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08-20-2015, 10:35 AM
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#1
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 228
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: MVP ER
Engine: Cat 3126b 210 HP 605 ftlbs
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Onan generator location
I found a god deal on a Onan generator that I will be adding to our Bus.
The bus is a 2001 thomas MVP RE. I was thinking about putting the generator on sliding rails and place in the front of the bus between the frame rails.
The question I have would be the fabrication of a front sliding section. and more specifically fabricating the front flat nose to move with the generator sliding try. Should be easy with some welding and rivets.
Has anyone seen this done on a skoolie?
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08-20-2015, 05:47 PM
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#2
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Snowflake, Arizona
Posts: 350
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American Rear Engine
Engine: C-8.3-300 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 40 Prisoners
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Go to the Wanderlodge Owners Group web site, the Bluebird
Wanderlodge used that system for their generator mounts.
It was a slide out tray that was hydraulic powered with a
section in the middle of the front bumper that unbolted to
remove and install the genie.
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08-20-2015, 09:09 PM
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#3
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 228
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: MVP ER
Engine: Cat 3126b 210 HP 605 ftlbs
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Dragon,
Thank you! I knew I seen it somewhere online. Think I might skip the Hydraulics though, as one more thing to go wrong in the future. Trying to keep it simple.
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08-20-2015, 09:25 PM
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#4
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 1,001
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: International
Engine: TE 444
Rated Cap: 12
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my Wanderlodge generator (1982) is on an air powered slide out tray, later models used an electric linear actuator to slide out the generator
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08-21-2015, 11:31 AM
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#5
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Skoolie
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Monrovia California
Posts: 151
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Engine: 3208 turbo Cat
Rated Cap: 78
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ism minerals
Dragon,
Thank you! I knew I seen it somewhere online. Think I might skip the Hydraulics though, as one more thing to go wrong in the future. Trying to keep it simple.
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Please post pics when you do your generator mount in front, I always wanted to do this on my RE BB, but afraid I would mess things up in front.
J
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08-23-2015, 08:29 PM
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#6
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 228
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: MVP ER
Engine: Cat 3126b 210 HP 605 ftlbs
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The thomas mvp re has a front cross member, which I will not mess with. So there goes the slide idea . I will put it in the same spot, but not on slides; going to be a pain to remove or work on it if needed. Good part is most of the routine stuff is will be easy to get to.
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08-24-2015, 04:37 AM
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#7
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ism minerals
I found a god deal on a Onan generator that I will be adding to our Bus.
The bus is a 2001 thomas MVP RE. I was thinking about putting the generator on sliding rails and place in the front of the bus between the frame rails.
The question I have would be the fabrication of a front sliding section. and more specifically fabricating the front flat nose to move with the generator sliding try. Should be easy with some welding and rivets.
Has anyone seen this done on a skoolie?
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If I move my engine to the rear on my bus, the generator will be placed in the front.
No need for a sliding tray. Just install air ducts and fans for when it's running. Much less work, and you wont be compromising the front bumpers structure.
You likely won't have nearly enough room on a bus that never had a front engine.
Nat
__________________
"Don't argue with stupid people. They will just drag you down to their level, and beat you up with experience."
Patently waiting for the apocalypses to level the playing field in this physiological game of life commonly known as Civilization
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08-24-2015, 02:50 PM
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#8
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 228
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: MVP ER
Engine: Cat 3126b 210 HP 605 ftlbs
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There is a lift point in the middle top of the Generator , so I may be able to leave a access door to easily lower it when needed. The thing weighs 420 lbs. There is room in between the frame rail sections and it will be level or slightly above the front bumper. When we start that project I will post some pics.
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08-24-2015, 03:25 PM
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#9
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Snowflake, Arizona
Posts: 350
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American Rear Engine
Engine: C-8.3-300 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 40 Prisoners
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My plan is to drill a hole in the floor directly over the lift point
on the generator and use 3/16th cable on a HF worm drive
hand crank winch set on the floor to raise and lower the
generator for service or removal. Does anyone have any
experience with adding a turbo to a Kubota 3 cylinder diesel
generator for full power at altitude. I plan on moving to a
place at 5600 ft altitude so my 10K generator will de-rate to
around 7500 watts due to altitude being naturally aspirated.
