Generator Install

[packlife]

Hello there everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read my post. I purchased a used 2002 Wag'n Tails Dodge mobile van in November after grooming as an employee/1099 contractor for the past ten years. The van came without a generator. I brought it to an RV repair place to discuss generators/inverter systems, and long story short, I (stupidly) paid someone a lot of money for extremely shoddy inverter/battery bank install that did not work. With all my funds depleted and borderline in financial ruin, I went back to working for someone else.


I am now in the position to purchase a Honda 5000W generator. Due to the shoddy repairs, I have four golf cart batteries in the back, an inverter, and a converter. I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction here. Is there a good online resource anywhere for installing a generator? I would love to be able to pay someone to do it and do it right, but I'm low on funds and my 450 clients have been waiting since November and are getting impatient. Obviously I don't want to do this incorrectly, but I am kind of in a bind. I have done electrical work before and I'm familiar with the concept, just looking for guidelines, diagrams, and advice.

Can anyone help?

[IrishSetterTom]

I believe the 2002 Wagn Tail Pet Pro van had a under mounted generator under the rear of the van. That cannot be used unless you are installing a Onan generator like what the van came with originally.

What you can do is run the inverter for your low amperage appliances like lighting, fans, outlets, shop vac to supplement the generator. The 5000 watt will not be able to handle a K9 II dryer and rooftop air conditioner, I'm afraid. You will need a bigger generator. If you live in a cool coastal climate and don't need the AC, then the smaller generator is fine.

I run a 4 battery inverter system running everything except dryer and AC. But I run a 6300 watt Yamaha generator that handles the high amperage items and it almost maxes out with AC on high and dryer on 2 speeds. The inverter handles everything else.

[Uncle Dave]

Toms right - that 5000 probably wont fit the space and its light in the power dept.

I doubt it will carry the simultaneous load of a 15K ac unit compressor restart, and a K9II on high. Maybe if you start the AC compressor first, but its too close to the edge.

Id just replace, or have rebuilt the Onan 7000 that came with the unit, or if you can find a used honda 6000 RV unit the are sweet little water cooled packages, but youll have to do some mods for airflow since the onan is a bottom feeder.

Unfortunately there is no guide online specifically for what you are trying to do.

UD