Where do I get....

John316 · May 14, 2009, 09:26:35 AM

Lead lined sound dampening insulation? We are going to try building a quiet box for our generator. Right now it is very loud.

Also, I think that we might try getting a remote mounted radiator too.

God bless,

John

JackConrad · May 14, 2009, 10:21:47 AM

For sound insulation try www.soundown.com They also have a lot of valuable information for designing your system.
When we went with a remore radiator system, we used the OEM radiator that was mounted on the generator when we bought it. We removed the fan blade form the generator and added an electric fan on the remoted radiator. A couple longer radiator hoses and we were done. when routing hoses, make sure there are no high spots to trap air in the hoses and keep lower hose lower then upper hose throughput the run. Jack

JohnEd · May 14, 2009, 10:46:29 AM

What is your rational for not integrating the gen cooling with the engine radiator?

If you use the gen rad it will need the same amt of cooling air thruput and velocity to achieve the cooling. That means the same amt of noise and you will have that noise "outside" your quiet box. If you use the engine cooling rad you can get away with less velocity and a quieter air flow. The bus cooling sys also gets analyzed every year and that kills two birds with one stone.

2 cents,

John

John316 · May 14, 2009, 11:18:35 AM

Jack, Thanks for the advice. How do you manage when the fan runs and when it doesn't? Do you get a special Tstat?

JohnEd, that is an interesting idea. I don't think that we would do it, because we like to leave the powertrain completely alone (only thing we might do is charge our house batteries off of the alternator). If we did do that though, how would it work if the engine was off, and the generator was running? Would there be enough coolant in the system that it wouldn't overheat? Would we mount a separate electronic fan on the engine radiator? I am just very curious about this...

God bless,

John

stevet903 · May 14, 2009, 11:53:09 AM

I used this for my diesel generator (Kohler/Yanmar 4cyl 15KW):

http://www.glacierbay.com/insulation_ultradb.asp

It was a leap to get since it was so expensive, but it works great. It's quiet outside - you almost don't know it's running and it is LOUD when the bay door is open. Inside, you can hardly tell it's on - if I could only get rid of the last bit of vibration from it.....

Steve

JackConrad · May 14, 2009, 12:05:53 PM

Quote from: John316 on May 14, 2009, 11:18:35 AM
Jack, Thanks for the advice. How do you manage when the fan runs and when it doesn't? Do you get a special Tstat?
John

We just wired the fan (12 volt) to run all the time the generator is running. The fan is powered from our house batteries, which are always being charged by the charger portion of our inverter when the generator is running. The thermostat in the generator engine controls engine temperature. Jack

luvrbus · May 14, 2009, 12:31:34 PM

John316, I use a 110 volt 3 speed electric fan on my remote radiator starts when the generator produces electricity I also have ducts from the generator compartment that the same fan draws the heat from the generator compartment.
Not a good idea to tie the generator into the main radiator I have only been around a few and there were heating problems after long extend use of the generator here in AZ. good luck

JackConrad · May 14, 2009, 12:46:46 PM

Another problem with tying the generator into the engine cooling system is that a failure in one prevents the other from bein used. Jack

NewbeeMC9 · May 15, 2009, 04:50:42 AM

While were on the subject and not to rob the thread, do you guy's allow for airflow for the generator head? or do you seal the box and allow the rad to cool the area?

JackConrad · May 15, 2009, 05:32:56 AM

Quote from: NewbeeMC9 on May 15, 2009, 04:50:42 AM
While were on the subject and not to rob the thread, do you guy's allow for airflow for the generator head? or do you seal the box and allow the rad to cool the area?

If I remember correctly PowerTech recommends 400 CFM through the generator compartment if the radiator is remoted outside the compartment. I have passive air intake (making several 90 degree turns) and three 240 CFM bilge blowers providing an active exhaust through the compartment floor with tubes attached to the blowers to pull air from the top of the compartment (hot air rises). Temperature inside our generator compartment, as measured by our RV Safety Systems Fire Detection Monitor, is usually about 10-15 degrees above outside air temperature. Jack

John316 · May 18, 2009, 07:02:59 PM

Thanks a lot for the info and links. They really have helped.

God bless,

John