Educate Me

[Looking4rv]

I am looking at buying a View. I am confused as to why my local dealer has so many with the $5000 diesel generator upgrade. When I read the forum here and google it, it appears the benefit is minimal. Many feel the a propane generator is the way to go.
So my opinion is the so called upgrades are just to get the msrp up and the options are likely a higher pay out to the dealer.
Other than the use of the chassis fuel tank, I do not see a $5,000 benefit.
Thank you in advance

[TonyMac]

I like my diesel generator over the propane one my parents had. I fill the fuel tank before I go off the grid and have 60 of my 90 gallon tank for generating electricity. My genny burns about less than 1 gallon per hour, so that's 60 hours of use, 4 hours a day for charging up the batteries (two 2-hour periods), is 15 days of generator use. You can't get that with a gas generator running on a propane tank. Do that math before you make your decision, and factor in how much boondocking you would like to do. If it gets so hot I have to run the ac, I start the main engine instead, and drive away.

[rk911]

Originally Posted by Looking4rv

I am looking at buying a View. I am confused as to why my local dealer has so many with the $5000 diesel generator upgrade. When I read the forum here and google it, it appears the benefit is minimal. Many feel the a propane generator is the way to go.
So my opinion is the so called upgrades are just to get the msrp up and the options are likely a higher pay out to the dealer.
Other than the use of the chassis fuel tank, I do not see a $5,000 benefit.
Thank you in advance

then just order one with the propane genny. but if you do a LOT of boondocking in colder weather you're gonna wish you had the diesel genny.

[John Hilley]

The diesel generator will make a huge difference in resale value.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by Looking4rv

I am looking at buying a View. I am confused as to why my local dealer has so many with the $5000 diesel generator upgrade. When I read the forum here and google it, it appears the benefit is minimal. Many feel the a propane generator is the way to go.
So my opinion is the so called upgrades are just to get the msrp up and the options are likely a higher pay out to the dealer.
Other than the use of the chassis fuel tank, I do not see a $5,000 benefit.
Thank you in advance

Looking4rv
My coach has a propane generator and a 35 gallon LP tank.
Given the choice I would prefer a generator that burns diesel from the 100 gallon diesel fuel tank... (but it is what it is).
Mel
'96 Safari

[Looking4rv]

I see opinions here are still split but I may have been too concerned about the diesel generator. I can make a better informed decision now with out the fear of making an expensive mistake either way.
Many other threads are complaining of the supposed increased maintenance and expensive repairs. But I am not as concerned about that now.
I will take either one depending on the other options and price as I shop around. Since the majority of the inventory have the diesel locally I will likely have one.

Thanks again

[NYBobbo]

The diesel on the View is low maintenance as I see it. First oil change (just over 1 qt) blow out the filter screen (no replacement needed) after the first 20 hrs, after that every 250 hrs. At 1/3 gallon per hour at 50% load it sips fuel. You can easily carry an extra can of diesel on a rack. That's one thing that you can't do with Propane.

I did have problems finding Propane as I drove from Fla. to Illinois but so far never had issues finding diesel.

As has been said in the past you can make any setup work. For me the diesel gen was worth waiting 3 months till they had them in stock and could build my RV.

That being said... they do make it a very pricey upgrade

[OLYLEN]

I can not recall ever seeing propane as the preferred fuel for a gen. I do see the preferred fuel as the same as the RV itself. As to cost, if you will very very seldom need the Gen go propane, if on the other hand you plan to off grid/boondock get the Gen to match the fuel of the RV.

LEN

[Looking4rv]

You have convinced me here. I have seen negative opinions when searching out of this forum. I am not concerned about the upgrade at this point and may opt for it. If it is better than the alternative then that is enough for me.
I am totally green except reading many forums about rev's. Never had one so being careful not to spend up unless the option has a benefit.

Thank you all again.

[Mr_D]

Have had one propane generator and will never have another. Used too much propane, shut down due to overheating in only 90° weather and was noisy.
Diesel only for us from now on.

[George Schweikle]

The Safari TREK 6.5 diesels, some other larger Safari DP's, and now some Class B's use the propane generator for it's lower cost. We had one in our '95 TREK, and it was thirsty as well as being inconvenient to find propane fuel (like while dry camping at a sports car autocross on a hot Memorial day weekend in Evansville, Indiana). Facilities that sell filled portable propane tanks rarely have the capacity to fill chassis mounted tanks.

I suspect the $5000 cost increase is for different generators. The smallest Onan propane genny is 2.8K vs. the smallest Diesel is 3.2K, so not an apples to apples comparison.

Originally Posted by OLYLEN

I can not recall ever seeing propane as the preferred fuel for a gen.....LEN

[lotsoftoys]

The options on the View are the Cummins Onan 3.6kW propane or the 3.2kW diesel. It really does come down on how you plan to use it. Per the Winnebago web site the View has a 13 gallon LP tank that can be filled to 80%. The diesel tank capacity is 26.4 gallons. At 1/2 load, the propane generator will consume about 0.6 gallons per hour. The 3.2 diesel generator consumes about 0.3 gallons per hour at 1/2 load. Sound levels are very close but the two generators definitely have a different tone. Also some people are sensitive to the smell of the diesel exhaust.