Is a gasoline generator good enough for limited use?

[Homegrowndiesel]

Hey Brian
Powertech as well as Wrico are good units, East coast folks find it hard with Wrico do to logistics, but you can not find much better versed with busses and their needs.
  " My best bet might just be the Powertech unit that is ready to go with no additional labor except to put the genset in place."  if you go that route I would be interested in purchasing the OH NO onan, as I am sure alot of others would be.

I do that sometimes to, whats the cost in time and agravation worth( is there spell check on this site), You already have a good basic unit that most agree could be most economically finished as an sound proofed good unit.

If I was going to put in a gas unit it would be the new honda portable, quiet, inverter based units, as a temporary solution. You can use the bus, have basic facilities 110v when needed, use the bus find out what YOU really need.

I would not consider a gas unit as a permanent solution in a diesel powered vehicle. After seeing how hard it is to get access to most gas dispensers along the by-ways, as well as safety and maintenaience issues.

Anyway, I have not soundproofed my generator yet. I did mount it on rubber mounts from McMaster Carr, but that sucker is loud!!!!!  I have seen that same engine in a soundproofed box that you could hardly hear run. Most of the factory enclosures are somewhere in between the two extreems, accetable.  This is going to cost you one way or the other, not quite $1000.00 by my accounts if you do it and make it really quite, or thousands of $$ and get an accetable level of noise.

Good luck on your choices and keep us posted.

Bill

[belfert]

$1,000  ---- Duh Wow.... Mine cost all of $15.00 and $38 for a 4X8 sheet of Duct Board...) which I still have half of...
Maybe my labor to mess with it was worth something, But surely not that much.

I spent more money on the 1" rubber hose to extend the radiator lines. Oh about $29 or so at Tractor Supply.
Oh yeah I forgot the $69 electric fan.. duh.... ( Guys.... Rubber Horse Trailer Stall Mat is a great energy sponge...)

I doubt putting duct board on just the insides of my generator compartment will quiet it too much.  The door to my generator compartment is vented as it was the A/C condenser compartment.

I'm certainly willing to try duct board, but where do I buy it? 

My $1000 estimate was based on what Wrico told me when I talked to them today.  About $175 for their vibration isolators shipped.  They have some special plywood that is like $150 a sheet and they said it generally takes two sheets.  There is also some other sound deadening material they recommend oin top of that.

Brian Elfert

[NJT5047]

It looks I should forget the gasoline generator as only Generac makes a 7.5KW in a quiet model.  Most recommendations are to forget about Generac.
The price for isolators and good soundproofing material looks to be around $1000 plus my time.  My best bet might just be the Powertech unit that is ready to go with no additional labor except to put the genset in place.  Man, I hate to spend that much, but it is a good unit by all reviews.

Generacs are to be avoided.  However, there are no "set in place and use" generators.  The biggest issue is ducting an adequate weatherproof supply of air to the generator.  Some, such as Onan may be cooled by just sawing big holes out in the floor....others may require ductwork.  Most bus gensets have an industrial type radiator and that must be ducted.    Mine blows outard from the box (ex box, I removed it so as to be able to cram the generator into the condensor compartment. 
The enclosed generators are quiet, but use up one side of a bay.   
At least with a diesel genset you have the option of fueling from the bus fuel tank.   As has been stated, there are not a lot of bus-friendlly fuel pumps with gasoline pumps.   Notwithstanding, gasoline is just dangerous. 
This shows a Yamaha/Kubota 6.5 diesel installed (temp in these pix) and the radiator exhausts thru the old fan cutout. Works fine. Had to add Rubbetex to the walls and most of the grill.   Just another way!  The sound boxes are nice, but they may make service difficult. and yo need to know what is involved in install prior to buying.

[belfert]

Generacs are to be avoided.  However, there are no "set in place and use" generators.  The biggest issue is ducting an adequate weatherproof supply of air to the generator.  Some, such as Onan may be cooled by just sawing big holes out in the floor....others may require ductwork.  Most bus gensets have an industrial type radiator and that must be ducted.    Mine blows outard from the box (ex box, I removed it so as to be able to cram the generator into the condensor compartment. 
The enclosed generators are quiet, but use up one side of a bay.   
At least with a diesel genset you have the option of fueling from the bus fuel tank.   As has been stated, there are not a lot of bus-friendlly fuel pumps with gasoline pumps.   Notwithstanding, gasoline is just dangerous. 

The Powertech Diesel Ultimate Series is basically ready to set in place.  There just need to be two holes in the floor for the air to intake and exhaust.  Cut the holes, bolt the thing down, and connect the fuel lines and exhaust.  This will take a lot less time than playing around with remote radiators, isolators, and building sound boxes.

My condenser compartment is pretty big and will accomodate the Powertech with room to spare.

I would like to do the Powertech, but it is quite expensive.  On the other hand, I don't want to spend $500 to $1000 on the Onan and still not be satisfied.

Brian Elfert

[belfert]

Brian, please give me a Model number of the Onan Generator you're using?  If it's a DJB or an RDJB I can give you ways to be able to live with it.

I was an Onan dealer for many years.  Ever thought of air cushions and stabilizing bars?

