This article is about Cummins Onan RV generators. Are they really as good as so many people claim?
And if you have one, how do you take care of it and maintain it to make it last?
Table of Contents
- Why A Generator Is A Good Thing To Have
- Do You Really Need A Generator In RV Parks?
- What Size Generator Should You Have For Your RV?
- What You Should Know About Cummins Onan RV Generators
- Cummins Onan Generators – Pro #1
- Cummins Onan Pro #2
- Cummins Onan Pro #3 – What About Repairs?
- Cummins Onan Diesel Generators Pro #4 and 5
- Cummins Onan Diesel Generators Con #1
- Cummins Onan Con #2
- Cummins Onan RV Generator Con #3
- Cummins Onan Con #4 – What About Cost?
- The Results Of My List Of Pros And Cons
- Cummins Onan RV Generators Maintenance
- Cummins Onan Maintenance Schedule
- Who Should Maintain Your Cummins Onan Generator?
- Conclusion
Why A Generator Is A Good Thing To Have
Now if you do a lot of boondocking, a generator is often considered to be essential equipment in your RV.
And that’s true even if you have a lot of solar equipment installed. Especially on some of the hotter days in the summertime.
That’s when you’re going to be very happy that you can run your roof air conditioners to stay comfortable.
And when you do, you’re going to need a generator to run them for any length of time.
Because there are periods where you could go days without much sunshine.
And when that happens the effectiveness of your solar power system is really diminished.
Do You Really Need A Generator In RV Parks?
But even if you mostly stay in RV parks and campgrounds, a generator can still be very helpful.
Especially in those times when the power goes out in the park or campground you are in.
In fact, we’ve had that happen a lot to us in our travels. And when it did, we were happy that we had a generator on hand.
Also, maybe you’re just traveling somewhere and you decide to stop and stay overnight. And you choose a spot that’s not in a park or campground.
Well then, a generator will make that so much more pleasant and comfortable.
What Size Generator Should You Have For Your RV?
Now for many RVers, if you have a 30 amp service in your RV, a portable inverter generator will work just fine for you.
But what about larger RVs? What about RVs like diesel pusher motorhomes? Or a Super C, or larger fifth wheels and so on?
Well, many of them have 50 amp electrical services installed in their RV.
So what happens if you want to run everything in that RV? Like you do when you’re hooked up to shore power?
In that case, you’re probably going to need a larger generator. One that’s capable of supplying the needs of a 50 amp RV.
And that is where Cummins Onan RV generators really shine.
What You Should Know About Cummins Onan RV Generators
So now let’s talk just a little bit about the company itself. Onan has been making generators since 1926.
And that means that they’re coming up on a hundred years of making generators.
Cummins bought them in 1986. So they have had ownership for almost 40 years now.
And at this point, Cummins Onan has 85 percent or so of the market share of generators in RVs. Wow, that is really an impressive statistic!
And these days, if you buy a new motorhome or a larger fifth wheel, the chances are that you’re going to find a Cummins Onan RV generator in it.
So the question is, why are they so popular? And why do manufacturers like them so much?
Well, let’s find out about the pros of Cummins Onan RV generators first.
Cummins Onan Generators – Pro #1
And the first pro is that they are relatively quiet. So what do I mean by relatively quiet?
Well honestly, smaller inverter generators may be quieter decibel wise.
However, when you run a Cummins Onan generator, you’ll notice that the tone that it puts out is very low.
So an inverter generator may have fewer decibels with the overall sound it creates.
But the sound that comes from the Cummins generator may not be as noticeable to most people.
So that’s why they are what I call relatively quiet.
Cummins Onan Pro #2
Now the second pro is about maintaining your Cummins Onan RV Generator.
And if you do, they are super reliable, and they will last an incredibly long time.
In fact, a Cummins Onan generator will probably outlast the RV that they are installed in. And that’s an amazing thing to be able to say!
Cummins Onan Pro #3 – What About Repairs?
Now the third pro is that if you have to work on them, parts are usually readily available.
Also, you can find repair facilities and technicians almost anywhere in the country.
Of course, there’s lots of Cummins facilities that you could use for service and repairs.
But there’s also quite a few independent facilities and repair techs that can work on Cummins Onan generators too.
So if you need a repair on your Cummins Onan generator, it shouldn’t be a major problem to find a service tech who can handle the job.
Cummins Onan Diesel Generators Pro #4 and 5
OK, our next pro is that they’re very flexible. They can come in diesel versions, gasoline versions, and even LP versions.
And that leads us into pro number five. That it is that they make it very convenient for you as an RV owner.
Because often, they have a remote start. And that means that you don’t have to go out and start the generator manually when you need power.
Especially like you very often have to do with many portable inverter generators.
Also, they’re usually able to run off the fuel that you already have in your RV.
So for instance, we have a diesel pusher motorhome. And our Cummins Onan generator runs off the diesel that’s in our fuel tank.
