how often to drive MH

[wannavolunteerF]

I am debating whether to buy a MH or trailer for fulltiming. I constantly see the comment of "If you are a going to stay in place for a while, get a 5ver and if you are going to be moving frequently, get a MH."

Everything I have read/heard says you need to start or drive MH regularly, not leave it parked too long. So how often do you need to start/drive a MH when you are basically staying put?

I see myself staying for 2-3 months at time part of the year, and possibly moving/traveling weeks at a time between the times I park. I plan to volunteer park host in some state and national parks between travel times. I am leaning toward MH as by the time I retire, I hope to take DGD with me on trips and MH would be much easier to manage while traveling. Just haven't found a floorplan yet that I like as well as trailer floorplans for when I stay put. Trying to make a decision based on logical factors, not just "feelings".

[wny_pat1]

DanTheRVMan wrote:

JohnnyT wrote:
Barbara, the need to run the generator periodically has nothing to do with the motor whether diesel or gasoline. The issue is to reduce the effects of moisture, condensation, on windings,brushes, and contacts in the generator.

JohnnyT

With all due respect that makes no sense at all.

Wet - Dry cycling is worse from a corrosion perspective than just letting an item sit wet. Drying it out lets chemicals that accelerate corrosion concentrate and corrosion to accelerate.

Both generator and MH engine need to be run to recoat oil every where. But you need to run these long enough for both to get hot as wolfe pointed out previously.

JohnnyT is right on concerning the generator. Should be ran once a month at 50% load and the issue is to reduce the effects of moisture, condensation, on winding ,brushes, and contacts in the generator portion of the unit.

The engines being ran, or not being ran, we can debate all day. Farmers are well known for not starting up diesels until they are needed, and that may be twice a year. I even know highway contractors who do not start certain diesel powered paving equipment all winter long. If you are going to start it, you have to take it out and run it to get it up to operating temperatures. For a diesel during the winter months that is at least 25 miles while under a load. Diesels are cold blooded animals and are difficult to warm up.

[J-Rooster]

My motorhome (Claas A) is parked at home for 5 months with off and on use. Then I drive it 1,355 miles to AZ. where it sits in one spot for 7 months!

[DanTheRVMan]

JohnnyT wrote:
Barbara, the need to run the generator periodically has nothing to do with the motor whether diesel or gasoline. The issue is to reduce the effects of moisture, condensation, on windings,brushes, and contacts in the generator.

JohnnyT

With all due respect that makes no sense at all.

Wet - Dry cycling is worse from a corrosion perspective than just letting an item sit wet. Drying it out lets chemicals that accelerate corrosion concentrate and corrosion to accelerate.

Both generator and MH engine need to be run to recoat oil every where. But you need to run these long enough for both to get hot as wolfe pointed out previously.

[JohnnyT]

Barbara, the need to run the generator periodically has nothing to do with the motor whether diesel or gasoline. The issue is to reduce the effects of moisture, condensation, on windings,brushes, and contacts in the generator.

JohnnyT

[BarbaraOK]

If your generator is a diesel motor, why is it different from the other diesel motor you have?

Barb

[2gypsies1]

We, too, volunteer for a couple months at a time and now we stay put in winter. We have a diesel and have had no problems with it. We do run the generator under load for an hour/month to 'exercise' it. However, we never just start up the motorhome and let it idle which is worse for it than letting it sit. You could take it out for a nice long drive at times but our experience is that no one does this if sitting for a period of time. I know fellow volunteers don't do this. We are very meticulous about keeping it well serviced when on the move. . . just our experience. Good luck with your choice.

[docj]

wolfe10 wrote:

asphalt sailor wrote:
We bought a 2001 DP in 2011. It had 45 hours on genset. We have added 120 hours to it,and it has performed perfectly. That said, it doesn't hurt to run it for 20-30 minutes with some load on it several times a year if it is sitting.Starting the main engine and at least moving it around the yard occasionally, excercising the transmission is possibly the more important practice.Maintaining oil,fluid & filter change schedules is paramount,that from 40 years experience operating class 8 tractor-trailers .....

