| Author |
Message |
Kevin Hatch
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 10:11 pm: | |
I got a 7.5KW D Guardian (by Generac) Quietpac. The area I need advice on is plumbing the fuel supply and return. I'll be feeding it off of the main 145 gal diesel tank. Can you guys give me some different ways of doing this. Frank Allen, on here, told me about his. He drilled and tapped in a fitting in the filler neck and dropped a steel pick-up tube 3/4 of the way into the tank. Then teed into the main return line. My genset manual says not to tee into either main line. Tell me how yours is setup.
Thanks!
Kevin Hatch
1970 PD-4905 |
morgan Clough (Mclough777)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 10:26 pm: | |
i believe that mine is set up to share a spot thru main cover in tank. also ran a return line direct to tank. |
Jerry Liebler (Jerry_liebler)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 10:28 pm: | |
Kevin,
I put my fuel pickup and return for the generator and another for the Webasto in the Plate that I added to hold my fuel guage. I've documented the whole thing in the files section of the Yahoo group 'gmc-busnuts'. I built a digital fuel guage out of a Centroid products sender and a digital voltmeter, it works great, resolves 1/10 of a gallon and is acurate within +/- 2%. My pickup and return are both in the same 3/8" NPT tapped hole with the return coming in the side of a 't' and the pickup (1/4") running vertically through the 't'. I had to drill out a 1/4" compression fitting to do this.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120 |
Craig (Ceieio)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 12:30 am: | |
Kevin - check out Fred Hobe's article on doing this. Scroll down past the generator pictures until to you get to the fuel line pictures; there is a good read there on Fred's approach.
http://users.cwnet.com/~thall/fredhobe3.htm
Craig - MC7 Oregon |
Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 2:06 am: | |
Here's how I did mine: http://www.brownland.org/bus/genny/
About in the middle of the page. My tank had an extra plate on it, tho.
--bb |
Kevin Hatch
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 2:59 am: | |
I appreciate the info!! I like Fred's idea better only because I'm going to use the only existing plate for a fuel sending unit for the gauge I'll install. The only thing I wondered about is drilling into the tank. Won't the shavings drop into the tank and possibly harm or clog something? Will I have to take the tank out to do this, and will I have a hard time getting the big DD to fire back up since I'll have to break open the main fule lines? Does the tank just slide out the drivers side once it's un bolted?
Kevin |
Geoff (Geoff)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 5:03 am: | |
I see that Hobes is telling you to use silicone to seal the plate and fuel lines. NOT! Silicone will not hold up to the diesel fumes. A better method is to drill and tap 1/4 NPT threads and use brass fittings and 5/16's steel brake lines. Braze the steel lines to brass fittings, and use Synflex air brake line for permanent fuel lines instead of crappy rubber hose. Oh, and use cork gasket material to seal the plate without any gasket sealer.
--Geoff
'82 RTS AZ |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 8:38 am: | |
Coat the drill bit very liberaly with heavy gear grease. The chips will stick to the grease. Even if a few get into the tank, it will not hurt anything. The fuel filter will catch them if they do not stay on the bottom. This is what I did on my 4104 many years ago.
Richard |
Kevin Hatch
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 10:15 am: | |
Thanks guys! I still need to know about pulling the tank.
Kevin |
Donald Lee Schwanke (Dontx)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 12:07 pm: | |
I question the wisdom of the "Fits All" instructions from the genset. In my 4905 I placed the genset in the old AC compartment where most place it. I put a t into the supply line, it has been running for 10 years now with no problems. Nice part is that there is a joint in that area that makes a t a no brainer to install, no cutting even.
At the time I found that about 80% of the fuel thru this line goes back to the tank anyway, so the sipping of the genset will not make enough of a difference to matter. If someone says it won't work, their theory must be faulty. |
Kevin Hatch
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 12:22 pm: | |
I really would like to just tee into the main line. The genset manual said NO. The only downside might be the genset sucking the main line dry, them having a hard time getting the big diesel fired back up. |
Kevin Hatch
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 12:32 pm: | |
I really would like to just tee into the main line. The genset manual said NO. The only downside might be the genset sucking the main line dry, them having a hard time getting the big diesel fired back up. |
Donald Lee Schwanke (Dontx)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 12:35 pm: | |
Impossible, you have a check valve on the firewall of a 4905. If it fails, you are going to have to reprime regardless of where you feed the genset.
I would guess that on some installations (Not 4905) that the fuel to the main engine plus the genset needs would be insufficient, or the fuel line size is too small. Guarantee you it works swell on a 4905. Much easier as well, the only drawback is YOU have to manage fuel, you could run the tank too dry to start the main engine. For those types so fuel management challenged, in my opinion they should not be driving buses or flying aircraft. Many of us have done it this way, I am unaware of any who had a problem. |
Chris 85 RTS
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 4:03 pm: | |
As I understand the common arguement, the main fuel line to the engine is sized to supply the engine. There was no provision made to supply anything else. Under the conditions of a max loaded genset and a max loaded engine, say going up a grade with both A/C's running, you run the risk of starving one or the other for fuel. That could be bad. Also, that 80% that goes back to the tank serves a specific purpose, it cools the injectors. Read the manual, that is how the injectors are cooled. Less fuel to the engine means less cooling for the injectors, means quicker wear or failure.
Secondary issue, but not critical, is that a separate genset pickup is typically placed only 3/4 of the way into the tank. You can't drain the tank dry with the genset, using a T you could, leaving you stuck.
It's up to you and your comfort level. For me, one afternoon of work was worth avoiding the downsides listed above. |
Kevin Hatch
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 7:13 pm: | |
I think I agree with you Chris. I ordered a fuel sending unit and gauge from Rich at IBP. I plan on pulling the tank and doing the sending unit and the genset pick-up/return line set at the same time. I got the genset mounted today. I plan on hooking everything else up tomorrow (aside from the fuel lines). Should I use a deep cycle battery for the genny, or does it matter since it's run on a regular basis?
Kevin |
Cantuse Myname
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 11:31 pm: | |
I think a 'starting battery' would be what you want for the genny, after all, that's what you are going to use it for, starting. That's how I did it, but I've been wrong more than once.
Dale MC8 |
Frank Allen (Frank66)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 10:46 am: | |
Keven, check your email
Frank Allen |