Trouble with Onan Generator April 03, 2012, 10:38:36 am Yahoo Message Number: 129597We took our 1995 LD in to fix the generator which we have not used in the year that we have owned the LD. The repairman said he got it running but he will need to go deeper into it to repair parts, which means dropping it and it will run about $700 for total fee. My question is should we spend that much on a 17 year old Onan or invest in a new Honda generator?
Re: Trouble with Onan Generator Reply #1 – April 03, 2012, 10:42:23 am Yahoo Message Number: 129598I vote for getting a new one. You can nickel and dime yourself to death when you start working on a generator that age. I spent over $700 on a former generator, and it still had other issues about 2 weeks after that, so I ditched it and bought a new one. Its just not worth throwing away the money.Just my opinion....................__
Re: Trouble with Onan Generator Reply #2 – April 03, 2012, 11:01:26 am Yahoo Message Number: 129599More information please. How many hours on the old generator? What model is it? What did the mechanic say is wrong with it? To do any type of serious work, Onans need to be dropped, it is not that big a deal to a shop dedicated to this type of work. A new Honda will have to be carried by hand as Honda does not make a replacement generator for the Onans. Where would you carry it and how would you safely store the gas cans? The smaller, easy to transport Hondas (1000 and 2000 watt models) are not big enough to run the A/C, especially at altitudeLarry
Re: Trouble with Onan Generator Reply #3 – April 03, 2012, 01:05:11 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129601Going from a built-in generator to a (semi) portable one has major drawbacks, as Larry pointed out: where to store it (Honda's EU3000i is BIG and weighs 80 pounds, and anything smaller won't run your air conditioner), where to store the gasoline containers... and then there's the worry about theft, and the fact that you can't just start it from indoors with the press of a button. If your mechanic feels that your old Onan is worth keeping, then $700 would be money well spent to avoid these problems, in my humble opinion. If it isn't, I'd look for a rebuilt Onan of the same type before I'd go with a portable, much as I like the Hondas.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Theft Reply #4 – April 03, 2012, 11:28:56 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129617As one who is new to RV life,
Re: Trouble with Onan Generator Reply #5 – April 03, 2012, 11:45:37 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129618Thanks for the advice. Talked to the onan repair man and he said the electrical part of the generator is what needs to be repaired. The gasoline engine part is working fine. He is going to try and get the parts from another used onan to repair ours. The price should be about $700. He said if we had to get parts from Onan it would cost about $1500. So we are going to go with the first option. Will let you know what happens next.
Re: Trouble with Onan Generator Reply #6 – April 04, 2012, 12:12:06 am Yahoo Message Number: 129619Good luck__ From: reenannez MJZELNAR@...> To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, April 3, 2012 10:45 PM Subject: [LD] Re: Trouble with Onan GeneratorThanks for the advice. Talked to the onan repair man and he said the electrical part of the generator is what needs to be repaired. The gasoline engine part is working fine. He is going to try and get the parts from another used onan to repair ours. The price should be about $700. He said if we had to get parts from Onan it would cost about $1500. So we are going to go with the first option. Will let you know what happens next.
