If you are considering adding a generator to your motorhome , and have heard that your model is pre-wired for one and not sure about it, here's how you can tell and what type you should get:
To find out whether your motorhome is pre-wired for a generator, take look inside the generator compartment. It must be fitted out with a louvered door to allow the ventilation essentials. There would be an electrical box set up somewhere in that compartment. Known as the generator "makeup" box or "I" box, it will have conductors that go from the generator compartment to the panelboard breaker box someplace inside the RV. Or, it could be routed to a 30-amp (presumably) receptacle situated close the shoreline cord entry. On the main breaker control panel, you also might encounter a separate breaker marked for the generator, or at the least, space for one. A few motorhomes come from the factory also with an automatic transfer switch set up. This gadget automatically switches the source of AC voltage coming from the shoreline cord onto the generator after it starts up. If there's no automatic transfer switch on board and a 30-amp receptacle at or near the shoreline cord is present, then you need to plug the shoreline cord in the generator receptacle to power the coach.
You could always contact the motorhome manufacturer, if they are still in business. If you give the manufacturer your motorhomes's model and vehicle identification number (VIN), they will be able to tell you how that certain coach was fitted out as it left the production line.
As for generator brands, quite a few decent models are presently available. Seek out information regarding suppliers that have a established RV track record, like Onan and Generac, to start with, but don't rule out any of the new players in the RV market. Start from scratch and gather up information from all companies that presently offer RV generators, making certain the unit is indeed okayed for RV use. There are rather a few options today. Do your homework and do a comparison on sizes, fuel efficiency, output ratings, costs, etc., before making the decision.
Reminder; prior to choosing a generator, you will have to mathematically "size" the RV's electrical requirements first to find out how much power you will need from the generator. In other words, on the 120-volt-AC gadgets in your RV, how much electrical power will you really require? The solution to this question will decide what kilowatt-size generator you must take into account. Once you have done the math, add up another twenty to thirty percent for a safety buffer; remember that you'll also be connecting devices like coffeemakers, curling irons, etc., aside from the built-in or "hard-wired" AC loads associated with your own motorhome. The bottom line is to constantly have more output capability available than you'll generally need at any point in time. Keep in mind that generators that are converted to propane or those utilized in locations of high altitude would be less effective than their expressed ratings.