http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod2450243#desc (http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod2450243#desc)
# Gentron 6500 watt diesel generator
# Quiet series with fully-enclosed casing
# Durable diesel engine provides longer-lasting performance
# 10HP 4-stroke, air cooled diesel engine
# 6500 watt surge, 5000 watt rated output
# Super quiet noise level at 70dBA (compared to 78dBA)
# 40 amps at 120V, 20 amps at 240V
# 11 hours of usage, at 1/2 load
# Volt and hour meters included
# 2 AC 120v outlets
# 1 AC 120V / 240V twist-lock outlet
# 1 DC 12V outlet
# Electric start with backup pull start
# Battery included
# Wheel kit included
i just bought this one says it is a 6500 seems ok once i got it started first one came doa. both came with lots of scratches. very tight fit in a 4106 http://ramsond.com/dieselgen.php (http://ramsond.com/dieselgen.php)
This is not a 65K, it is a 5K. 40 amps tells me that. It would be 50 amps minimum.
The 65K is peak but it will not sustain that.
Air cooled is much louder, personally I would not want another air cooled genset, one was enough!
If it has a wheel kit it is probably not meant for RV use. Probably not suitable for confined spaces.
If you are planning on installing that in your bus to run while you are going down the road, then I would not get it. It is not designed for that type service. It would not be safe or reliable. I have tried similar gensets in the past. If you are planing to run it onsite outside of your coach, then it may work if 40 amps will give you all the power you need.
You need a genset designed for a RV if you plan to install it on your bus.
My 2cents.
I looked at those type generators when I first got my bus, they seemed too good to be true. "Quiet" is maybe in comparison to a train engine or something, they are very loud. The distributor I was talking to was a good guy, he basically refused to sell me one. said it wouldn't work right and i would not be happy. They are designed for use outdoors, a long way from anyone who has to listen to it.
Brian
You guys need to educate me or humor me here now what is a " approved " generator for RV use and how is different from any other.
Martin one of the largest and best suppliers in the US for generators has been using a 1 cylinder,air cooled, 3600 rpm Yanmar diesel for years you see tons of those on trucks
I see the Yanmar model YDG a gasoline generator installed by Martin in 5th wheel RV's all the time take a peak at that model looks just like what some call here call a contractors model.
I know Martin would not install that generator in 5th wheel under the bed in the compartment most 5th wheels have if he thought it was a danger
They all start with the same head and engines,I have bought diesel generators from Wrico (Dick) for my business and RV's over the years both are the same generator same engine same head he just charges more for accessories when installing in a RV for the remote stuff
68 to 71 dba@ 23 ft is about the norm for generators till you add the sound attenuation you buy yourself a unit with 71 dba at 70 feet you have your work cut out for you lol
good luck
Clifford,
RV genset: A genset that is designed to be in close quarters and usually has it's own cooling system. Like his one:
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthumb14.webshots.net%2Ft%2F57%2F57%2F7%2F66%2F2%2F436876602TnGASO_th.jpg&hash=73e8f5c94bd973450b95fd894d970bc9203a3376) (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/1436876602070518394TnGASO)
The heat is discharged out the bottom. The standard portable generator is designed to be outdoors, not confined to a bay on a bus. It is possible to engineer something to work, but I would not stake my families life on it. It would be better to get a used one that is engineered for it's use rather than a new one that is not and risk a fire or explosion.
I think Gentron recommends a minimum of three feet clearance around the generator while it is on. That model is air cooled.
ramsond claims it is suitable for RV use.
Mike take the Onan out of the housing and see what you have you have Onan my point is with the right hardware they all work Dicks diesel units won't work with out fans and venting none will.
OSHA set the standards for contractors generators been there done that with OSHA
good luck
Quote from: gulfyankee on August 28, 2011, 02:05:45 PM
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod2450243#desc (http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod2450243#desc)
# Gentron 6500 watt diesel generator
# Quiet series with fully-enclosed casing
# Durable diesel engine provides longer-lasting performance
# 10HP 4-stroke, air cooled diesel engine
# 6500 watt surge, 5000 watt rated output
# Super quiet noise level at 70dBA (compared to 78dBA)
# 40 amps at 120V, 20 amps at 240V
# 11 hours of usage, at 1/2 load
# Volt and hour meters included
# 2 AC 120v outlets
# 1 AC 120V / 240V twist-lock outlet
# 1 DC 12V outlet
# Electric start with backup pull start
# Battery included
# Wheel kit included
These generators have been around for several years now. It seems that they come from China and you can put whatever name brand decal you want on them and sell them.
