Remove Generator your Opinoin?

[peteco]

Originally Posted by Floorman

Its all wack and it comes down to, do I really need 120vac while in the Road Trek while boon docking Do I need the microwave or the AC or a reliable generator for resale? My limited 200ah AGM bank can be charged with my singular alternator.

That's where I am right now. The Onan died and is removed; good riddance. We get by without 120v when boondocking. But I am closely observing and learning about electrical system upgrade options from the great posts here (booster, phantomjock, davydd and many others...thanks). Someday when I understand enough, figure out what I need, have the time, and most importantly: set my mind to it, I will do the upgrade. Gets harder as I get older though.

[booster]

Originally Posted by peteco

That's where I am right now. The Onan died and is removed; good riddance. We get by without 120v when boondocking. But I am closely observing and learning about electrical system upgrade options from the great posts here (booster, phantomjock, davydd and many others...thanks). Someday when I understand enough, figure out what I need, have the time, and most importantly: set my mind to it, I will do the upgrade. Gets harder as I get older though.

You might want to consider just using a small pure sine wave inverter, either wired in or into a 12v outlet. We have a 2000 watt PSW Magnum inverter in our main system, but I did put two small Samlex 120 watt ones in also. One is in the audio/tv cabinet and the other on a cabinet end to use as a charging station for the various devices and the laptop. Low parasitic loss, very quiet and efficient. We don't use any 12v powered chargers for stuff anymore unless it is old stuff we occasionally use and haven't replaced. We just use the 120v chargers that came with them.

[peteco]

Originally Posted by booster

You might want to consider just using a small pure sine wave inverter, either wired in or into a 12v outlet. We have a 2000 watt PSW Magnum inverter in our main system, but I did put two small Samlex 120 watt ones in also. One is in the audio/tv cabinet and the other on a cabinet end to use as a charging station for the various devices and the laptop. Low parasitic loss, very quiet and efficient. We don't use any 12v powered chargers for stuff anymore unless it is old stuff we occasionally use and haven't replaced. We just use the 120v chargers that came with them.

Not sure I get much benefit going this route other than having microwave, which would be nice. But I would also have to do a battery wire upgrade from the present 750w Tripplite setup.

I am wanting to have air conditioning. That means getting rid of the CoolCat power hog (and noise hog) and putting in a lower energy use unit.

I am holding off as I have done incremental changes in the past and don't want to try to piecemeal it anymore. When I am ready to upgrade I want to do everything as a total system upgrade. A good thing about waiting is : 1. Li battery prices are getting lower, 2. More options are emerging for other system setups and components and, most important 3. Many smart and determined people on this forum are experimenting and figuring it all out.

[avanti]

Judging from recent experience, I think that the genset/second-alternator equation depends critically on whether you are deciding for yourself or whether you care about resale. We kept our Onan all these years, because it wasn't doing any harm. But, once we installed the second engine alternator, we very, very rarely used the genset. I never even considered having one on our new rig.

That said, when it came to selling our old van, it was very obvious that most potential buyers cared very much about the genset. We probably got more questions about it than any other single feature. When I mentioned the second alternator, people's eyes tended to glaze over--they clearly didn't know what I was talking about.

As fate would have it, after nine trouble-free years, the genset stopped cranking literally one week before delivery to the new owner. Turned out to be a failed internal ground strap which led to other electrical damage. Getting it fixed was not cheap.

[Floorman]

Thanks for the comments. Peteco, your comments have validated and have motivated to start the Onan KV removal. Your idea to hold off on individual improvements makes great sense. As always Booster your suggestion to have a pure sine inverter makes sense. While I have a oem laptop 12volt power supply and a 24" 12vdc tv, I found that streaming on the laptop to be more than sufficient and the wall mount for the TV flopping around is an issue I've experienced that you have resolved via the list of your past posts and improvements that Marco has shared. I'm going to look into the inverter idea. Maybe coupled with some solar charging that makes sense while boon docking. I followed with much interest comments made on some class B forum posts on the new Onan QG 2800i just as it was being introduced. As par for the course some of the hoped for advantages that you all spoke of are beyond my understanding but I do get the improvement of fuel injection, noise reduction, efficiency and I hope reliability . I don't quite understand "clean reliable permanent magnet alternator" but if that addresses reliability than that's worthwhile and addresses resale. Thanks again for the comments and suggestions

[jjrbus]

Interesting thread, appreciated. Oh my! My 02C200P is a class C, here I thought it was a class B!

I live in SW Florida and spend a lot of time in the south, generally run AC and genny 24/7! Fact I cannot stomach Onans and pulled the good running one out of my RT and sold it to someone, felt guilty selling it to them. Been using a Honda for over 20 years.

Use of AC, generator, oven, toothbrush, soap are all personal choices and there is no right or wrong.

[IMG][/IMG]

[booster]

Originally Posted by peteco

Not sure I get much benefit going this route other than having microwave, which would be nice. But I would also have to do a battery wire upgrade from the present 750w Tripplite setup.

I am wanting to have air conditioning. That means getting rid of the CoolCat power hog (and noise hog) and putting in a lower energy use unit.

I am holding off as I have done incremental changes in the past and don't want to try to piecemeal it anymore. When I am ready to upgrade I want to do everything as a total system upgrade. A good thing about waiting is : 1. Li battery prices are getting lower, 2. More options are emerging for other system setups and components and, most important 3. Many smart and determined people on this forum are experimenting and figuring it all out.

A total upgrade is a good way to go, IMO, and it what we did when we went to 440ah of AGM 8 years ago. This time it it much less of a change to go to the test lithium bank for longer term testing.


A system to run AC for any length of time will get to be quite large, minimum of 800ah probably even with efficient AC, and of course you need to replace that power you use so second alternator will probably be needed for that. Space, weight, and cost may all be issues in a 210, too, especially if you have to hire it done.

[jjrbus]

Originally Posted by peteco

I am wanting to have air conditioning. That means getting rid of the CoolCat power hog (and noise hog) and putting in a lower energy use unit.

I was one of the early ones with the LG9500 dual inverter AC. It is quiet, low draw, runs on a Honda 2000/2200 in ECO mode. Sitting on blacktop in full sun in summer Florida it is just enough. At night in sleep mode it is waaaaay better than the Fedders vacuum cleaner sounding that was in mine. I replaced a Fedders so check dimensions carefully.

I considered a mini split but there is no place to reasonably place the inside unit.

[N147JK]

Thank you for considering eliminating the generator. Generators are the single most irritating thing we run into. Too many times we have to pick up and move when someone shows up and starts running the d*** generator. These things need to be done away with and banned once and for all.