| Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62622] |
Sat, 31 October 2009 21:04  |
Ron
Messages: 250
Registered: February 2004
Location: Conifer, Colorado
Karma: 0
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Hi All..
Some of you may know.. Here in the mountains outside Denver we had almost 40 inches of snow at my altitude this week..
We had a power outage that only lasted for about 2 hours (Thank God) but last winter we were out for 4 days once.. That gets to be more than just a nuisance. Would the 6KW Onan on my coach be a suitable standby generator? The house is wired with a transfer switch to control which circuits are energized.. Like Furnace, Well Pump Reefer, some lights etc.
If the group feels that this may be practical I would spend the time and effort to be sure the 6KW was up to snuff and Reliable..
What do you think?
Ron
now a P.O.
Conifer, CO
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| Re: Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62626 is a reply to message #62622] |
Sat, 31 October 2009 21:18  |
GeorgeRud
Messages: 1380
Registered: February 2007
Location: Chicago, IL
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I always thought that having a good reliable generator in the RV would afford you a good option for the times that the local grid goes down. If it's in the GMC, that also gives you a large supply of gasoline that can be used to run it for a longer time if needed.
Some folks seem to feel that the old Onans are more trouble than they're worth. If it's reliable, it certainly makes sense. I wonder if one could make an extension cord that would plug into the RV power outlet (in the outside electrical box) and would divide the output into two 120 volt lines (to simply plug extension cords into), rather than having a transfer switch?
George Rudawsky
Chicago, IL
75 Palm Beach
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| Re: Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62629 is a reply to message #62626] |
Sat, 31 October 2009 21:21 |
Ron
Messages: 250
Registered: February 2004
Location: Conifer, Colorado
Karma: 0
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George..
I suppose you could make up such a cord.. I have an adapter that takes 2 120 lines into the 50 amp cord.. Works great at home..
Ron
now a P.O.
Conifer, CO
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| Re: [GMCnet] Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62631 is a reply to message #62630] |
Sat, 31 October 2009 21:28 |
Ron
Messages: 250
Registered: February 2004
Location: Conifer, Colorado
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Ken..
But wouldn't having it wired in make it impossible to take it off the transfer box? Mine is outside so I would like to be able to unplug it..
Probably dumb!
Ron
now a P.O.
Conifer, CO
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| Re: Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62644 is a reply to message #62622] |
Sat, 31 October 2009 22:33 |
GMCNUSA
Messages: 283
Registered: August 2006
Location: Indianapolis, IN
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Ron
The Onan is just 120 volt output you must be very careful nothing in the house that operates on 240 volt can be powered by the onan. All breakers in power panel that are 2 pole (double pole) must be turned off when the generator is being used.
Also VERY important the main breaker be turned off or your power meter must be pulled. This is to protect the utility workers from getting electrocuted from a back feed from your generator.
Larry Dilk
Indianapolis, IN
76 Eleganza II
Patterson 455,Turbo City TBI,
Just LOVE It!
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| Re: Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62647 is a reply to message #62644] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 00:00 |
idrob
Messages: 645
Registered: January 2005
Location: Central Idaho
Karma: 0
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| GMCNUSA wrote on Sat, 31 October 2009 20:33 |
Ron
The Onan is just 120 volt output you must be very careful nothing in the house that operates on 240 volt can be powered by the onan. All breakers in power panel that are 2 pole (double pole) must be turned off when the generator is being used.
Also VERY important the main breaker be turned off or your power meter must be pulled. This is to protect the utility workers from getting electrocuted from a back feed from your generator.
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Yes, the Onan is120 volts only, but if both sides of the output are fed to the legs of the 240 volt panel, no damage will occur to the 240 volt equipment at all, it simply will not work. The hot legs simply have no voltage difference between them. So, the 240 breakers will not have to be turned off. I have run my generators in that manner very often, and even use my little Honda 1000 ei that way. Works great as long as you do not overload it. I have a full house transfer switch, so I don't have to worry about backfeed of the power lines. If you don't have one, be sure to turn the main breaker off so you don't backfeed the neighborhood and endanger the power crews. If you don't understand what you are doing, please don't try it. Have a transfer switch system installed by a professional.
My 240 volt pump can be fed with 120 V via a 120 to 240 volt transformer that I got at a surplus auction years ago for $2. Normal price is about $400, so I got a deal. I have a special transfer switch on the pump circuit only that allows me to use it without disconnecting anything. Power is out here a number of times a year. Too bad the well pump will not run on the little Honda. But it did run very well on the Onan in the GMC, prior to my selling the rig. I also have a huge and heavy 6000 watt 120/240 volt two cylinder 1800 rpm beast of a "portable" generator that I bought with the house but it is overkill unless I want to use the electric range or need a lot of water pumped. I can also plug that in to the transfer switch, as needed.
