wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
Senior Member
Joined: 07/04/2006
View Profile
 Offline
|
wa8yxm wrote:I had always heard a shorter period of run but won't argue.
I used electric heaters in the winter.. Usually while changing campgrounds.
And the Roof A/C's in the summer. Never had a generator issue other than a sticking choke and I never noticed that (Mechanic spotted and fixed it as part of an oil change)
Check that I did have a couple problems with the Generator stopping suddenly.... When it ran out of gas... (Easily fixed at the pump.. well. expensively fixed but still easy)
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times
|
Matt_Colie
Southeast Michigan
Senior Member
Joined: 10/09/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
I do not agree with Onan. I never have, but I have only been taking care of other people's (usually very expensive) engines since 1960.
If you take care to drain (or at least run the) carburetor dry, that is most of the issue. I have never seen significant internal corrosion on engines that were merely "bottled" up when shut down. This was all on tidal water (salt). If you are worried, learn to "fog" the engine. (This means introduce a cloud of oil as you shut it down.) If you think you need to warm the windings, the varnish that needed that was replaced before the second world war.
Keep in mind that the people that want you to run the engine regularly are also the ones that will want to sell you parts that got thermal cycled to death.
Matt_C
Matt & Mary Colie
A sailor, his bride and their black dogs (one dear dog is waiting for us at the bridge) going to see some dry places that have Geocaches in a coach made the year we married.
|
johnhicks
Wandering below the Gnat Line
Senior Member
Joined: 08/29/2013
View Profile
Offline
|
My 30-year-old Onan manual specifies two hours monthly. I run it an hour once or twice a month.
Running the gen will scrub crud off the slip rings and brushes.
-jbh-
|
JaxDad
Greater Toronto Area
Senior Member
Joined: 08/02/2011
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
haste maker wrote:I have seen where Cummins has said that the Onan generator needs to run 2 hours each month under load ……
An interesting side note, the design hasn’t changed in many decades, but about 30 years ago the instruction manuals started to warn the owners of all the horrendous things that would happen if the generator wasn’t ‘exercised’ faithfully *every* month.
BTW, 30 years ago is just after Cummins bought Onan……..l guess they have better lawyers.
|
|
|
