What method would you all recommend for hooking a diesel generator to the main bus fuel tank?
I don't know the specifics, but one thing is critical. Make sure the pickup is higher than that of the bus engine. That way the bus will always start even if you run the generator out of fuel.
Hi Doug,
Here is a pic of my generator pick up. I machined it out of aluminum.
I used 3/8" copper and brass fittings. Also 4" above engine pick up.
Nick-
Here is how I did mine in my 09 Bluebird.
I had to drill a hole in the floor, and drop the pick up into the tank from above, then I glued the circle back in place.
The lines then ran from the back, to the front where I have a Fuel filter, then the output splits and feeds my AquaHot and Onan Quiet Diesel Gen. The return lines are also fed back to the fitting.
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Don't use rubber hose, use Aeroquip lines.
I have a MCI 7 and drilled a hole in the round plate which was already on top of the tank. I then put the pick up where is about 10 inches from the botton of the tank. I wondered how much fuel I would have when the gen ran out of fuel, well it happened and it took a 100 gal to fill the tank so when the gen runs out of fuel I wtill have about 35 usable gal left to run the engine.
Just my way
ED
My bus originally had a Webasto heater as part of the as new config, but it was gone when I got the bus. I used the fuel pickup for the Webasto for my generator. I know from experience that the Webasto pickup is the same level or lower than the main engine pickup. I don't worry about running out of fuel for the engine as I always fill up before boondocking with the generator. I could run the generator at least a week straight before I have to worry about fuel.
For my Proheat there is a plate on the tank where a fuel sender could be placed. I will remove that plate and drill a hole in it for the fuel pickup. I bought the fuel pickup from Sure Marine.
Would a dedicated gen set fuel tank be a better idea? I'm not sure of the notion of running your main tank nearly dry just running gen set. What would happen if you had to get out of Dodge right now...but had little fuel? HB of CJ (old coot)
I have my fuel pick up cut at 3/4 tank, and it's a 200 gallon tank, so I can't run dry.
But in any case, I always keep my fuel tank topped up right to the neck. When I use the bus, and I am done, I top it up again.
My last outing, I dry docked for 5 days and ran my onan 7500 all day, every day for 5 days, and I dont think the fuel guage even moved.
(I filled up the fuel just before pulling into my camp site/race track).
Fred Hobe, a well respected converter here in the southeast, has an excellent website with many, many illustrated tips for those starting this wonderful hobby. Browse his entire site for excellent advice, but for your specific query, scroll down a bit on this page:
http://users.cwnet.com/~thall/fredhobe3.htm (http://users.cwnet.com/~thall/fredhobe3.htm)
I did mine Fred's way and have had no problems these past 10 years.
Good luck!
Mike in GA
Quote from: HB of CJ on October 16, 2011, 01:13:02 PM
Would a dedicated gen set fuel tank be a better idea? I'm not sure of the notion of running your main tank nearly dry just running gen set. What would happen if you had to get out of Dodge right now...but had little fuel? HB of CJ (old coot)
It seems like a good idea if you have the space and run your generator a lot. Space for the tank and cost for a tank can be an issue. You can run off road diesel for the generator which cuts costs.
I always fill my tank when I get home so I can generally run at least 900 miles before needing fuel. I didn't add a generator tank due to space and expense. I figure in five years I would have saved about $125.
I opted for a second tank for genny and Webasto. About 50 gals of of road diesel when available. At $.50/gal that's $25 dollars on a fill. Go through at least three tanks per year. Will it pay for the tank in tax savings? Maybe. Do I have piece of mind about the main tank level? Absolutely. First bus, tapped off the main tank about 6" higher than tank bottom. Coming off an exit generator cut out, no fuel, and only took on 110 gals in a 165 gal tank. Promised myself that if (I wouldn't be that dumb :-[) I ever did another bus the genny would have its own tank.
Bill
Thank you all. I learned a lot.
Here's a poor man's solution. My genset is tee'd into the main fuel pickup. There's a check valve on the gennie side of the tee and another on the engine side so neither engine can suck the other one dry. But if I run the gennie long enough to drain the main tank then I won't be going anywhere. I don't think its all that big a deal. If I run the main tank that low I deserve to be stranded anyway. The returns are tied together as well.
