Thanks Eric, We really enjoy the convenience of our setup with just needing to push a button vs carrying around a portable generator and hooking up a cord. -Steve
Love your video we have a 2019 Montana legacy that is generator prep so we bought a brand new 5500 gas onan from a new rv dealer that has us a smoking deal so we have a delema we are having a hard time convincing anybody to help us install it because it was not intended for gas but I know there is a way we bought gas also because they are more efficient this thing is brand new never started so use your experience with hooking up fuel and where we can install the tank ours will more than likely go in the basement thanks Rus
Rus, I wouldn’t put the gas tank in the basement which would be connected to the indoor air system. If it doesn’t fit next to the generator like I did, I would look at getting a toy hauler gas tank that goes under the frame behind the axles. -Steve
Great vid and very helpful. Just bought a new truck and picking up the 5th wheel in Oct. Needs a generator and I was considering the Onan propane. You make some good points as to why going with gas and I agree. Since my truck is diesel I'm wondering if diesel would be a better option for me. Your thoughts?
I had looked into a diesel generator. They are a little heavier and more expensive than the gas unit. A benefit with diesel is if you have a tank in the bed of your truck is the ability to run a hose with quick connections to supply fuel to the generator too. Since I already had the gas generator there wasn’t a big enough benefit to buy a new generator. I would look at the size, weight, cost and fuel consumption of the gas vs diesel and make a decision that makes the most sense for your situation. -Steve
Just got a fifth wheel and wanting to do a small victron solar/lithium setup but trying to see if a generator like this is what i need or just a portable inverter generator for backup to the batteries. We are just starting out so no long term dry camping yet.
Steven, your needs may be different than ours so I’ll go over my system and how we use it so you can figure out what you need. I have 300 Amp Hours of lithium (3 Battle Born batteries) and a Victron 12V 3000 VA (2400 watt) inverter. I don’t have solar but have a 30 amp DC-DC charger so the truck charges the batteries as we drive. For the most part our boondocking is during overnight stays for multi day trips. I’ll run the generator for about 2 hours each day to top off the batteries and we run everything from the fridge to the microwave off the batteries. When I did the calculation, I would need 1,200 watts of solar to keep up with the power use and I would still need to run the generator if it wasn’t the perfect day where I would get enough charge from solar. For us the on board generator is preferred over hooking up a portable generator. Also I can run both air conditioners off the generator where it would take a huge solar system to do that. -Steve
Great video! I am getting ready to do the same as soon as my Onan arrives. I have a question about the EVAP fuel line on these newer generators. Where did you run that line? We don't have EVAP canisters so I am trying to figure out what to do with that. I saw you vented the tank using the marine fuel fuel kit so maybe you did the same thing with the EVAP line?
Andrew, The Onan 5500 burns 0.6 gal of gas per hour at 1/2 load and 0.9 gal/hr at full load. Which would be 36.6 hours at 1/2 load and 24.4 hours at full load on my 22 gallon tank. We get more use that that with not running the generator more than to charge the batteries or run the air in the hot part of the day. Having 3 lithium batteries with an inverter setup allows us to extend our fuel usage to at least double of the times I listed above. -Steve
@@RadarRoadWarriors Thanl you. Having the batteries and using the generator to charge them is the way to go. Do you get any charging of batteries when you hook to your truck?
@@andrewsimmons2694 with having the Lithium batteries our 2019 F-350 doesn’t give a usable charge through the 7-way connector because the truck doesn’t understand the lithium’s charging needs. I need to put in a dc-dc charger and run heavier cables to the trailer to achieve an actual charge while hooker up to the truck. -Steve
@@RadarRoadWarriors Hello, thanks for the video. Is it possible to charge the lithium batteries while running the generator? If so, would it be better to take power from the lithium batteries while they are being charged or would that decrease the power necessary to charge the batteries?
@@scottyjackson6665 while running the generator, it will create AC power which will allow your inverter/charger or converter to charge the DC batteries. If you use battery power while they are being charged, it will just take longer to charge but will not hurt anything. -Steve
Yes as long as you take care of the generator. It should be shut down every 24 hours to check the oil. Also the recommended oil change interval is 100 hours so you would want to plan on changing the oil & filter around day 4.
I have a smaller rig (31 ft. Montana 5th wheel with one air conditioner.) Go figure, I want to convert from gas to propane. It's a 4000 Onan. I have a diesel truck and do not want to fool with three fuel sources, hence convert my Onan from gas to propane. lol. Anyway, how difficult would it be to do just the opposite as did you. I would guess Onan has a kit ? Thanx, -keith
Keith, I would think you could change the carb and spark plug to convert the generator from gas to propane. You can check with Onan to see if it’s a possibility and if they make a conversion kit. -Steve
RV Waggin Tails, The front storage bay was built for a generator with the outlines to cut out the bottom for the generator airflow and I don’t have exact measurements. The generator had a couple extra inches front to back and a lot of space right to left for me to install the fuel tank. For the height, I have around 12” of shelf space over the top. I followed the instructions for installing but don’t have photos of the process since it was before we were making videos. -Steve www.cummins.com/sites/default/files/rv-manuals/0983-0600.pdf
@@curreycambo4451 I believe you’re talking about the vapor vent. It comes on the generator, you don’t need to do anything with it during the installation.
