Diesel...Propane..Gasoline... small quiet generator

[oltrunt]

I have a Yamaha ef3000iseb in my bus and am quite happy with it so far--not real cheap to buy though.

When it comes to a cheap back up type genny, I am trying out a little 2000 watt inverter generator.  Against my better judgement I bought a 2000 watt inverter generator on fleabay. It is a Powermate PM2000i and set me back a whole $329.

Much to my surprise, the genny will run the 6000 BTU air conditioner and the mini fridge in my bus at the same time on the econmy setting without breaking a sweat. The genny is pretty quiet and seems to meet the 83 dB rating advertised at least while on economy and not under load. The racket jumps nearly to 90 dB under load and going full tilt at 4800 RPM. Seems pretty good overall.

The genny is CARB compliant which probably accounts for having to fatten up the fuel mixture with the choke to keep it from surging as it runs. If it is too lean it will burn the valves and if it is too rich it will wash the cylinder and soon burn oil. Maybe I should take it to a smog station HA, HA.

I bought the genny to use on my motorcycle camper trailer which I have gone way over budget on what with A/C, microwave, mini fridge, inverter, battery, battery charger, and shore power wiring that I just can't afford a Yamaha or Honda genny. The generator is guaranteed for three years which hopefully speaks to it's quality--we'll see. Jack

[TomC]

If you use your inverter mostly, then you just need a battery recharge system. Any small Diesel (Kubota, Yanmar, John Deere, Caterpillar [Perkins], Isuzu, etc)will work. I would stick with at least a 3 cylinder since you could run a 3 cylinder at a slower rpm than a 1 or 2 cylinder to create the same power-and a 1 or 2 cylinder is rough unless run up to high rpm. Then use 2-160amp alternators. I say this because we sell 160amp 12vdc alternators for a $160.00ea. Pretty cheap way to go. Good Luck, TomC

[Scott & Heather]

Dave, I was intrigued by your setup. Can you dumb it down for me? I'm still slowly trying to learn and come up with a setup that works for us. Let me tell you what I think is happening, and you can correct me:

You are using an inverter to power your a/c units using your coach alternator. If you run both of them, it slowly drains your battery bank when driving down the road so you kick on the genny to help out? Or vice versa?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sledhead]

Scott
I am still playing with the new setup .

if I only need the split unit I can drive all day and use the inverter off the coach alternator ( less then 50 amps )
with the 270 amp alternator this is a lot less use then the coach was a bus in service so no problems
with the 2 a/c,s on the amp usage ( 130 amp due to the power hog of the roof shaker ) is still less then it would have been with the on the road bus a/c running . but I did see a small drop in hp on  6v92ta ( no gene at all )
so with the 4024 hybrid and a small quiet gene the inverter will top up the power needed to run 2 a/c units on the road or on the poll . as the a/c,s compressor cycles the inverter will add power when needed

sorry for hijacking the post

dave

[Darkspeed]

Dave hijack away - thats good info!

I have a SW4024 as well and a pair of 2424's and have had good success running a variety of split systems off of it.

My plan is for a big as possible 24v LiFeYPO4 battery bank.

[bevans6]

I have the same Yamaha 3000 watt inverter generator with boost, and like it a lot.  Only 23 amps continuous.  I find that it will overheat (or at least run pretty hot) if I leave it in the old condenser bay behind the front wheel of my MCI when stationary, so I open the door and kind of lean it out at 45 degrees.  That gets the exhaust outside the bay, and it seems perfectly happy just sitting there (with a giant cable lock).

Brian

[Darkspeed]

A friend has a 3 cylinder 1800rpm 8kw ISB (Shibaura S753) diesel marine generator from 1988 with Zero hours on it still new in the crate. I wonder what it would take to convert to radiator? It says 70db full load so I would have to build a box for it. SHIBAURA is the engine used in FORD tractors.

[sledhead]

I have a 1.5 " tail pipe with 90 deg.bend that  lines up were the gene exhaust that goes out through the coach at the front end of the old a/c bay with the 3100 gene I have now on a slide out dwr . it runs nice and cool because of the tail pipe . the problem I have is the yamaha exhaust is on the other end of the gene so I will have to adjust for that  ? or look at the honda 3000 that will line up as it is .

I would like to know just how many amps the old over the road a/c used to know if I am pushing the draw with the 2 a/c units that I am running off the inverter / alternator 

if I could find a small diesel gene ( 3-4 k ) that was under 60 db I would buy it

dave

[Darkspeed]

Came across this, pretty interesting 3.5 kw 16" tall diesel > http://www.hardydiesel.com/kubota-generators/kubota-x-gen-micro-diesel-generators.html

It uses the kubota EA330 like this project > http://www.microcogen.info/index.php?topic=2570.0

[Oonrahnjay]

Came across this, pretty interesting 3.5 kw 16" tall diesel > http://www.hardydiesel.com/kubota-generators/kubota-x-gen-micro-diesel-generators.html 

     I guess you'd have to build your own soundproofing but any idea on sound level?

[sledhead]

I have seen the hardy unit and though about building a sound box but the ease to buy and run + 3 year warranty and the fact that yamaha , honda are every were + the big thing for me is the noise level . for the time I run a gene I will add a auxiliary tank if I need 1 . and probably  set it up for propane if needed
my 3100 gas inverter gene I have now only has 29 hrs on it after 2 years use and works fine but is loud at 69 db

dave

[oltrunt]

Dave, I tossed the original gas tank on my Yamaha ef3000iseb genny and went with an eight gallon remote tank. I use a low pressure electric pump plumbed directly to the carb.  The pump is switched by a relay which in turn is switched by a sail switch in the path of the genny's cooling fan.  That way when the genny is off so is the pump.  Jack