Onan Restoration - Arch

gene

New member
Sep 29, 1999
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It is really not too hard to adjust the Onan . Set the ignition timing as
Emery talks about in the solidstate ignition article.

http://www.california.com/~eagle/generator.html

Then adjust the speed of the Onan to get the correct voltage and the
frequency will be there. Or you can set the frequency if you have a
counter, and the voltage will be there. They are connected and one will
set the other.

gene

>In a message dated 7/16/2000 8:35:32 PM Central Daylight Time, Gcbr
>writes:
>
> be getting there?
> >>
>No load, roughly 125 volts, but you'll probably have to do some adjusting to
>get it right since its been sitting so long. Need 1800 RPM to produce 60
>hertz = 120v. Do you have power inside the coach? you can use an electric
>clock with a second hand and your wrist watch to regulate the RPM's. Plug in
>the clock to an outlet and compare the relative positions of the second
hands
>- if the electric clock second hand does not reflect 60 seconds as fast as
>the wrist watch, your RPM's are too low and you can speed it up by adjusting
>the nut on the arm on top of the Onan.
>Keep us posted.
>
>Lanier
>Jackson, Mississippi
>FMCA # 37894
>'73 GMC Excalibur
>'29 Mercedes SSK Roadster
>'94 Geo Tracker (BN TOAD)
>
>
>He is no fool who will give
>what he cannot keep to
>gain what he cannot lose.
>
Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
mr.erf
http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
You can use a 110 volt neon test light to test the frequency. plug one leg
og the test lite inte a 110 volt household plug, the other leg into the 110
volt from the onan, when the neon
lamp is not blinking(light steadly), the onan freq is set to same as the
north america power plan.

HTH
Sam

> ----------
> From: HLBF[SMTP:HLBF]
> Reply To: gmcmotorhome
> Sent: Monday, July 17, 2000 10:09 AM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: Re: GMC: Onan Restoration - Arch
>
> In a message dated 7/16/2000 8:35:32 PM Central Daylight Time,
> Gcbr

>
> be getting there?
> >>
> No load, roughly 125 volts, but you'll probably have to do some adjusting
> to
> get it right since its been sitting so long. Need 1800 RPM to produce 60
> hertz = 120v. Do you have power inside the coach? you can use an electric
> clock with a second hand and your wrist watch to regulate the RPM's. Plug
> in
> the clock to an outlet and compare the relative positions of the second
> hands
> - if the electric clock second hand does not reflect 60 seconds as fast as
>
> the wrist watch, your RPM's are too low and you can speed it up by
> adjusting
> the nut on the arm on top of the Onan.
> Keep us posted.
>
> Lanier
> Jackson, Mississippi
> FMCA # 37894
> '73 GMC Excalibur
> '29 Mercedes SSK Roadster
> '94 Geo Tracker (BN TOAD)
>
>
> He is no fool who will give
> what he cannot keep to
> gain what he cannot lose.
>
 
> You can use a 110 volt neon test light to test the frequency. plug one leg
> og the test lite inte a 110 volt household plug, the other leg into the
110
> volt from the onan, when the neon
> lamp is not blinking(light steadly), the onan freq is set to same as the
> north america power plan.
>
> HTH
> Sam

There are few things that give me greater pleasure than reading a simple,
elegant solution to a problem; this is one of the best I've seen in a good
while!

My hat is off to you, sir. Heterodyning at work!

Travis
 
Really just have to set the voltage, the cycles will follow.

gene

>In a message dated 07/17/2000 9:40:41 AM Central Daylight Time,

>
>> lamp is not blinking(light steadly), the onan freq is set to same as the
>> north america power plan.
>>
>Sam
>
>I am going to try this. Sounds neat.
>
>Take Care
>Arch
>
Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
mr.erf
http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
>Really just have to set the voltage, the cycles will follow.
>
>gene

Gene is right on with this message. Also, if you use the neon bulb
or the clock to adjust it exactly to 60 hertz it will not really be a
high enough voltage when you put a load on it. I believe that the
GMC Maintenance Manual says to set it at a bit higher frequency.
Without looking it up I think they say something like 62 or 63 hertz.

Easiest think to do is just follow Gene's message and set it to about
125-130 volts.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM