Onan generator survey

2800 MicroLite by Onan
Mgittrich
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Onan generator survey

Post by Mgittrich »

So my generator is not operational and I'm trying to determine what the best course of action is.

I would not use the generator to run the a/c I would only use it to charge the batteries and occasionally run the microwave.

My current project is essentially to upgrade the converter and add two 100 amp hr batteries underneath the couch. You might have seen my post in the electrical section of this forum. This is all in preparation for doing more dry camping. To make this work I need a way to maintain the batteries over an extended period without an electrical connection. So the use of the generator for this purpose is ideal.

However, I tried to get the generator repaired a couple of years ago but was told a new carburetor or carburetor kit was needed which was not available. This failed attempt to repair the generator cost me several hundred dollars. So I'm thinking another attempted repair with a new carburetor is likely to set me back another $500 with no guarantee of success. The generator has 325 hrs on it and is original to the MH from 1993.

So I'm curious as to what the experience has been with other B190 owners who have the generator? Has it been reliable? Is it inoperable more often then it has been operable?

I believe the cost of replacing the generator is somewhere between $2000 and $3000 dollars. I also know that from looking at this and other forums that the Onans can be temperamental making them somewhat unreliable. I also know that only an onan will fit in our generator compartment.

So given all this I've been looking at alternatives. The one that seems to be talked about he most is using a Honda EU2000 plugged into the shore power connection. It's light weight, portable, reliable and cost last then $1000. So if you have one I'd be interested in hearing what you think of it.

Thanks for reading this and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this topic.

Mike Gittrich
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skater
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by skater »

My original generator died not long after I bought the van. To diagnose it, he was going to have to pull it from the van, and at that point it could be a $1000 part - and if I spent that money, I still had a bunch of 16-year-old parts. I replaced it with a new Onan to the tune of $2300. The new one worked fairly well, although the hour meter didn't work (not strictly necessary anyway).

I considered the Honda solution too, but as you noted it won't fit in the compartment and then you have that hassle, as well as the hassle of gas to deal with.

After we sold the B190, we promptly bought one Honda EU2000, then later added a second (to run the A/C in the camper if needed). They are GREAT generators - quiet, reliable, sturdy little workhorses. They start relatively easily - it usually takes me a couple pulls to get the fuel into the carb and all, but nothing serious. They're light enough (~50 lbs) that my wife and I can both move them around without a problem. I've run them for hours on end powering our house fridge, freezer, lights, and internet connection. Definitely worth the money. Yamaha makes similar generators that I've heard also work extremely well. Really, the only downside in relation to using them with a B190 is the headache of storing it and the fuel, and if you're worried about it getting stolen and all that.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

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Reddeer
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by Reddeer »

The Onan in our 1993 has low hours, less than 300, and has been reliable after $400 of TLC after we bought the motor home. I do not use it much, mostly as a battery charger. I run it monthly to keep the carb flushed, and pray that it lasts a while. I would personally add a Honda if it fails me. IMHO the money is best spent on electrical upgrades, as you are doing, and a new Honda.
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craigmar
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by craigmar »

Just for information and maybe save a buck or two. In an earlier post under Generator Info I had talked to a mechanic that had many years of experience with the Onan. If you read that post there is some good info. I searched Onan Green Label part # 0146-0705 (carb kit which is a complete carb). I purchased mine for $138, the same part now lists for $179. I still have the new carb as my other fixes in that earlier post are still at work and my gen set runs like a brand new unit. The above part is still available so I don't know what kind of guy you took the gen set to but perhaps you can save a bundle by getting the carb, replacing it yourself and have a reliable generator again. I would try the simple fix first and then move on as it worked for me and if and when I sell my b-190 the new owner will inherit the brand new carb and maybe it will sit on his shelf for 4-5 years as it has on my shelf. I am into getting things done right but cheap and spend more money on my trip etc. Good Luck.
Mgittrich
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by Mgittrich »

Thanks everyone for the posts.

Good info here. It looks like the genset is a little bit frustrating for some and yet others have had a relatively good experience. I fall into that first frustration category and wonder about the wisdom of spending more on an aging piece of equipment.

I hope more people chime I here.

