Making an Onan “Q” Generator Quieter - Mike Mas

[IdleUp]

Making an Onan “Q” Generator Quieter - Mike Mas

Hello Guys - I thought I would share one of my recent projects in making your RV generator a bit quieter. For the most part generators which have very respectable noise levels today, but there is always room for improvement. Here’s a quick article on making your generator a bit easier to live with.

Please click the link below for the article:

http://rotory.com/transit/noise/

Enjoy Mike

[GeorgeRa]

Perhaps you could post here the dB reduction data measured before and after your improvement so we can see it without adding clicks to your site.

[hbn7hj]

Onan does have a throttle/load control. It is called a governor. It would take a complete new design to vary the RPM. You should know that.

[booster]

Originally Posted by hbn7hj

Onan does have a throttle/load control. It is called a governor. It would take a complete new design to vary the RPM. You should know that.

Sounds similar to an old argument that it would be "easy" to change the Onan design to inverter/variable rpm style. Of course you have to change the generator itself to a high count multipole, new electronics, electronic speed control, and switch to an engine with a wide rpm curve, but all that is "easy", if you aren't one doing it and trying to make money at it.

[Davydd]

From your website:

Fortunately, in the decades that I’ve used generators, their noise was never a problem for me or others…

I think it is presumptuous to state noise was never a problem for others and if it was not problem with you, why go through with quieting. I guess it is presumptuous to make people go to your website by not providing what GeorgeRa is asking--the results with in which people would want to know what you did and then have incentive to visit. What you did is spam post. You know, like ads for toe fungus solutions.

Still, whether you understand or not, running a generator anywhere at any noise level is extremely obnoxious to many of us RVers and also still limits your camping abilities in places where you can camp and it doesn't change when you can run a generator when hours are posted.

This is a Class B group. Your solution doesn't apply to an open generator under a van. You forgot to mention that.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by jrobe

It is very easy to quiet an obnoxious Onan generator. Get rid of the damn thing and modernize to a second alternator so you don’t need to disturb the rest of us seeking peace and quiet on our vacations.

Second alternators idling in campgrounds is also a no-no. However, they can top off batteries better than any current system while driving. To get the most benefit you should have a high amp hour battery bank capacity, IMO. Maybe at least 200-400ah minimum, preferably lithium so you can use your electrical systems freely without qualms and an overnight's use can be recharged driving to a store to replenish groceries or beer, or just touring around the area sightseeing. At 200-400ah, if you nominally travel a few hours every day as a tourer and not a stay put camper you could get by without a second alternator in most cases. Anything more than 400ah will definitely benefit from a second alternator.

Generators are for people who camp needing air conditioning on private property with no one else around and having fetish for self-flagellation and driving wildlife away literally or the sound of it.

[avanti]

Moderator's note:
Thread cleaned up to remove low-value messages.

[rowiebowie]

Read his posts, don't read his posts. Doesn't matter to me. Doesn't mean we have to respond with challenges to everything IdleUp says.

Roadtrek Aventurous, Ross Williams, and now IdleUup are in the same boat. I read some of their stuff but they're not my favs. But I can't find even entertainment value in their posts when their threads devolve so quickly.

If all of IdleUps responding posts were removed here, then you've probably insured he won't post here again. Maybe that will make several members happy.

[markopolo]

Idleup is no stranger to causing controversy on forums. Take a look on IRV2.

IMO, he should just purchase ads to promote his articles across multiple forums instead of posting the same thing on several boards. He uses forums to promote his website but he doesn't participate on those forums. I haven't seen him helping out with the basic questions and stuff on all the forums he promotes his stuff on.

Contrast that to other posters in this topic. They tirelessly offer their time and proven knowledge helping others.

It's easy to have an enjoyable experience on forums. If every topic you're involved in blows up then it's time to take a look in the mirror.

[IdleUp]

Originally Posted by avanti

Moderator's note:
Thread cleaned up to remove low-value messages.

I would like to thank Avanti for cleaning up the horrible mess that was here.

The only reason I publish on my site and not here is because I use a professional publishing program that is not usable on forums.

Please understand there is "Zero" benefit for me personally regarding any hit's or clicks since there are no advertisers. In fact, some of my articles are against advertisers, such is the case with my "Comfort Drive" report.

Since I published a magazine for 19 years, writing is my enjoyment and hobby. All my work is only in place to help other RV'ers. It takes months and months to professionally prepare good articles.

Mike

[IdleUp]

Originally Posted by hbn7hj

Onan does have a throttle/load control. It is called a governor. It would take a complete new design to vary the RPM. You should know that.

Thanks for your reply - however the throttle I was discussing in the article is a "non-load" governor which allows the engine to run at idle, such as Honda generators use. This is sort of like the "Search" feature on the Freedom 3012 inverter where it remains at idle until it sees a load to conserve battery.

Mike