On board Generator

[CTWebb]

Does anyone have a Onan 5500 LP generator ? We have a new one installed and was looking to see how long a 40lb bottle would last. We are heading to Bristol motor speedway in a few weeks and want to make sure the wife has air conditioning the whole trip. Most of the campgrounds there are no hook ups and has to run the generator, Any help would be appreciated.

 

[moutard2]

If you've got 2 LP tanks, they're probably 30lb. each and not 40. I'd contact an Onan dealer for the LP burn rate.

 

[dieselguy]

The following consumption for a 5500 was off another RV website ... hopefully it is accurate 1.8 lbs /hr at idle ... 3.3 lbs/hr at 1/2 load ... 4.6 lbs/ hr at full load. Boy Howdy those gensets are thirsty dudes!

 

[mhs4771]

The Onan 5.5 burns approx 1.1 gal/hour under full load. 40 Lb tanks hold approx 9 gals of propane, You do the math. We just made almost 4 days at 2 hours per day running both 15K ACs at max on one tsnk of propane.

 

[Samiterry]

ctwebb,
We have the exact same setup as you. We have the Onan 5500 LP genset with 40lb, (yes 40lb), LP bottles and just got back last Thursday from the NCTS race in Eldora on dirt. Keep in mind that the time we ran on one bottle may differ greatly from the way you run your genset. Wether you run 2 AC's or one. You will also run the refer and HWH on gas too. Anyway time on readout was 19.8hrs. Bristol is on our bucket list of things to do, so I would be very interested in knowing where you stayed and how it was. How far from the track, how wild the campgrounds got, how close the sites are, etc., etc. hope you have a great time. SHOOT, you're going to Bristol, how can you not have a great time!

 

[markmontana]

We used about one gallon per hour in our 5500 recently. A/C was running a lot.

I picked up an extra LP tank and store it in the TV bed in a Rubbermaid box. Just in case

Have fun on your trip!

 

[moutard2]

quote:Originally posted by Samiterry

ctwebb,
We have the exact same setup as you. We have the Onan 5500 LP genset with 40lb, (yes 40lb), LP bottles

Interesting! According to Keystone's spec's on the Montana, all recent models came with 60lb. LPG capacity which I assume to be 2 x 30lb. tanks. I looked at the Keystone site and don't see any option for 40lb. tanks. 40lb tanks are certainly available from Camping World (for example) but at 28" tall (4" taller than the 30lb tank), I don't think they'd fit in my propane compartment easily if at all. Did your Monty come with the 40lb. tank?

 

[bncinwv]

We have two 40 pound tanks in our rig as well, installation was by the dealer so I don't know if they had to move the auto-switchover or not as has been reported on the forum by others. We run the ac as needed to cool the rig when in transit. If it is hot out going to the beach, I can easily burn a 40 gallon tank in the nine hour trip. We do carry a spare 20 pound tank as well. If you are going to be there for more than a couple of days, find a place close by to fill a tank, gotta hunch you will need it.
Bingo

 

[Samiterry]

quote:Originally posted by moutard2

quote:Originally posted by Samiterry

ctwebb,
We have the exact same setup as you. We have the Onan 5500 LP genset with 40lb, (yes 40lb), LP bottles

Interesting! According to Keystone's spec's on the Montana, all recent models came with 60lb. LPG capacity which I assume to be 2 x 30lb. tanks. I looked at the Keystone site and don't see any option for 40lb. tanks. 40lb tanks are certainly available from Camping World (for example) but at 28" tall (4" taller than the 30lb tank), I don't think they'd fit in my propane compartment easily if at all. Did your Monty come with the 40lb. tank?

Not really all that interesting. Not only are the 40lb bottles found at CW. but also Menards and where we purchased ours, Rural King, just to name a few places where you can find 40lb bottles for your Monty that will accept them. I don't think I once said our Monty "came" with them.

 

[Rainer-MOC]

I've got a 6500 Onan propane generator in my 2013 Montana High Country 343RL. I have two 30lb. tanks. The tanks were standard, I added the genset.

My tanks hold 7 gallons of propane each, so I have 14 gallons available to me. I'm guessing I also run slightly over a gallon per hour. These generator don't change their speed like Honda's do, so I'm guessing they consume propane at a fairly constant rate. Using the generator sparingly, only when I'm not connected to shore power, I figure I'll get about 10 hours of gen time before I need to get my propane refilled.

YMMV

 

[Clemson1881]

Been to Bristol a bunch. Don't forget earplugs!!!!!

