Fix old Onan Emerald or get a used Microlite, or a new Inverter Type Generator

[eXodus]

Hello,

My ONAN 4000 Emerald I has probably a bad stator. I've got one open winding. It is running but only producing about 10-25V AC...  It has 400 Hours and the engine is running fine
I could get a stator rewind about $400-500 here in Fort Myers. I've already got about $200 new parts in this generator (regulator and control board)

Today I see a used Microlite 2800 at Craigslist for $400 (no hours counted) and another for $600 with about 300 hours.

Or should I get one of this new Portable, Inverter Type Generators with 2700-3000w they are all selling about $600, but they are new.
Some of them are even have wireless remote start abilities. Which would enable me to remove the Genset (60-70lbs) from the RV and place it a couple of feet somewhere else.
The Inverter type generators even have direct 12V plugs, so the Converter in the RV wouldn't have to work.

I know a external generator would require to get fueld up and I have to figure out how to get the fuel into it, but I've got an electric external fuel pump for my onan, So I could built something.

Suggestions ?
I'm not running a lot of stuff, the setup would be only for the A/C and recharing.

Sebastian

[bluebird]

Problem with the portables is they are portable and walk off. If it were mine I'd put a stator in it. You already put some new parts in it. I like the on board generators, even if they do use a bit more fuel.

[eXodus]

I'm traveling with horses, so we gonna probably boondock a lot in the wild. No Parkingspaces, want to be away from civilization.  Could always secure it with a chain to something. Had also be thinking about mounting the generator in the horse Trailer.

[Rickf1985]

The problem I see with a portable is what if you want to run the AC while you are driving?

[eXodus]

right at this moment the Rig is at my local Truck A/C shop and gets a complete revised system. Everything new, modern parts. (compressor, evap, hoses)
I read here in the Forum that the Dash A/C is to weak to cool the whole coach, so my tweaking idea is - get a clear shower curtain behind the cockpit area.
This should decrease the amount of Air to cool to about the same what is in a normal Car.





http://rvnow.rvtravel.com/2009/01/how-to-make-your-motorhome-cockpit.html


These kind of curtains are very cheap and I could drive without running the generator. All my other stuff runs of 12V, and I will keep following this path. If I buy something it gonna be DC.

[bluebird]

Another thing is the portables aren't setup for pressurized fuel system, they are gravity feed. The chances are the fuel pressure from an external pump will push fuel past the needle and seat on the carb, causing a flooded engine. I like generac generators better than onan, but if my rig had an onan I'd either repair it or find another used one like it so I'd have few extra parts. To me the portables are a pain in the butt, and the cheaper ones are just too loud. 

[eXodus]

I probably wouldn't run a portable mounted to the RV. I would get it out of the storage, walk a view feet away, start it, plug it in, secure it with a chain. Or mount in the horse trailer and run i there when the horses are not in.

So no problem with the gravity feed. I had just to refuel it often, this is what I would do with the original electric fuel pump setup, refuel the tank or the generator or a spare canister.
Or I could get 50 feet of fuel line, mount a valve to the end and roll it out to the generator to refill.
Or even better, use one of these self retracting Compressed Air hose mountings which workshop have.

The portable Yamaha and Hyundai have pretty good reputation with construction crews. One of the best thing about a new one is - I can buy them at Amazon, which means a fabulous warranty. In the first 180 days they exchange without questions asks, just go online report the claim, the next day the new part is in front of you, anywhere you are in this moment.  Maybe two days.  You get the new part first and they pickup the old part.
Which would be perfect for a 4 months road-trip.

A friend of mine will take a look at my generator the next week. We will get it out of the coach and hope to see what is wrong.  I'm not in a hurry, our big trip is next summer.
The other side, I just discovered that the Microlite uses the same Voltage regulator as mine and even the control boards are similar. So I would have spare parts.

[eXodus]

My Onan is dead: both stator and rotor a shoot. So no good from these things. I was reading and reading and all newer Onans have these kind of problems, terrible expensive to fix.
Not very silent and taking a lot of fuel. I think my 4000 Onan was nipping about 0.6 Gallon an hour.



I found hopefully a nice an cheaper solution.


http://www.supergenproducts.com/catalog/p-100057/refurbished-2000w-inverter-red


A 2000 Watt surge (1600w running) Inverter Typ Generator.  It only takes about 1 Gallon for 10 hours !! They are selling also an extended run Fuel kit:


which means I can connect the Generator to the Fueltank of the Motorhome. I'm not really hoping that it will run the roof A/C. Maybe it does, but probably not. Will add an Hard Start capacitor.
Since most places I go do have no Generator rules for night - I can't use it anyway.

[Bnova]

My Onan is dead: both stator and rotor a shoot. So no good from these things. I was reading and reading and all newer Onans have these kind of problems, terrible expensive to fix.
Not very silent and taking a lot of fuel. I think my 4000 Onan was nipping about 0.6 Gallon an hour.



I found hopefully a nice an cheaper solution.


http://www.supergenproducts.com/catalog/p-100057/refurbished-2000w-inverter-red


A 2000 Watt surge (1600w running) Inverter Typ Generator.  It only takes about 1 Gallon for 10 hours !! They are selling also an extended run Fuel kit:


which means I can connect the Generator to the Fueltank of the Motorhome. I'm not really hoping that it will run the roof A/C. Maybe it does, but probably not. Will add an Hard Start capacitor.
Since most places I go do have no Generator rules for night - I can't use it anyway.

I don't know but I doubt if 8 amps is enough to run the roof ac, probably need something more like 15 amps.  The microlite might be a pretty easy replacement.

[eXodus]

yeah the used Microlite was not good anymore. Looked at it and it was surging and the guy had no Idea how old it really was as soon as I got there.

Was probably sitting for a while and needs a new carburetor. These things are about $300...  No thank you.

Just was talking to the guy at supergen, and he told me that a lot of people are replacing their Onans now with inverter type generators. (there is also a 3100w with electric start)
They are only about 1/3 of the price, last as long or even longer then most of the crappy new Onans (they all go bad at about 400 -600 hours)

Bnova, the small Champion I did order has AC 14 amps + DC 8 amps running and about AC 19 amp for startup. My A/C has rated 12 running amps, but I don't know if the genset is able to start it. I saw a lot of people which are report that with a hardstart capacitor they got the normal 13500 btu A/Cs running on this typ of generators.

Since a capacitor is only about $10 I will try.

[Bnova]

Oh yeah, I see that now, the 8 amps is for the DC side of it. D:oH! I thought that seemed a little bit low for 1600 watts divided by 120.