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Old 03-12-2015, 07:46 PM   #1
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Generator location

I was planning to mount my generator in a container welded together and mounted on the back bumper but my bed in just inside that back door. The gen is too tall for under the floor. Then I saw a bit of talk about putting one in the trailer. This is an interesting idea. It would be on the front of the trailer in one of those tongue boxes like this:


There would be ventilation tward the back of the trailer for air intake and exhaust and the box would be lined for sound. The cables would run to the bus. When the trailer is disconnected on occasion, the gen could be removed from the box and reconnected to the bus.

Anyone see an issue with this? Please chime in with input and experience.

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Old 03-13-2015, 07:02 AM   #2
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O.k. so I am going to take no response as it ain't been tried before.
My reasoning is multifold. I want to save space and not mount it on the back of the bus. I want it away from the bed at night to make it more quiet. I plan to pull a trailer anyway for the second vehicle.
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Old 03-13-2015, 07:26 AM   #3
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I mean, you can put it anywhere, and if this works for you, then go for it! I've seen guys around here put WAY crazier things on their trailers, and don't get me started on the off-road Jeep crowd.

If I have one concern it's the plan to pull the generator out and put it elsewhere sometimes. I don't know what generator you have, but those things are heavy as hell and not very well-balanced. I never dead-lift mine, and I'm strong enough to do it. Unless yours is some small, portable unit, I would realistically plan on not lifting it out of there very much...
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Old 03-13-2015, 08:19 AM   #4
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I plan to carry and run my generator (Hyundai 2000Watt) on my trailer. Just be careful and vent the heck out of that box, you don't want the generator to overheat.
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Old 03-13-2015, 09:07 AM   #5
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"The gen is too tall for under the floor. "

FWIW Here's our Onan BF with about 3in of space above it.

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Old 03-13-2015, 02:38 PM   #6
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I've tried just about every spot with my 2800 boost inverter yamaha. The only place it will run going down the road is on my car trailer. It's just like Bansil said in the other thread about needle, seat, float... It never actually dies, but the inverter trips out and doesn't produce electricity.

My first try,
Untitled by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

Second, by far the worst place. Way to much bouncing around.
2012-06-26_12-19-38_364 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

Trailer. It's right in front of the front bumper of the jeep. Even at the front of the trailer it wouldn't work right. Apparently the smooth spot is halfway between the hitch and the front axle of the trailer. I would play around with locations before making anything to permanent.

20140706_080548 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

This year taking some steps back again. I bought a used old onan hoping it will run fine on my first spot, under the bus. I'm hoping its just not as particular as the fancy yamaha. I'll probably still bring the yamaha for when we are parked. It doesn't use much gas, and is amazingly quiet. 98% of the time I usually have the trailer in tow. However, there have been times I didn't want to take the trailer but still have a genny. So I guess I'm still battling the gen placement.

20150118_104708 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

Dond,
How does your onan run going down the road there?
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Old 04-27-2016, 10:42 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hvbuzz View Post
I've tried just about every spot with my 2800 boost inverter yamaha. The only place it will run going down the road is on my car trailer. It's just like Bansil said in the other thread about needle, seat, float... It never actually dies, but the inverter trips out and doesn't produce electricity.

My first try,
Untitled by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

Second, by far the worst place. Way to much bouncing around.
2012-06-26_12-19-38_364 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

Trailer. It's right in front of the front bumper of the jeep. Even at the front of the trailer it wouldn't work right. Apparently the smooth spot is halfway between the hitch and the front axle of the trailer. I would play around with locations before making anything to permanent.

20140706_080548 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

This year taking some steps back again. I bought a used old onan hoping it will run fine on my first spot, under the bus. I'm hoping its just not as particular as the fancy yamaha. I'll probably still bring the yamaha for when we are parked. It doesn't use much gas, and is amazingly quiet. 98% of the time I usually have the trailer in tow. However, there have been times I didn't want to take the trailer but still have a genny. So I guess I'm still battling the gen placement.

20150118_104708 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

Dond,
How does your onan run going down the road there?
HvBuzz, love the idea of the brackets in the first picture!
I have a Ryoby 2200, which in dimensions at least should similarly compare to your yamaha. I haven't tried mounting and driving the bus anywhere, yet, to test as you said if the gen still outputs anything, but i did shake it a bit while it was running a few times, and nothing happened I will have to try, though...

I was planning on putting my gen unit in a "roughneck" type of container, vent it with holes on opposite sides, then run electrical to it using grommets and some silicon seal to make it as much weatherproof as possible.

The whole thing would be mounted under the bus, using a combination of steel plates and threaded rods.

