Hi All,
I'm new to the site and to owning a 190. My 190 did not come with a generator so at the moment I'm searching for a generator to install.
Has anyone gone through the upgrade process? Any help would be appreciated.
Regards
Mark
Upgrade to a generator
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Eagle
- Weekend Camper
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:00 am
- B190 Year: 1990
- WBCCI: 0
- Location: Rappahannock Academy, VA
I recently had the solar power system removed and a generator installed by a person who sells generators and works on RV's.
It wasn't a big job and was completed in one day. The big problem was locating a place to connect for the gas feed. Alaskan helped in that regard and you may want to look at his response.
One of the best additions to the rig in many years. I am very happy with the generator. Just remember to run that thing at least two hours a month.
It wasn't a big job and was completed in one day. The big problem was locating a place to connect for the gas feed. Alaskan helped in that regard and you may want to look at his response.
One of the best additions to the rig in many years. I am very happy with the generator. Just remember to run that thing at least two hours a month.
Wayne 1990 Airstream http://www.goses.org/My_Toy.html
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Alaskan
- Site Admin
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- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:00 am
- B190 Year: 1999
- WBCCI: 0
- Location: Alaska and Washington
Do an internet price search for Onan 2800 Microlite
Go to google.com and put in "Onan 2800 Microlite" there will be lots to look at and you'll see how the prices vary...
Nowdays it really pays to be a smart shopper....you can easily pay too much
Check in eBay as they are always there, purchase from a Onan Dealer with good to perfect feedback and Free shipping...
Most of the online dealers offer free shipping but as you'll see the prices range from 2k to 2600...
Installation is pretty easy as actually...the electrical is already in place in rigs that came w/o the gen.
Locate the Start-Stop panel next to the electrical panel under your couch as it impossible to run the wires to the factory location over by the sink
BTW....does your rig have the Start-Stop panel already ???
The fuel line hook up is also easy...check one of my previous posts with pictures for that.
I suggest a 1 1/2" hole in the floor of the compartment to access the gen's drain plug....some of our rigs came from the factory with that hole and some did not...its a major pain to do an oil change w/o that access hole
1997 and later rigs have a drain hose that runs down and attaches to the frame of the van for very easy oil changes..!....you might wanna concider that.
A 2" hole for the gen's exhaust is all thats needed, rather than the big square hole that Airstream puts in.
Depending on the year, Airstream used a couple ways to hold the unit down in the compartment. The early rigs have an angle bracket bolt the the sides of the gen and those brackets were than secured to the floor of the compartment....in other years Airstream used 2 bolts that come up from the bottom onto the threaded mounts in the bottom of the generator.
If you get to that point you might consider having the exhaust pipe made and installed by a shop...its comes out in front of the rear tire and is rubber mounted.
I'll put some pictures in...Stay Tuned
Go to google.com and put in "Onan 2800 Microlite" there will be lots to look at and you'll see how the prices vary...
Nowdays it really pays to be a smart shopper....you can easily pay too much
Check in eBay as they are always there, purchase from a Onan Dealer with good to perfect feedback and Free shipping...
Most of the online dealers offer free shipping but as you'll see the prices range from 2k to 2600...
Installation is pretty easy as actually...the electrical is already in place in rigs that came w/o the gen.
Locate the Start-Stop panel next to the electrical panel under your couch as it impossible to run the wires to the factory location over by the sink
BTW....does your rig have the Start-Stop panel already ???
The fuel line hook up is also easy...check one of my previous posts with pictures for that.
I suggest a 1 1/2" hole in the floor of the compartment to access the gen's drain plug....some of our rigs came from the factory with that hole and some did not...its a major pain to do an oil change w/o that access hole
1997 and later rigs have a drain hose that runs down and attaches to the frame of the van for very easy oil changes..!....you might wanna concider that.
A 2" hole for the gen's exhaust is all thats needed, rather than the big square hole that Airstream puts in.
Depending on the year, Airstream used a couple ways to hold the unit down in the compartment. The early rigs have an angle bracket bolt the the sides of the gen and those brackets were than secured to the floor of the compartment....in other years Airstream used 2 bolts that come up from the bottom onto the threaded mounts in the bottom of the generator.
If you get to that point you might consider having the exhaust pipe made and installed by a shop...its comes out in front of the rear tire and is rubber mounted.
I'll put some pictures in...Stay Tuned
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Alaskan
- Site Admin
- Posts: 814
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:00 am
- B190 Year: 1999
- WBCCI: 0
- Location: Alaska and Washington
Couple examples..
$2069....at American RV..no tax or shipping
http://www.americanrvsupplies.com/produ ... 19043.html
$ 1980....at Colorado Standby
http://www.coloradostandby.com/catalog/ ... 43dd81c485
$2069....at American RV..no tax or shipping
http://www.americanrvsupplies.com/produ ... 19043.html
$ 1980....at Colorado Standby
http://www.coloradostandby.com/catalog/ ... 43dd81c485
That big square hole is the exhaust port for the genset cooling airflow. Your genset depends upon a good airflow to maintain proper cooling for both the cylinder head and the generator and it needs that hole.A 2" hole for the gen's exhaust is all thats needed, rather than the big square hole that Airstream puts in.
