Fifth Wheels and Generators

[Tagalong]

Hi Folks,

I'd like to hear from 5er owners who have generators permanently installed in their 5er. Our next unit will be our "part time" retirement home and would really like to have all the "bells and whistles. " I'd like to hear the pros and cons of having an on-board (gas or diesel) generator(in a 5er). Most of our travel is in and around the Northeast so I have not noticed any 5ers with generators.

I have also posted this on the IRV2 web site.

Thanks for your input,

Tagalong

 

[ewcmr2]

I'd say you definitely want an RV generator in your trailer. Being able to push a button on the wall is so much more convenient than dragging a portable generator out of the trailer, plugging it in and pulling the cord every time you want 110v.



Eric

 

[BatMan01]

Tagalong

Get the generator, you will not regret it. I went with a propane one so I do not have to carry around yet another fuel supply. I had it plumbed right into the trailer propane system. I can now go out and stay without hookups and last until the holding tanks get full.

 

[klenger]

I am considering the Onan 3600 Microquiet LP for my 5er. I considered the gas vs LP for quite a while, and decided that since I'm already carrying 80 lbs (18 gallons) of propane that it made more sense. I may also get a spare 40# LP tank and keep it in the truck tool-box (properly secured). With LP you don't have to worry about gas going bad when not used in the winter, etc. It also is more convenient and safer to use the LP I already carry rather than a third fuel type.



Here is some info that I put together on RV generator noise levels.



http://www.klenger.net/arctic-fox/generator-noise/index.html



Also, when sizing, consider that generator output drops off at about 3% / 1000 ft above sea level.

 

[Tagalong]

Excellent suggestions!

ewcmr2

Ah yes, to be able to hit a button and you're camping! Thanks for your post. I'll use it to support my reasons to go for the big $$$ when we buy!



BatMan01

Running off propane makes sense! Something else to "add" for! Thanks!



klenger

The 3600 sounds like a good choice. I'll be using your link to help with noise and size rating. We only have one AC and will be looking to purchase a generator that will be sufficient rather than over-rated. We usually camp in campgrounds with full hook-ups but when traveling in the hotter parts of the country it will be great maintaining a cooler 5er.

Thanks for all your posts!

 

[TRACKERJOHN]

Tagalong

I have a 30' 5th wheel with Honda EV6010 (6000w) gas generator. It has 20 gal tank set up under the axels. I've found it runs less than a gallon hr. (Days) It doesn't cut in to the propane supply (2 x 7 gal. ) This allows for extended Boondocking.



TRACKERJOHN

 

[Tagalong]

TRACKERJOHN

I've never heard of installing a gas tank on a 5er! With 20 gallons you can boondock for a year!

Thanks for the reply... more food for thought.

 

[ewcmr2]

Someone wrote:

I've never heard of installing a gas tank on a 5er!

----------------------------------------------------------



I used a 6. 5gal marine fuel tank. With the quick disconnect fuel line I can easily pull the tank out of the trailer and bring it with me to a gas station.



Eric

 

[Turbo Thom]

Tagalong:

I would say if you get the right one , there is no other way to go. My Wanderer I have for sale has a 5500 Onan Marquis mounted in the front, under the bed area. I have found more times than I thought I would have for using it. The wife and I go to a lot of NASCAR races and there it is priceless. Watch the race then back to the trailer to watch to post race show. I love it. But the best reason I can think of is when we go to bed the other generators around the track are very loud and keep the "sand man" out of my trailer. I crank up our's and it is so quite, just a little hum at 1800 RPM, tunes out the others and the next morning I feel great. Make the coffee, step outside and look at all the drunks that didn't sleep. . Like I said, I love it. If the buyer of this one dosen't want the Onan, it will go in the Teton as soon as it gets here.



Also I carry the gasoline in a marine tank in the truck. When I use it I put the tank by the front landing gear and run the hose down the hole of the leg. The tank is 6 gal and 5 last about 10 hours. With one gal left I just pour in 5 more and the gen never shuts off. I will not carry gasoline in the trailer. Never.



. . Preston. .

 

[Tagalong]

Turbo Tom,

Sounds like you're certainly making the best of your boondocking! Ya gotta love it!Oo. I'm liking the idea of a generator more and more! And best of luck with your Teton... now that's a home on wheels! We've checked them out and man are they built well!

Eric,

Clever installation! I bet it works great.

As the saying goes, "where there's a will, there's a way!

Thanks for your information and enjoy your camping season.

Tagalong

 

[VietDoc]

Tagalong



We also have thought of the pro's and con's of fixed or portable generator. We will mostly be in the Rocky's with a trip to Alaska and once in a great while back east. We will not full-time nor part-time for several years... .



I am looking at Solar panels first. We have a large basement A/C unit, but won't need it in the mountains or Alaska. Or if we spend winter in Arizona. With Solar panels I can run, a couple of more batteries and AC/DC inverter I can run everythin except the A/C. I am still trying to determine about the WasherDryer and the mircowave. The microwave is the new GE Advantum Oven so it takes a little more juice.



We would rather boondock all the time and forget RV parks... . The are little more than one level apartments and crowded.



doc

 

[airmoore]

Tagalong

I had the same sort of decision to make that you are making now, and decided on a built in generator. I looked very hard at the Honda portables, but decided that I wanted the convenience of a "built in" unit. My camper is a Wildcat 28BH, and does not offer a generator option, so I designed the install myself. The generator is an Onan 4000 (bought from Coloradostandby.com, the cheapest place I could find. I built a bracket under the bottom middle frame of my fifth wheel and mounted the generator underneath and out of sight. I then put a marine 12 gallon tank in the front compartment with a quick disconnect fuel line to the generator. The exhaust was fabricated by an exhaust shop for me and runs out from under the camper on the side away from the door. Installed a plug under the camper near where my electrical line comes out of the camper (just plug it in after starting the generator. ) the start switch and hour meter are installed inside the camper. It works great, and I have not had any problems or regrets with this system.

