Is an RV generator worth it?
My RV has an Onan Microlite 4000 generator that has been well maintained. It now starts but stops running as soon as I release the Start button. My mechanic identifies the problem as electrical and ...
Forum Discussion
Your engine's alternator will not provide the same level of power as a 4000 KW generator. If you need to run your air conditioning or the microwave, you will probably need your generator.
I learned about generators last year. Ours quit working during the solar eclipse. Initially discovered a cracked fuel line back at the tank. Got that fixed, generator would run for some amount of time and then shut down. I spent the better part of a year farting around trying to fix it, and in the end the nuclear option was cheaper and faster.
My generator is an Onan 4BGE. You can get great Onan advice here:
https://www.smokstak.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=1
After going to an Onan service facility, the guy did not have a tech in but he pointed out what I needed to do to do the work myself in his parking lot. He figured it was the ignition control module. He sold me a used one for $50, it seemed to do the job, but after I got home (of course) my problems returned.
Finally I pulled the genset. Mine is on a "swing down" pan. I bought a cheap rolling dolly from Harbor Freight, stacked some 4x4 pieces on it to get close to the belly of the unit, and then used a hydraulic jack to lift it off its hinges and lower it onto the dolly. I can now remove the generator in about 20 minutes. It's not that hard on my unit.
Working on these units is much harder if you don't pull them out. It can be done, but at 48 it's hard for me on my knees.
I also discovered that on the 4BGE you can replace the the entire ignition system, including the starter, for less than $200. I found an aftermarket coil and an aftermarket (and improved) starter. Had to buy Onan for the ignition control module. Also replaced the condenser and the spark plugs. With that, the engine will run (assuming nothing mechanical has gone wrong with the motor, which is very rare so long as the thing was not run without oil). 90% of the time the problem is getting the motor to run, not getting the gen head to make power.
The other 2 parts to replace on my genset were the voltage regulator and the control board. VR is about $200, CB is about $150, both available from Flight Systems. Both of these parts are super easy to replace on the 4BGE and are right behind the outward-facing switch box on the front of the genset. Flight Systems will test these parts for you for $35, and the price is refundable if you end up buying a replacement part from them.
The other likely problem with these things is a gummed up carb from sitting. Replacement carbs are about $300. You can take them apart and clean them but it can be fiddly and then you have to worry about leaks but it can be done.
So, the upshot of this is, it's not terribly hard to fix one of these things, and the cost savings can be significant doing it yourself.
I learned about generators last year. Ours quit working during the solar eclipse. Initially discovered a cracked fuel line back at the tank. Got that fixed, generator would run for some amount of time and then shut down. I spent the better part of a year farting around trying to fix it, and in the end the nuclear option was cheaper and faster.
My generator is an Onan 4BGE. You can get great Onan advice here:
https://www.smokstak.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=1
After going to an Onan service facility, the guy did not have a tech in but he pointed out what I needed to do to do the work myself in his parking lot. He figured it was the ignition control module. He sold me a used one for $50, it seemed to do the job, but after I got home (of course) my problems returned.
Finally I pulled the genset. Mine is on a "swing down" pan. I bought a cheap rolling dolly from Harbor Freight, stacked some 4x4 pieces on it to get close to the belly of the unit, and then used a hydraulic jack to lift it off its hinges and lower it onto the dolly. I can now remove the generator in about 20 minutes. It's not that hard on my unit.
Working on these units is much harder if you don't pull them out. It can be done, but at 48 it's hard for me on my knees.
I also discovered that on the 4BGE you can replace the the entire ignition system, including the starter, for less than $200. I found an aftermarket coil and an aftermarket (and improved) starter. Had to buy Onan for the ignition control module. Also replaced the condenser and the spark plugs. With that, the engine will run (assuming nothing mechanical has gone wrong with the motor, which is very rare so long as the thing was not run without oil). 90% of the time the problem is getting the motor to run, not getting the gen head to make power.
The other 2 parts to replace on my genset were the voltage regulator and the control board. VR is about $200, CB is about $150, both available from Flight Systems. Both of these parts are super easy to replace on the 4BGE and are right behind the outward-facing switch box on the front of the genset. Flight Systems will test these parts for you for $35, and the price is refundable if you end up buying a replacement part from them.
The other likely problem with these things is a gummed up carb from sitting. Replacement carbs are about $300. You can take them apart and clean them but it can be fiddly and then you have to worry about leaks but it can be done.
So, the upshot of this is, it's not terribly hard to fix one of these things, and the cost savings can be significant doing it yourself.