Be aware that there are no parts available for them or factory support. When you buy it, it is yours. Ask me how I know, I bought one about 4 years ago ( not for my bus), It ran about 5 minuets and quit. I found a cracked piston. I will make a good deal to someone on it ;)
20 bucks cash............ the ransom co has HQ in Michigan and they seem to be able to provide parts.
You better check that place out Thomas not good with the BBB they have a F
good luck
Quote from: luvrbus on August 28, 2011, 06:41:31 PM
Mike take the Onan out of the housing and see what you have you have Onan my point is with the right hardware they all work Dicks diesel units won't work with out fans and venting none will.
He could get that one for $1100 that may work with some engineering or one like this:
http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/2564871123.html (http://spokane.craigslist.org/tls/2564871123.html)
that has been time tested and proven to be a good, safe, generator. In the past, I toyed with the idea of doing some similar on my old 4104 and just didn't feel good about using a cheap portable genset on my bus. I did try one for a time and it worked, but it would overheat and it was just not a good way to roll. I looked at the cheap china diesel genset's back then that were around... they were red... and I was tempted as well. Money is tight and I understand getting what you can and making it work.
I know a guy that took a 20 kw diesel genset that I think was a welder and installed it in his 4905 bay. (like one they pull on a trailer) They used one whole bay for it. They bolted it down, piped the exhaust out and put some fan's on it and it worked for them. It's all they had and they made it work. Just not something I would do.
i saw that but i think it was for 7 complaints?
There is a huge difference between the 3,600rpm based Chinese made generators then the 1,800rpm based mostly American assembled generators. My current 10,000 watt Powertech genset (I didn't know about Wrico then) has a 4 cylinder Kubota and a huge Siemans brushless alternator end. Granted I only have about 1,100 hours on it, but no problems with it. When the A/C kicks on, you barely notice the surge with the big alternator. If I need parts all relays are simple Bosch plug in types, the voltage regulator is universal, the sensers are made by Kubota.
Who knows what the Chinese used. Course, the 12kw generator I bought from Dick Wright with both the squirrel cage ventilating blower and the electric radiator fan with speed control, cost around $8,100.00. I firmly believe you get what you pay for. Good Luck, TomC
Damn, he went up on prices I bought a new 13kw from him in 2004 with all the goodies for under 5 grand ,he is the same as most he just buys the components and assembles I think he is using a English made head now you never he has changed head manufactures over the years
good luck
A friend of mine is a generator mechanic who worked for a utility company servicing their generators and now works on his own. When I was looking for one he stated to stay away form the China stuff. He had nothing but problems with them, broken parts, leaking oil, generator end burning up after continuous use and other problems. The price may look good but how much will it cost you to get it serviced and if you can't get it service you now have a very expensive piece of metal to recycle.
You guys would be shocked to know how many US generators are made by Yancheng of China both diesel and gas lol I don't thing we build anything here anymore
good luck
Yancheng Foreign Machinery Parts Co., Ltd. and others in the same area provide high quality products to Cummins and others. The problem is you can't tell one player from another without a scorecard.
Japan started out shipping all kinds of junk to us after the war. The early Toyotas and Datsuns were junk. Now they are the leaders. I don't doubt that China will be in that position before very long.
In the meantime, I would stay away from China diesels until they have a strong supply and service chain here.
China and India build whatever you want. You want extremely high quality, they can do it if you ask them. You want dirt cheap and you gotta sieve the casting sand out of the gearbox oil, they have that too. I blame the people doing the importing and purchasing for the distributors. Spare parts and warranty support is 100% the importer/distributor - usually a fine USA enterprise... or a US based OPCO at least.
All I know is I looked into that specific type of gennie, I was going to get it from a well respected local supplier with good support, and he steered me clear of it. Told me not to bother with it. That's all I can pass on.