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08-24-2015, 03:48 PM
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#10
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,626
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All-American R/E
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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08-24-2015, 05:06 PM
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#11
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Skoolie
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Monrovia California
Posts: 151
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Engine: 3208 turbo Cat
Rated Cap: 78
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Hey Opus, how do you keep that Gen-set cool? do you have any ventilation?
J
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08-24-2015, 05:23 PM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,626
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All-American R/E
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Its all open underneath. Its not in a box, just on the rack.
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08-25-2015, 12:23 AM
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#13
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Them kabota generators are to tall to fit under a bus.
Please for the love of god, do not hang a 500 pound generator from a cable under your bus. Build a proper support / mounting system.
A generator of that type is like the engine in your bus. There is no reason to have to drop it. Oil changes, filter changes, ect can all be done with the unit still mounted in it's place.
Should something fail, lowering it should be the same as lowering the engine in your bus. Support with a jack, remove rubber mounts, cross member, then lower it.
Nat
__________________
"Don't argue with stupid people. They will just drag you down to their level, and beat you up with experience."
Patently waiting for the apocalypses to level the playing field in this physiological game of life commonly known as Civilization
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08-25-2015, 12:45 AM
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#14
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Snowflake, Arizona
Posts: 350
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American Rear Engine
Engine: C-8.3-300 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 40 Prisoners
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The plan was to build a channel iron frame to mount
the generator on which would mount to the frame and
could be unbolted and raised and lowered with the winch
when needed. The space I would be using is where
the spare tire would have mounted had the bus been so
equipped. The frame rails are 34" apart with 25" from
the floor to the bottom of the front bumper and 54" from
the front grill to the first cross member. More than enough
space for the generator. I have a 12,000 pound axle in
front and at last weigh in I had 9,000 pounds scaled on
the front wheels. I think I should be safe in the endeavor.
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08-25-2015, 03:23 AM
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#15
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Thx for the clarification.
We see some sketchy $hit on this site sometimes.
You never mentioned a model number or size specs for your new generator.
From the numbers you gave, that still only gives you 20 to 25 inches of height to work with. You also need space for the metal your using to hold it up.
Even my champion is 24 inches tall.
Please post pics of the build. I like stuff like this.
Nat
__________________
"Don't argue with stupid people. They will just drag you down to their level, and beat you up with experience."
Patently waiting for the apocalypses to level the playing field in this physiological game of life commonly known as Civilization
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08-25-2015, 10:49 AM
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#16
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Snowflake, Arizona
Posts: 350
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American Rear Engine
Engine: C-8.3-300 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 40 Prisoners
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Sorry, I also forgot to mention that my bus has air suspension
front and rear so the added weight won't change suspension
height. The generator is a Wrico International 10K unit. The
Bluebird Wanderlodge uses a Perkins powered 12K generator
in the same place on a slide out thru the front bumper so this
one should fit. The Wrico is 24" tall so even with the channel
hanging down the tow hooks are lower still for protection.
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08-25-2015, 10:51 AM
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#17
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 228
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: MVP ER
Engine: Cat 3126b 210 HP 605 ftlbs
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The generator is an Onan 7500 Quiet diesel. They are small in size and weigh a lot. Yes the generator will have a metal support frame, bolted to the frame using grade 8 bolts. I tend to over design everything I do, so no worries about mounting it. 35 amps per leg at 120 volts, it will not do 240 across both legs. This will be hooked up to a 30 gallon tank, which at half load 3750 watts is around 55 hours. I will plumb the generator tank into a second extra tank 36 gallons, that can be used for the bus also. Total fuel for the bus and generator will be 131 gallons of fuel. The bus will have a main tank and two aux. tanks.
the size of the genny is 36.35"L x 24.23"W x 22.3"H
and weighs 420 lbs with all fluids.
Total watts is 7500
And it is very quiet
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08-26-2015, 07:49 AM
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#18
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Alvin, TX
Posts: 122
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Safe-T Liner MVP
Engine: 12V Cummins
Rated Cap: 75
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Very Cool - I can't wait to see this~
__________________
1996
Thomas
Safety Liner MVP
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