That advice is contrary to that of the generator makers (who suggest an hour a month at around 50% load) and the diesel engine makers (at least Caterpillar and Cummins) who suggest that if the engine is started, it is driven at least 25 highway miles-- enough to get the oil, not just coolant up to operating temperature.

X2; that's what we do also. The generator is exercised with the oven and/or A/C on once a month. Our CAT is not run at all when we're parked. Running a big diesel and not getting the oil and coolant up to operating temperature is not good for it.

[wolfe10]

asphalt sailor wrote:
We bought a 2001 DP in 2011. It had 45 hours on genset. We have added 120 hours to it,and it has performed perfectly. That said, it doesn't hurt to run it for 20-30 minutes with some load on it several times a year if it is sitting.Starting the main engine and at least moving it around the yard occasionally, excercising the transmission is possibly the more important practice.Maintaining oil,fluid & filter change schedules is paramount,that from 40 years experience operating class 8 tractor-trailers .....

That advice is contrary to that of the generator makers (who suggest an hour a month at around 50% load) and the diesel engine makers (at least Caterpillar and Cummins) who suggest that if the engine is started, it is driven at least 25 highway miles-- enough to get the oil, not just coolant up to operating temperature.

[asphalt_sailor]

We bought a 2001 DP in 2011. It had 45 hours on genset. We have added 120 hours to it,and it has performed perfectly. That said, it doesn't hurt to run it for 20-30 minutes with some load on it several times a year if it is sitting.Starting the main engine and at least moving it around the yard occasionally, excercising the transmission is possibly the more important practice.Maintaining oil,fluid & filter change schedules is paramount,that from 40 years experience operating class 8 tractor-trailers .....

[frankdamp]

We prefer not to be out over the weekends when schools are out, so our trips are short during the late June to early September time-frame. April through mid June and September through mid October are for our longer trips.

We often leave the rig parked in the driveway for 6 weeks and have never had a problem with the V-10. Following a cardiac adventure almost 3 years ago, I didn't get out to run the generator or the chassis engine on a regular basis for about 4 months. The V-10 is fine, but the generator hasn't run since! It's on my "to-do"list, but we're almost always at elec/water or FHU sites. At 11+ years (three of them with us), the generator time recorder only shows 51 hours.I'll get it sorted before we put the MH on the sales block, maybe after the end of the 2016 season.

[Sully2]

I run my genset very month for 30 minutes to an hour....Cummins engine sits from Thanksgiving to first week of April....RV tarped over...no Cummins running.

[workhardplayha1]

Parking for a few months and moving on should not be a problem. Most problems are from sitting for years. Most of my use is around Florida for weekend trips. I have a reminder on my phone for the first of the month.. If I haven't used the MoHo in the previous month I exercise everything and take it for a drive. I also drain fresh tank and refill with chlorinated city water. If you are set up for a month it wouldn't be a bad idea to start it and run the genny under a load.

[deandec]

The only component on a DP that will want some routine monthly operating time is the generator. The reason to run it under load is to keep the electric generation part dried out and working. Many generators, however, are not started routinely and still seem to do their job when called upon.

If a gas rig, put some storage treatment in the gas tank before your last trip to park the rig.

Your tires may last longer if rolling frequently as that seems to reduce the effects of the stored tire aging process. If three months sitting for part of the years is your plan, then you will be ahead of those DP owners whose rig sits for 6 months.....

[Ivylog]

Since you said fulltime I'll assume a DP. First diesel will last... not go bad for years unlike the current gas that will hardly run in a 2cycle engine if 6 months old. The nice thing about diesel engines, is they can sit for years and put a new battery in and and they start right up so every 2-3 months is BS. If anything, I'd worry not running a gas MH/generator every 3 months... not a diesel because of the sorry gas today.
Since you will pull a toad behind your DP and will put close equal amount of miles on both (NO, I do not mean those behind the MH :S) your overall MPG could be as high as 20 MPG. 7 for the DP and 33 for the toad = 20 average MPG which is better than any 5er combo.
Having had a 5er, there is no way I'd go back and we snowbird for 3 months (yes it's not started) and usually go out west for 3 more. Unfortunately those summer plans went south and the DP has been sitting since April and will probably not get started until the end of December... 9 months so I practice what I suggest.
Especially for FT, buy more MH than you think you need... ONE TIME!