It is a DKC or DKD according to the service manual for it. 

I have thought about rubber isolators, but not air cushions.  What are stabilizer bars?

Brian Elfert

[Ncbob]

DKC and DKD are Kubota powered gensets...that's exactly what I'm looking for.  They came (the auxiialry units) with a radiator and pusher fan.  I don't know if yours was bastardized somehow but they were smooth running quiet little units.

They had some controller problems, initially, but nothing that couldn't be corrected.  When they came out the Factory told us all about them but cautioned that they were a "4000 hour engine".

Let me know if there's anything I can do to asist you.

NCbob

[JackConrad]

Before we purchased our low hour, used genset from Power Tech, I priced new gensets ar Power Tech.  When I asked about the price difference, I was told the quiet bax was about 1000-1200 more. I made my own sound box by soundproofing the compartment and remoting the radiator. Total cost approx $400.00 in material. I have compared it to a Power Tech quiet box genset installed in a 102Ac that is at my placed. Both are 10 KW gensets and the noise levels are vary close to the same level. Downside is that I did spend quite a bit of time doing the sound box, radiator remoting, etc.  Jack

[belfert]

Before we purchased our low hour, used genset from Power Tech, I priced new gensets ar Power Tech.  When I asked about the price difference, I was told the quiet bax was about 1000-1200 more. I made my own sound box by soundproofing the compartment and remoting the radiator. Total cost approx $400.00 in material. I have compared it to a Power Tech quiet box genset installed in a 102Ac that is at my placed. Both are 10 KW gensets and the noise levels are vary close to the same level. Downside is that I did spend quite a bit of time doing the sound box, radiator remoting, etc.  Jack

Do you have any pictures of your sound box or a description of how it is built?

Brian Elfert

[TomC]

I have a truck driver friend with the Powertech 7.5kw with the same 3 cylinder as the Onan.  When he sold the truck it had 23,000hrs on the engine!  Don't worry about longevity of the Kubota engine.  Good Luck, TomC

[JimC]

Brian
If you have a little room above the generator you may want to consider mounting the whole unit on four air filled tires. Then bend a steel strap to go over (around) the  tires and bolt the strap to the floor.
Mine is built that way, the tires take up just about all of the vibration, I keep the tires filled just to the point that the straps are tight, and there is no way to move the unit around. You have to look at the picture close, the strap is painted black.

I can't  take credit for it, it was in there when I bought the bus, but I can say that it works.
Jim Callaghan 4106
Wisconsin

[NJT5047]

Jim, I reckon that's about the cutest little genset I've ever seen!  There are no limits to the ingenuity of  focused busnuts.
JR

[JackConrad]

Brian,
  Here is a photo of the compartment ready for the generator. The only thing not in this photo is a piece of 1/2" closed cell foam that was placed on the floor under the steel pan that the generator rubber mounts were attached to. The walls consist of the OEM metal skin, a layer of 1/2" closed cell foam, a layer of 1/2" "Sandaply" plywood, another layer of 1/2" closed cell foam, and a layer of sound absorbing eggcrate foam. The eggcrate gives you a much larger serface area to absorb more sound waves. The air intake for the box is baffled and enters through the space between the generator compartment ceiling and the bus interior floor This area is lined with 1/2" closed cell foam. The air enters the generator compartment near the floor at the front of the compartment (left side of the photo). Hot air is exhausted from the compartment via the 3 bilge blowers at the rear of the compartment (right side of the photo). The floor consist of a layer of .090 aluminum riveted the the OEM framing, a layer of 1/2" closed cell foam, a layer of 2#/sg. ft. lead, a layer of 1/2" "Sandaply" plywood, and a piece of 1/2" closed cell foam between the floor and the steel pan that the generator rubber mounts attach to.  The OEM mesh compartment door was lined with a layer of 1/2" closed cell foam, a layer of 1/2" "sandaply" plywood, a layer of 2#/sq. ft. lead, a layer of closed cell foam, and a layer of egg crate foam. The radiator is installed in the rear of the former spare tire compartment.  Jack

[FloridaCliff]

Jack,

If you don't mind me asking?

What is a used powertech going for?

Do they have a good selection?

Did you pick it up in Leesburg?



Cliff

[JackConrad]

Jack,

If you don't mind me asking?

What is a used powertech going for?  I think about 3500 and up (depending on size and hours)

Do they have a good selection? They don't stay there very long, you have to keep calling and be ready to buy if they have the size you want at the price you want

Did you pick it up in Leesburg? Yes

If you call, ask for Jeff Jones (the service manager). He is much better to deal with than the salesmen. DO NOT TRY TO BUY A USED GENSET THROUGH A SALEMAN! Tell him Butch Crosby, Ron Delong and myself recommended you call him.  Jack

[kingfa39]

I had a onan gen set, it was a twin cyl deisel, nothing but trouble , vibration , finally caught on fire due to a fuel leak and i pulled it out and replaced it with a 7 kw gasoline markee, its a really nice quiet little unit and vibration free, i like it so well its going to stay put, onan says its the quietest one out there and i think they are right. i installed a fuel tank in the front bay and it has worked well for me.
Frank allen
4106