Re: Theft Reply #7 – April 04, 2012, 10:41:16 am Yahoo Message Number: 129623wrote: How common and how much of a problem is theft? --- I've never had anything stolen in the many years that I've been camping/RVing, but (except in rare cases) I don't leave items like a barbecue, chairs, EMS, etc., as unsecured, easy targets for the casual rip-off campground cruiser. Thefts can happen anywhere, anytime; I've had packages pinched off the front porch of my home within a very short time of delivery by FedEX or UPS! All one can really do to prevent theft is to use common sense: be aware of one's surroundings, including neighbors, and lock up/secure/*remove from view*, e.g., don't leave purses, cameras, iPads, phones in the front seat in plain sight, potentially attractive items when they're not in use or under direct supervision. Understand that stuff can still "walk away" if the item is appealing enough, the circumstances make detection unlikely, and the thief is sufficiently determined; as some know well, a heavy chain and/or lock will not necessarily prevent some creep from pinching one's portable generator! I suggest not worrying about thefts past taking reasonable precautions to prevent it in the first place. As ever, YMMV.Joan
Re: Theft Reply #8 – April 04, 2012, 11:00:36 am Yahoo Message Number: 129624"How common and how much of a problem is theft?" It's fairy rare, but a portable generator is a tempting target--I lost one while camping at Quartzsite a few years ago, even though it was chained to the rig. (To be fair, it was a diminutive Honda EU1000i, which is a lot easier to make off with than the bulky 3000 watt model we were discussing.) But overall, theft is rare in most pubic campgrounds. I've heard of a few people who lost chairs that they left outside overnight, but even that is uncommon. My impression from talking with other RVers and reading RVing magazines is that theft isn't something most people encounter. Of course, a lot depends on where you camp. Places like Quartzsite, AZ or The Slabs (Niland, CA) that allow long-term camping for little or no money tend to attract down-and-out folks who may be more likely to covet your possessions. State and national campgrounds, with their daily fees and their two-week stay limits, are less likely to have this problem, and that's also true for most private campgrounds. All in all, theft isn't something most of us worry much about. Of course, common-sense precautions are always a good idea: lock your doors, don't leave valuables lying around your campsite, that sort of thing.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Theft Reply #9 – April 04, 2012, 04:11:06 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129636Our only experience with theft was actually rather amusing . . . after it was over with. We were camping with my folks in their LD, and planned to barbeque a lamb roast. My husband and my dad had gone fishing, also, and caught a few nice trout. They propped their poles against the outside of the rig, set up the barbeque, and started the roast. Then they cleaned the fish and brought them inside to freeze for later. This all took place in late afternoon, broad daylight. We were inside, playing cards and reading, and admiring the delicious aroma of the lamb, when someone got up to see if it needed turning or basting. They discovered that the fishing poles were gone and so was that wonderful lamb roast! Luckily we had the trout, and although we normally love them, it was a discouraged and angry crew that ate fish that night.The next morning, one of the party was walking to the bathhouse and found the fishing poles, lines snarled beyond recovery, in some bushes nearby. A few traces of meat, barbeque sauce, etc., were still visible as well. We determined that some of the dogs that either lived at the campground or belonged to visiting campers had stealthily carried off the lamb and probably grabbed the fishing poles because they smelled interesting.Recovering the poles was the big thing; too bad about the lamb, but that's life in the the big sandbox. In recent years, we have been able to laugh about it, but every time it comes up, my poor dad looks angry all over again.Sonsie
Re: Theft Reply #10 – April 04, 2012, 05:15:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129637I'm sure it was a bear that took the rost and fishing rods. You would have never found the rods if they were strung with the correct line..... ;~)
Re: Theft Reply #11 – April 05, 2012, 01:33:48 am Yahoo Message Number: 129645Joan, Andy, and Sonsie, Thanks you for your responses. Three weeks ago, I placed an order for a 24' FD for a July delivery. This list, the Lazy Daze Companion, and archives were a great help. My thanks to everyone that contributes to them and helps maintain these resources as well as they do.GerardPosted by: "Andy Baird" andybaird2000 Wed Apr 4, 2012 8:00 am (PDT) "How common and how much of a problem is theft?"It's fairy rare, but a portable generator is a tempting target--[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Theft Reply #12 – April 05, 2012, 12:23:28 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129652Mmmmmm Boy! Got your maiden voyage all planned out? Make it a great one to remember. Your new LD should give you years of good service.*Larry*Lawrence D. Latham 45120 Highway 79, #916 Aguanga, CA 92536-9706 (951) 234-4253
Re: Theft Reply #13 – April 09, 2012, 02:10:16 pm Yahoo Message Number: 129750Quote How common and how much of a problem is theft? Not much worry to us. We have never had anything stolen in the 40 years that we have been RVing. Even when I do something stupid like leaving a camera on the hood of the Jeep while hiking a very popular trail. The Jeep was parked right in front of the trail head. Dozens of people walked by it. We returned two hours later and there it was. We like to park where there is nothing but horizon. Meaning few people around. Never a problem.Cheers, Don
Topic: Trouble with Onan Generator (Read 4 times)
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Topic: Trouble with Onan Generator (Read 4 times)
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