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11-01-2006, 06:28

Does anyone have experience replacing a generator on a 1978 FC33? I'm
looking at buying this Bird, which is in good condition except for the
gen (dead). Roughly how much would it cost to have one installed?

Thanks in advance,
Brent

11-01-2006, 15:32

Hi Brent,
We replaced a propane generator on our 84FC with a 8KW PowerTech diesel
generator in
2001. We had it installed at the PowerTech factory in Florida for $6,300
including tax.
We've logged 1,000 hours on it since then and it's been a good, reliable unit.
We only
have two roof airs and easily run them and anything else on our coach without a
problem.
If you want to run three roof airs, an 8KW unit may be too small for you. We
picked the
8KW because it was the largest enclosed unit we could fit into our compartment.
You can
fit a larger unenclosed unit in your coach but will experience more noise as a
result. Hope
this helps in your decision.
Regards, Eric in San Antonio
84FC35SBWL2

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "swartzentruber1" <swartzentruber1@...>
wrote:
>
> Does anyone have experience replacing a generator on a 1978 FC33? I'm
> looking at buying this Bird, which is in good condition except for the
> gen (dead). Roughly how much would it cost to have one installed?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Brent
>

11-01-2006, 16:51

Eric,
Thanks for the information. That's a large up front investment if I
bought this WL, so the price will have to be right. He is asking
$20K OBO, which seems high for a rig with 250K miles and no
generator, but it had a brand new CAT installed 7000 miles ago.
Any thoughts . . .

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Eric Johnson"
wrote:
>
> Hi Brent,
> We replaced a propane generator on our 84FC with a 8KW PowerTech
diesel generator in
> 2001. We had it installed at the PowerTech factory in Florida for
$6,300 including tax.
> We've logged 1,000 hours on it since then and it's been a good,
reliable unit. We only
> have two roof airs and easily run them and anything else on our
coach without a problem.
> If you want to run three roof airs, an 8KW unit may be too small
for you. We picked the
> 8KW because it was the largest enclosed unit we could fit into our
compartment. You can
> fit a larger unenclosed unit in your coach but will experience more
noise as a result. Hope
> this helps in your decision.
> Regards, Eric in San Antonio
> 84FC35SBWL2
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "swartzentruber1"
<swartzentruber1@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Does anyone have experience replacing a generator on a 1978
FC33? I'm
> > looking at buying this Bird, which is in good condition except
for the
> > gen (dead). Roughly how much would it cost to have one
installed?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Brent
> >
>

11-01-2006, 20:47

On the Vintage Bird site under classifieds are 2 generators for sale.

Ernie Ekberg
83 PT40
Livingston, Montana

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

11-02-2006, 04:26

Brent, the size of a replacement Genset is personal depending on the
needs of the owner. Blue Birds are steel and heat up in the sun.
that is one reason many want major Watt gensets. Exact replacement
units will fit in the bay with little modifications but I read that
many owners have modified their radiator locations. You could always
find a used later model RV style genset and shove it in the big
opening only to upgrade to a larger one if you determine if your
needs require. There are repair facilities that specialize in RV gen
service and the one here in SoCal always has used warranty units for
sale. RV gensets differ from construction genset because the exhaust
which uses horsepower to make it quiet are set up different. Y2K
caused a glut of backup low quality gensets to come into existance so
chose a RV name brand. Did the advert say Brand new 3208 or reman
obsolete Cat?
GregoryO'Connor