Mike
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by WonderBobo »

Still wondering how to change the oil (1993) in the generator without having to pull it out since oil drain is on the bottom...do I need to change the oil? I bought this in 2011, used it a month and it has been sitting since, is being driven 1900 miles to a new site with full electrical hookup...any maintenance/performance suggestions? I am a female who has been mechanically challenged and who is now wanting to learn more about these things,
EricZ
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by EricZ »

I have the original Onan Microlite 2.8 in my 1993 Airstream 190.

Not long after acquiring my 190, I found that the voltage and frequency from the Onan were both way off. I ended up cleaning the carburetor and adjusting the generator. I got the adjustment pretty close, though it still hunts a little (varies voltage and frequency slightly) until it has a load (even a very small load). Someday I might tune it further, but it hasn't been enough of a bother to do so.

I also have a Honda EU2000i. The Honda is much quieter and much more fuel efficient, but it's not built in. I use it rarely, and only for situations in which I will be needing power for long periods of time and don't want to use the Onan. Having the Onan built in is very convenient, as is the remote start.

The EU2000i also won't reliably run my rooftop air conditioner without help. That help could be another EU-series Honda (they can combine to provide more power). In my case the help is provided by an on-board inverter that can bridge the brief periods that the A/C is drawing more power than a single EU2000i can provide. (Note that this is not just an off-the-shelf inverter -- it's a Xantrex PROsine 2.0 with a BIG battery bank behind it. Even other 2000-watt inverters might not be able to do this.)

So, in short:
- I like having the built-in Onan.
- You might not need a new carb.
- Even if you did need a new carb., I'd be shocked if you couldn't get one (as Craig mentions above).
EricZ
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by EricZ »

Changing oil in the Onan Microlite 2.8:

When I first got my 1993 Airstream 190, I found that there was no provision to change the oil in the built-in Onan generator (without removing it from the vehicle, that is). I determined that the generator had an oil drain port in the bottom, but Airstream had evidently forgotten to put a hole in the vehicle floor below that drain port.

I thus carefully located the place where a hole should be and drilled my own. This made it easy to access the drain plug.

Though I could then access the drain plug, oil still got on the floor of the generator compartment when opened the plug, making a mess. I thus installed a Fram Sure Drain SD-3 drain valve (no longer sold by Fram, but there are still some available on eBay and elsewhere). Since the Sure Drain's dust cap was hard to reach, I pressed an ordinary copper pipe T (available at Home Depot) onto the dust cap, making an easy T handle.

Now changing the Onan oil is VERY easy.
URStruly
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by URStruly »

To change oil go to the oil section of Kmart, Sears, Walmart. Get a hand syphon pump ($10). two hoses one on each side of the pump. Run generator 15 minutes to get the oil hot and pump it out through the oil check hole.

If the unit has been setting for 2 years you will need to charge both batteries 24 to 48 hours. Then take it to Advance, Autozone, or similar parts chain and have batteries and charging system checked. Free. If Charging system is low be sure to have someone check belt tension to alternator as a Ford's charging system slips if the belt is not very tight.

Change the oil and filter even if there is not many miles since it was changed. Over a year on oil in an engine is too long. Have them check your belts and hoses for defects. They will not fix them but should be able to tell you what condition they are in.

Check air pressure in tires when cold. (before you drive it any). You need 51# in the front and 80# in the rear. Handling is terrible if the pressure gets off.

Check the water system for leaks. Fill fresh water tank pour 1 cup of bleach in the tank and flush all lines and commode to sanitize the system. Drain system and refill and flush through water twice to clear out the bleach smell. Turn on the refrigerator it needs 24 hours to get cold. Turn on the water heater. It needs to start promptly and just important turn off when the water is hot. If it runs more than 20 to 30 minutes the thermostats are probably bad. Turn on furnace to see if it lights and runs quietly. Light burners and oven on stove. CHECK FIRE ALARM AND CO2 DETECTORS.
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craigmar
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by craigmar »

there is very good information in the generator forum as in all the forums, it takes a while to read through them but most questions are answered. In the generator forum, under my post, fast and easy, it basically goes into a little more detail but is the same as the above post by URStruly, by using the oil fill hole and a hand pump, fast easy and no mess.
Mgittrich
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by Mgittrich »

Thanks for the post Eric.

I like the mod to change the oil. I know a lot of people have tried the turkey baster approach with limited success. I wonder what airstream thought people were going to do to change the oil. If I decide to stay with the onan, I think this mod would be a requirment.

