Keystone Gens?

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by BeagleMan

Thank you!! Well, that will be pushing the amount I want to spend, but that will certainly be something we could do in the future and have done.

Great job, you guys! Between the Onan 5500 and the suggestion to go with a W/D option, you have managed to add on $10K to my future 5er.


Both of which will get done at some point tho.

All the things discussed in this thread is why I prefer and recommend portable inverter gens such as the Onan 4500i. 90 lbs, fit nicely between the hitch and cab in the bed of the truck, can run for almost a week with a full tank and 5 gal can of gas, easy to go and get more gas, 1 will run just about everything except the second AC, 2 with a parallel kit will run everything, and will only set you back about $2,500.

[nellie1289]

I was looking at raptor 413 and 429 and then I found the Montana 3854br. I have side by sides but I also have a custom built cargo trailer that hauls them both when we do that activity. I thought the flexibility if having the toy hauler would be nice if we ever wanted to take one of the side by sides. I have started to lean away from a toy hauler and more to the luxury Montana with the bonus room. It’s also about 3 feet shorter. The raptor is nice I looked at them but no where close to the Montana. Once I started searching nationally for the Montana due to low inventories I found one 800 miles away that happens to have the onan. I like the idea of having a on board generator to run the ac going down the road or in limited dry camping scenarios. I have a Yamaha 4500 inverter generator that serves any extended time out of plug ins and a champion 2800/3500 from my last trailer. With the side by side hauler I already have I am leaning Montana. Since I can only find the one with the onan in it already I might spring for it.

[Javi]

We are never going to boondock, all that is behind us. Health issues simply preclude it nowadays, we did enjoy it when we could.
I will say that if I still entertained the possibility, I would never choose a portable over the built in Onan.

[BeagleMan]

Originally Posted by Javi

We are never going to boondock, all that is behind us. Health issues simply preclude it nowadays, we did enjoy it when we could.
I will say that if I still entertained the possibility, I would never choose a portable over the built in Onan.

ON the Onan, exactly my thinking. I would want the built in deal.

[bsmith0404]

And I’m just the opposite, I would never get on on board gen. Not going to pay the cost for very little return, not giving up the storage, and not filling LP tanks every other day if I’m using it. I’ll put my portables in the back of the truck when needed. Most of the time I take one, rarely I’ve needed two.

[BeagleMan]

Originally Posted by Javi

We are never going to boondock, all that is behind us. Health issues simply preclude it nowadays, we did enjoy it when we could.
I will say that if I still entertained the possibility, I would never choose a portable over the built in Onan.

On the Onan deal, that is exactly my thinking. Got to go with built in.

I am not against boondocking at all. With the correct set up I am sure it can be fun and interesting. I figure, from what I have learned here, and you guys are a TON of info, so, I figure if I get a good set of 6v GC batteries, a decent solar system to keep them topped off, then the Onan in conjunction with it all, and have a W/D installed, life on the road could be a real adventure.

[Javi]

We'll agree to disagree cause I wouldn't want to give up my bed space and haul around 100 plus pounds of iron to load and unload every trip.
Not to mention having to buy gas and haul around 5 gallon cans that take up more room.

Not to mention that with a factory installed generator I don't have to get dressed and go outside in the weather to start it..

[LewisB]

For me, the swing issue is how the generator is connected to the trailer. With a built-in generator, the connection will be inboard allowing instant use of the generator at any time. So if you are in a rest stop or just out along the road, you can start the generator and use it for AC and other purposes.

With an external generator in your truck, the only connection to the trailer will likely be through the external shore power cord system. To use the generator, you would need to drag out a power cord and connect it to your shore power cord. And using it while driving down the road is likely not going to happen.

Either way works great - it all depends on how you use your rig and how much you are willing to spend for the setup.

[travelin texans]

If getting the onboard generator at the time of the purchase you can't actually put a price strictly on the generator as it will be part of the RV purchase that is negotiable.
If I were buying another rv & would need/want to be off grid I'd have the built in with the start button or auto start system, no fuss, no getting up in the middle of the night to go outside to spend 30+ minutes getting power, no hauling fuel jugs.

[BeagleMan]

Originally Posted by LewisB

For me, the swing issue is how the generator is connected to the trailer. With a built-in generator, the connection will be inboard allowing instant use of the generator at any time. So if you are in a rest stop or just out along the road, you can start the generator and use it for AC and other purposes.

With an external generator in your truck, the only connection to the trailer will likely be through the external shore power cord system. To use the generator, you would need to drag out a power cord and connect it to your shore power cord. And using it while driving down the road is likely not going to happen.

Either way works great - it all depends on how you use your rig and how much you are willing to spend for the setup.

I'm liking the first paragraph more. Do you hear the hum of the gen while its running? I only ask for DW, does not matter to me, I'm deaf.

