| Author | Message | ||
| Michael Chappell (Loader10)
Registered Member Username: Loader10 Post Number: 19 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 74.193.188.78 Rating: N/A |
I've got a 1985 eagle model 10 with a new kubota 15kw generator that is in the front bay, with opening cut in front bay wall with inlet in between front wheels. The opening is the size of gen radiator. When bus is sitting still gen will run all day with all air conditioners running with no temp problems. As soon as I start driving down road , after 20 min the gen temp gets up to 195 and the gen shuts down. I also have a opening in the floor of gen bay with a fan sucking hot air out, with same problem. Are there any eagle owners that have worked this problem out? I have noticed that if there is a cross wind the temp of gen is ok. All of your suggestions will be appreciated......Mike | ||
| Douglas Wotring (Tekebird)
Registered Member Username: Tekebird Post Number: 371 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 71.59.75.212 Rating: N/A |
seems like a simple low air flow issue | ||
| Michael Chappell (Loader10)
Registered Member Username: Loader10 Post Number: 20 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 74.193.188.78 Rating: N/A |
I thought about somthing to catch air sticking down between front wheels | ||
| Don Evans (Doninwa)
Registered Member Username: Doninwa Post Number: 133 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 208.81.157.90  Rating: |
Sounds like you might have a low pressure area there when you are under way. Good if you are a NASCAR racer, bad if you need air for the genny. A cross wind must mess up the low pressure. It would probably be a pain to reverse the air flow for the genny. How about a flap just behind the inlet made out of belting or something tough but flexible? Maybe even with some wings on the ends towards the front to grab some air. It might create a high pressure area in front and a low pressure area behind where your outlet is. At any rate it would need to be BETWEEN the inlet and outlet. You can build a simple manometer to see if that is what is happening. Some clear tubing formed into a U shape with some water in the bottom of the U placed where you can see from the drivers seat. One end placed just in front of the genny inlet and the other end open. When underway if there is suction the water will climb the side of the U toward the genny. If pressure it will be pushed away from the inlet. The manometer will also tell you if a flap or anything else you try is working. Good luck Don 4107 | ||
| Wayne Schell (Rusty_eagle)
Registered Member Username: Rusty_eagle Post Number: 5 Registered: 4-2008 Posted From: 71.218.35.41 Rating: N/A |
Mike I had the same problem. I made a tunnel from the front with a scoop to force the air up between the wheels. I must have not made it big enough it help a little. I then place a 12 volt fan at the inlet and outlet. We went to AZ in late May was 95 and did not over heat. Good Luck Wayne | ||
| Jack Campbell (Blue_goose)
Registered Member Username: Blue_goose Post Number: 90 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 71.100.207.86  Rating: N/A |
It could be a Eagle thing. I have had the generator from Hell for 20 years. Now I am just fixing to move it to the front bay and you tell me that is heating up. I have tried all kinds of fans and nothing has worked 100%. I am going to remote the raditor to between the front wheels and try that, now you tell us you are having heatings there. Please let us know if you fix the problem before I make the change. Thanks Jack | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 184 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 74.244.14.221  Rating: N/A |
Just a thought. I have the same gen on my Flx and have noticed when the belt starts to wear the fan slips enough to reduce flow but when mine does that it happens still or moving | ||
| Ed Roelle (Ed_roelle)
Registered Member Username: Ed_roelle Post Number: 60 Registered: 3-2005 Posted From: 98.209.249.151 Rating: N/A |
The sides and bottom of a bus, at the front, are a negative pressure area that you need to overcome. A large furnace fan can do this. Overheating generators are a pain. Think "overkill". For a remote radiator installation, install a very large radiator (2 core, 500 sq.in. surface area), and a large diameter, wide, furnace fan (no less than 1/3 HP - 8KW, preferably 1/2 HP - 12+ KW). I have always recommended to pull air from the side of the bus and blow out the bottom, to prevent the heated air from recirculating. If the radiator is too large, you can always use a slower speed on your fan, and reduce noise and air flow. Ed Roelle Flint, MI | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 695 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.188 Rating: N/A |
My 4104 with a Honda water cooled gen drawing air from the side three feet aft of the front wheel and blowing it out the bottom has no cooling problems. Since GM designed the original AC engine to also draw air from the side of the bus I assume this is the best location for positive pressure. The original air intakes for the bus fresh air system also draw air from this same distance aft, but higher up just under the windows. | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 248 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 72.80.31.217  Rating: N/A |
Gus and Ed, so you have the air coming in the side pulling air thru the radiator. Does the air only go thru the radiator or does it pull over the gen setand then down and out or is it realy remotely mounted and the genny is in another compartment? I am planning on doing it this way thru the rad and over then gen. Thanks and as always Mike please let us know what solves the problem when you do. | ||
| Debbie and Joe Cannarozzi (Joe_camper)
Registered Member Username: Joe_camper Post Number: 103 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 71.239.202.82 Rating: N/A |
Mike I have the EXACT SAME 15k Kabota powered GEN. It is in the second bay port side but I do not think your location is the problem.. Ditto what Ed says that is exactly what we have and no problems. Also yes our gen is in a separate box from the rad and it has no furnace blower on it only the rad. We also have a shroud where the air is discharged so it is directed away as to not be able to be recycled by the draw of the intake side. (Message edited by Joe Camper on July 12, 2008) (Message edited by Joe Camper on July 12, 2008) | ||