And as long as we’re above a quarter tank of fuel, it just keeps running along nicely.
So I don’t have to even think about carrying fuel for the generator. Not unless my motorhome’s fuel tank gets down to that quarter tank mark.
And that’s very convenient as many RVers struggle to find space for generator fuel.
Well, those are all good things about Cummins Onan RV generators.
Cummins Onan Diesel Generators Con #1
Now what about the cons? Well, the number one con of a Cummins Onan generator is that they are big. And they are also very heavy.
So that means that they can’t be moved around like a portable inverter generator.
And so, that is something you have to plan for if your generator was not installed at the factory.
Cummins Onan Con #2
Now the number two con is they usually need lots of space in your RV.
Now we all know that space and weight is at a premium in most any RV.
So you’ve got to find somewhere to put that Cummins Onan RV generator.
A spot where it will be in its permanent location from then on. And that can be a challenge in some rigs.
Cummins Onan RV Generator Con #3
OK, the third con is that they have to be exercised regularly. Yes, if you’re going to get good service out of them you need to use them.
And that is especially true of the diesel and gas versions that you often see in RVs.
Cummins Onan Con #4 – What About Cost?
OK, the final con we’re going to talk about is that they can be costly to replace.
Oh yes, even the smaller Cummins Onan RV generators will start around $3000.
And they can go up to almost $15,000 for the bigger units. For the 12,000 watt generators and so on.
But there is a flip side of that too. Because remember I said that usually they outlast the RV they’re installed in.
So you don’t have to replace them very often. However, if you do need to replace one, you definitely will have a serious expense then.
The Results Of My List Of Pros And Cons
Well, that’s my list of both the advantages and disadvantages of Cummins Onan generators.
So I invite you to just compare the pros and the cons that we’ve covered in this article.
And if you do, I think you’ll agree that Cummins Onan generators really are a great choice for many RVers.
There’s a lot of really good points on the positive side of this subject.
And I would say, there are more pros than there are cons for most RVers. Especially if you have a larger RV with lots of power hungry equipment.
Cummins Onan RV Generators Maintenance
OK, now let’s talk a little bit about maintenance. So how do you keep these big generators going?
And the number one thing I talked about earlier is to exercise them. And that means you have to use them regularly to keep them in good shape.
In fact, about once a month you need to crank up that generator and run it.
In addition to that, you need to put it under an electrical load too. So what do I mean by that?
Well, you need an electrical draw that’s pulling a lot of power to exercise them properly. And that will make the generator really work.
Now to do that, you could turn on an air conditioner or two in the RV.
And if you do that, you’ll definitely get that generator working. But you could also use the electric element in your water heater too.
Or electric hair dryers. You know, things along that line that pull a lot of electrical current.
Yes, you need to get that generator up and really humming along to exercise it properly.
And if you do that for a couple of hours or so, then you can turn those items off and let it cool down.
Once again, this should be done about once a month when you’re not using the generator regularly.
Cummins Onan Maintenance Schedule
Now the next thing you need to do to maintain them is watch the maintenance schedules.
Especially for things like oil filters, air filters and spark arrestors. All of those need to be given attention fairly regularly.
So whatever your manual from Cummins Onan tells you to do for your generator, follow that very carefully.
And then there are also some items that need to be taken care of on a basis that’s a little bit longer.
Things like flushing the coolant and changing your fuel filter, and so on. You need to be religious about caring for those things on time.
Do not neglect a Cummins Onan RV generator. Instead, make sure that you take care of it throughout its life of service.
And replace the items that need to be replaced as they come up. Also, keep a record of what you’ve done and stay on schedule.
If you maintain your generator properly, you can expect it to work well for many years.
Who Should Maintain Your Cummins Onan Generator?
Now some of the tasks that you can do on Cummins Onan generators can actually be done by do-it-yourselfers.
And that means all of you guys out there that know your way around engines.
So if you love tools and working on things, well there’s nothing super difficult about maintaining a Cummins Onan Generator for you.
But for the vast majority of the rest of us? Probably, maintaining and repairing your Cummins Onan generator is best done by qualified repair techs instead.
Ones that are familiar with Cummins Onan repair and maintenance needs.
In fact, there’s a few things that even I don’t try to tackle when it comes to my RV.
Now I’ll do a lot of the things that have to be done for maintenance. But when it comes to the chassis and the generator, I’m going to let the pros do it instead.
Of course, that’s just my personal decision about performing maintenance on my generator. But it’s up to you to decide how you want to do it.
Conclusion
OK, here’s my final statement on Cummins Onan RV generators.
Personally, I love our 7500 watt diesel generator. It has worked so well and it has been so reliable for us in our travels.
In fact, we haven’t had the first problem with it in our ownership of the RV.
So for me, I personally believe that Cummins Onan generators really are just as good as so many people claim they are.
And I highly recommend them to others who need a plentiful and reliable source of power for their RV.
As always, have safe and happy travels my friends!