Brian
Merely the fact that it's made in China may not be the issue. If it is made there for an American or Japanese company, there is likely to be better specs and quality control. If it marketed directly as a Chinese product, it is likely to be junk.
If the nameplate says 發電機, you probably don't want it.
i like this one.. http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BRS_40_kVA_generator.jpg (http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BRS_40_kVA_generator.jpg)
Quote from: TomC on August 29, 2011, 07:35:54 AM
There is a huge difference between the 3,600rpm based Chinese made generators then the 1,800rpm based mostly American assembled generators. My current 10,000 watt Powertech genset (I didn't know about Wrico then) has a 4 cylinder Kubota and a huge Siemans brushless alternator end. Granted I only have about 1,100 hours on it, but no problems with it. When the A/C kicks on, you barely notice the surge with the big alternator. If I need parts all relays are simple Bosch plug in types, the voltage regulator is universal, the sensers are made by Kubota.
Who knows what the Chinese used. Course, the 12kw generator I bought from Dick Wright with both the squirrel cage ventilating blower and the electric radiator fan with speed control, cost around $8,100.00. I firmly believe you get what you pay for. Good Luck, TomC
I had a Powertech 7kw for a couple of years. It seemed to be a well made unit. Mine had 4000 hrs on it when I got it. I put another 1000 on it in the 3 years I had it. Two things to know about the Powertech,
1 - it was not an inverter genset so the motor runs wide open all the time like a construction generator.
2 - The generator end bearing should be changed every 2000 hrs. If you run it till it is bad and spins it will mess up the generator head. Better safe than sorry.
It was very easy to service, much more than my Onan.
Charles
TomC,
What is the CFM rating on the squirrel cage ventilating blower for your genset?
I'm going to install one for my 8KW Westerbeke genset but not sure of the size needed.
I thought that bus had a Universal Generator Gus did you change it ? if it has a Universal it doesn't need a blower only a vent in the floor at the rear of the head and a vent where the head connects to the engine Dicks generators have a cooling problem always have
good luck
For ventilating the cabinet-look for around 250cfm. I used an inline bathroom 8" ventilator from Graingers (I also have a remote radiator) that Y's into two 6" hoses that puts cool air right on the alternator with the exit out the back by the engine (sits backwards next to the driver's seat). Also have a speed control so you can have near silent operation for night time use. Good Luck, TomC
Nice to hear all the positive comments about PowerTechs. My MC5 came with an older PowerTech 8K Isuzu diesel, and I couldnt be happier, it runs smooth clean and quiet. It does read 3600 hours, but I suspect the clock was running when it was plugged into power because of how it was wired (bogus). Im going to relocate it in the Bus, and while its out give it a good service and going through. Thanks for the heads up about the gen head bearing, ill be sure to change that out.
if you are charging an external battery most of them will run the clock.
Yup, thats how they wired it.
The older PowerTech made in 90's were not bad the new stuff with the electronics are a PITA most of the time when the boards go bad I just toss the junk and install a Murphy Control System about a 100 bucks extra for the Murphy 100 times better than the PowerTech system
good luck
It had a 10KW Fidelity head with a Kubota engine. (Is Universal still in business?) One floor vent at end of head and one at engine end at former radiator location. Radiator was remoted by PO. It failed our first day on the road so I took it to a marine repair shop in Seattle thinking they could repair it. RV dealers didn't even know what it was, they only know Onan it seems - but they tried. Never did find out why it failed because no parts are available to repair it even if we knew.
Long story short (Obsolete, no parts). It now has a used 7.7KW Westerbeke marine genset from a boat but runs pretty hot because of the exh manifold design (I plan to wrap the manifold and pipe). It stays cool while moving but gets pretty hot when stopped. Shut down once in 90* weather in traffic.
My plan is to blow in cool air from a compartment in front of the gen comp at the top and exhaust it at the two bottom holes mentioned above. I would love to blow the hot air out the top but that is physically near impossible with the current compartment setup. It is a very tight fit. Essentially I'm pressurizing the gen compartment with the two holes at the bottom as the only outlets.
I bought a 256 CFM Dayton blower from ebay so hopefully that will do the job.
