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Old 04-24-2007, 02:19 PM   #1
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Year: 90
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Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Generator install questions!

Woohooo! I am now the proud owner of a brand spankin new Generac 40G with a suspended mount. I bought it from http://www.ecgenerators.com/ and the price and service was excellent. Now I have to strap it on somehow. Actually the generator mounting wont be too much trouble since my bus already has a place at the rear of the drivers side and has a 3' door already installed and the cavity overall is about 6'. I believe this was for spare tire storage originally and it is not boxed in or anything. my question is about mounting a fuel tank and battery. The genset is only 30" long and I could probably install both the fuel tank and battery beside the generator. Is this safe and/or legal? I didn't know if there are certain recommended/mandated distances other than perhaps from the genset or vehicles exaust. As always cost is an issue but so is safety. I dont want some official telling me I have to change it after it is installed.
Also, I haven't bought a fuel tank yet and could use a few ideas on that as well. I was thinking of trying to find a good used one at a salvage yard or something. I want a working fuel gauge for the generator and am also not sure where to find a meter I could use with a automotive fuel tank. In case you were wondering, my generator is gas, my bus is diesel. The diesel gensets cost 3 times as much and this little gas unit only uses .35 gallons a hour at 1/2 load (about what a single a/c uses once started).

Thanks

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Old 04-24-2007, 02:56 PM   #2
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Have you looked into a fuel cell? They can be had relatively cheap and sending units are pretty universal...none of that fancy stuff on the new cars. Of course a used tank might be cheaper as well. It all depends on your area. The only recommendation I have other than the obvious don't have the exhaust and tank vent meet in the same place is that you keep the battery atleast somewhat insulated. Batteries HATE heat.
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Old 04-24-2007, 07:47 PM   #3
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Aftermarket fuel gauges -- Sun, Auto Meter, Stewart Warner etc -- are made to work with "normal"
old-fashioned domestic cars like Ford and Chevy. That does NOT mean that Ford and Chevy
tanks use the same calibration values -- they DON'T. But you can get a nice 2" round
gauge to work with either of those brands of car tanks.

SO LONG AS IT IS AN OLDER CAR. I have no idea what they are using these days. But the
package or the catalog should tell you what fits what.

You can also buy sending units to install in a custom tank -- with that same old Ford
or Chevy calibration.
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Old 04-25-2007, 09:46 AM   #4
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gas tank

Over the road reefers use a cute little round tank and the gauge is built in aready! You might try a boat place, the tanks are usually square or rectangular, baffled, have a float/sending unit built right in that is compatable with regular auto electrical systems and sometimes a very good way to fill/vent them to atmosphere. Remember that all liquid tanks get strapped in, never mounted permanently (welded). sportyrick
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Old 04-25-2007, 02:34 PM   #5
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I am planning on finding an IH scout tank (19 gallons), that doesnt leak, and using it. Although, if I come across a square tank of some type around 20 gallons or so, I'll use that one.
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Old 04-25-2007, 09:37 PM   #6
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There are still Scout parts around? A Scout might be the only thing that rivals a Toyota in the rust department.
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Old 04-25-2007, 10:18 PM   #7
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Oh yea, a friend of mine ha s33-35 of them in various states o fdis-repair. It makes getting parts easier.
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79 IH Scout II/392 (0.030 over) Hamilton Injected/727/D300/Full size axles/36" Swampers/Lockers/OBA/38 gal Custom fuel tank, roll bar, tube doors.
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