 

[kylec2]

quote:Originally posted by mhs4771

The Onan 5.5 burns approx 1.1 gal/hour under full load. 40 Lb tanks hold approx 9 gals of propane, You do the math. We just made almost 4 days at 2 hours per day running both 15K ACs at max on one tsnk of propane.

Michelle has it about right. Our experience with 40lbs. tanks & Onan 5500LP is approx. 10 hours per tanks at peak load. If your A/C is not running constantly you will get an hour or two more. If I was going to run everything in high temperatures I would spring for two spare 40ibs. tanks and swap as needed.

On a related note, at high usage we found pulling from both tanks at once works best. This will allow you to go about 20 hours before swapping to your spares (if running at full load). Not all regulators allow this, but using both tanks simultaneously helps compensate for the evaporation rate of the propane at high demand usage.

 

[moutard2]

[/quote]
Michelle has it about right. Our experience with 40lbs. tanks & Onan 5500LP is approx. 10 hours per tanks at peak load. If your A/C is not running constantly you will get an hour or two more. If I was going to run everything in high temperatures I would spring for two spare 40ibs. tanks and swap as needed.
[/quote]

I'd like to switch to 40lb. tanks and apparently many of you have done just that. Are they easy to remove and re-install in your 3750. I had a look at mine and the regulator on the port side would get in the way if I tried to put a tank that was 4" taller in there.

 

[Loui]

quote:Originally posted by ctwebb

Does anyone have a Onan 5500 LP generator ? We have a new one installed and was looking to see how long a 40lb bottle would last. We are heading to Bristol motor speedway in a few weeks and want to make sure the wife has air conditioning the whole trip. Most of the campgrounds there are no hook ups and has to run the generator, Any help would be appreciated.

I have the same setup and have used it at Bristol, on a real warm day you will burn through 40lbs in 1 day, where I get propane it costs me about $32 to fill, pretty costly weekend for 3 or 4 days. We try to limit the generator run time and try and find a spot in the shade.
I also bring a 20 lb tank as a spare should we run the 40 lb tanks dry to use for the fridge while I get the 40 lb tanks filled.

As mentioned before bring ear plugs
The last few years we go from the Michigan race to the Bristol race. This year it will only be Michigan Oh well maybe next year.

Cheers

 

[CTWebb]

My High country did come with two 30lb bottles, We have swapped them out for two 40lb bottles and also have two spare bottles that will be strapped in the back of the t.v during transit. I did however have to relocate the regulator switch toward the front about 3 inches, This allowed the larger bottles to fit in the original location, Thanks for everyone's input , I was hoping to get a few more hours out of each bottle. I did see on Onan's website the 5500 consumes .6 gallons a hour. this must be with no load at all

 

[Samiterry]

quote:Originally posted by moutard2

I'd like to switch to 40lb. tanks and apparently many of you have done just that. Are they easy to remove and re-install in your 3750. I had a look at mine and the regulator on the port side would get in the way if I tried to put a tank that was 4" taller in there.
[/quote]

I had the same problem with reg being in the way. There are 4 self tapper screws that holds the reg. remove the screws, move the reg to the left to where the right two holes on the reg match the left two holes on plate then reinstall screws on the right holes and reuse the the tappers in the left side holes.

 

[CTWebb]

Looking forward to Bristol , We have been going every year for the past 6 or 7 years, The Earhart campgrounds are usually the best. Don't think you will get a big party crowd there . That place usually cost to much to get that crowd in. If you are looking for a party there is always Talladega , if you have been you know whatim talking about

 

[seahunter-KEY]

quote:Originally posted by moutard2

quote:Originally posted by Samiterry

ctwebb,
We have the exact same setup as you. We have the Onan 5500 LP genset with 40lb, (yes 40lb), LP bottles

Interesting! According to Keystone's spec's on the Montana, all recent models came with 60lb. LPG capacity which I assume to be 2 x 30lb. tanks. I looked at the Keystone site and don't see any option for 40lb. tanks. 40lb tanks are certainly available from Camping World (for example) but at 28" tall (4" taller than the 30lb tank), I don't think they'd fit in my propane compartment easily if at all. Did your Monty come with the 40lb. tank?

I think a lot of folks if they are getting the Onan just go ahead and get the 40# tanks added at the time of the purchase as they know they will need the extra fuel. On ours they did have to do some sort of drop bracket so they would fit in the compartment. It was all part of the negotiation process.