The air comes in through the vents on the cabinet door and then through the inlet on the left of the genset. There is a big fan on that side that directs the air through the cylinder fins to the muffler and also through the generator. This may also be the reason the installation manual says there should be a gasket around that hole under the genset.
On mine, they offset the square hole. It appears they made the installation manual specified measure from the front of the compartment and not from the front of the genset. This error, and the lack of the specified gasket, and some other things make me wonder about the proper installation of the genset by Airstream.
Air cooled engines need air and you do not want to restrict their ability to keep cool!
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Alaskan
- Site Admin
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- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:00 am
- B190 Year: 1999
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- Location: Alaska and Washington
Very good point...
The Installation Manual does have a diagram of the layout for the mounting holes, drain plug hole and the opening around the exhaust at 3.6 x 4.4....referred to as the air outlet
That large opening around the exhaust caused me a problem at one point...mice
They made a winter home inside my generator by neatly removing all the interior installation from under the gen cover.....it was a rotten mess by the time I discovered it in the spring.
Therefore the next step was to construct this little screen box..
The Installation Manual does have a diagram of the layout for the mounting holes, drain plug hole and the opening around the exhaust at 3.6 x 4.4....referred to as the air outlet
That large opening around the exhaust caused me a problem at one point...mice
They made a winter home inside my generator by neatly removing all the interior installation from under the gen cover.....it was a rotten mess by the time I discovered it in the spring.
Therefore the next step was to construct this little screen box..
Last edited by Alaskan on Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Alaskan
- Site Admin
- Posts: 814
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:00 am
- B190 Year: 1999
- WBCCI: 0
- Location: Alaska and Washington
What year is your B190 ?
By chance is the generator control panel already installed over by the sink ?
By chance is the generator control panel already installed over by the sink ?
Last edited by Alaskan on Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
switch location
Hi Alaskan
I have a 1990. I just picked up the genset today $500 with all components and in good shape (103 hours). The only drawback appears to be that the previous owner just clipped the wires - especially the really big one that is used to recharge the battery. By the way there is a battery under the range - just sitting there seems odd. I'm still investigating.
I do not have the switch by the sink so I will go with the location below the sofa (it is being upholstered next week). The exhaust that came with it is a little baffling (no pun intended) for the 190 so I'll probably take it to a muffler shop for installation.
I did order a owner's manual from Airstream - I hope it has the install details.
Thanks again.
Mark
I have a 1990. I just picked up the genset today $500 with all components and in good shape (103 hours). The only drawback appears to be that the previous owner just clipped the wires - especially the really big one that is used to recharge the battery. By the way there is a battery under the range - just sitting there seems odd. I'm still investigating.
I do not have the switch by the sink so I will go with the location below the sofa (it is being upholstered next week). The exhaust that came with it is a little baffling (no pun intended) for the 190 so I'll probably take it to a muffler shop for installation.
I did order a owner's manual from Airstream - I hope it has the install details.
Thanks again.
Mark
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Alaskan
- Site Admin
- Posts: 814
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:00 am
- B190 Year: 1999
- WBCCI: 0
- Location: Alaska and Washington
Mark.... the Installation Manual you need is from Onan rather than Airstream
Onan Part Number: 981-0604.... 24 pages
You might check the Onan website as it might be there as a PDF file....or the net.
www.cumminsonan.com
http://www.theonanstore.com/pdf/cmicro-2800.pdf
I'll help you with the wires if you'd like its not too complicated.... that large wire is a Positive from the house battery which provides the current to start the generator.
You're going to need the starting panel pictured above...that can be purchased through any Onan Dealer or any Cummins Dealer, parent company of Onan
I'll put some pictures in here of the exhaust for you...
Looking under the rig its difficult to figure out the fuel system as there are a number of lines, 2 of which are returns.....somewhere here I posted a picture of which line needs to be tapped as the supply line for your generator.
Your rig, being a 1990 should have 2 batteries under the hood is all. The RS is the engine battery and the LS is your house battery.
Onan Part Number: 981-0604.... 24 pages
You might check the Onan website as it might be there as a PDF file....or the net.
www.cumminsonan.com
http://www.theonanstore.com/pdf/cmicro-2800.pdf
I'll help you with the wires if you'd like its not too complicated.... that large wire is a Positive from the house battery which provides the current to start the generator.
You're going to need the starting panel pictured above...that can be purchased through any Onan Dealer or any Cummins Dealer, parent company of Onan
I'll put some pictures in here of the exhaust for you...
Looking under the rig its difficult to figure out the fuel system as there are a number of lines, 2 of which are returns.....somewhere here I posted a picture of which line needs to be tapped as the supply line for your generator.
Your rig, being a 1990 should have 2 batteries under the hood is all. The RS is the engine battery and the LS is your house battery.
Install help
Hi Alaskan
First of all thanks for the offer of help. I do appreciate it and I apologize for being a spotty in my replies. I'm behind on work and I think I will hold off for a bit on on getting into the generator, plus that will give me time to review all the forums and get smart on what I'm doing.
Regards
Mark
First of all thanks for the offer of help. I do appreciate it and I apologize for being a spotty in my replies. I'm behind on work and I think I will hold off for a bit on on getting into the generator, plus that will give me time to review all the forums and get smart on what I'm doing.
Regards
Mark