Generators

[Tikvah]

Looking for a source for water cooled diesel generator.  There was some advertisers on this page, but don't seem them now.  I'm sure there are others...
Who do you recommend?

Also, any good links for a battery/inverter education?

[Iceni John]

For anything concerning batteries, inverters, etc., the Northern Arizona Wind & Sun forum has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom (sort of like BCM has for buses!).   The folk there will definitely let you know if your ideas won't work well, and give you useful suggestions.   Well worth it.

John

[TomC]

If you're on the west coast, Wrico International owned by Dick Wright is the place to go (in Eugene, Or). I had Dick make a custom 12kw generator for me. Using a Kubota 3 cylinder (new larger displacement engine) and a 13kw power head, he came up with a generator that is just 36" long, without radiator. I like remote mounting my radiator to have an electric fan powering it, since you can have a slower speed on the fan at night for almost silent operation. Good Luck, TomC

[luvrbus]

EPS (engine power service) a advertiser here is what I have it's a real good generator mine has the smart start. I think 9kw is the smallest they make fwiw 

[buswarrior]

There is a MASSIVE resource library at alt e store.

Many, many hours of reading in fair handed, well documented articles.

It is obvious they believe a well informed customer is a good customer.

https://www.altestore.com/howto/

I got my big Trace 4024 from them, long ago and far away...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[ArtGill]

Look at marine generators.  You will just have to provide a radiator and fan. 
Art

[RJ]

Looking for a source for water cooled diesel generator. 

Dave -

Tortoise has an 8kW PowerTech with less than 150 hours on it.

Darned thing is cantankerous and, for the most part, completely unreliable.  It's not the engine - a 3-cyl Kubota diesel - it's somewhere in the control system that keeps the thing running - even Dick Wright said so when I stopped in to see him last fall.  It will run forever without any load on it.  But if you load it up, you might get 10 minutes or 3 hours before it quits.  And, before anybody asks, no, it's not overheating - I put the infrared temp gun on it and seldom see more than a 150^o-160^o reading.

IMHO, I would go with one of Dick's units.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Tikvah]

Different question...
Instead of a radiator (or remote radiator) can't I tie the coolant lines of the generator to my primary heater lines going through the tunnel.  I have two ports where the old bus heat was in the front bay.
If I connect the radiator lines from the generator to the bus lines, won't that be enough?  Maybe even pre-heat the engine a bit?
Would I need an additional pump?

[TomC]

Yes you can tie into the main engine cooling system. But-if you want to run the generator while running the big engine, the cooling systems on a bus are typically marginal at best-you'll overheat and quickly. I don't like tying into the big engine mainly because if one engine goes there's a good chance you'll take out the other engine. Just run a separate radiator for the generator, whether it be directly attached to the engine, or remote mounted (which I like for quietness), you'll be the happiest.
In my bus, I have a Powertech 10kw with 4 cylinder Kubota. In the about 1200hrs I've had it, except for changing oil, air filter and coolant once, I've done virtually nothing to the unit. Course now, they have all these electronics on them that have reduced the reliablity of the generators. Good Luck, TomC

[DoubleEagle]

I got my 12.5 generator from Martin Diesel in Defiance, Ohio. Keep the cooling system separate, and keep the radiator in a position that has positive air flow pressure while the coach is in motion. If you do not, you will find that the generator will have good running temperature while stopped, but not on the road.

[buswarrior]

using the old heater core connections for the generator can work, BUT... there are limitations...

You can't run it going down the road, as the coach engine will be feeding the generator hot coolant and will overheat it...

And after shut down, the giant heat sink of the engine has to be considered before starting the generator for the same reason.

Every decision is a compromise!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[eagle19952]

how will it cool when parked if you tie into the bus radiator ?

[Oonrahnjay]

how will it cool when parked if you tie into the bus radiator ?

    That's a useful place for an auxiliary electric fan (maybe on the outside like an A/C condenser fan) and an auxiliary water circulation pump.  So, you're making power with the generator that you're using to run the devices to cool the anti-freeze that you're heating up by making the power.  Makes sense, I guess.

[TomC]

Way too much this and that, and experimentation to get a one radiator system to work. Just keep the two engines separate-you'll be the happiest. If you have a question about that, run an oversized radiator on the generator. I had Dick Wright provide a radiator that is 50% bigger than normal so I can run in hot, dry desert without overheating. Good Luck, TomC

[Paso One]

I would like to throw out a cold weather users view point.
In cold weather when you run the generator it warms your bus engine for easy cold starts.

Now in my case I have redundancy over load mainly due to Improvements over the years.

My coolant circulates thru a electric coolant tank heater ( 1500 watt ) then to my webasto then thru a heat exchanger ( that heats the water in my water heater while driving on the road) Then to a manifold to use optional heat exchangers.
The coolant then goes to the Onan diesel and back to the main engine.
The cooling system has a lot of coolant flowing thru it to that prevents any overheating issues. ( all original heaters in place )
I have bypass valves thru out  to isolate any problems.