I haven't crawled under the MH yet, so just out of curiosity whats under the generator and how thick is the floor board? I'm assuming its plywood over steel/aluminum. I'm always hesitant to drill into the floor given all the stuff down there.

Based on the size of the Onan, i think you could probably fit 3 group 31 batteries on a slide. But without a generator it's not very useful.

I'm looking into the possibility of getting a hitch mounted swing arm cargo basket like this http://www.stowaway2.com/store/p/575-St ... Frame.aspx . I'm not really interested in the storage but I think you could put at least 1 honda eu2000 in the basket frame on the passenger side bolting the honda to the inside top of a high quality locking tote bolted to the basket and cable locked to the swing arm. When you put the bottom part of the tote upside down and locked to the base you have a little enclosure that hides the generator. I think then a couple of well placed NRA and Colt stickers completes the setup. What you end up with is a generator that's pretty secure stealthily hiding under the tote. All you would need to do is pop the top, plug it in to the shore plug and start it. There's probably even room for a couple of gallons of gas in the basket. All this is just an idea. There are still problems that would need to be addressed like clearances with the spare tire and ladder. I also wouldn't want something sticking out 3 feet beyond the bumper out of fear of ripping it off going up and down steep driveways.

Just the ramblings of a frustrated onan owner.

Mike
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skater
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by skater »

Something I forgot to mention: My issue was that I wanted to run the generator on the road. The engine A/C didn't work in my B190, but even if it did, when I stopped, I still needed A/C in the van, because I travel with my cat. The Onan was the only solution I could find that would let me do that.

Lots of good ideas and comments in this thread, though.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

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EricZ
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by EricZ »

Mike,

I'm afraid I don't recall the material under the generator; your plywood/metal guess sounds right, though.

I assume the lack of a generator drain plug access opening was a mistake on Airstream's part. In other words, that it was in the plans but got missed on some vehicles.

By the way, I have a Stowaway2 cargo box (though not on the swingaway frame you mention). That frame seems pretty expensive for this purpose (nearly $400 shipped). If you could do without the swingaway feature you could use a much less expensive cargo rack. For example, the Harbor Freight ATV cargo carrier (item #69858) sometimes goes on sale for around $40 and even has a bend for additional ground clearance. Though this doesn't swing away, you could simply remove it for access to the rear doors (this might be easiest with two people if you want to leave the generator mounted).

You can also install a hitch receiver on the front of the vehicle, and could thus put a cargo carrier there. (You'd want to make sure whatever you put there doesn't block airflow to the radiator, though.)

If I were to mount a Honda EU-series generator somewhere outside my Airstream 190, however, I'd explore the space above the spare tire (which is mounted on the driver's-side rear door on my 1993 190). I'm imagining a platform attached to the tire mount bracket, some sort of enclosure (for weather protection and to hide it from potential thieves), and a locking access door. With appropriate venting the generator could be run with the access door closed. Positioning the generator up that high, however, might somewhat increase the noise footprint.

If you do go with an external Honda EU, you might find an extended-run modification useful. This connects the generator to an external fuel tank, allowing much longer run times between fuel fill-ups. There are very nice pre-made products available for this, but you can also build one yourself quite easily and inexpensively.
Mgittrich
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by Mgittrich »

Eric,

Did you mount the Stowaway2 so the box is outside the spare tire? If so, have you had any issues dragging on inclines? Did you a special riser or hitch extender to mak it work?

Thanks for the help?

Mike
EricZ
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Re: Onan generator survey

Post by EricZ »

Mike,

I have a StowAway2 with a "standard" box and a fixed frame (as opposed to a swingaway frame).

When mounted on the rear trailer hitch receiver of my 1993 Airstream 190, the lid rubs slightly against my rear-door-mounted spare tire when it is opened, but it does open (note that I have a slightly wider than stock spare, but I also have a cloth spare cover, instead of the stock hard plastic cover). I use a piece of PVC tubing as a prop to hold the lid opened; otherwise the tire tends to push the lid closed when I let go.

I do seem to recall them having longer fixed frames available to clear tires and such, but I don't see it mentioned on their website. I bought my StowAway2 used, so I didn't fully explore the custom options available when purchased new, nor do I know if mine is a standard fixed frame (though I have no reason to believe it's not).

The standard fixed frame has a 7" rise (according to their web site). While I do have to be careful about steep inclines, it's never been much of a problem. I have not used a special riser or hitch extender.
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