Which unit size you suggest for 3. Acs? 6500 or 7k? Also why are there so many units that seem to be very similar models? And number outputs? I understand the difference of fuel type ones. Commercial? Vs standard? Vs marquis gold? Thanks.
Scott, An AC uses about 1,400 watts so 3 would run off of a 5,500 watt gen but the other loads in the RV could max out the 5,500 watts. I would go with a 7,000 watt to be able to run all the ACs plus the fridge etc. On the different models/names, I don’t know the differences off hand. -Steve
You would use a transfer switch for that. The switch goes inline before the breaker panel box of the RV. Once you have the transfer switch, it’ll have instructions to wire it up.
Joy, It took me and my brother to lift it and my wife helped get all the hoses and wires to go in. Yes they are heavy and that is the hardest part of the job. Next time I would use a piece of plywood to slide it on to help get it over the edge of the door. -Steve
Only bad thing about the gas generator if you don't use it enough you'll gum it up and have to carry heavy Jerry cans just to fill apposed to propane to where it burns cleaner and all you do is exchange bottles
That is true. How we use it, that’s not an issue for us. Getting propane is an issue when working in a disaster area. We just pull the fuel truck up to our generator and fill it up since we deliver gas and diesel during relief efforts. Propane is very hard to come by for about 1 month after an area is devastated by a hurricane.
Full Time, The vent comes out toward the front near the generator door. It’s a marine style vent that came in the kit with the filler neck that goes onto the tank. -Steve amzn.to/3SeQxV5
Great overview! I’ve been wanting to get a generator for some time now.
Thanks Eric,
We really enjoy the convenience of our setup with just needing to push a button vs carrying around a portable generator and hooking up a cord. -Steve
Love your video we have a 2019 Montana legacy that is generator prep so we bought a brand new 5500 gas onan from a new rv dealer that has us a smoking deal so we have a delema we are having a hard time convincing anybody to help us install it because it was not intended for gas but I know there is a way we bought gas also because they are more efficient this thing is brand new never started so use your experience with hooking up fuel and where we can install the tank ours will more than likely go in the basement thanks Rus
Rus,
I wouldn’t put the gas tank in the basement which would be connected to the indoor air system. If it doesn’t fit next to the generator like I did, I would look at getting a toy hauler gas tank that goes under the frame behind the axles. -Steve
Great vid and very helpful. Just bought a new truck and picking up the 5th wheel in Oct. Needs a generator and I was considering the Onan propane. You make some good points as to why going with gas and I agree. Since my truck is diesel I'm wondering if diesel would be a better option for me. Your thoughts?
I had looked into a diesel generator. They are a little heavier and more expensive than the gas unit. A benefit with diesel is if you have a tank in the bed of your truck is the ability to run a hose with quick connections to supply fuel to the generator too. Since I already had the gas generator there wasn’t a big enough benefit to buy a new generator. I would look at the size, weight, cost and fuel consumption of the gas vs diesel and make a decision that makes the most sense for your situation. -Steve
Great information. Thank you
You’re welcome Humberto. I hope it helps. ~ Steve
This exactly what I need
That’s great to hear. Let us know if you have any questions.
Great video! love the setup! any videos of it running? inside and outside the rig?
We also have this video on the generator: ruclips.net/video/avg8G09cKlY/видео.html
Just got a fifth wheel and wanting to do a small victron solar/lithium setup but trying to see if a generator like this is what i need or just a portable inverter generator for backup to the batteries. We are just starting out so no long term dry camping yet.
Steven, your needs may be different than ours so I’ll go over my system and how we use it so you can figure out what you need. I have 300 Amp Hours of lithium (3 Battle Born batteries) and a Victron 12V 3000 VA (2400 watt) inverter. I don’t have solar but have a 30 amp DC-DC charger so the truck charges the batteries as we drive. For the most part our boondocking is during overnight stays for multi day trips. I’ll run the generator for about 2 hours each day to top off the batteries and we run everything from the fridge to the microwave off the batteries. When I did the calculation, I would need 1,200 watts of solar to keep up with the power use and I would still need to run the generator if it wasn’t the perfect day where I would get enough charge from solar. For us the on board generator is preferred over hooking up a portable generator. Also I can run both air conditioners off the generator where it would take a huge solar system to do that. -Steve
Great video! I am getting ready to do the same as soon as my Onan arrives. I have a question about the EVAP fuel line on these newer generators. Where did you run that line? We don't have EVAP canisters so I am trying to figure out what to do with that. I saw you vented the tank using the marine fuel fuel kit so maybe you did the same thing with the EVAP line?
I tied the return/EVAP line into the vent which drains back into the fuel tank. -Steve
@@RadarRoadWarriors Awesome, thank you for the quick reply!
Nice work. How many hours can you run on a full tank assuming you run your AC units constantly?