No there not around but you got ripped Westereke bought Universal around 2000 and if you look at the Westerbeke site they sell every part for the Universal Generator I buy parts from time to time for the Universal there
good luck
I was watching this one one Ebay
Love to get opinions.
Ebay #390342801379
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390342801379 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390342801379)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.ebayimg.com%2Ft%2FSlow-Turning-Perkins-6-125-Watt-Diesel-Generator-%2F00%2F%24%28KGrHqF%2C%21hEE46l%21CGneBO%28S26uelg%7E%7E60_3.JPG&hash=42f058ba0a868a250a29170e64b0b395f3afa2c0)
I would have some problems with that unit. I have only been around one two cylinder Perkins, and that was on a pump, but it had a lot of vibration.
Hard to see the pulley ratios but it looks like a two pole generator, turning at 3600, even though the engine is running slower.
It is only rated at 5750 watts which I think is marginal for a conversion.
I would keep looking.
Perkins used to be good, dont know about today, cant comment about something I know nothing about. But its belt drive. Direct drive is more efficient and reliable/maintenance free. IOW, discounting maintenence/potential belt failure, a belt driven generator will use more fuel for equivelent power output than a direct drive. For $4K and change I would look for something better.
<Edit>
I didnt see it was a twin, I went back and looked at it. Its rigid mounted to the frame, no motor mounts/no rubber isolation. Inline twins vibrate more the slower they turn, and mounted rigid I would expect a great deal of vibration tranfered into whatever its parked on, but also cracking leading to failure of the mounts is likely. I bet if you put it under ground in a concrete block house 100 feet from your house you could feel it running. In a Bus? I wouldnt try it.
Now THAT is a generator! I think about exactly what I would look for in a 6KW size unit. Water cooled, belt drive, simple, straightforward, nice size, easy install. You may need to buy it with a fuel tank, since it seems to be mounted on the fuel tank. 120/240 volt option. You could put that in an enclosure and quiet it down a lot, one big issue may be vibration from the two cylinder engine. But less vibration than the air cooled single cylinder at the top of this thread.
Brian
Quote from: luvrbus on August 30, 2011, 08:26:27 AM
The older PowerTech made in 90's were not bad the new stuff with the electronics are a PITA most of the time when the boards go bad I just toss the junk and install a Murphy Control System about a 100 bucks extra for the Murphy 100 times better than the PowerTech system
Which model Murphy control do you buy? They have lots of stuff.
luvrbus,
You keep saying Universal but there was nothing on my old set that hinted it was a Universal. How do you identify a Universal?
My Westerbeke is a used model, WDM 7.7 as I remember, and it seems to have been mfg between '80 - '84 from what I found on the net.
It was a Universal the last time I saw it Gus and I never saw a conversion done by Marv that wasn't a Universal they were the only ones that would sell to him on the credit lol sorry I shouldn't say negative things about the departed but I don't miss him
good luck
Quote from: artvonne on August 30, 2011, 07:20:04 AM
Nice to hear all the positive comments about PowerTechs. My MC5 came with an older PowerTech 8K Isuzu diesel, and I couldnt be happier, it runs smooth clean and quiet. It does read 3600 hours, but I suspect the clock was running when it was plugged into power because of how it was wired (bogus). Im going to relocate it in the Bus, and while its out give it a good service and going through. Thanks for the heads up about the gen head bearing, ill be sure to change that out.
I ordered the bearing from Powertech because I was pushed up agist the wall for time and did not want to take a chance on not being able to find the correct but if I was to do it again I would take the bearing out and match it up at a local bearing house. It was a Fafnir I believe. Also the old one was not a sealed unit but the new one was, so with a sealed unit it may not need to be changed as often.
Quote from: Charles in SC on August 31, 2011, 07:19:26 PM
so with a sealed unit it may not need to be changed as often.
Thanks, good to know. Still, 2000 hours is a long time. We have a Kubota 7K diesel Gen in the Bounder, its circa 1992 and reading just over 600 hours now. Was only 400 when we bought it in 2005. Probably still had 1992 oil in it lol. Im gonna pull it and keep it for the house for backup power. With todays market the Gens worth more sitting on the ground than in that Bounder, lol.
luvrbus,
Thanks. The reason I asked is that it said Fidelity. Maybe that was a Universal with a different tag? It was obvious that one tag was removed and replaced by a tag that said " Irwin Enterprises" at someplace in CA (can't remember for sure and the set is in Seattle!). Is this the Marv you are talking about?
