Generator hours

[billiotsm16]

We are ready to buy a 2008 Icon M-24D Dodge Diesel. It has 113,000 miles. My concern is the generator hours. It has a little over 400 hrs. Is that good or bad?

[SEMO_Mike]

An Onan representative told me he would rather see 3000 hours than 300 hours on an older generator. They are made to run for hours on end.

[EsoxLucius]

Thanks!

[Bobbo]

EsoxLucius wrote:
Why exercise a propane generator?

For the same reason you exercise a gasoline or diesel generator. To drive off the condensation moisture from the windings so they don't corrode and ruin the generator.

That is why you exercise the generator using at least 50% load. To force the generator part of the system to work and heat up.

ONAN Manual. Go to page 2-5.

Below is the quote:

ONAN Manual wrote:
EXERCISING THE GENSET
Exercise the genset at least 2 hours each month if
use is infrequent. Run the genset at approximately
1/2 rated power. See LOADING THE GENSET
(Page 2-2). A single two hour exercise period is
better than several shorter periods.
Exercising a genset drives off moisture, re-lubricates
the engine, replaces stale fuel in fuel lines and
carburetor and removes oxides from electrical contacts
and generator slip rings. The result is better
starting, more reliable operation and longer engine
life.

[j-d]

EsoxLucius wrote:
Why exercise a propane generator?

The LPG fuel system can foul up from dis-use, too. Nothing like gasoline, but still an issue.
That said, genset also needs to be run to drive moisture out of its windings, keep corrosion off brushes/slip rings, etc.

[EsoxLucius]

Why exercise a propane generator?

[phillyg]

That's about average usage for that period of time. I wouldn't let the genset hours foil the sale.

[Bobbo]

Generator SHOULD be exercised 2 hours every month. That means an 8 year old generator should have at least 8 * 12 * 2 = 192 hours on it. That is if it is never run except for exercising.

At 400 hours, it has been gently used. No worry there. I would be more worried about a generator with hours too low than one with hours too high. The more they run, the better.

[CharlesinGA]

Same generator as in my '07 View. 400 hours is nothing. If you do an oil change, use a small motor oil, or an oil designed for older non-cat autos, as most of these oils will have zinc in them, and excellent lubricity additve. It cannot be used in motors with catalytic converters, thus relegated to small motors.

Charles

[samven1]

My guess is that the 3600 is the 4000 that has been converted by the factory to run on propane. I looked into converting my 4000 Onan MQ and it would derate the power to 3600w. I would be much more comfortable with a propane generator that age than a gas.

[RoyB]

Just be aware here on the East side of the US the Generator restrictions at public camp grounds are more prevalent than out West...

Just about every we go to has generator hours like two hours in the morning and maybe three hours in the late afternoon. The Natl Forest has those hours too with some now coming around from 8AM to 8PM. I never find any public place where you can run a generator after 8PM...

Private places are different of course...

Out West there are alot of DISPERSED camping place that are way out off to them selves maybe on BLM owned property where you can do just about whatever you want... There isn't much of that type of land here on the East side...

With all of this in mind we spent more of our efforts on making my OFF-ROAD camping off the battery banks and making everything inside the camper as green as possible to use less energy. This of course doesn't not include Air Conditioners or high wattage microwave units etc...

Our game plan is to run all we want to run with what we got and have the batteries stay up until we can run our generator again for a few hours to recharge them back up so we can do this all over again the next day/night run off our batteries... That is usually 8AM in the mornings during breakfast.

Sometimes the big motorhomes and big CLASS C's can get away with it as the generator is built-in but that is not always the case haha...

Different things for different folks I reckon...

Roy Ken

[Bordercollie]

When warmed up and running, turn on roof AC, then turn on microwave oven with a cub of water in it. Generator should run steadily with both AC and MW oven on.

[dicknellen]

billiotsm16 wrote:
The dealer said it started fine but we are going this weekend. I can check it starting it under load.

Don't start it under a load, let it warm up a few minutes then turn on the load. Dick

[DrewE]

400 hours is nothing for an Onan generator. More commonly generator problems come form a lack of use than from wearing out due to overuse (and that's much more of a problem with gasoline powered generators than with propane generators, as propane doesn't tend to turn into varnish in the carburetor when left standing for a long period of time).

Replacement cost would generally be in the category of "if you have to ask, you don't want to know." (I would guess four figures...but hesitate to guess which four.) I'm with gbopp and the others that it's not necessary to even think about replacement now; if it runs well, it should continue to do so without much drama for a good while, possibly with one or two fairly minor repairs.

[billiotsm16]

Ok, Thanks for the info....I will keep ya'll updated