Onan generator location

[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?

 

[Dragonpop]

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.

 

[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.

 

[Kubla]

my Wanderlodge generator (1982) is on an air powered slide out tray, later models used an electric linear actuator to slide out the generator

 

[juliol]

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.

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

 

[ism minerals]

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.

 

[nat_ster]

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?

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

 

[ism minerals]

There is a lift point in the middle top of the Generator:biggrin:, 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.

 

[Dragonpop]

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.

 

[opus-SKO]

 

[juliol]

Hey Opus, how do you keep that Gen-set cool? do you have any ventilation?

J

 

[opus-SKO]

Its all open underneath. Its not in a box, just on the rack.

 

[nat_ster]

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

 

[Dragonpop]

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.

 

[nat_ster]

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

 

[Dragonpop]

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.

 

[ism minerals]

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

 

[USMCRockinRV]

Very Cool - I can't wait to see this~