We couldn't find any source for parts and the marine guy said it was a type that was almost impossible to rewind. Couldn't even find a rectifier for it!
Sure wish it could have been repaired but the one I have seems to be high quality and should work well once I get the blower installed. The main problem with Westerbeke is their ridiculous parts prices. They are unreal. $700+ for a starter, $500+ for an alternator, $150 for a water hose and etc.
Are the Kubota GL Lowboy units still made for USA? I have worked with a liquid cooled unit that was around 7000w. Top quality. Not tall , could be mounted on a roll out service tray, exhaust was ductable on the unit I used. The $1000 Chinese gensets = You get what you pay for. If it was to run farm pump and you had another genny, ie. tractor PTO or another portable genny as backup,yes, But, Not as the primary power for a bus.
You guys are going to be hard pressed to find a Kubota engine on a generator now days that is not built in China along with the head ,I was looking at a 20KW in a Marathon the Kubota and the Siemens head were made in China fwiw.
Kubota makes different grades of their engines they are not all the same
good luck
The only even firing 2 cylinder I know of is the 6kw air cooled or 7.5kw water cooled Onan. I have the air cooled 6kw DJB for stand by power at the house, but it is VERY loud even in a sound cabinet. Those other two cylinder engines are literally a 4 cylinder engine with 2 cylinders loped off-so they sound like they are missing all the time-translated-they are rough running. Try to find at least a 3 cylinder or 4 cylinder that are even firing.
That 2 cylinder in the picture may run slowly but it is belt driving an el cheapo 3,600rpm alternator head.
If you want the most reliable, quietest genset possible, look for a direct drive (no belts) brushless alternator head running at 1,800rpm. They just run and run and run....Good Luck, TomC
Been there, done that... Don't waste your money. Aside from the starting issue's these have, mine crapped out "during" my first trip. The word "quiet" on this is a joke too. If noise isn't a issue for you though, here's what I got for my MC9. $900
http://www.lowes.com/pd_97483-348-30477_4294857298_4294937087_?productId=3192419&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl_Generators_4294857298_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo= (http://www.lowes.com/pd_97483-348-30477_4294857298_4294937087_?productId=3192419&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl_Generators_4294857298_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=)
It's loud as $hit though, so it's not campground material. I even pulled it and lent it to my buddy for his MC9 tour bus when the "deal" of a generator he bought didn't work on his maiden voyage. He went right out and bought one of these when he got back. We've run them in 105° temps for days on end pulling two 13.5 AC's, fridge, lights, fans and a Jäger machine ;D
He even built a sweet slider system for easy fueling. Now we have to do the same for mine so I can lose the PVC fueling tube I made.
caz,
Very interesting, what kind of ventilation do you have?
The exhaust faces the outside and we kept the factory mesh door, that's it. Honestly it doesn't throw near as much heat as I thought it would under normal conditions. The parked days in 105° heat though, it does get hot enough that you don't want to touch that door without your mechanix gloves on when you refuel :)
The bay is sheeted with reflective foam insulation and sealed off so fumes don't go into the bays and our CO detector is mounted inside directly above the bay for safety. The open mesh door seems to be all it needs, although that doesn't help the noise level. In my bus we're typically either plugged in at a campsite or running the gen down the road so noise isn't a issue. My buddy's tour bus is usually parked out back of a outdoor stage area or a venue parking lot, where noise is not a issue either. I've been running mine for 11 months now, we did just over 3000 miles this year.
Here's a shot of mine in the bay.
CAZ: I thought the consensus was that you cannot run an air cooled genset while driving down the highway... thought they would overheat and cook. It looks like you've been doing it and it works. I'm confused as usual.
Quote from: rcbeam on September 05, 2011, 01:55:35 PM
CAZ: I thought the consensus was that you cannot run an air cooled genset while driving down the highway... thought they would overheat and cook. It looks like you've been doing it and it works. I'm confused as usual.
