| Author | Message | ||
| Ray Drummond (Ray_d)
Registered Member Username: Ray_d Post Number: 22 Registered: 4-2006 Posted From: 69.111.109.215 Rating: N/A |
Whom out there is using the engine cooling system to cool their generator? The last time this has been talked about was in 2005 and I was wondering if anyone had any updates that are using it. I have an 8KW kubota. Ray D | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
Registered Member Username: Sean Post Number: 574 Registered: 1-2003 Posted From: 67.142.130.32 Rating: N/A |
Ray, I think Hal St. Claire did this on his Eagle, but I don't think he hangs on these boards. He usually shows up at Bus'n'USA, which is coming up next week in Rickreall, OR. Might be worth a trip. You may also run into some other folks there who did the same thing. http://www.busnusa.com/ -Sean http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com | ||
| david anderson (Davidanderson)
Registered Member Username: Davidanderson Post Number: 206 Registered: 2-2004 Posted From: 69.153.51.151 Rating: N/A |
Ray, I think Driving Miss Lazy did this on his Eagle and usually monitors the board. Perhaps he will chime in. David | ||
| Alton Gattis (Fiddlearound)
Registered Member Username: Fiddlearound Post Number: 15 Registered: 7-2004 Posted From: 64.28.99.136 Rating: N/A |
My 12kw Kubota is plumbed through the engine radiator. There is also two 12", 12 volt fans attached to the outside of the radiator. These run when the bus engine does not to facilitate cooling the generator engine. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member Username: Drivingmisslazy Post Number: 1934 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 75.108.74.232 Rating: N/A |
First I would like to say that anyone that gets a chance to see Hal St Clair's coach is in for an eye opening experience. The converters that did DML (predecessors of Marathon Coach) integrated the genset cooling into the engine coolant system along with the Webasto heating system and the hot water (really cold water) heating system. After I got the bugs out, it worked great, and if I were to build another coach that is definitely the way I would go. One of the major problems I experienced was that immediately after I bought the conversion, I took it to a shop in Tucson to upgrade the 6V92 to an 8V92. In addition to screwing me on the price and many other problems, they installed a larger radiator and then crimped the water outlet hose from the genset going to the radiator. This all happened before the days of the internet, the bus boards and Bus Conversions Magazine. The first problem I experienced was the genset would shut down on over temperature after operating for 30 minutes of so while parked out in the desert. The first thing I did to try and solve this was to install an electric water pump in the 1 inch water line from the genset to the radiator. Unfortunately this did little good. I then discovered the crimped hose, and after re-routing it, the condition improved considerably but the system would still overheat after a couple of hours. I then installed two 16 inch electric automotive radiator fans on the coach radiator to push cool air thru the radiator. These fans came with a thermostat control that could be slipped into the fins of the radiator. Additionally I installed a yellow indicator light in the dash of the coach to indicate when the fans were actually operating. That totally solved the overheating problem with the genset and I operated 15 years like that. It also helped with the overheating problem I had with the main engine. In hot climates during the summer and while pushing the coach hard, or while climbing grades, the yellow indicator light would come on telling me that the auxiliary fans were operating. Regardless of what some have said in previous posts, the auxiliary fans do help in cooling the main engine. Also beware of the “nervous nellies” who fear a few extra plumbing connections will lead to premature failure. If it is done properly, there is no additional danger.. This also eliminated the requirement to have a separate surge tank as well as two different coolant systems. Always had plenty of hot water from the engine heat or the Webasto heat and always a warm bus. After I got the few bugs out I would not have changed anything. Richard Richard | ||
| Ray Drummond (Ray_d)
Registered Member Username: Ray_d Post Number: 23 Registered: 4-2006 Posted From: 69.111.109.215 Rating: N/A |
Wow, great posts, all positive remarks, this is something I really want to do. Does any of you know where to make the connections on the engine? How big of fans did you use on the engine radiator? Did you leave the booster water pump on? I wish I could make Rickreal this year, but can't, went last year though. Questions?Questions? Ray D | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member Username: Drivingmisslazy Post Number: 1935 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 75.108.74.232 Rating: N/A |
Not really a lot of choice on the aftermarket auto radiator fans. As I recall, 12 inch or 16 inch. I used 16 inch because there was enough room to install them and I wanted to get the maximum cooling I could get. Was later glad that I had selected the larger ones. I would suggest you contact Dick Wright at WRICO in Oregon as to full details. He is very knowledgeable about this, very helpful and friendly and can also supply some of the goodies you might need. Richard | ||
| Alton Gattis (Fiddlearound)
Registered Member Username: Fiddlearound Post Number: 16 Registered: 7-2004 Posted From: 64.28.99.168 Rating: N/A |
My fans are at least 16 inch--bad fingers. I have photos, but don't know how to post them, I'll get the wife to help later if anyone wants to see. | ||
| Bill Glenn (Homegrowndiesel)
Registered Member Username: Homegrowndiesel Post Number: 23 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 71.242.221.108 Rating: |
Hello Ray I plumbed my kubota Diesel Genset into the bus cooling system along with my Webasto. I wanted to be able to use the heat from all sources for coach heating, as well as potable hot water. I made a manifold that allows us to do this. This also allows us to preheat the generator or Detroit from the Webasto. I have yet to have to install an electric fan on the coach radiator, I thought I would need one but have not ran hot in the last couple of years. After plenty of trial and error I got mine to work properly. Now I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the instant and continuous hot water. Hot water baseboard heat, with fan coils to give quick heat up from cold. Warm engines that start in the dead cold of winter without plugging in heaters. So you may want to think about adding a set of manifolds that will allow you to create paths for a complete integrated system. You can do a simple connection for just the generator by running the coolant out of the generator thermostat outlet, into the suction side of the detroit near the waterpump. ( I tapped into the heater hose return line ) For the suction side of the generator, tap into the thermostat housing above the thermostat. This seems to assist the heat transfer (Heat rises) and work with the flow if you are running both engines. More than you asked for Ray, good luck with your choices. Bill | ||
| George M. Todd (George_mc6)
Registered Member Username: George_mc6 Post Number: 219 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 207.231.81.129 Rating: N/A |
Bill, Whatever you do, DON'T apologize for a post like that! Admittedly, I am biased, I'm a heating and air contractor, and I heat more houses with water heaters and fan coils than I do with furnaces. Just as you say, "put the hot water in low," if you're only going to cool the gen with the main eng. IMNSHO, a total hydronic needs to have the 3 heat sources, (eng, gen, Webasto) manifolded together, with their hot sides common, and that into the hot sides of the baseboards, water heater, etc. Essentially, a big parallel connection. The chassis heater connections on the engine are a way of "sneaking" past the thermostat to heat the eng with the Web. Once again, KUTGW, and enjoy the rest of the 4th! George | ||
| niles steckbauer (Niles500)
Registered Member Username: Niles500 Post Number: 754 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 24.129.157.205 Rating: N/A |
"I have yet to have to install an electric fan on the coach radiator, I thought I would need one but have not ran hot in the last couple of years" Bill - Everyone knows that WVO is sooo kool that there is no heat rejection ;-) | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member Username: Drivingmisslazy Post Number: 1940 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 75.108.74.232 Rating: N/A |
"I have yet to have to install an electric fan on the coach radiator, I thought I would need one but have not ran hot in the last couple of years." Bill, I suspect that is due to the load and/or the area you are boondocking in. I had two 13,500 btu A/C running while in the desert with temperatures approaching 100 degrees and the fans came on every 30-45 minutes for a few minutes and then shut off. I suspect in cooler climates they would not have been necessary. Richard |
