Portable Generator

[newbie]

So standard gensets produce modified sine waves?

 

[charlieallen]

Venting the basement door for gen exhaust

Just bought a Honda EU3000 IS. I would like to house it in the basement of the Bighorn close to the Command Centre. I want to run it with the basement door closed. I did notice a Bighorn with an Onan gen in the front compartment. The door of the compartment had grill material to allow for exhaust vent. What I need advise on is:
1. Will this be safe for operation of the generator? I will run the plug-in extension line to the electrical system through the hole in the bottom command centre
2. Advise on installing a grill in the door to allow for exhaust venting
Thank you.
charlie

 

[cookie]

charlie, I could be wrong, but I think that the grill in the front door is for intake air. If you look closely you will notice an exhaust pipe out the lower side of the coach. I do not think that would be a safe opperation. I and other owners have portable generators mounted on a carrier at the rear of the coach. A safer opperation I believe.

Peace
Dave

 

[jnbhobe]

Everything Dave said is true. He has a real nice on his rear bumper with two 2K gen sets. I have a Honda 3000 on the back of mine and I just cover it. Its bolted and padlocked. Daves is in a compartment mounted on the back Real neat. Just DON'T PUT IT INSIDE there is no provision for exhaust. JON

 

[thomasinnv]

So standard gensets produce modified sine waves?

no. standard gensets produce pure sine wave. however the hertz cycle and voltage can fluctuate with engine rpm. inverter generators have an advantage in this area, under load they will still produce a good hertz cycle and voltage up to their rated capacity. even with slight variation in engine rpm the output remains steady.

 

[newbie]

So the advantage to an inverter genset is a quieter unit that conserves fuel when lightly loaded. The quality of the power (it's sine wave) isn't cleaner-You don't need an inverter to get a pure sine wave from an a/c power plant.

 

[gmc]

Charlie , you won't be able to run it with the door closed unless you can vent the exhaust. It will set off the carbon monoxide detector. I've tried it. My solution was to put the genny in the door by the control center on a slide which I got from tweety's. com.

 

[jmgratz]

Many people die from carbon monoxide put out by their generators which are not properly vented. Be very careful when using your generators. Even setting one outside next to your RV when the wind is blowing toward the RV could allow the danger. Just be careful folks as we read about these types of deaths every winter.

 

[charlieallen]

Attaching slide to floor of basement?

Charlie , you won't be able to run it with the door closed unless you can vent the exhaust. It will set off the carbon monoxide detector. I've tried it. My solution was to put the genny in the door by the control center on a slide which I got from tweety's. com.

Hi Butch,
Thanks for the info. How did you attach the slide to the floor of the basement?
Will heavy screws hold it in place? I am thinking of making my own pullout platform for the generator about 17" x 22" The Honda weighs about 120 lbs.
I would like to find heavy duty sliders. All I can find here are heavy ball bearing draw slider (Home depot)
Thanks for the input

Charlie

 

[gmc]

Charlie I had to put to 4x4 spacers under the slide so it would clear the doorway. My son and I used lag bolts from the bottom through the slide to hold it. It is a very easy job, if you are a handyman even if you aren't it is still pretty easy. Try tweetys.com they have the perfect slide for the honda 3000 it is made by kwikee, which won't deal directly, which is why I went through tweetys. The slide is about $170 or so with shipping.

 

[charlieallen]

honda in basement

charlie, I could be wrong, but I think that the grill in the front door is for intake air. If you look closely you will notice an exhaust pipe out the lower side of the coach. I do not think that would be a safe opperation. I and other owners have portable generators mounted on a carrier at the rear of the coach. A safer opperation I believe.

Peace
Dave

Hi Dave, peace to you too and all who read this and offer advice!
As you know from my first post I wanted to put the Honda in the basement of the Bighorn and close the door. Message - a bad idea.

