Replacing a Generator

I had a 5th wheel and had a Genrek 4500 watt genny installed for about $2,100.00. I only had on ac unit. I had it for 5years and never had a problem. Then I sold the 5th for a Motorhome. Good luck.
Rudy

Some good ideas given above. If you want to use the portable, just use the old generator compartment for a place to carry your portable and fuel can. Then set the generator out on the ground to run it.

Another idea is to check on ebay for a used Onan, then install it permanently in your RV. I like the permanent set ups as they run off the RV's fuel supply and can be started and shut off from inside. Plus they are more secure and don't have to be locked away when you leave for a while.

I have a Honda 2000i and it is a fine generator, but I still prefer to just hit the start button inside to fire up my generator to make a cup of coffee, etc. My truck camper has a LPG 2.5KW generator permanently installed. While I don't use it often, it is handy when I want to do so.

A sliding tray as mentioned above would sure be nice on a portable unit, down side is still having to go outside to fire it up. Sure wish my wife showed more interest in going outside to fire up the generator when I need a cup of coffee or want to run the microwave. But she is a city girl and I never thought to check with her on that before we got married.

Another nice feature of the portables is you can move them away from your rig and run a long extension cord. Your neighbors may not like it but that is another issue. LOL :)

As an alternative, a lot of times, one can find Onan generators on Craigslist for inexpensive, usually sold cheap because they need a carb rebuild or perhaps a new board.

I saw a Honda Genset mounted on rails that slid out of the old generator compartment. This was on a class C at a local campground. It was a pretty clean install. After using, he just slid it back into the compartment, closed and locked the door. It was at the far rear of the MH so I don't think exhaust was an issue.

Just mount one on a hich rack, Did that for our first RV and it worked fine

path1 wrote:
When my generator goes... 2 Hondas are going in, but they will stay portable and not mounted permanent. That would free up in one entire bay for me.

I assume you are talking about 2 Honda EU2000i generators, which is what I have. I love mine and they have worked for me for several years without any serious problems. However, the thing I miss most from my motorhome days is the ability to start and stop the generator without going outside.

The electric start Honda and Yamaha generators (and probably several others) are available with remote start/stop. Don't rule them out when you make your decision.

When my generator goes... 2 Hondas are going in, but they will stay portable and not mounted permanent. That would free up in one entire bay for me. Maybe this posting might help???
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25282185.cfm
And that posting has a link to another posting that leads to a 900 page gen set type stuff.

If you're really good at searching (and I am not), somebody on RV.net did just what you ask. I think it was in Tech Issues.

The biggest problem you are going to have with replacing an onboard generator with a portable (which is what I think you are planning to do) are:
1. Exhaust (as you stated) your exhaust needs to be piped so that it can not enter the passenger compartment or you could have problems with carbon monoxide.
2. Cooling - an onboard generator is designed to be cooled by internal fans, where most portable generators are designed to be cooled by sir circulation around them, which doesn't work well in an enclosed environment like a generator compartment.
3. Maintenance - doing any kind of maintenance on a portable generator is going to be very hard once you put it in a compartment.
4. Fueling - it is going to be very hard to refuel a portable generator once it is installed in a compartment. You also have to worry about the generator fuel being overheated in a compartment.

I would suggest one of 3 alterntaives:
1. Bite the bullet and buy a new generator designed to run in a compartment.
2. Look for a used compartment generator at an RV salvage yard.
3. Buy a portable generator and build a rack that bolts to the hitch or bumper and have it wired to plug into your RV.