Just before the arrival of the 2009 Hurricane Season, Helen & I made the decision to put the 7500 Quiet Diesel up for sale and install a new Onan 12,500 Quiet Diesel. You see, we have a trailer-mounted Kohler Diesel generator, removed from the Sovereign just after we bought it and the 7500 QD in our Sovereign, neither of which having the capability of supplying enough power to run our office, home or having enough to share with neighbors and friends after a storm. After a customer expressed an interest in our 7500 Onan for his fifth wheel, the conversion was born. Now we have power to share and enough to keep the business going during an extended power outage. Fuel consumption was cut in half too! The 12.5k consumes 1/2 gal/hr @ half load 6,750 watts, compared to a gallon an hour for the smaller set.

quote:

Originally posted by billyt53:
Fuel consumption was cut in half too! The 12.5k consumes 1/2 gal/hr @ half load 6,750 watts, compared to a gallon an hour for the smaller set.

That's interesting. The 1 gph fuel consumption for the 7500 seems high. Our gas Kohler uses just over a gallon per hour at 7000 watts. I would expect a newer technology diesel to do much better than an old-technology carbureted flathead gasser.

I love those Quiet Diesels. On one installation, I had to put my hand over the exhaust outlet to be sure it was running. It sounded more like a blower outlet than a genset.

The new inverter powered generators will revolutionize the entire industry. We've had a Honda EUi 1000 gas camping generator for about 10 years and I've been waiting for the larger diesel generators to follow this lead of inverter based generators that sense the load and reduce engine rpm to match the load: This is the future for certain.
I don't see the value for me to upgrade now, I don't have the need as Billy and Helen have with Hurricanes. From my study of it this is all there will be in about 10 years.

quote:

Originally posted by Stratosurfer:
The new inverter powered generators will revolutionize the entire industry. We've had a Honda EUi 1000 gas camping generator for about 10 years.['quote]

Yeah, they're neat. We are mainly battery/solar, but we use a little Honda EX650 for charging when in the forest shade. It runs at only full speed, but is pretty quiet, anyway. That suits us OK, but for a lot of users, the inverter/variable speed technology is really nice, since the engine runs only as fast as necessary.



[quote]I've been waiting for the larger diesel generators to follow this lead of inverter based generators that sense the load and reduce engine rpm to match the load: This is the future for certain.
From my study of it this is all there will be in about 10 years.

Several of the Onan Quiet Diesel gensets are already variable speed, which would indicate inverter technology. When they first came out, I was astounded at how quiet they were. I found it almost unbelievable, in fact. Later, I learned that some were inverter tech, so that explained it.

I also am waiting for the inverter/diesel systems to come down in price to the reality region. Out here without checking further, they are about $1.00/watt, can't seed $8000 to replace my 7000 watt propane unit. Yes, the propane generator is a bit thirsty but if I am careful where I buy propane (local heating companies) it isn't bad at all. I have run the generator 6-8 hours a day with the A/Cs on for 4 days and used 18 gallons of propane. paid less then $2.00/gallons in Tx.

I also believe that someday, some engine manufacture (Cummins, Cat etc.) will provide a flywheel/torque converter with a rare earth magnet set and we could have an inverter running off the main engine, with a computer controlled inverter, could regulate the load while driving down the road, would solve the need to run the refer and other things including the roof A/Cs

I have looked at the Prius system to see if it could be adapted to an inverter as it has a 3 phase alternator in the trans. I had hoped the alternator was a part of the engine but wasn't so that canned that idea.

All the drive for alternative energy sources will step up the research and some of it will trickle down to the RV industry in the years to come.

Onan has two Inverter-Based diesel genset families. The 7500 QD has been replaced by the 8000 QD. This system debuted in 1994 and is a true sine wave, variable speed ac "generator" The alternator generates up to 285 volts Three-Phase AC to the inverter/controller. There it is rectified to DC then inverted to 120 VAC single phase 60 hz AC regardless of engine speed. The engine is a Kubota .750 L diesel which averages (My experience) 4 hrs/gal. The problem comes when you run all three A/C's which drive the consuption up to it's nearly 1 gal/hr. The 12.5 QD only consumes .5 gal /hr at that load. Back to topic: The other Onan inverter based diesel is the new HQD system. A variable speed power unit, one or two inverter/chargers, controller/transfer switch and an appropriate battery bank. As a system, power requirements are monitored and the system fires the power unit as required. It to is an expensive system, and is geared toward the OEM, but Onan told me they would allow me to purchase and install one in the aftermarket, so it can be done

HI Billy, Happy New Year!

