| Generator Blues are behind me [message #323760] |
Mon, 11 September 2017 09:25  |
jknezek
Messages: 1057
Registered: December 2007
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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I've had the generator blues since spring 2016 when my Onan field windings went. Replaced it with a very cheap Honda that was half EV4010 and half EV6010 I got off Craigslist. Despite all its flaws, it ran fairly well at first, then it ran fairly well in the driveway only. Then it stopped making power anywhere. To be fair, I didn't pay much for it, it was installed poorly, and it had been ridden hard and put away wet many, many times before I got it.
In the interests of my sanity, and using my free time to use the GMC and not work on the generator, I had decided to pull my beat up Honda out and stick in a brand new Onan Emerald. Then Kerry Pinkerton called and told me he had a decent shape EV6010 and would help me install it if I bought it from him.
We struck a deal, I drove the coach up Friday and Kerry spent pretty much an entire day from before 8 a.m. until about 5 p.m. leading me through pulling out my shoddily installed half and half and putting in his nicer unit.
If you haven't been to Kerry's place it's a beautiful spot in North Alabama with a heck of a workshop and some wonderful tools. That says nothing about the hosts, as Kerry and his wife were nothing but generous, helpful, and patient while I fumbled around confused and without a clue.
When we finally got it all installed, including properly welding together the exhaust, it ran sweetly all the way home and fired up again in just a few seconds Saturday and Sunday. I'm a happy man with my generator blues hopefully behind me and booking reservations for this fall and next spring once again on my mind. My kids did a happy dance when they heard it running Saturday and the AC blowing cold again.
I'm reminded, as I always am when I need some help with my GMC, what a great community this is. I've answered a few Blacklist calls, I've made one or two in my 10 years as well. I've been to rallies and Internationals. I've met GMCers at various places for reasons other than the GMC and I've visited with local GMCers and been visited by them when camping. I can't count the number of people who have stopped and asked about my coach, including one Friday morning at a gas stop before heading to Kerry's. A nice man about a decade older than me wandered over and talked about his dad having a coach back in the 70s and 80s and travelling the country as a family. When I left him inside the coach to finish pumping gas, I came back to him standing stock still and tears spilling down his cheeks. I bought him a cup of coffee while he thanked me for bringing back some wonderful memories of his father and childhood.
The GMC is more than just an rv. We are a community, and there are precious few that work so hard for each other and do so much for the simple joy of a long out of production machine.
Thanks Kerry for getting us back on the road and I can only hope that my kids enjoy the memories we make as much as the man I just met. Thanks to everyone else who helps keep these machines on the road. The vendors, blacklisters, club officers, and hobbyists. It's easy to get frustrated when things don't go as planned, but it's amazing to see the people who immediately step forward to help get us back on track.
Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL
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| Re: [GMCnet] Generator Blues are behind me [message #323764 is a reply to message #323760] |
Mon, 11 September 2017 10:49  |
bdub
Messages: 1578
Registered: February 2004
Location: Central Texas
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Congratulations, Jeremy! :-) Now you can travel in more comfort.
Much the same sentiments as that of Carl Gacobelli that he posted last
night at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/classicgmcmotorhomes/permalink/794108300713709/
Please copy to the group at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/classicgmcmotorhomes
And I agree with ya, Jeremy. Best group of people I've ever been
associated with!
bdub
On Mon, Sep 11, 2017 at 9:25 AM, Jeremy wrote:
> ... snip ... I'm reminded, as I always am when I need some help with my
> GMC, what a great community this is. I've answered a few Blacklist calls,
> I've made one or two in my 10 years as well. I've been to rallies and
> Internationals. I've met GMCers at various places for reasons other than
> the GMC and I've visited with local GMCers and been visited by them when
> camping. I can't count the number of people who have stopped and asked
> about my coach, including one Friday morning at a gas stop before heading
> to Kerry's. A nice man about a decade older than me wandered over and
> talked about his dad having a coach back in the 70s and 80s and travelling
> the country as a family. When I left him inside the coach to finish pumping
> gas, I came back to him standing stock still and tears spilling down his
> cheeks. I bought him a cup of coffee while he thanked me for bringing back
> some wonderful memories of his
> father and childhood.
>
> The GMC is more than just an rv. We are a community, and there are
> precious few that work so hard for each other and do so much for the simple
> joy of a long out of production machine.
>
> Thanks Kerry for getting us back on the road and I can only hope that my
> kids enjoy the memories we make as much as the man I just met. Thanks to
> everyone else who helps keep these machines on the road. The vendors,
> blacklisters, club officers, and hobbyists. It's easy to get frustrated
> when things don't go as planned, but it's amazing to see the people who
> immediately step forward to help get us back on track.
>
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bdub
'76 Palm Beach/Central Texas
www.bdub.net
www.gmcmhphotos.com
www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com
www.gmcmhregistry.com
www.facebook.com/groups/classicgmcmotorhomes
www.facebook.com/groups/gmcmm
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| Re: Generator Blues are behind me [message #323781 is a reply to message #323760] |
Mon, 11 September 2017 22:10 |
Krfjkm
Messages: 8
Registered: July 2017
Location: Charlotte
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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I couldn't agree more --- great bunch of people I've learned so much already!
KRFJKM
Jim Morgan
Charlotte NC
1978 Palm Beach
Also have a 1965 Corvair Corsa
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| Re: Generator Blues are behind me [message #323789 is a reply to message #323760] |
Tue, 12 September 2017 11:34 |
jknezek
Messages: 1057
Registered: December 2007
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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On a happy note. Our power went out yesterday around noon. A transformer blew, taking one of the two large fuses on the pole before the line goes to our house. They fixed the transformer and everyone else's lights in the neighborhood but ours came back on. Given the stormy conditions and the lineman and service people that have been sent to Texas and Florida lately, you can guess about where a single house without power fell on the priority list.
I got up at 5 a.m. this morning, fired the Honda up in 3 seconds, and ran extension cords to the fridge and deep freeze plus some chargers for phones. The EV6010 ran for a solid 5 hours until AL Power showed up, took 10 minutes to replace their fuse, and the power came back.
Yeah, I'm happy to be over my generator blues. Thanks Kerry!
Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL
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