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "swartzentruber1"
<swartzentruber1@...> wrote:
>
> Eric,
> Thanks for the information. That's a large up front investment if
I
> bought this WL, so the price will have to be right. He is asking
> $20K OBO, which seems high for a rig with 250K miles and no
> generator, but it had a brand new CAT installed 7000 miles ago.
> Any thoughts . . .
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Eric Johnson"
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Brent,
> > We replaced a propane generator on our 84FC with a 8KW PowerTech
> diesel generator in
> > 2001. We had it installed at the PowerTech factory in Florida
for
> $6,300 including tax.
> > We've logged 1,000 hours on it since then and it's been a good,
> reliable unit. We only
> > have two roof airs and easily run them and anything else on our
> coach without a problem.
> > If you want to run three roof airs, an 8KW unit may be too small
> for you. We picked the
> > 8KW because it was the largest enclosed unit we could fit into
our
> compartment. You can
> > fit a larger unenclosed unit in your coach but will experience
more
> noise as a result. Hope
> > this helps in your decision.
> > Regards, Eric in San Antonio
> > 84FC35SBWL2
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "swartzentruber1"
> <swartzentruber1@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Does anyone have experience replacing a generator on a 1978
> FC33? I'm
> > > looking at buying this Bird, which is in good condition except
> for the
> > > gen (dead). Roughly how much would it cost to have one
> installed?
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance,
> > > Brent
> > >
> >
>

11-02-2006, 12:36

Great ideas and information.

My experience is in a large aluminum Lance camper, in which I rarely
used Air or the generator for that matter. So I'm hoping I could
get by with a 5-7KW unit. I would prefer diesel or LP just to keep
the number of different fuels to a minimum, but in the end my budget
will decide. If we are boondocking, it will likely be on the beach,
desert in winter, or in the mountains - not too hot.

I had read that someone raised their gen compartment to increase
ground-clearance. I assume they had to use a smaller gen to allow
for the change.

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gregory OConnor"
wrote:
>
> Brent, the size of a replacement Genset is personal depending on
the
> needs of the owner. Blue Birds are steel and heat up in the sun.
> that is one reason many want major Watt gensets. Exact
replacement
> units will fit in the bay with little modifications but I read
that
> many owners have modified their radiator locations. You could
always
> find a used later model RV style genset and shove it in the big
> opening only to upgrade to a larger one if you determine if your
> needs require. There are repair facilities that specialize in RV
gen
> service and the one here in SoCal always has used warranty units
for
> sale. RV gensets differ from construction genset because the
exhaust
> which uses horsepower to make it quiet are set up different. Y2K
> caused a glut of backup low quality gensets to come into existance
so
> chose a RV name brand. Did the advert say Brand new 3208 or reman
> obsolete Cat?
> GregoryO'Connor
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "swartzentruber1"
> <swartzentruber1@> wrote:
> >
> > Eric,
> > Thanks for the information. That's a large up front investment
if
> I
> > bought this WL, so the price will have to be right. He is
asking
> > $20K OBO, which seems high for a rig with 250K miles and no
> > generator, but it had a brand new CAT installed 7000 miles ago.
> > Any thoughts . . .
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Eric Johnson"

> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Brent,
> > > We replaced a propane generator on our 84FC with a 8KW
PowerTech
> > diesel generator in
> > > 2001. We had it installed at the PowerTech factory in Florida
> for
> > $6,300 including tax.
> > > We've logged 1,000 hours on it since then and it's been a
good,
> > reliable unit. We only
> > > have two roof airs and easily run them and anything else on
our
> > coach without a problem.
> > > If you want to run three roof airs, an 8KW unit may be too
small
> > for you. We picked the
> > > 8KW because it was the largest enclosed unit we could fit into
> our
> > compartment. You can
> > > fit a larger unenclosed unit in your coach but will experience
> more
> > noise as a result. Hope
> > > this helps in your decision.
> > > Regards, Eric in San Antonio
> > > 84FC35SBWL2
> > >
> > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "swartzentruber1"
> > <swartzentruber1@>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Does anyone have experience replacing a generator on a 1978
> > FC33? I'm
> > > > looking at buying this Bird, which is in good condition
except
> > for the
> > > > gen (dead). Roughly how much would it cost to have one
> > installed?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks in advance,
> > > > Brent
> > > >
> > >
> >
>