Run Generator While Driving? September 19, 2019, 01:38:42 pm Can the onboard Onan generator run while driving? Is it safe?
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #1 – September 19, 2019, 01:44:49 pm According to manual it can. I'll let the veterans chime in on the safety of doing this though. Personally, I would never do this unless absolutely necessary but thats just me.
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #2 – September 19, 2019, 02:12:03 pm Quote from: jrsl1982 - September 19, 2019, 01:38:42 pmCan the onboard Onan generator run while driving? Is it safe? Sure you can. I recall one trip with kids and grandkids when outside temps were upper 90s and we needed to also make time getting home, so the a/c was running and my wife was heating frozen dinners in the microwave. It was a great convenience.Chris 5 Likes
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #3 – September 19, 2019, 04:18:47 pm The trip that really really made the LD shine was a trip to Assateague State Park in MD from our home in VA. This is an annual camping trip with good friends. Dinner was waiting for us at the beach. But traffic sad not cooperation. Gina said something about loving to eat some pop corn. I said that would be nice, to bad we didn’t have any. “Oh, no we have some but it has to be popped in the microwave,” said she. I told her how to start the generator. Almost as good as not having to stop for a bathroom break. 7 Likes
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #4 – September 22, 2019, 06:20:40 pm Since we rarely use the geni we run it on the road many times just to get some hours in. I see no harm. In fact it may be safer. Glen 3 Likes
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #5 – September 22, 2019, 10:36:42 pm Like others, I run the generator from time to time while driving. We just got back from a 61 day trip and the last day of the trip I ran the generator for a few hours to give it some run time and save the propane. No problemDavid 1 Likes
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #6 – September 23, 2019, 12:05:03 pm I just had a situation where I needed to run the generator while moving down the road. I was in a remote area of Eastern Oregon when my charging needle on the dash dropped to nothing. It looked like the alternator went out. I did not turn off the engine hoping there was still some charge making it to the battery. As I limped back to Eugene I pulled off the side of the road and, when at idle, noticed all the needles on the dash bottomed out indicating my battery was dead. I called ahead to Eugene, 30 miles away, and found a shop that would take me in to replace the alternator. I started the generator in order to charge the battery. I am not a mechanic but, in effect, I thought this would circumvent the bad alternator. I kept the generator running all the way to the repair shop. They replaced the alternator and I was back on the road within two hours...whew! 3 Likes
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #7 – September 23, 2019, 01:24:38 pm Someone educate me pretty please..Regarding the batteries - assuming there are 2 house batteries and 1 chassis battery. Are house & chassis batteries connected? (Can I use them to "jump" each other?)Does the alternator charge the house batteries as well as the chassis battery when we're driving?
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #8 – September 23, 2019, 01:34:34 pm Quote from: Kit - September 23, 2019, 01:24:38 pmSomeone educate me pretty please..Regarding the batteries - assuming there are 2 house batteries and 1 chassis battery. Are house & chassis batteries connected? (Can I use them to "jump" each other?)Does the alternator charge the house batteries as well as the chassis battery when we're driving?Older LDs used a diode battery isolator. This allowed the alternator to send charging current to both chassis and house batteries, but prevented discharge current from chassis to house or house to chassis. Newer LDs went to a charging solenoid which connects both battery banks together when the engine is running. This allows the engine alternator to charge both banks when the engine is running. So with a newer LD, if the generator is running and providing charge current to the house bank it can also send power to the chassis battery system (including engine electronics) when the engine ignition is on.Art 3 Likes
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #9 – September 23, 2019, 01:36:05 pm Quote from: Kit - September 23, 2019, 01:24:38 pmRegarding the batteries - assuming there are 2 house batteries and 1 chassis battery. Are house & chassis batteries connected? (Can I use them to "jump" each other?)Does the alternator charge the house batteries as well as the chassis battery when we're driving?The alternator charges all batteries, but in reverse the batteries are isolated from the alternator and each other - IF isolated by a DIODE isolator. However, I believe more recent models use a RELAY isolator. This connects all batteries together once the engine starts. Our '04 has a diode isolator. A jumper can be hooked to a diode isolator to connect the batteries, or a switch installed, but LD did not offer this option.Steve 1 Likes
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #10 – September 23, 2019, 06:48:59 pm I have a diode isolator. In the bad old days the high power isolating relays could weld contacts together leaving you with a dead starting battery when the house batteries were run down. Newer modern power relays are much better and more reliable so as not to stick closed when you least expect it. Don't know if I really believe that. I carry a 20' #2 set of jumper cables in case I need to start the engine from the house batteries. I haven't needed them for myself, but they have been used for other people's towed car batteries, and once for another person's dead chassis battery. You probably wouldn't need to hook the engine battery to house batteries. Starting and running the engine could allow you to start the generator, if the house batteries weren't up to it. RonB 3 Likes
Re: Run Generator While Driving? Reply #11 – September 24, 2019, 02:32:50 am On long summer drives, in very hot conditions, we will often start the generator an hour before arriving at camp and run the A/C to pre-cool the interior. Been doing this for 16 years without issues.Both our 1983 and 2003 LDs came with diode isolators. The 1983's 63-amp alternator was too small so it was replaced with a 150-amp alternator which promptly burned the diode out. It was replaced with a HD relay, it worked fine but I alway worried about the same thing Ron's feared, that the the relay's contacts would stick. The 2003's still has the Factory isolator but has been rewired with a marine battery switch that allows a direct connection between the coaching starting batteries, using 2-gauge cable, large enough to easily start the engine, using the coach battery. This eliminated having to carry jumper cables. Some brands of RVs have this feature stock or as an option.Larry 1 Likes
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