# Old Generators



## Outback_Joe (Feb 15, 2012)

I am guessing that generators have been talked about many times but I wanted to share that there is an untapped source of power that may not come to mind. 

Old RV's, the ones from the 70's and 80's. I have an Onan 4000 watt that came out of a 70's vintage motor home, the motor home was mostly scrap but not the Onan. They are great units heavy and made to run at 1800 RPM not the 3600 RPM of the new units that we see at the big box stores. The 1800 RPM makes them quieter, and the heavy weight for the most part means they are built to run for many years. These are great generators, smooth and powerful. I have one that runs my 220 volt well pump and some of the circuits in my Apartment / Shop.

For all the upside there is one downside, when you need parts they can be expensive if you buy from an Onan dealer. But the some of the parts like the ignition can be substituted with other more common parts. I have a set of early chevy V8 points and condenser in mine now. 

Here is a picture of my Onan ready to help when needed.


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

Start spraying penetrating oil on the headbolts now. Every time you put fuel in it. The head bolts are so bad about breaking off in those engines. But, I had one around here that as a Vietnam surplus welding machine, and it ran just fine. No telling how much that engine had been run over the years. Good engines.


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## Nadja (Jan 12, 2011)

I have bought and used two of these over the years, and other then expensive and very hard to get parts, they are great. However, the later used Kohlers from motor homes are even better and parts are available


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

We got a couple a them. One we converted ta run on propane, does real well. Keep some a the spare parts ya need on hand, sometimes find em cheaper at a place goin outa business er an old rv dealer.

They'll outlast them cheap ones by many years. They also tend ta be better regulated if yer runnin equipment that be a bit more tempermental about it's juice.


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## Outback_Joe (Feb 15, 2012)

Nadja said:


> I have bought and used two of these over the years, and other then expensive and very hard to get parts, they are great. However, the later used Kohlers from motor homes are even better and parts are available


Kohler, yep a fair unit but they don't put out good clean power. They are okay for running tools but not so good for delicate electronics, but then after an EMP all bets are off


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