RV generator

[Paul Dordal]

Has anyone installed a Cummins Onan 5.5kw rv generator in their Grand Design? Is this a simple install as advertised? Lessons Learned?

[Paul & Deb]

What model trailer? There's tons of room in the tow haulers and Solitudes, not so much in the Reflections.

[ThePowells]

Paul Dordal Welcome to the forum. Your answer kind of depends. If your trailer has the gen prep kit, it is considered "easy". If it is a ground up install, that raises the level of difficulty considerably. The wiring has already been ran and then it becomes a plug and play installation. The complication tho is that many dealers will order trailers with the gen prep, then refuse to install a generator in it if you want one. They would rather order another trailer (and talk you into a few more options) . In our search we found exactly zero Solitudes with the gen installed, and about 40% had the prep kit installed. Then less that 50% of the dealers that we talked to were willing to either install the gen in-house or contract to an Onan shop for install. Our closest dealer even refused to discuss having the Onan shop next their overflow lot do the install, but I found an Onan shop 30 mins from home that installs a couple a month. The dealer that we bought from originally balked, then we worked out having a large Onan shop to do the ground up install until somebody remembered that they had a former Onan shop lead working there. They also had a shop tech in class at the Mother Ship and between the two they got it knocked out wonderfully. We also found a dealer in Indiana that was willing to contract with the huge Onan shop in Elkhart who has it down to less that 3 hours with a gen prep kit.

[Paul Dordal]

Our rv is a 2019 Grand Design Solitude S-class 5th wheel and it has an Onan control panel (start switch and hour meter) located on the main control panel inside the rv. It also has an enclosure for a generator in the bottom front storage area, which I assume is part of the gen prep kit. Is there a list of what's included in the prep kit? At this point I plan to purchase the generator from an online U.S. site with free shipping and install it myself. Thanks for the info.

[howson]

Our rv is a 2019 Grand Design Solitude S-class 5th wheel and it has an Onan control panel (start switch and hour meter) located on the main control panel inside the rv. It also has an enclosure for a generator in the bottom front storage area, which I assume is part of the gen prep kit. Is there a list of what's included in the prep kit? At this point I plan to purchase the generator from an online U.S. site with free shipping and install it myself. Thanks for the info.

GDRV-Megan -- Paul's VIN is in his profile. Can you post on this thread what comes with the "generator prep kit" in his Solitude? Are all GD "generator prep kits" across the GD product lines the same (where offered)?

[ThePowells]

Stolen from Tom Schaffer... It includes the fire box, wiring, control panel, and auto transfer switch.

If you add the gen set, you will need to tie into LP lines on te Solitude and add an exhaust pipe.

Makes adding a gen set after the fact much cheaper for you.

[GDRV-Megan]

With the gen prep its going to have the heat shielding and pre wiring for the Gen, On Solitude if the gen prep is selected there will also be a gen control panel that gets installed. If gen prep is not selected that panel does not get installed.

Momentums are pretty much always going to have a Gen that runs on gas. Solitude runs on propane so the mechanism of how the fuel gets to the Gen is different between the brands.

[Paul Dordal]

Thanks for your posts about the generator prep. I'll order the gen set with more confidence that I can install it myself.

[Paul Dordal]

I ordered the rv generator, a Cummins Onan 5.5 kw propane model. There seem to be several tail pipe options listed on online rv parts sites, but nothing specific in the rv manual. Is there a recommended tail pipe to fit the rv generator for the Solitude?

[howson]

MikeCurtis -- moved your question to it's own thread here: https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...0fl-diesel-gen

[howson]

Wjsteele -- moved your inquiry here: https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...size-generator