[BeagleMan]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

If getting the onboard generator at the time of the purchase you can't actually put a price strictly on the generator as it will be part of the RV purchase that is negotiable.
If I were buying another rv & would need/want to be off grid I'd have the built in with the start button or auto start system, no fuss, no getting up in the middle of the night to go outside to spend 30+ minutes getting power, no hauling fuel jugs.

Good to know. Thanks. Its in the future for certain. Have to see the our numbers with all that we would want in it. Not gonna finance the Montana, we gonna be buying outright.

[bsmith0404]

Considering my portables have remote start, I don’t go outside to start them either. I don’t put anything else in the bed of my truck (at least not ahead of the hitch) so losing bed space isn’t an issue. On several trips I haven’t even bothered taking them out of the truck, just pull them back by the tailgate, park the truck somewhere near the 5er and run the power cord to the gen. Another big factor for me, I can use my portables for other stuff not just the RV. Finally, if I decide I no longer need them, I can sell them and get some return on my investment. An on-board will net you $0 on trade value down the road. You can argue all you want about what it’s worth to you and how much you paid for it, but since banks don’t allow add ons for loan value, the actual value is $0. If you want to test that, go to RV NADA, look up your RV, get base pricing, then go back and add a 5.5 KW propane gen and see if it changes values. I just have trouble paying $7k that has no future value, but that’s just me.

[travelin texans]

I have friends that bought a rv with the onboard generator about 10 years ago, that same generator is now in their 3rd 5th wheel, part of trading RVs was that the generator would be removed & reconnected into the new 5th wheel, the gift that keeps on giving.
If it's of no value at trade in then the price of the installed generator should be easily negotiated off the price when buying a rv with one already installed.
I have no dog in this hunt as currently have no rv, have no need for a generator, fulltimed for 10+ years & still had no need for a generator, this just my opinion from 40 years of rving, YMMV!
If portables work for your needs that's great, if wanting an onboard genset go for it, each have to determine their own need/wants.

[bsmith0404]

Absolutely agree that to each their own. Just correcting some misconceptions so people reading and making a decision can have valid points to consider. Especially when the decision has such a significant price tag attached to it. Some love on-board gens, some (like me) think there are better/cheaper alternatives. Everyone has to decide for themselves. There are significant differences between the two, but in the end, both options get the job done equally well.

[purebred]

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

Absolutely agree that to each their own, just correcting some misconceptions so people reading and making a decision can have valid points to consider, especially when the decision has such a significant price tag attached to it. Some love on-board gens, some (like me) think there are better/cheaper alternatives. Everyone has to decide for themselves. There are significant differences between the two, but in the end, both options get the job done equally well.

Gotta agree with above statement. I asked about generators on this forum, got a few results. I ended up getting a Westinghouse 2200 that I can fit in front of our Alpine. It's small 48 lbs and quiet. It won't run an AC but will provide power for other things in the event of a hurricane or other power outage. I bought it from Lowes so i could use my military discount also. We don't boondock so that's all the power needed for us. Like others have said whatever floats your boat.

[nellie1289]

To someone else’s question above how loud is it inside running the onan. Does it have a decibel rating ?

[LewisB]

Originally Posted by nellie1289

To someone else’s question above how loud is it inside running the onan. Does it have a decibel rating ?

I've never seen any decibel numbers, especially for INSIDE the trailer. For us, our bed is right over the top of the Onan 5500 - the AC unit is right over our bed. So we never hear the generator over the AC unit. At night without the AC, if it auto-starts due to the heater pulling down the batteries, it might wake me up but just because of the change in sounds. We can't hardly hear it.

But this is all very subjective. The friends we camp with absolutely can NOT sleep if their generator is running. So the trailer and the people involved will all be different and very subjective at best.

[bsmith0404]

I don’t know decibel rating, but I know when we start them at the dealership you can definitely hear them. Depends on how sensitive you are to noise if it will bother you or not. That’s another reason I like the portables, I can move them away from the RV as far as my power cord is. I have a hearing loss and background noise makes it difficult for me to hear so I’m Probably more sensitive to generator noise than other people. I know the Onan 4500 portable is rated at 51 dB, so I assume the 5500 is probably similar.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by nellie1289

To someone else’s question above how loud is it inside running the onan. Does it have a decibel rating ?

see this... it is legal in National parks that have a decibel requirement..

https://powersuite.cummins.com/PS5/P...ets/a-1451.pdf

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by Javi

see this... it is legal in National parks that have a decibel requirement..

https://powersuite.cummins.com/PS5/P...ets/a-1451.pdf

That shows 68 dB. This is for a diesel gen. Not sure if the gas or LP versions are the same or if there are slight differences. I would expect them to be similar.