Andrew,
The Onan 5500 burns 0.6 gal of gas per hour at 1/2 load and 0.9 gal/hr at full load. Which would be 36.6 hours at 1/2 load and 24.4 hours at full load on my 22 gallon tank.
We get more use that that with not running the generator more than to charge the batteries or run the air in the hot part of the day. Having 3 lithium batteries with an inverter setup allows us to extend our fuel usage to at least double of the times I listed above. -Steve
@@RadarRoadWarriors Thanl you. Having the batteries and using the generator to charge them is the way to go. Do you get any charging of batteries when you hook to your truck?
@@andrewsimmons2694 with having the Lithium batteries our 2019 F-350 doesn’t give a usable charge through the 7-way connector because the truck doesn’t understand the lithium’s charging needs. I need to put in a dc-dc charger and run heavier cables to the trailer to achieve an actual charge while hooker up to the truck. -Steve
@@RadarRoadWarriors Hello, thanks for the video. Is it possible to charge the lithium batteries while running the generator? If so, would it be better to take power from the lithium batteries while they are being charged or would that decrease the power necessary to charge the batteries?
@@scottyjackson6665 while running the generator, it will create AC power which will allow your inverter/charger or converter to charge the DC batteries. If you use battery power while they are being charged, it will just take longer to charge but will not hurt anything. -Steve
Is it ok to boondock for 7 days with an onan generator? Obviously just have to keep refilling the gas. And continuous run 2 A/C’s
Yes as long as you take care of the generator. It should be shut down every 24 hours to check the oil. Also the recommended oil change interval is 100 hours so you would want to plan on changing the oil & filter around day 4.
I have a smaller rig (31 ft. Montana 5th wheel with one air conditioner.) Go figure, I want to convert from gas to propane. It's a 4000 Onan. I have a diesel truck and do not want to fool with three fuel sources, hence convert my Onan from gas to propane. lol. Anyway, how difficult would it be to do just the opposite as did you. I would guess Onan has a kit ? Thanx, -keith
Keith,
I would think you could change the carb and spark plug to convert the generator from gas to propane. You can check with Onan to see if it’s a possibility and if they make a conversion kit. -Steve
How deep is/was your front bay and do you have any pictures of the installation process itself?
RV Waggin Tails,
The front storage bay was built for a generator with the outlines to cut out the bottom for the generator airflow and I don’t have exact measurements. The generator had a couple extra inches front to back and a lot of space right to left for me to install the fuel tank. For the height, I have around 12” of shelf space over the top.
I followed the instructions for installing but don’t have photos of the process since it was before we were making videos. -Steve
www.cummins.com/sites/default/files/rv-manuals/0983-0600.pdf
Did you have to add a separate transfer switch?
Yes, this RV did not come prepped with a transfer switch, so I added one into the RV wiring.
amzn.to/3UWDPfE
What is the other connection by the fuel filter? It goes up to the manifold
The intake manifold
@@curreycambo4451 I believe you’re talking about the vapor vent. It comes on the generator, you don’t need to do anything with it during the installation.
Which unit size you suggest for 3. Acs? 6500 or 7k? Also why are there so many units that seem to be very similar models? And number outputs? I understand the difference of fuel type ones. Commercial?
Vs standard? Vs marquis gold? Thanks.
Scott,
An AC uses about 1,400 watts so 3 would run off of a 5,500 watt gen but the other loads in the RV could max out the 5,500 watts. I would go with a 7,000 watt to be able to run all the ACs plus the fridge etc.
On the different models/names, I don’t know the differences off hand. -Steve
I need some help with how to wire the generator to my trailer. I have a 30 amp 120 volt system.
You would use a transfer switch for that. The switch goes inline before the breaker panel box of the RV. Once you have the transfer switch, it’ll have instructions to wire it up.
What tank do you use eny descripción or información pls
The products I used to do this custom build are listed in the description of this RUclips video.
How did you lift the generator up in there?? We took ours out of our older 5 th wheel and now we want to put in our new one but it so heavy!
Joy,
It took me and my brother to lift it and my wife helped get all the hoses and wires to go in. Yes they are heavy and that is the hardest part of the job.
Next time I would use a piece of plywood to slide it on to help get it over the edge of the door. -Steve
Only bad thing about the gas generator if you don't use it enough you'll gum it up and have to carry heavy Jerry cans just to fill apposed to propane to where it burns cleaner and all you do is exchange bottles
That is true. How we use it, that’s not an issue for us. Getting propane is an issue when working in a disaster area. We just pull the fuel truck up to our generator and fill it up since we deliver gas and diesel during relief efforts. Propane is very hard to come by for about 1 month after an area is devastated by a hurricane.
True gas can only be stored for 6 months. While propane can be stored indefinitely.
Do you have details on the enclosure you used?
I don’t on that since I built it using plywood and covered with sound deadening heat resistant material.
How much did the RV generator cost
When I bought this one in 2019 it was in the $5000-$5500 range. Last I looked they are closer to $7000 now.
How is the fuel tank vented ?
Full Time,
The vent comes out toward the front near the generator door. It’s a marine style vent that came in the kit with the filler neck that goes onto the tank. -Steve
amzn.to/3SeQxV5