Does Anyone....

[Docsgsxr]

Originally Posted by skoolie_n00bie

You're no fun! Right, but no fun.
So we mentioned generators, alternators and battery banks. Question: would you upgrade the alt., or custom mount a second one?

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I was thinking of a larger alternator. 220 is ok, but id like a 250+.

[Jolly Roger]

Originally Posted by jester

"reeeeeeeeealy long cord"

i called the factory that makes the cord you speak of. turns out its the same cord that powers up my teleporter..... i've had one on back order for years, horrible customer service!

Everyone the company you speak of are to busy running that cord way overhead or to deep in the ground to be able to plug into unless you know someone that knows someone ?
Then you will need a different inverter/converter type thingy that your money/decision chooses what you actually do to be able to plug in?

[Robin97396]

Well, we have thoroughly explored all the fictitious ways to run AC while driving. I've been waiting for Wylie Coyote to weigh in.

Personally I like the security of a generator for backup. A big alternator is good too if you've got your battery bank set up.

Honestly you guys are spending quite significant amounts of money on power systems. Batteries and solar cost many times more than a modest generator and also weigh significantly more.
An alternator putting power into a modest set of house batteries seems to be the most effective for the buck.

[Docsgsxr]

I want to be pretty self sufficient. I plan on living in mine full time when I can and renting my main house out to pay for itself. I have a small in law apartment I can sleep in when I am home. So overkill with the electrical is my way of doing it. I already ordered 2 Guage wire and an inline dc breaker for 200 amps to make sure I can turn off the house batteries if needed. It was 20 bucks on amazon.

I worked at a plant in New Jersey during the super storm sandy ordeal. The area I was in was hit pretty hard. No solar would have worked since it was rainy then snowy. Plus the power was out in most of Tom's river for several weeks. While a generator would be nice, I don't need a big one to run my necessities. But it would be easier for me to add batteries and a larger alternator to them, start the bus for half an hour and get my fast idle kicked in, that way I get the 1200 rpms recommended for the plant I intend on installing.

[gizmoq]

I was concerned about this, too. I have a small battery bank (220Ah), but a huge 6.5KW 50 Amp Onan generator. So I run the generator while traveling for AC and fridge.
Here it comes... but I have a heavy duty engine alternator that is setup to power my 12V house systems and charge the house batteries when the motor is running. If I run the generator, too, is having two charging sources going to hurt those house batteries?

[Scooternj]

Originally Posted by Docsgsxr

I worked at a plant in New Jersey during the super storm sandy ordeal. The area I was in was hit pretty hard. No solar would have worked since it was rainy then snowy. Plus the power was out in most of Tom's river for several weeks.

Yes it was. I was in Brick with the Guard, and while it did clear up, it was still a power nightmare

[Docsgsxr]

Last week the boardwalk was still functional, roller coaster still above sea level.


The view from my room during the Nor'eastern 2 days after.



Charging the cell phone to be able to call home...


Hats off to you Scooter! We were at the Clarion on 37 after they evacuated us from the island. It sucks when all the wawa's for 30 miles are closed due to no power. No hot showers for 3 weeks (unless we wanted to shower with the nasty guys in the plant. Baby wipes worked miracles!) We couldn't even find gas anywhere north of Bass River!

So yeah, a big battery bank and a large alternator are my way of dealing with that situation. Seems when storms come, areas run out of gas, but never shy on diesel!!!

[opus]

Originally Posted by Docsgsxr

I want to be pretty self sufficient. I plan on living in mine full time when I can and renting my main house out to pay for itself. I have a small in law apartment I can sleep in when I am home. So overkill with the electrical is my way of doing it. I already ordered 2 Guage wire and an inline dc breaker for 200 amps to make sure I can turn off the house batteries if needed. It was 20 bucks on amazon.

I worked at a plant in New Jersey during the super storm sandy ordeal. The area I was in was hit pretty hard. No solar would have worked since it was rainy then snowy. Plus the power was out in most of Tom's river for several weeks. While a generator would be nice, I don't need a big one to run my necessities. But it would be easier for me to add batteries and a larger alternator to them, start the bus for half an hour and get my fast idle kicked in, that way I get the 1200 rpms recommended for the plant I intend on installing.

Dont you think a generator would be a lot less pieces in the puzzle and more straight forward, reliable?

[Docsgsxr]

Originally Posted by opus

Dont you think a generator would be a lot less pieces in the puzzle and more straight forward, reliable?

It depends on the person using it. I really don't want to fabricate a support frame for a genny. Id have to hang it on the bottom of my bus near the front, which makes servicing it, always a chore. If I use my little inverter, I now have to carry a 3rd type of fuel with me at all times if I want to use it that way. As far as reliability, 6 of one half a dozen of another..... all things have the potential to fail.

With a bigger battery bank and a HO alternator, It would charge when it's running, so i wouldn't use extra fuel, and if my alt goes bad, it's on the back of the bus, not under it. I still have to wire up the house system with a transfer switch anyway. so this to me is an easier way.

[Jolly Roger]

I am trying to go out of my way to keep my house seperate from my starting/running batteries?
That way if I have a house problem it is within the house stuff and I can always crank up and go home to figure out the problem?
If it is the starting batteries or a problem with starting then it is a problem with the original bus and not anything that I have added?
I know and can do a lot of things but electrical is not my strong point so I want to keep my house elec. seperate from my bus so that if I have a starting/running problem I know that it is not anything that I have done in the house.
I am debating an alternator but I will have to create brackets and choose belts so it is still a lack of time,money and being on the road debate?

[dgorila1]

Originally Posted by Docsgsxr

It depends on the person using it. I really don't want to fabricate a support frame for a genny. Id have to hang it on the bottom of my bus near the front, which makes servicing it, always a chore.

I've seen a build (can't remember where) that the front steps were cut out and move mid-ship. This left a large area where the steps used to be to build a frame for the generator which sat on slide out rails. Also allowed for flooring inside over the previous step area and mounting of a passenger seat. Has anyone done this or remember seeing it?

[family wagon]

That's very nearly what I'm doing, but I don't think I posted any pictures of it yet, so it probably isn't mine you're envisioning. Mine already had a mid-ship door so I simply deleted the front door. Was going to put the generator there where the stairs were, but it's just a little too big to fit comfortably. Also didn't really care for having the generator making noise on the right hand side of the bus because if we're sitting around outside, we'll almost certainly be seated on that side. Instead I'll have a storage bin where the front stairs were, and the generator on drawer slides on the left side of the bus.

Maybe the one you're recalling was one of these:
kimberlink in 2012
RazorCityDen in 2009
There are lots of references to one done by sportyrick, but I haven't been able to find any source material. I'm guessing it was done around 2009 but the photo albums only go back to 2014 now..?

[leadsled01]

Big HO alternator is a good idea, although I'm hear to tell you to stay away from Powermaster alternators. First one I bought burned up so I sent it back as per the warranty. 2 weeks go by so I had to buy another one to get my jeep back on the road. Then powermaster calls me and said its my fault that it burned up. Of course I don't understand how charging my battery in a jeep is my fault but whatever. 6 months later my new powermaster alternator burns up and they tell me its not their fault. WTF.. So I bought a cheap alternator from auto zone and never had a problem since.

[Docsgsxr]

Where did you buy your powermaster?

The one I'm looking at is a power max brand.... Fishy????