 Battery for Generator [message #293858] |
Thu, 14 January 2016 19:19  |
mechanic007
Messages: 31
Registered: August 2015
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Karma: 0
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What type of battery should I use on my 73 Canyonlands 230 for the generator. There seems to be a separate battery compartment for a small battery for the Onan. ? deep cell or regular? Thanks.
1973 Canyonlands 230 (23')
Odometer reads 37K but probably 137K or 237K
Side wet bath/Rear bed/couch
Kitchen to the rear of the door
inSanity Monica,California
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| Re: Battery for Generator [message #293875 is a reply to message #293858] |
Fri, 15 January 2016 05:57  |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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mechanic007 wrote on Thu, 14 January 2016 20:19What type of battery should I use on my 73 Canyonlands 230 for the generator. There seems to be a separate battery compartment for a small battery for the Onan. ? deep cell or regular? Thanks.
_______,
As you will see in the sigfile, we have another 73-23. That APU start battery is best selected on the basis of 12V (given) and price (low). Do not expend much for this as it will age out and that is just unavoidable. I had a Gp. 21 in there for 8 years, and it finally aged out (in spite of my best efforts), so I replaced it with a Walmart garden tractor battery and use the rest of the space to store additional engine oil, transmission fluid and other things as storage space in a 23 is precious. You will not find any real deep cycle that you can get through the hole.
The wiring of a 73-23 has some shortcomings, and one is the distance from the front batteries to the rear. Even though the cranking current is only about 85 amps (measured), the cable you would have to run to the other corner of the coach should be at least #4AWG or #2SAE, and this will still be a bear. The ignition of that series Onan is not all that stout and a reduced starting voltage will make it even worse.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: Battery for Generator [message #293913 is a reply to message #293858] |
Fri, 15 January 2016 16:56 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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On our trucks - which had only the truck battery - we always had Onan fit the genset with its personal battery. They last about as long as the truck battery, but are smaller and cheeeeper and lighter. Costs about the same for a battery in a box as for fifteen feet of welder's cable to fire it off the truck battery, and way less install labor.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: [GMCnet] Battery for Generator [message #293952 is a reply to message #293950] |
Sat, 16 January 2016 23:52 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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The problem with any battery, no matter the size, that is dedicated to just starting the Onan is keeping it charged. In most cases, the Onan is used so little that the battery goes down and does not last long. You will be replacing it frequently. I suggest that you come up with a way to keep the Onan dedicated battery charged if you are going to use a standalone battery. I would suggest that you look at a combiner or a 3 position isolator to keep that battery charged when driving the the coach or plugged in to shore power.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: Battery for Generator [message #293953 is a reply to message #293858] |
Sun, 17 January 2016 08:24 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Let me point out, our trucks ran daily and the gensets were in use two or three times a week for several hours, so discharge wasn't a concern. My coach has two batteries in front, and a long wire to the generator in back. It came that way, so I left it. The heathen chinee genset spins off just fine. Other than cranking it, there's no great load on the house battery, so I'd rather have it up front anyway. If there hadn't been a line to the rear, I would have mounted a lawnmower battery for the genset and hooked up a maintaining charger.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Battery for Generator [message #293956 is a reply to message #293858] |
Sun, 17 January 2016 09:55 |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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Our basic flat boxer Onan engine was used by Onan in thousands of lawn tractors, so something in the 300 CCA lawn tractor size cranks it fine. But as Ken said the flywheel alt with short run times caused no start complaints and GM switched to house battery crank on later coaches. When dry camping this can kill the house and therefore gen start battery leaving only main engine and alt to get you back up again. Sort of a mixed backup plan. If I had an early coach I would do what Ken says above and have best of both worlds. Garden batts can be had in the $30+ dollar range so then just swap out every 5 years and you have a cost of $7 per year and a workin Onan
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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| Re: [GMCnet] Battery for Generator [message #293978 is a reply to message #293976] |
Sun, 17 January 2016 14:07 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Hey, I agree with you. We call them "taggers". Most of what they do is gang
related and should be discouraged with utmost prejudice. I have a bit of
an old west feeling about them. When a coyote develops a taste for mutton,
the best cure for that, is to knock them down from long range with a .243
varmint load, skin them, and hang their hides on the barbed wire fence. If
it works for coyote predators, should work equally well for taggers.
Coyotes are generally smarter and more useful to society anyway. (Not
grinning)
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On Jan 17, 2016 11:56 AM, "A." wrote:
> James Hupy wrote on Sun, 17 January 2016 09:53
>> Hey, are you trying to besmirch the good reputations of "Urban Artists"
> by calling them graffiti vandals? Jus' wonderin'?
>> GRIN.
>> JIM HUPY
>> Salem, Or.
>> 78 GMC ROYALE 403
> When they paint a surface with the concurrence of the owner, and they have
> talent, they could be considered artists. If they paint a surface without
> the concurrence of the owner, they are vandals, regardless of talent.
> --
> '73 23' Sequoia For Sale
> '73 23' CanyonLands Parts Unit For Sale
> Upper Alabama
> Why don't they sell spray paint that washes off with soap and water for
> graffiti vandals to use?
>
> _______________________________________________
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| Re: Battery for Generator [message #293979 is a reply to message #293858] |
Sun, 17 January 2016 14:29 |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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Senior Member |
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That is one professional grade thread hijack. From Onan battery to gang activity.
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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