Onan's "Revolutionary" New Generator

[ATeam]

Staying at an RV park while waiting for our Monday pickup, I picked up an RV magazine and read about a new Onan Hybrid Quiet Diesel (HQD) generator (they call it a power unit) that is now available for motorhomes and coaches. (Family Motor Coaching, August 2007, pp. 62-68.)

The article said, "As a result of using a smaller power unit, fuel economy is improved by almost 20 percent, noise is cut in half, weight is reduced by 300 pounds, and battery management is improved." The "revolutionary" description comes from Cummins Onan's marketing manager, Ed Pickens. He says it will change the way RVs are made. He may be right.

Onan's Quiet Diesel series of generators has been around for a while. What is new with the Hybrid Quiet Diesel is it "...combines a power unit, inverter, transfer switch and coach batteries [and shore power] into one system...."

The author, Jim Brightly, praises the one-stop service such a system makes possible. An Onan dealer can troubleshoot and service all components. Integrating them all into one system instead of pulling other manufacturer components off the shelf and cobbling them together into a system optimizes the performance of each.

The HQD is a motor coach power unit, designed to run four rooftop air conditioners and a host of appliances a family in an RV may run at a given moment. But the Onan Commercial Quiet Diesel, that is found in an increasing number of expediter trucks, is a close relative.

We are very pleased with our Onan and will almost certainly put one in our next truck. It will be interesting to see if the integrated system approach finds its way into Onan's commercial product line and custom truck sleepers.

Onan generator and Hybrid Quiet Diesel info:
http://www.cumminsonan.com

 

[greg334]

Taking in consideration that Kenworth and other companies have been trying to do something like this for a while, it is good to see it happen. I think the RV market will allow others to get into this type of power system and it will move to the truck market.

Technologically speaking, I am surprised at the use of a 1.6L engine in the larger power units. I would think that it would be much smaller, a litre or less but again maybe being a 12KW unit has something to do with it, not thinking the clearest today.

The other thing I think is good to see is a complete system made from the ground up, I mean it looks like it was all designed using existing Onan parts, not off the shelf parts from all kinds of different manufactures which already has been a problem with other APU systems.

Beside all of that, they (Onan) has the quietest system out there.

 

[Streakn1]

We are really enjoying the Onan 7500 generator on our new KW. We are complimented almost daily on how quite and clean it runs. What I mean by clean is this, think of the person parked next to you with the exhaust from your genset spewing directly under their sleeper!

The only improvement in the commercial application of this unit would be to mount it on a sliding frame so the unit could be pulled out while servicing it.

 

[mrgoodtude]

RE: Onan's

I am sure if we ever decide to take the leap and build our own truck we will go with the Onan.
Proven durability and silent operation are a definite selling point but even better the ability to have heating and cooling off of shore power make it an attractive option (not to mention the dealer network "qualified" to work on roof mount units).
If you were to invest over 200k on a vehicle might as well go for multi purpose..

 

[Broompilot]

RE: Onan's

I was set to purchase another Pro-Heat and have now decided against it. I am just not sitting long enough to utilize it for it to ever pay me back, and at almost $3K to pull it off and install it on my next truck. I think I will just wait.

Until I read this, Phil can you supply me with any further information. What would one actually have to do to make this generator produce electricity, heat to the engine block or connected to a block heater, air conditioning, and heat in the bunk?

Thanks for the original Post.

 

[ATeam]

RE: Onan's

Our Onan is wired such that electric power flows to the circuit where Volvo's head bolt heater would normally plug in. Instead of plugging a cord in there (the AC electrical connector near the driver's door), we flip a light switch in the sleeper that routes generator power to the head bolt heater circuit.

Our Volvo engine features an oil pan heater that works when the head bolt heater is on. When the outside temperature is say -20F, and the truck is parked overnight, I can, without getting out of a cozy-warm bed, flip a switch in the sleeper, and wake up a few hours later to +80F engine oil and fully-charged batteries.

When the truck engine is not running, and there is thus no warm engine coolant flowing through the bunk heater, the roof unit heats the sleeper. It too is powered by the generator.

 

[bubbles]

speaking of gens i have ox (ok quit laughing) has worked fine for 5600 hrs i am getting a single fault light and the blower does not blow air any ideas i know there outta biz which they should be the reason why i say that is because the first one they installed never worked from day one finnaly got an attorney and had it replaced for free