[pwd72s]

Update! More from Roger...so any more from the braintrust here?

I’ll provide a little more detail and perhaps they can come up with some ideas which I haven’t considered. I have a Mercedes based freightliner diesel van. I want to stay all diesel or electric in the van and don’t want to mess with either gasoline or LPG. I had originally chosen the Onan diesel 3.2 KW generator which initially looked ideal, but in talking with Onan repair folks and an Onan representative, I was advised that the engine shouldn’t be run over 8 hours at a time, and oil should be changed every 50 hours. I would be working for the generator! It also is apparently so electronic that only Onan can diagnose problems its problems, when the unit fouls up. scrapped that idea and will not install that unit. I need only about 3 KW power from the generator which is adequate for running the Carrier roof top low profile A/C (which incidentally won’t be manufactured after Dec 2/09 and is perhaps the best of the small RV air conditioners) It’s not widely used in the RV industry which is extremely manufacturing cost competative sensitive. The Lamborhini I heard run was a 5 KW and supposed to be one of the best most bullet proof around, but way too noisy. Size wise it was ok. Kubota puts out a 6.9 HP water cooled engine, EA Series, which must be run thru a serpentine belt arrangement which is doable, if the noise level is OK in the van. I won’t know for sure until we hear it run unless someone has experience with this engine. It is being placed in properly ventilated compartment inside the van under the galley counter. I have considered the Powertech unit which mounts underneath the van and its fine except that water, snow and crud can get to the mechanism and trash the unit. So I will have the unit we select mounted inside, in a specially built and insulated box with air being supplied and discharged by a bilge pump, probably running the water cooled portion if it’s water cooled, off the vans radiator, as is the Espar Hydronic heater, so that should work fine. I will need to run the unit as much as 18 hours or more at a stretch, and need the peace of mind that when I leave the van with the dog inside, all will work as intended. I don’t know of any small diesel generator that comes as an already constructed unit and will do the job. As far as the electrical generating part of the unit, there is a good manufacture locally who can build the generating unit, which as previously mentioned puts out a very clean sine wave of power. I don’t want a cheaply built Chinese knockoff. I’m really open to suggestions and alternative ideas. Thanks again. Rog