Until recently I had a large solar system with a 4000 watt 120 volt sine wave inverter that I also used in the summer and as a backup in the winter. But once the batteries went south, it was just too expensive to keep up, so I gave it all to a friend who lives on 64 acres off grid in NM. He can buy the replacement batteries... However, that inverter, and the transformer would power my well pump on 240 volts, as well as the house. The few neighbors I have were envious when the power went out.
Rob Allen
former owner of '76 x-PB
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| Re: [GMCnet] Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62652 is a reply to message #62647] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 03:42 |
Mr ERFisher
Messages: 7117
Registered: August 2005
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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this is the ugly truth about alternative energy (tell Mr. Gore;>)
The dollar cost and the carbon cost of batteries and solar panels, is the
hidden cost of wind and solar that folks never talk about. Because of these
costs, and cost in general, these systems are not cost-effective with-out
subsidies.
I tell folks, " I am too old to realize payback from these , daylight-energy
sources" (30 to 40 years)
On a GMC, the weight of the batteries, and the space used, are other
factors to consider.
gene
But once the batteries went south, it was just too expensive to keep up,
> so I gave it all to a friend who lives on 64 acres off grid in NM. He can
> buy the replacement batteries... However, that inverter, and the
> transformer would power my well pump on 240 volts, as well as the house.
> The few neighbors I have were envious when the power went out.
>
> --
> Rob Allen
> '76 x-PB
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Gene Fisher -- 74-23,77PB/ore/ca
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today --- give him a URL and
-------
http://gmcmotorhome.info/
Alternator Protection Cable
http://gmcmotorhome.info/APC.html
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| Re: Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62653 is a reply to message #62622] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 03:45 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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| Ron wrote on Sat, 31 October 2009 19:04 |
... The house is wired with a transfer switch to control which circuits are energized.. Like Furnace, Well Pump Reefer, some lights etc. ...
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If the house already has a transfer switch, it should already have a plug for putting power into the transfer switch.... (unless they had hard wired the generator into the switch.)
I assume you have looked for the plug. It should be outside (or near a door or something) where you could safely use a generator. If you follow the above links, you can see some examples of what it should look like. It may be easier than you think.
But your question was:
| Quote: |
... If the group feels that this may be practical I would spend the time and effort to be sure the 6KW was up to snuff and Reliable..
|
I would say.. yes! (or at least some generator in your GMC) your "recreation" generator can be a life saver in an emergencies. Double use for the same money.
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62686 is a reply to message #62654] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 11:30 |
Ron
Messages: 250
Registered: February 2004
Location: Conifer, Colorado
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Hi All..
Well thanks for all the input!
But my Electrically challenged head has some questions.. On lister says don't use a double male ended cord! Isn't that what would be required if these out door plugs were used?
When the electrician installed the transfer switch when we built the house we selected to circuits we wanted.. So we limited the load that way.. I am not sure about the well pump.. It may be 240.. I will have to look..
Ron
now a P.O.
Conifer, CO
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| Re: [GMCnet] Onan as an Auxiliary Generator [message #62706 is a reply to message #62686] |
Sun, 01 November 2009 15:17 |
Vince Kirkhuff
Messages: 12
Registered: May 2009
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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Ron, The "outlet" on your transfer switch is actually an "inlet" (or it should be) -- a male plug recessed into the box or side of the panel. This allows you to use a regular male-to-female extension cord between the house and the outlet on the coach, provided of course that the plug ends match. --Vince
--- On Sun, 11/1/09, rhusak <rhusak@compuserve.com> wrote:
> From: rhusak <rhusak@compuserve.com>
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Onan as an Auxiliary Generator
> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
> Date: Sunday, November 1, 2009, 9:30 AM
>
>
> Hi All..
> Well thanks for all the input!
> But my Electrically challenged head has some questions..
> On lister says don't use a double male ended cord! Isn't
> that what would be required if these out door plugs were
> used?
> When the electrician installed the transfer switch when we
> built the house we selected to circuits we wanted.. So we
> limited the load that way.. I am not sure about the well
> pump.. It may be 240.. I will have to look..
> Ron
> --
> 76 Eleganza II
> Conifer, CO
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
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Vince Kirkhuff
1977 Eleganza II
San Luis Obispo, CA
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