generator

[rvgwen]

Hello to all, Your help on all my questions has been so helpful and appreciated. Here is another one. When ordering the rig they offer the generator prep. Do most of you order the prep., or the generator, or nothing at all. Also can a after market generator such as a Honda 3000 be used in the generator compartment? Thanks again for your help.

[lasater]

We like to dry camp when we can (better than $40 a night at campgrounds) so we ordered ours with the Onan 5.5K gas generator installed. We have been very satisfied with it since. Our first Montana had the generator prep but we used an existing construction type generator with it (until we got hollered at). The Onan runs very quietly.

[seahunter]

My opinion, if you're even slightly considering a generator, definitely get at least the generator prep package. It is a lot cheaper to do that when you order the trailer than the labor later. Also, don't let the price of the factory generator scare you. When you calculate your overall discount on the trailer, you're only paying say 65-75% of that figure depending on your negotiating of price for the trailer. A lot of people here opt for a stand-alone generator(s) and there are pros to that. The flip side of that is the convenience of the onboard generator. Just hit the switch. No hauling it out of the truck or trailer, no gas to carry for refills, not as easy to steal (unless they take the whole freaking trailer- ha ha), etc. We dry camp a lot too, and this will be our first generator. We wanted the convenience of just being able to hit the switch, as my back is not fit for hauling a generator in/out everytime I will want to use it. When we did our first PDI, we discovered that Onan generator is amazingly quiet when it is in the compartment.

[CORattler]

DO NOT install the Honda 3000 generator inside your RV. This is designed as an external only unit.

[camper4]

We ordered our Onan, factory installed. Really like it. However they are expensive to buy and run versus other options, but they are convenient, quiet and powerful.

[Hooker]

We knew we would never dry camp...thus, no prep and no gen. We were uncertain if we would need a 2nd A/C, so we had the prep installed. Two years later had a 2nd A/C installed.

[DQDick]

quote:Originally posted by CORattler

DO NOT install the Honda 3000 generator inside your RV. This is designed as an external only unit.

X2 on this! We have two Honda twins and find them to be very useful. We're building an RV "Home base" and for the first two months (working on it a couple of days a week) we had no electricity so we used one generator at one shed and the other at the other. Couldn't have done that with a built in. We also anticipate helping in emergency situations (tornados, etc) and the portable generators will run my tools anywhere. I guess what I'm saying is decide what your uses will be and go with the best choice. Just do not put a generator for outside use inside.

[kab449]

I ordered the generator prep package only because IMO the Onan 5500 is to large and sucks way to much propane for me. I wavered between the 4kw Onan or Generac. I researched the load requirements and found out the 4kw would start and run 1 AC along with the convertor/charger. You do have to do load management if you want anything else but at 1/2 the weight and 1/3 the propane consumption, not to mention 1/2 the cost it was a no Brainer for me to go with the 4kw Generac. It is very quiet and easy to service as all the changeable parts (oil filter, etc) is accessed from the front.

[Sniperduce]

Get the 5.5KW and never look back.

[CATCRAW]

We passed on the generator prep. We have a Honda 3000, that we used with our previous 5th wheel. We leave it permanently in the truck and have it locked to the hitch rails. The cord reaches and we just plug it in when we are dry camping. It runs pretty much anything we need on the Montana and it is very quiet. They have remote start available now and we may spring to add that this summer.

[Art-n-Marge]

When we bought our rig in 2006 it did not have the gen prep option and we never thought to ask. I wish it was there only because this allows for changing my mind in the future in case we needed to boondock more. I would install a unit meant for it like other RV gens (not contruction gens or portables).

Portable units like what I use now (actually dual Honda 2000s) were not intended for it, but others have installed them into their rigs. Like mentioned above it minimizes lugging the units around and there are ways to increase run time with aux fuel tanks and for most of those owners the units were already paid for. Just keep in mind there might be extra effort to properly vent the exhaust and accessing the unit for service would have to be considered. RV gens usually have all this considered.

I just think construction units are just to industrial and loud to be used in an RV.

Just think about the possibility you might change your mind and it would be more expensive to plumb or wire things AFTER your rig leaves the factory. Here's what you need to ask yourself, do you spend the dollars now and not use it, or do you not spend the dollars and pay a lot more when you do it later? I wish I had known about this sooner and I would have gone with option 1, even though I now have dual portable gens.