Thanks for your comments, I have been watching the 8000 QD, we only have two A/Cs so that should be just fine, I also have the RS3000 inverter/converter (which works well but I am not happy with the operational aspects) so I don't need the additional cost of the Cummins inverter system. I would have to install the generator in the same location as it is in now up front and that will require some rebuilding of the floor area to get the extra height needed for the 8000 QD. Not really hard to do but would require a lot of work!

Maybe on our way back from FL this April we could stop by and have a discussion about all this.

I wonder if we will see more inverter technology in the 4k to 7k gasoline built-in range. Kipor and Generac already have them as portables.

Sooner or later, it has to be an idea whose time has come. I really like the idea of an engine running only as fast and as hard as the load requires. leess noise, fuel, pollution, carbon footprint, etc.

I installed a small inverter-based one lung Generac, probably 4 kw, in our previous SOB, a 28 footer with one roof a/c. The Generac was infinitely quieter than the 6 kw 2 cyl. Onan that came with our subsequent Barth, & was quieter than the roof a/c itself. Didn't have the Generac long enough to test its reliability, but I was pleased with it while I had it.

I still have a 1 kw Generac portable that rattles like an old-fashioned thrashing machine, though I haven't had use for it for years.

quote:

Originally posted by olroy:
I installed a small inverter-based one lung Generac, probably 4 kw, in our previous SOB, a 28 footer with one roof a/c. The Generac was infinitely quieter than the 6 kw 2 cyl. Onan that came with our subsequent Barth, & was quieter than the roof a/c itself. Didn't have the Generac long enough to test its reliability, but I was pleased with it while I had it.

I still have a 1 kw Generac portable that rattles like an old-fashioned thrashing machine, though I haven't had use for it for years.

Glad to hear that Generac made a quiet one. We had different generators at work, and the Generacs all ended up needing parts that could not be obtained. Even service information was hard to come by. Our PM mechs ended up cannibalizing dead ones to keep the others running. One by one, they all ended up as organ donors, with no more potential recipients. We were glad, as they were very loud, even at an airport. I recall that the 3500XLs were particularly loud.

Whenever the suits set up an outside dog and pony show, they demanded that only RED generators be used. We had some blue ones, but they were viewed with suspicion, for some reason. Yellow made them run inside and refuse to come out until they were replaced. I always threatened to bring in my noisy RED Honda, just to see what would happen.

There is a company now making an 110V alternator mainly used in military vehicles. A friend of mine was thinking about reping them. I recall it was pretty small too, not much larger than a car alternator.

quote:

Originally posted by noble97monarch:
A friend of mine was thinking about reping them.

What is reping?

quote:

Originally posted by Bill N.Y.:

quote:

Originally posted by noble97monarch:
A friend of mine was thinking about reping them.

What is reping?

Representing as in a salesman for

Nick

Nick got it right, rep...resenting.

When I've purchased road service trucks or have spec'd them out I have been given this option from several suppliers. It was a 110v or 240v - 12v alternator that was also a 6v to 48 volt high amp battery charger & arc welder. It required the same space as an alternator.

Do you have a link for the company Corey?

I didn't go with them because it was DC 120v (Thomas Edison Preferred DC) and you couldn't use an AC drill or grinder... Maybe these units have improved some as I've been told that the newer units are for 120/240v A/C.

Here is a blurb from one of the companies.

quote:

NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION
Our specially designed Heavy Duty Alternator is added to or replaces the original equipment alternator. We provide a self-regulating system capable of producing approximately 80 amps, 14 volts at engine idle with a maximum output of 190 amps at 14 volts.

WELDING MODE
Pulsating DC 3000 to 7000 cycles per second amperage output 40 amps to 190 amps either SPDC or RPDC. This allows for x-ray quality welds using and AC or DC electrode up to 5/32 at 100% duty cycle. The MPS is also compatible for use with an air-cooler T.I.G. torch. Meets all A.W.S. and aircraft standards.

BATTERY CHARGING
High frequency battery charger for 6, 12, 24, 32, or 48 volt systems. Provides cranking power for engines in a matter of minutes.

110 VOLT DC POWER SOURCE
A non-pulsating 110V D.C. output, 2200 watts maximum. Universal or series would type power tool, such as impact wrenches, grinders, drills, chain & skill saws, etc. can be used with the MPST. Resistive loads such as heaters and coffee pots, etc. as well as quartz or incandescent spot or flood light are no problem for the MPS unit. Caution: Will not operate AC motors or power tools with variable speed switches.

These are pictures of a Cat C7 or 3126 in a Freightliner Road Service Truck.