Any thoughts? And hwo did it go with the used Onan?
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Old 04-27-2016, 11:25 AM   #8
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Holes in your tote are not enough to keep things cool. To put it simply I believe your tote would overheat the generator. Beyond the exhaust issue there is forced air that blows through the cooling fins on the cylinder head that usually also comes out near the exhaust port. That heat would be trapped and recirculated inside of your tote unless you hung the hot end of the genny out the back end of the tote.
Still, unless it's electric start you're going to get tired of dealing with that tote every time you want to start the genny or shut it down. Protection of genny, good. Difficulty with operating, bad.
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Old 04-27-2016, 11:51 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
Holes in your tote are not enough to keep things cool. To put it simply I believe your tote would overheat the generator. Beyond the exhaust issue there is forced air that blows through the cooling fins on the cylinder head that usually also comes out near the exhaust port. That heat would be trapped and recirculated inside of your tote unless you hung the hot end of the genny out the back end of the tote.
Still, unless it's electric start you're going to get tired of dealing with that tote every time you want to start the genny or shut it down. Protection of genny, good. Difficulty with operating, bad.
Couple of things i forgot to mention:
1. i was planning on piping the exhaust to the outside of the tote
2. possibly add PC fans to force air cirulation

Reading your reply ( BTW) got me thinking some more, specially due to the fact that if i position the gen the way i had originally planned, i would have to take it down and up every time i wanted to restart it....yeah, PITA
Soooooo....might instead mount the unit on the one of the center beams, pull-start handle out, no overall tote, but only cover the electrical panel with something....i don't really care if the main body of the genny gets dirty, i'm only concerned with the electrical panel shorting out if hit by spray, mud, etc...
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Old 04-27-2016, 12:13 PM   #10
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Something along these lines (no pun intended):


Does anyone else bother shielding something like the small Honda EU when mounted underbelly?

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Old 04-27-2016, 12:17 PM   #11
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I assumed you intended to extended the exhaust beyond the tote, but mine has a considerable flow of warm air that comes from the louvers near the exhaust end of my Yamaha. It's the heat from the engine heat that concerns me.

I'm looking for something kind of similar to the battery box, only a bit larger to accommodate the genny and keep it relatively dry while still providing air flow. It would be nice if it had a drawer for easier access.

For now I've got a genny that sits on the ground with an umbrella that clips on to the handle.
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Old 04-27-2016, 12:21 PM   #12
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No genrator or AC. I hear the Hondas are the best and quitest.

We just open all the windows and travel later in the day. In the humid south it can get clammy,but once the sun is down you start to dry out nicely.

We do have a AC window unit when parked that uses elcetricity.
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Old 04-27-2016, 12:29 PM   #13
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The Onan is still sick...So I got a Yam 2000 and mounted it in the same place. Been through heavy rain etc. and it's purring right along.

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Old 04-27-2016, 12:33 PM   #14
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If your AC isn't to large, and if you have a high output alternator you can apparently run your AC with an inverter/converter configuration. That would be pretty slick for while you're driving without running down your battery.
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Old 04-27-2016, 12:58 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skoolie_n00bie View Post
HvBuzz, love the idea of the brackets in the first picture!

Any thoughts? And hwo did it go with the used Onan?
The brackets are from a Freightliner FL70. Its the diesel tank brackets. Really, any big truck junk yard should have that kind of style. I had two, but made a 3rd one to hold up the batteries. It's made out of 3/8" thick angle.

20150614_151356 by Hvbuzz, on Flickr

Onan worked perfectly on the first half of our 2 week trip. The fuel pump quit working the second half. I since got it fixed. But that reminds me, I need to pick up a spare for this year. It ran the two roof top airs great on the road. One 15,000 btu unit, and one 13,500 unit. Kept it an ice box in the 90+ degree heat, while traveling down the road. While parked I can run just one air and be comfortable in same heat.

The other thing to think about the style of genny you are looking at, is how are you going to fill the gas tank while running. Honda works well for using a remote tank. The Yamaha didn't. That was my other problem when it was under the bus. I tried a couple different ways to make a remote tank work, but failed.
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Old 04-27-2016, 01:05 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by 2kool4skool View Post
The Onan is still sick...So I got a Yam 2000 and mounted it in the same place. Been through heavy rain etc. and it's purring right along.

Good to know!
The location of your genset seems pretty covered, too.
I think i should be OK with my "redesign"

Quote:
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No genrator or AC. I hear the Hondas are the best and quitest.

We just open all the windows and travel later in the day. In the humid south it can get clammy,but once the sun is down you start to dry out nicely.

We do have a AC window unit when parked that uses elcetricity.
That won't be an option for us; i know my family
AC must be on AT ALL TIMES!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
If your AC isn't to large, and if you have a high output alternator you can apparently run your AC with an inverter/converter configuration. That would be pretty slick for while you're driving without running down your battery.
Yes! i read the alternator alternative (see what i did there?)...maybe for my future build
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Old 04-27-2016, 01:40 PM   #17
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Something to keep in mind...neither the Honda nor the Yamaha inverter gennies are supposed to be exposed directly to the environment. They need to be protected, not left out in the rain & dust. That alone is forcing me to build a containment for mine which, given the restrictions that come along with a shorty, dictates that mine sit on the rear deck. I am playing with several designs but all need to be configured in such a way that they can be sealed up when over the road and then opened, but still protect the gennie from rain & such. Just wish I had room below to put it on a slide out that could be closed up like the one Jack (Ol' Trunt) built for his.
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Old 04-27-2016, 02:42 PM   #18
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I think the term is "water resistant". I have used mine in the rain when I've had no choice and had no apparent problems, and that was without the little lawn chair umbrella that I got later.
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Old 04-27-2016, 03:14 PM   #19
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"Do not use in rain or snow" is the only reference to this in my owner's manual.

Mine is under da bus and I don't run it while driving....Yet
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Old 04-27-2016, 05:06 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2kool4skool View Post
The Onan is still sick...So I got a Yam 2000 and mounted it in the same place. Been through heavy rain etc. and it's purring right along.

nice set up, how do you start it?, do you have a remote? or just pull start?
tks
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