Electricity generation

[niles500]

Troll 

[Zephod]

How is a diesel generator any more fire prone than the diesel engine that gets your bus down the road?  My diesel generator is in a compartment directly underneath some of the bunks in my bus.  We don't have any issues sleeping while the generator is purring away under our feet.  It is pretty quiet and is white noise that doesn't cause sleeping issues.

The driving engine is better ventilated and is out the front on my bus away from the cabin. Now the reason I have a front engined Bus is because I see far fewer engine fires on front engined busses than rear engined. Also, rear engine fires are far more devastating. Same with gas engines. I've seen enough engine fires in my life.



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[Jeremy]

Are there really such things as diesel engine fires? I suppose it's possible if a fuel line ruptures and sprays a mist of diesel onto an existing open flame, but other than that it's pretty difficult to get diesel to burn unless other than under temperature and pressure. I think most 'rear engined bus fires' are caused by tyres and brakes catching fire rather than the engine

Regarding ultra-small generators, bear in mind that the efficiency of an engine is directly related to it's size and thus an engine small enough to be correctly sized for a 250w generator would be wastefully inefficient. The smallest suitcase generators you can get don't go much below 800w - and are cheap to buy and would suit your needs ideally. Instead of fretting about generating more power than you need just use the excess to put charge into an old school lead acid battery at the same time. And forget about super-capacitors - hopelessly inappropriate for powering microwaves!

Jeremy

PS - Are you sure the real reason you bought a front-engined bus wasn't because they are just dirt cheap, rather than because of some grandiose theories about safety?

[Zephod]

Here's some information on Bus fires
http://wjbf.com/2017/06/14/modifications-to-south-carolinas-fire-prone-school-buses-not-making-fleet-safer/

I've seen so called brake fires. They're nothing to write home about. Tyres only catch fire if they're run for long enough after deflation.

I got a front engine Bus because that's what I wanted. Lots of sellers were trying to push rear engined but no.

I'd still prefer a small generator - not those clunky great big "suitcase" affairs.

I don't know where you're going with batteries but to run a microwave a 12v battery would just burst into flames with the current required. Supercaps can provide loads of current for short periods.


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[belfert]

How does a brake fire have anything to do with a diesel engine or diesel generator?  A diesel generator isn't going to cause a brake fire.  I very nearly had a brake fire once because my brake actuator stopped retracting fully.  Not fun.

About the smallest reliable generator you will find is around 1,000 watts.  And, yes, you can run a microwave from 12 volt batteries.  I do it all the time.  I have a good size bank of AGM batteries that I got for free because the equipment was being scrapped.

[bevans6]

Guys, just accept the fact that Zephod is trying to solve different problems than most of us are.  Most of us are trying to duplicate a modern home environment on a consistent and uninterrupted basis, in a bus, while traveling, boondocking, or in a serviced site.  Zephod is trying to differentiate minimalist solutions on an intermittent basis, and his vision of success is therefore different.  I think his ideas are kind of impractical, his methods and engineering is different from what I would do, but I'm not trying to run a microwave to 5 to 15 minutes from almost no solar and a tiny generator.    Which I am positive a supercap based system could do.  How, I don't know, I think the control electronics and voltage conversion are going to be pretty sophisticated.  The smallest commercial generator is rated at 800 watts peak, which means around 400 watts continuous for best fuel efficiency, which is damn close to 250 watts.  I say go for it!  The worst that can happen is we learn something...

[Jeremy]

Here's some information on Bus fires
http://wjbf.com/2017/06/14/modifications-to-south-carolinas-fire-prone-school-buses-not-making-fleet-safer/

That appears to be all about electrical fires

I'd still prefer a small generator - not those clunky great big "suitcase" affairs.

You may be thinking of something else - suitcase generators are small lightweight things designed to be carried by hand:

I don't know where you're going with batteries but to run a microwave a 12v battery would just burst into flames with the current required.

Huh?



Jeremy

[Zephod]

Guys, just accept the fact that Zephod is trying to solve different problems than most of us are.  Most of us are trying to duplicate a modern home environment on a consistent and uninterrupted basis, in a bus, while traveling, boondocking, or in a serviced site.  Zephod is trying to differentiate minimalist solutions on an intermittent basis, and his vision of success is therefore different.  I think his ideas are kind of impractical, his methods and engineering is different from what I would do, but I'm not trying to run a microwave to 5 to 15 minutes from almost no solar and a tiny generator.    Which I am positive a supercap based system could do.  How, I don't know, I think the control electronics and voltage conversion are going to be pretty sophisticated.  The smallest commercial generator is rated at 800 watts peak, which means around 400 watts continuous for best fuel efficiency, which is damn close to 250 watts.  I say go for it!  The worst that can happen is we learn something...

I was brought up with intermittent electricity, no air conditioning, no fridge, no freezer, no phone, no car, oil fueled heating. I am therefore not one of the electricity junkies that seems to be so prevalent these days.

A microwave running off 1200W assuming no losses (which ain't gonna happen) would need 10A off 120v or 100A off 12v. Most 12v batteries will provide a maximum of 60A over a prolonged period such as 15 minutes. Though many batteries claim 600A etc that's only for a few seconds. More than that and the battery would rapidly become hot, emit gasses and catch fire.

A super-cap by comparison would provide maximum amperage consistently for the length of the charge. I've seen people pairing a supercap setup with a 12v burglar alarm better for car starting.


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[Beluga Bus]

I am surprised any of us drive these death traps. With diesels in the rear, on board generators, and god forbid, batteries powering our microwaves, all our busses should have burst into flames long ago!

Matt

[Zephod]

That appears to be all about electrical fires
You may be thinking of something else - suitcase generators are small lightweight things designed to be carried by hand:


Huh?



Jeremy

Think you need to reread the article. Electrical fires were in the minority. Most were turbocharger fires.

Yup. Clunky great big Harbor Freight suitcase generator. For the weight that darned thing is, I'd expect way more power. I'm looking at much smaller solutions than that. I don't need more than 250W and certainly have no use for 120v in a generator.


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[rgwilliams]

Your ipad must have a translation feature you aren't familiar with. The picture on my computer is clearly of a Honda eu10i, weight 13kgs.

[oldmansax]

If you really want to read about someone doing some innovative work to a bus house electric system, check this thread. It's really long and way over my pay grade but he is running his entire house system off battery: and, he will be able to recharge in about 2 hours when he gets done. It's impressive!

http://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28126

TOM

[Jeremy]

I don't need more than 250W and certainly have no use for 120v in a generator.

Apart from, I don't know, maybe something like...perhaps ...hmm...a microwave? 

Jeremy

[Zephod]

Apart from, I don't know, maybe something like...perhaps ...hmm...a microwave? 

Jeremy

Sure... I can put an inverter to power a microwave but... I'll end up using a camp cooker for boondocking. Realistically, I'm not going to be putting in a generator over 250W and not unless I get supercaps to run it. Rest of the time I'll likely use plug in.


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[Utahclaimjumper]

 My question is,,do you actually USE the bus,,? for anything,? for any continuous period of camping time.? And obviously NO ONE would be with you.>>>D