The Honda has an exhaust grill 4" x 12" through which all the fumes exit

• plan to have a sheet metal mask made for this vent(similar to a register for forced air)
• a funnel from this mask would go through the basement door
• care taken to make sure that this attachment is securely sealed so no gases escape.
• computer fan on opposite doors one to taken fresh air in the other to vent the air

What do you think of this set up?
Charlie

 

[cookie]

Charlie, I know that people have somehow mounted their genny in the front compartment. Sorry but that's the last place I would mount it and still do not think it's a good idea. Just my opinion. I still feel that a rack on the rear of the coach or in the bed of the truck would be a much better idea. But, I do like the idea of a computer fan or two or three or four. I just noticed that you said "opposite doors", so I take it you want this in your basement, not the front garage. You do realize that your basement is open to your cold air return for the furnace? So any foul air in the basement has a direct route to the living area. Again just my thoughts.
Let us know what you finally wind up doing. With pics.

Peace
Dave

 

[westxsrt10]

Charlie, I know that people have somehow mounted their genny in the front compartment. Sorry but that's the last place I would mount it and still do not think it's a good idea. Just my opinion. I still feel that a rack on the rear of the coach or in the bed of the truck would be a much better idea. But, I do like the idea of a computer fan or two or three or four. I just noticed that you said "opposite doors", so I take it you want this in your basement, not the front garage. You do realize that your basement is open to your cold air return for the furnace? So any foul air in the basement has a direct route to the living area. Again just my thoughts.
Let us know what you finally wind up doing. With pics.

Peace
Dave

I have to agree with 'Cookie' about mounting a gasoline generator inside a closed area. I'd have a hard time sleeping waiting for a fire to break out. I mounted mine outside on the rear bumper. If i want to feel safer yet I can set the generator on the ground.

 

[charlieallen]

Honda Basement idea

Charlie, I know that people have somehow mounted their genny in the front compartment. Sorry but that's the last place I would mount it and still do not think it's a good idea. Just my opinion. I still feel that a rack on the rear of the coach or in the bed of the truck would be a much better idea. But, I do like the idea of a computer fan or two or three or four. I just noticed that you said "opposite doors", so I take it you want this in your basement, not the front garage. You do realize that your basement is open to your cold air return for the furnace? So any foul air in the basement has a direct route to the living area. Again just my thoughts.
Let us know what you finally wind up doing. With pics.

Peace
Dave

Dave,
Did not know about the cold air return for the furnace. So this set-up might not be the best idea in the world.
The idea of putting the gen on the back bumper is a good idea except the Bighorn 2006 does not have a back bumper and it would be a lot of work and expensive to have one put on.
How about installing a pull-out tray in the basement area (not the front compartment) that would slide the honda out so that it is clear of the compartment?
Charlie

 

[westxsrt10]

Dave,
Did not know about the cold air return for the furnace. So this set-up might not be the best idea in the world.
The idea of putting the gen on the back bumper is a good idea except the Bighorn 2006 does not have a back bumper and it would be a lot of work and expensive to have one put on.
How about installing a pull-out tray in the basement area (not the front compartment) that would slide the honda out so that it is clear of the compartment?
Charlie

Maybe mount some rails with slides under the front frame..... sliding it out for use and just store your generator in the cargo area.

 

[jnbhobe]

By the time you buy a pullout rack you could have one made for the rear of the trailer. And as Dave says don't put it inside anywhere unless its built for the unit. I put a 4500w Kabota in the front of a SOB it didn't work, Too many gasoline fumes. JON

 

[charlieallen]

What is a SOB?

By the time you buy a pullout rack you could have one made for the rear of the trailer. And as Dave says don't put it inside anywhere unless its built for the unit. I put a 4500w Kabota in the front of a SOB it didn't work, Too many gasoline fumes. JON

Hi Jnphobe,
What is a SOB?
Son of a B...does make sense in the context.
Charlie

 

[cookie]

Charlie, Jon is not on line right now, but SOB refers to 'Some Other Brand'.

Peace
Dave

 

[lwmcguir]

Many of the front mounted Gen Sets have long exhaust that run over and down the frame. I would want it away from the heater air intake. I have seen some pointed toward the front but could be an issue if you are hooked to the TV. It cost a lot to run them on Propane.

 

[caissiel]

I was talking to an other manufacture owner of a Trailer with similar layout as mine and he almost lost his Power plant when one of the beams bent. He had a local welder build him a reinforced rack with 4" Channels. It looked realy strong and all bolted connections. It puts a lot of pressure to the rear frame.