Exhausting your generator

Dusty

Well-known member
Hey folks,

I have a Honda 3000is generator I would like to mount in the front storage area of my BigHorn 3500. It is not really set up for generator installation. My real question is, how does one handle the exhaust?

Short of that, has anyone found a metal box big enough to hold the generator if you had it mounted in the back of the tow vehicle?


Dusty
 

timk

Well-known member
Dusty,
We just did the same thing. I'll tell you how I did it and why I took it out.

My first plan was to mount the generator in the compartment, and simply plug an electric fan above it to blow out hot air and exhaust. Well, the "your going to die" alarms inside kept going off, and my wife wasn't ready to die yet, and I was afraid of her. So I took it out.

But I'm the kinda guy that just cant leave things alone, so I got to thinking, all I needed was an external exhaust pipe.

So I took the lil Honda apart. If you take the exhaust side off and cut the welds of the end cap on the exhaust pipe, it will point straight down. You can then drill an inch and a half hole threw the bottom of your generator and the floor of the storage area. Its then real simple to run an straight exhaust pipe from the Honda under the rig.

Heck I even rigged up a little mirror so I could see to fill the gas. By the way a one gallon milk jug works great, don't spill a drop. Then throw them away so they don't stink up the place.

But then the "your going to die" alarms went off again. So I took it out again.

And you know, its real nice to have that storage area back again.

So plan "C" is put it in the truck, but I wouldn't put it in too tight of a box due to over heating. I had it shut down in the storage compartment once and in the back of the truck under a shell with the door open due to overheating.

But to be honest with you, were keeping it in the garage and going with solar and rv parks with plug ins. They even have water.

TimK
 
J

Jim_1899

Guest
This forum is great! At my office today the overhead lights went out, then the curcuit box switch would not reset. An electrician is coming in tomorrow. My first thought was I can buy a generator, use it for an hour to keep the office going and then I will have it for my Bighorn for years. Plus its a tax deduction. I am planning on putting it in the truck bed and then moving it to the ground with a long extension. I plan to shop at Sams, Costco and online. What would be the best generator?
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Jim,

A lot of people like the inverter style Honda and Yamaha generators. I have the Honda EU2000i. Yamaha has their 2,000 watt version and they both have 3,000 watt versions too. That's peak demand watts, not continuous.

If you plan to run your air conditioner, you'll need a 3,000 watt unit. Otherwise the 2k unit may suit you. The 3k units are pretty heavy. The 2k units are very manuverable. Not sure of today's costs but I paid about $900 delivered for my unit from Mayberrys.

Jim

eu2000i.gif
 

Dusty

Well-known member
Thanks for the responses, everyone. I think I have decided to let it ride in the truck with a cover except when I am actually using it. Then set it on the ground.

Dusty
 

BluegrassMan

Well-known member
Hey Jim 1899:
I haven't had a chance to hear a Yamaha or others. I have the Honda 3000ui. It's actually an alternator instead of a generator (or so I've been told). The salesman said that it is"pure" AC ! He said that you can run a computer on it with no worry of change in voltage. It is the quietest one that Honda makes "supposedly".
Your camper neighbors would appreciate this unit compared to SOME that I have heard.
 

phranc

Well-known member
Dusty and Timk... I have friend with a Everest that has his 3000eu honda mounted on big heavy duty slide rails in the front compartment. Rails like the slide shelf uses... When he wants to use the genny , he just opens up the front compartment door and slides the genny out .. I havent heard him complain about fumes.. Maybe he's not saying...
 

timk

Well-known member
phranc said:
Dusty and Timk... I have friend with a Everest that has his 3000eu honda mounted on big heavy duty slide rails in the front compartment. Rails like the slide shelf uses... When he wants to use the genny , he just opens up the front compartment door and slides the genny out .. I havent heard him complain about fumes.. Maybe he's not saying...

I dont think it would fit that way on our rigs, it might fit the door but I think it would hit the front jack rod.
 

nscaler2

Well-known member
Does the Honda 3000 get it started

Bluegrassman,
Does the Honda start and run your air conditioner OK. I keep seeing conflicting reports about the amount of current needed to not just run the air conditioner, but the amount that is needed to start it up. Thanks :rolleyes:
 

BluegrassMan

Well-known member
Hi Nscaler:

Yeah, It does just fine with the 15K air conditioner, you don't want to run the micro at the same time though.
It's the high head pressures that happen when the AC is running, when it wants to kick on the compressor, that's the hardest time to turn over. That's when you need the juice in your gennie. It will kick the governor in when the demand hits the gennie. It'll run harder for a little then go back to normal. There is a setting on it that lets it at a low idle until more current is needed, that's when it is REALLY quiet.
 
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