Ok here's my take on the idea. We got home from Daytona and biketoberfest and in the way home a friend and his MH had trouble running out of fuel. The MH cut off and after inspecting the filters, one was clogged with rubber obviously meaning a house was coming apart. With no other filters, w cleaned the clogged one and refilled it to only go about 4 miles before shutting off again. My idea was to fill a five gallon can from MY dedicated generator tank and drop his fuel line into it and go as far as he could. With the return going into his own tank, meant w could only go about eight miles before it would run out if fuel so we did this for Times making it the rest of the way home. He was never so glad to have me along in this trip with a give gallon can, a siphon hose and a flashlight.
Moral of story I guess is if you have a dedicated tank for your genset, its east to get fuel to fill new filters, or do as we did to make it home! It took longer but we made it!
Also the siphon hose was a3 buck hose with a ball check in one end that was perfused at harbor freight. It made the job fast, easy, and spill Free and it saved a towing bill.
Doug -
About 15 years ago, there was a fellow at the BCM rally in Laughlin, NV that had the cleverest genset fuel system I've ever seen.
The coach was a 4106, and he installed an additional custom tank in the old HVAC bay, "behind" (driver's side of) the main fuel tank. IIRC, I think it held 40 or so gallons.
What was clever was the way it was plumbed:
First, he put a "t" in the return line from the engine. One side back to the main tank, the other side became the "fill" line for the genset tank.
Second, at about the 85% full point, he put an overflow line from the genset tank into the main tank. Thus, when the genset tank became full, excess bled off back into the main tank.
So, when running down the highway, the genset tank was always being filled, thanks to the returning fuel from the engine. When boondocking, the main tank was never "run dry" by the genset, since it was pulling off it's own tank.
Another interesting thing about this arrangement was that he had a "balance line" between the two tanks with a shut-off valve. This allowed him, should the main tank become low, to open the valve and allow fuel from the genset tank to balance the level in the main tank, thus providing a "reserve," if needed. This plumbing was about 3" from the bottom of the tanks, to reduce sludge movement. (He also had a shut-off valve in the genset fill line, in case he didn't want to fill the genset tank.)
Both tanks had fuel gauges on the dash, for monitoring purposes. The genset tank was vented into the main tank, and had a petcock on the bottom for draining, just like the main tank. He also had an electric priming fuel pump plumbed parallel to the main engine fuel system that he could use to prime the engine, if necessary.
I thought the arrangement was elegantly simple and clever, a good example of imagineering.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Everyone has some great ideas for connecting the genset to the main fuel tank. I like the looks of Nicks the best but I am not sure if I can get in that close.
My original question still hasn't been answered though, the lines are hooked up, ready to go is the fuel pump on a 10KW Onan strong enough to pull fuel 30 feet or is an additional fuel pump required?
Dave Siegel
Quote from: Nick Badame Refrig. Co. on October 16, 2011, 04:51:03 AM
Hi Doug,
Here is a pic of my generator pick up. I machined it out of aluminum.
I used 3/8" copper and brass fittings. Also 4" above engine pick up.
Nick-
Nick are we looking at the top or the side of your fuel tank? And what kind of sealant is that orange stuff?
Dave Siegel
Quote from: Dave Siegel on October 21, 2011, 07:19:31 AM
Everyone has some great ideas for connecting the genset to the main fuel tank. I like the looks of Nicks the best but I am not sure if I can get in that close.
My original question still hasn't been answered though, the lines are hooked up, ready to go is the fuel pump on a 10KW Onan strong enough to pull fuel 30 feet or is an additional fuel pump required?
Dave Siegel
It will work on its own. Mine does and it's an Onan 7500. But I am adding this to it in the future since I have both the gen and aquahot on the same line.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/160654190021?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/160654190021?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649)
Canadians, pay attention!
That electric fuel pump in the link above doesn't have to cross the border...
Thanks Dave!
happy coaching!
buswarrior