What's it worth? Onan/Cummins

Hey everybody. I've got a 200KW Onan/Cummins that has been a standby on our poultry farm for the last 5 years. We've decided it's time to replace it due to its age. The only problem it has is the water heater isn't working. On 30 and 40 degree days it has to be cranked two or three times before it starts and runs. Other than that it runs great. It had new injectors installed in either '20 or '21 by Yancey Bros and has run approximately 200 hours since. Also has a newer deep sea controller that was installed around that '20 or '21 time frame. We're replacing it due to age, parts, and our integrators "preference". It's a NT400 Cummins from, according to Yancey Bros, the late 60s. Any thoughts on value? I think my biggest problem with selling will be the size. Most folks don't need a generator this big.

You can try seeing what similar sized units sold for on the auction sites like RB or GP, and list yours locally for less. I wouldn't expect any big money due to age and (as you mentioned) parts availability. A lot of the larger tear outs just go to scrap even if they run great. Realistically, the investment to have it installed and wired up will keep most buyers away on that old of a unit. Leaves you with farmers that will leave it on a trailer, or someone that wants it as a collector/novelty.

MarshallPowerGen said: You can try seeing what similar sized units sold for on the auction sites like RB or GP, and list yours locally for less. I wouldn't expect any big money due to age and (as you mentioned) parts availability. A lot of the larger tear outs just go to scrap even if they run great. Realistically, the investment to have it installed and wired up will keep most buyers away on that old of a unit. Leaves you with farmers that will leave it on a trailer, or someone that wants it as a collector/novelty. Click to expand... And does Onan even support parts for a unit that old. Many manufacturers are now days making something obsolete outside of 10-15 years old. Not enough units out there to justify stocking parts for them.

Thanks for the replies. Pardon the ignorance but what are RB and GP? I know they're auction sites but the initials don't ring any bells. We've talked with some folks that my FIL worked with years ago. They run several sand dredges and they have one that uses a generator this size but I haven't heard back from them yet. It could go to another poultry farm depending on what the rules in the contact are

It will have little value because if anybody is to install something that big they are going to have to pay some bucks. And they will want it to run good at least 10 years. It is 55-60 years old now and that will put it at 65-70 years when that time is up. Besides that it has to be the right size for the application. If they only need 100 kw it is way too big. If they need 250 kw it is too small. There is just no market for something that big and specialized.

thendrix said: Thanks for the replies. Pardon the ignorance but what are RB and GP? I know they're auction sites but the initials don't ring any bells. We've talked with some folks that my FIL worked with years ago. They run several sand dredges and they have one that uses a generator this size but I haven't heard back from them yet. It could go to another poultry farm depending on what the rules in the contact are Click to expand... Richie Bros/IronPlanet and GovPlanet. willie59 said: And does Onan even support parts for a unit that old. Many manufacturers are now days making something obsolete outside of 10-15 years old. Not enough units out there to justify stocking parts for them. Click to expand... It's the flip of a coin if Cummins will still have a 50 year old Onan part on a shelf somewhere, but you'd better have the PN out of the Onan manual, Quickserve is of no use.

Cummins South didn't have the injectors when they were needed. Wound up finding 6 in Texas and they wouldn't sell without the cores. I'm afraid I'm going to end up damn near giving the thing away or watch it sit here. Anybody know of a Cummins forum? Might draw a little interest that way

As long as ol’e Truck Shop stays above the ground, he can rattle off the part number, from the top of his head, explain why and how, tell you a story about that particular NT400 and then, let you know who has the parts stashed in their garage. And, on what shelf.

I use a Honda EU2000 for standby power at my chicken farm.

thendrix said: Cummins South didn't have the injectors when they were needed. Wound up finding 6 in Texas and they wouldn't sell without the cores. I'm afraid I'm going to end up damn near giving the thing away or watch it sit here. Anybody know of a Cummins forum? Might draw a little interest that way Click to expand... SmokStak.com is where the Onan hoarders live.

Coaldust said: I use a Honda EU2000 for standby power at my chicken farm. View attachment 338492 Click to expand... Man I can't tell you the number of times I wish our farm looked like that and paid what it does. Takes a little more for us. We grow about 235,000 per flock six flocks per year

Wow! Can’t imagine. There probably isn’t 235,000 chickens in the entire state of AK. Ptarmigan, for sure.

I fell into some money this year and doubled the size of my fowl operation. I took them to swimming practice today.