| Author |
Message |
Ray Jensen
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 4:52 pm: | |
This question is for those who have real experience camping unpluged. On those hot sticky nights when the air conditioning must be at the ready, is the generator left on all night? A running generatior can make for a unwelcomed neighbor...,so in reality do people find alternate ways to stay cool, or find a way to plug in. |
Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 5:19 pm: | |
Sort of depends on where you are at and who you are with. If everyone else is doing it then I can't see it being a problem. If you are out with a bunch of tent campers then you have a problem. Just be concious of your surroundings. Some gensets are pretty quiet and end up being sort of a white noise where others are fairly noisy. Yamaha and Honda make some pretty quiet ones. If all else fails, move somewhere with hookups. |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 5:23 pm: | |
My genset is mounted on good vibration isolators, is soundproofed, and the exhaust is run thru a double wall section of conduit that comes up thru the floor, through the cabin, and exits straight out the roof
(1-1/2" for the exhaust, inside of a 3" that is open at both ends for convection cooling so it doesn't present a heat hazard).
It is quiet enough, doesn't vibrate the bus much, and the stink goes up-up-and-away enough that no-one gets bothered, and I often leave it on all night.
My genset is an Onan air cooled. To do a system like this that keeps both you and the neighbors happy, it's important to either have a water cooled motor or an air cooled one that's pretty quiet in the first place. More than one cylinder and A 4 pole alternator (insures that the system runs at 1800rpm instead of 3600) are a few more ways to make sure things are quieter.
My first genset was a generac (gene-wreck) that was belt deiven, 3600 rpm, single cylinder... it was annoying in every respect and I finally dumped it. The Onan is a dream by comparison.
Cheers |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 6:09 pm: | |
I spent many, many weekends and weeks at Glamis, CA. Hundreds of thousands of acres of sand dunes. The temperature, even in the cooler months, was many times very uncomfortable. There were literally thousands of gensets running 24/7 so the noise was not a problem. In addition to the gensets there were also thousands and thousands of dune buggies, three wheelers, four wheelers and two wheelers running 24/7 so all in all it was a very compatible crowd.
Sure would like to be able to go back again.
Richard |
JR
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 6:42 pm: | |
Be careful with the Yamaha...I've got a Yamaha diesel genset and it's noisy to the extreme. My only complaint really. Otherwise works great, fuel miserly, runs both ACs with 6500 watts, but still noisy. Probably the most quiet gensets are the ones that use up the most space. At least the Yamaha fits into the condenser bay. Yamaha is unique that it will make 110 at low idle. Runs up if a large load calls.
JR |
mclough
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 7:12 pm: | |
ive got a 15kw yanmar. its exhaust is quiet, runs lenght of bus and out rear. i have it mounted in first bay of a 4104. how can i queit the motor part its faily loud.
morgan |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 11:25 pm: | |
Hey:
"This question is for those who have real experience camping
unpluged. On those hot sticky nights when the air conditioning
must be at the ready, is the generator left on all night? "
At a Flying J, Wallyworld, or other freebee lot, I'd run the genset
until we were ready to sleep. Nights are usually cool enough to
do without AC in Floraduh, once the rig's cooled down enough
initially.
A temperature control (thermostat) connected to the overhead
12v exhaust fan and a few windows open a crack, can do well to
keep it cool enough also!
If it's unusually hot, we grab a campsite with power and pay the
price for comfort. Running the genset all night's a pain in the arse.
Be wary of the fumes also.... You don't want to sleep forever. |
Edward J. Sommers (Sommersed)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 11:32 pm: | |
I am a full time boondocker. As a matter of fact I am now just outside Yuma parked on a BIG slab of firm sand, the temp is in the mid to high 80's.
I have 450 watts of solar on the roof and that is my main source of power and its enuf to power four fans in the heat of the day (afternoon)when I need it, then let me watch TV all night long if I want to.
I do have a honda 2000 but rarely use it except to power the micro when I need it for more than five minutes or so.
On those nights when is stays hot and/or muggy, i have a computer type cooling fan mounted on a board that blows on my face, it's all I need.
This method works fine for me up to about 90 degrees or so and if its that hot I am too far south too soon. |
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