No such problems here :)
Got the idea partially from a friend who runs air cooled gas units out of a rear bay in his '79 Eagle. He was always running cheap underpowered generators and we were convinced if he had spent the money on a decent one he would have avoided some of the problems he was encountering from time to time.
Me and my friend were both converting MC9's at the same time which was helpful for bouncing ideas back and forth. Like I said, I tried the cheap air cooled diesel first and it failed, and that was a winter trip, no way it would have made it through a summer. That unit is now in my garage for power outages. I kind of fell into this one by necessity because we were out of town. Luckily I was able to score this unit at Lowe's and get it hooked up temporarily for our ride home. Once I wired things in proper I was pleasantly surprised. I'm sure it's not the best option mainly due to noise and fueling, because without the slides it's a chore, but it can be done for under a grand and it has proven itself time and time again for both our buses. It has a 8.5 gallon tank and at full load in high heat we're getting about 8-9hrs per tank, and at night, even running the AC, we're getting about 11-12hrs per tank. I have a 12gal fuel tank and low pressure fuel pump in my front bay that I plan on using to create a fuel supply loop to extend my range but I have not hooked it all up yet.
Caz, you are using the existing gas tank on the generator? One of my main concerns with having a setup as you do was fire and explosions. Have you checked the surface tempertures of the walls of that compartment after it has ran a while? It would be interesting what they would be. I suppose the autoingition temperature of gasoline is around 495 F, so it may be safe using the tank on the genset, but I am not sure about the hoses. you have been doing it so it has been working for you, it just seems dangerous.
It's a cool setup you have made work. Any chance you can buy another muffler to quiet it down?
Amazing, this defies everything the naysayers have been posting for years.
Very good to know.
Quote from: gus on September 05, 2011, 08:07:42 PM
Amazing, this defies everything the naysayers have been posting for years.
Very good to know.
;)
Experience: For what it's worth. This type of Generator is meant for open air use only. Mainly for construction/or temp power home owner use -out door. I have used this type for over 40 yrs as a contractor/operating engineer. In that time from use the following personal observations. 2 burned down when fuel lines broke spilling fuel/fumes on hot exhaust-engine.Gas powered. They do produce deadly gas which will seep thru the tinny of holes possible. The cycles at which they operate (60 designed) seem to vary. not to important with anything with brushes or like heaters or toasters. Hard on electronics or anything with transformers. I will admit I hooked one up to see if it would carry my coach in case of main gen set failure. The surge when loads varied during use led me to rule this out. (8000 troybuilt) voltage would go from 119 drop to 102 the recover some what. All this considered. I feel most or designed to last less than 1000hrs and don't run without a carbonmonoxide monitor in your coach. fuel only when cool& pref a tank away from gen set. Stay alive---if you must use-----treat like you would something to be feared. Don't get mad at this post! just please be careful!!! Hope to see you on the road. Bob.......PS.... refering to post with gas tank mounted on top of gen set not original posters question....
Come on guys you see the Kubota gasoline engine powering generators in these high end gas engine pushers and not giving any problems
good luck
Kubota makes water cooled gasoline engines also. Years ago, I believe it was Generac that had a 3 cylinder gasoline engine from a Chevy Metro powering a 10kw (if I remember right) genset. It was one of the quietest gensets I'd ever heard.
Onan, Kohler, Generac, Kubota, etc many others make gasoline gensets that are water cooled for gasoline powered boats. Very close to Diesel reliability and now have catalytic converters on them so you don't have to worry about fumes.
I had a 6.5 Onan Commercial Emerald on my big rig truck. With the fumes coming out and having to run the generator at night for either heat or cooling the sleeper, I also had an outside plug to power a box fan to blow the fumes away from the sleeper. Worked well-created lots of questions though.