Clint

 

[Tagalong]

Clever stuff!

Viet Doc,

That sounds like a truly evnironmentally friendly set-up... and quiet too! Seeing as the sun's half way through its life you've got plenty of energy for the road!



airmoore

Man, that's sounds like some piece of workmanship for your installation. All the more information I have to consider... and I appreciate every bit of it from each and everyone.

If all goes well, and we actually do get to purchase a new 5er I'll probably settle for a factory installed generator... so we can hook it up at the dealer and go!!!!

Those of you from the NewEngland area will know what I'm talking about when I say our first boondock will be LOT 9 at Foxwoods!!Oo.



Thanks for your posts,

Tagalong

 

[rblomquist]

Get a generator, and since we're all Cummins fanatics you myaswell get an Onan. We bought an 02 Toybox trailer and didn't get a generator cause we thought the extra $3500 over the cost of a portable wasn't worth it. Boy were we wrong, we've already traded in our 02 and lost are you know what and one of the 2 the primary reasons was to get another trailer with a built-in genset.



We got the Onan Marquis Gold 5. 5k gas genset. IT IS NICE! Also, if I need parts for it I can get them at the Cummins shop while picking up supplies for the truck.

 

[Balzac]

Hi,

I have a Jayco 3030, previous owner had an old cast iron Onan 4K installed in one front compartment. It is on propane which I really like. Am now looking at solar as well.

Jim

 

[jelag]

I've done it a little differently... ...



I have a 5K Honda that sits in the bed of the truck..... bolted down when we are our for several weeks... .



I've run an extra lead from the power box in the trailer to the front of the trailer next to where my trailer connector is... .



We have a jumper lead for the 120v lead just like the jumper for the 12 v connector... . different plugs of course.....



I step out of the truck, touch the switch and the generator starts and by the time I'm at the door to the trailer the system is up and running..... the gen set has enough fuel that I get it when I stop for diesel, usually every 2 days or so... .



When we take the trailer and know that we are't going to need the generator it stays home... ... .



I can use the generator without the trailer etc... .



Just my 2 cents worth...

 

[MrFixit]

More Info

I have used several genartor setups over the years. The permanently mounted are the best. I put an Onan 4K in my 28' Aljo 5er. Still need to mount a tank as I have to use a portable marine fuel tank right now. The less work you have to do to setup the better. The portable were a pain to carry from truck to trailer, you have to lock them up, they are noisy. (except the new Hondas) Once I installed the permanet, it was night and day. The push button feature is the greatest. I have pictures of my install if you would like to see, I can email them to you if you PM me. We can discuss any other questions you have. I liked this setup so much, I yanked it out of my old trailer and put into the Aljo.

 

[Shooter]

I have a Onan gas 6. 5k Emerald commercial ( 1800 rpm )set in the 5th. I opted for the Emerald for several reasons: they do not make the RV Emerald ( 1800 rpm )any more. It has a control panel with doagnostic led's and hour meter on control panel, built in 12vdc 10a battery charge windings & I installed a remote panel in the kitchen.

I carry 6-6gal marine gastanks ( easier to handle than the equivilant 147# of propane ) that fit between the 5th wheel and my aux fuel tank in the bed of the truck and run the fuel line through the landing gear opening to the tanks on the ground or in the bed.



Last fall while deer and elk hunting ( wives were hunting too ) we boondocked for 5 weeks at about 8k ft, temps were 20-50 day and 0-20's at night The gen was run for about 1/2hr in am to recharge the batteries and a couple hrs at night ( satelite tv ) to fully charge the batteries before shutting it down for the night. We were 3 hrs from the nearest town, 4. 5 hrs from propane. We procured water ( 2- 15 gal drums ) about . 5 hr away every 4 or 5 days. We only made one trip to town, the 4th week and did not have to get gas or propane. If we had a propane gen we would have had to fill propane tanks at least once.

Black tank was about full, propane was about expended, and had 1 tank of gas left.

Everything was great



Now for the 2 solar powered units that were with us:{ :{



It was overcast for all but 3 days. Snowed the last 2 weeks and rained the first 2. 5 weeks. We had extension cords run to the the other trailers to recharge their batteries. They never achieved full charge because of the limited gen time. Thier tv time was determined by my gen. They could not watch tv or use any 12v acessories except miminal lighting. On a couple of occasions one of them would try to fully charge his two 8D batteries ( she wanted to watch some tv )with jumper cables to his Cummins diesel for about 4 or 5 hrs and still could not top off batteries.

My gen cost about 30% more than their 4 big solar panels, inverters, charger +++++..... that only gave a few days full use of trailer and acessories.



It was everyones first extended boondocking and some very big important electrical systems lessons were learned. 1 furnaces use a lot of power. 2 tv's eat power. 3 when batteries go dead or ( below 11. 2vdc ) the furnaces will shut down and the other halfs get irritated at 2am when they wake up and have to get the sleeping bags out and try to heat by stove in the dark.



Runing the ac while making a short sleep stop in a rest area or Walmart is also convient



JM $. 02 worth for free

 

[MrFixit]

Inverter/Charger

And also for Boondocking, a good battery charging system is a must. I installed a trace inverter/charger that puts out 50amps and 3 stage charging. Running this system with the generator every night for an hour or less keeps the batteries topped off real nice.

 

[JField]

airmoore,

Are there any pictures of your install, it sounds great and I would be interested in doing something similar on mine.

Jfield