the 210" to 220" range. I think 223" is the max that Ford allows.

I wouldn't have a problem with the hours so long as the std maintenance has been performed. I don't dry camp much anymore but still exercise my Onan an hour per month under load which is recommended by many.

The more you use your genny the better it will work, Id be more concerned if it only had 20 hrs. I had around 1900 hrs on my 95 and it ran like a champ. You should exercise your genny for 30 Min every 30 days at 50percent or more load to keep it in top shape.

I would be more afraid to buy a used motorhome with low hours on the generator, compared to an often run generator.

Generators like to be run. If they are not run regularly, they tend to have more problems than those that are used a lot.

nadsab wrote:
I would be more afraid to buy a used motorhome with low hours on the generator, compared to an often run generator.

Generators like to be run. If they are not run regularly, they tend to have more problems than those that are used a lot.

+1

My ONAN manual suggests 2 hours a month under at least 50% load. They say 2 hours at one time is far better than 30 minutes weekly. A 9 year old MH that has had the generator exercised for 2 hours a month would have at least 216 hours on it. What you are seeing is not excessive.

Bobbo wrote:


My ONAN manual suggests 2 hours a month under at least 50% load. They say 2 hours at one time is far better than 30 minutes weekly. A 9 year old MH that has had the generator exercised for 2 hours a month would have at least 216 hours on it. What you are seeing is not excessive.

Yeah we learned the hard way. I now regularly run the Gen in the winter about every other week but I should run it longer usually I run our Onan about 45 min every other week not enough.

It's usally a 350 dollar repair bill to unclog the fuel system if the gen is not run in the winter months.

Our MH is ten years old now and we only have 187 hours on the generator not near enough we will have to start running it a lot more often. I used to think low hours on a gen is good boy was I wrong.