As you see I waited to page 4 to reply because of backlash. do what you must. if you have a choice go with something with a remote gas tank at least. Lots of good gen sets out there for same $ that are of better quality than the new offerings. I am running a 7.5 kohler 4cyl gas powered water cooled in the 89 . paid $750. Have a 7.5 lp unit for the 98 with 34 hrs on it (take out) in cabinet. $1500. So the deals are there. Both came out of RV's the 1st out of a wonderlodge the 2nd out of a mobile comand post(rv type) Bob
My point is Bob the diesels start fires just as easy as the gasoline generators if diesel poses no danger then Jim is wasting his time with his fire system for a generator compartment,fwiw 100% gasoline the auto ignition and diesel are around 80 degrees in difference and you add the ethanol to gasoline and they are about the same,85% ethanol the auto ignition is around 700 degrees I heard that part is a lot better than diesel
good luck
agree on fuel fire potential! Fuel source close to heat and ignition source I question?? Most of these self-contained units have warning labels about fueling when running or hot. The other concern is quality of continuous power.
I know that this is where everyone does it there own way, so I guess that if you are happy with it, it's okay. It looks unsafe to me, and I love shortcuts. The comment that you can't touch the door without gloves sounds like something to be concerned about. We also have a very, very, old 7.5 Kohler gas generator. It is reasonable quite, runs beautifully, and does not noticeably raise the temperature of the bay door. If this one poops out, I would tend to look for another old one that is designed for the task.
Me I just think too much is put into a generator being approved for RV use,I been around Wrico generators and others for a long time never have saw Wrico state approved for RV use and he has sold 1000's for conversions over the years
good luck
I agree, there is no reason that a Contractor generator cannot be modified to function safely in an RV environment.
It only takes a little common sense, electrical knowledge, adequate cooling air supply and exhaust and careful monitoring of temperatures.
I would not, under any circumstances, use such a generator in a bay without a remote fuel supply.
OSHA sets the regulations for contractors generators not that need that much clearance,I think it is title 29 same applies to a diesel or gasoline generator on a job site and the manufactures are required to put the refueling and clearance stickers on those units been there done that with OSHA lol
good luck
So modify for RV use.... I can buy that. won't question quality --that is for buyer to determine-bang for the buck. Be safe!
I am not saying that a contractor generator can not be adapted for RV/marine/enclosed use; at the core, a generator is generator. However, the ones constructed for our use have the needed adaptions and modification done as part of the manufacture process. You can theoretically build your entire genset from scratch or start with a contractor style generator, where most of the work has already been done, but from there I would say that you should upgrade it to make it completely equal. This would include a remote fuel source, proper muffling, safe exhaust discharge, an enclosure ventilated well enough that heat is not an issue, and probably some things that don't come to mind right now.
Quote from: Lin on September 06, 2011, 11:42:16 AM
I am saying that a contractor generator can not be adapted for RV/marine/enclosed use; at the core, a generator is generator. However, the ones constructed for our use have the needed adaptions and modification done as part of the manufacture process. You can theoretically build your entire genset from scratch or start with a contractor style generator, where most of the work has already been done, but from there I would say that you should upgrade it to make it completely equal. This would include a remote fuel source, proper muffling, safe exhaust discharge, an enclosure ventilated well enough that heat is not an issue, and probably some things that don't come to mind right now.
Probably a long pull cord coming up through the floor to start it. ;)
;D BK ;D
What do you guys think about this generator and price??
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/for/2580909879.html (http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/for/2580909879.html)
Regarding the Gas Onan on LA craigslist: Onan had problems in the 90's with generator magnets ungluing and flying around making a mess. I saw it happen myself. They did not warranty the problem and everyone was stuck with a rebuild bill. Check the manufacture year on that one.
How about this generator? It apparently comes with a bus... :o
http://richmond.craigslist.org/tls/2577945472.html (http://richmond.craigslist.org/tls/2577945472.html)
-jbn
It seems to me the only real problem here is keeping it cool which a good blower would take care of.
Fuel lines to RV specific gensets can break and burn just as easily as this one so don't see that as a unique problem.
The hot floor might be solved with a good blower, if not more insulation would do it.
I'm in the process of installing a 326 CFM blower on my newly installed Westerbeke boat genset because it gets pretty hot without the original water cooled exh manifold.
Quote from: jbnewman on September 06, 2011, 05:42:53 PM
How about this generator? It apparently comes with a bus... :o
http://richmond.craigslist.org/tls/2577945472.html (http://richmond.craigslist.org/tls/2577945472.html)
-jbn
jbn it seems like for what it is that generator is overpriced and on top of that your stuck with a bus to get rid off! ;)
;D BK ;D