| Ed Roelle (Ed_roelle)
Registered Member Username: Ed_roelle Post Number: 61 Registered: 3-2005 Posted From: 98.209.249.151 Rating: N/A |
Dave, The system design I like best is to use a large furnace fan that pulls air through the radiator AND pulls air through a "noise-reduction" duct (about 36 sq. in.) in the engine/generator compartment. You also would like to have an input "noise-reduction" duct allowing cool air to enter at the generator end. I built my compartment with this design and had many comments on how quiet it was. It also ran cool. Two bus nuts, Garth Miller and Marty Caverly, are currently building their generator systems similarly. I expect them both to be at Jack's Bussin 2009. If there is any interest, I would consider giving a seminar there. The objective of this design is to provide an extremely quiet, no vibration, 110% cooled generator. Ed Roelle Flint, MI | ||
| Debbie and Joe Cannarozzi (Joe_camper)
Registered Member Username: Joe_camper Post Number: 104 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 71.239.202.82 Rating: N/A |
If you pull air across the radiator and the engine both you then discharge engine noise along with hot air, it is quieter if you don't. You can do both use 1 bay and divide.  This is all 1 bay and divided. The gen is on a slide and the head rolls in first. Then a wall partitioning that bay into the 2 smaller compartments. The placement of the radiator is dictated by the large furnace blower that goes in there first then position it close and you end up with what you see above. That leaves just enough room in front of the rad to make an intake in the floor, if you so choose. It has been removed and replaced with a screen. You have to duct the hot exhaust air away if you do this. This gen is the most reliable thing I have ever owned it always runs and it has never overheated. 4CYL Kubota Diesel At first I thought I did not like it everything is in there very tight but I have grown to understand the design. We have 3 cruse-airs and a OTR A/C system taking basement space.  Here is that large furnace blower and rad taken out. Look at the size of the blower it stands as tall as the radiator.    I had removed ours to re due that compartment it was a fun project. (Message edited by Joe Camper on July 12, 2008) | ||
| Debbie and Joe Cannarozzi (Joe_camper)
Registered Member Username: Joe_camper Post Number: 105 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 71.239.202.82 Rating: N/A |
Ditto Ed again we have two holes in the floor under the gen. One of them is under the head and one is closer to the air intake. If you are thinking about a gas gen. you will for sure need a 12 fan that can ventilate the compartment of potential explosive vapor prior to start. This is also probably not a bad idea for ANY motor shoved in a box. (Message edited by Joe Camper on July 12, 2008) | ||
| Debbie and Joe Cannarozzi (Joe_camper)
Registered Member Username: Joe_camper Post Number: 106 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 71.239.202.82 Rating: N/A |
 Here is the floor and the holes under the gen. That small round hole is by the air cleaner. and the rectangular opening in the back is positioned under the head. This is just passive ventilation but that engine running is sucking in huge amounts of air into that compartment from both openings. Additionally the dividing wall is 1 inch short of the back of the door when closed allowing the blower to pull air from there too. So we are discharging some engine noise but believe it is necessary to some degree to prevent failures due to heat as Ed has cautioned about. Over 4000hrs and over 20 years old. (Message edited by Joe Camper on July 12, 2008) | ||
| Ed Roelle (Ed_roelle)
Registered Member Username: Ed_roelle Post Number: 62 Registered: 3-2005 Posted From: 98.209.249.151 Rating: N/A |
Joe, Your registered email did not work. Please send me a note edroelle@yahoo dot com Ed Roelle | ||
| Arthur J Griffith (Arthurseagle)
Registered Member Username: Arthurseagle Post Number: 50 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 72.236.102.251 Rating: N/A |
ED- I would be greatly interested in you put on a seminar at the Bussin 09. Go for it. Thanks ARTHUR | ||
| Debbie and Joe Cannarozzi (Joe_camper)
Registered Member Username: Joe_camper Post Number: 107 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 71.239.202.82 Rating: N/A |
 This is what I scraped everything down to, accept the exhaust still to come. The 2 holes on the right are the radiator ducts. The strip of floor between is where the rad. goes. It draws in the floor by the door and is blown out the inboard hole and that is the mounting flange for the furnace blower. Tough to get any simpler design. It is pretty evident by just seeing how close those two ducts are together why exhaust ducting is necessary to prevent recirculation and hurting performance. But it does not have to be complicated or expensive to give great results. Ours is a piece of mud flap full length but cut narrower and bent in a semicircle and attached, front to back, to the opening from under. It starts at the forward edge of the hole and goes back. A second small piece of rubber blocks off the front opening. Air is channeled back 18 inches from the rear lip of that hole where it evacuates, no adverse effect on performance. This rubber duct is totally forgiving for potential low clearances on transitions in and out of places. We do not have baffles there. I suppose they could help but it was very quiet already. So compared to a steel one it holds up better, it costs almost nothing if you should somehow try to damage it by dragging it on something it bounces right back. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 696 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.228 Rating: N/A |
David, My Honda EV6010 is mounted on a raised 1" square steel tubing skid bolted into two channel iron rails with the muffler underneath. It is fully contained in a plywood/insulated box which takes in all cooling air at the side of the bus through the original expanded metal door and exhausts it out the bottom. This bay has an open bottom. The shrouded radiator and generator fans pull air in and exhaust it through two small bottom holes. These two fans are in the rear of the box and together pull air over and through the complete unit. The gen fan blows air from the gen around the exh manifold for cooling. The radiator fan blows air straight down out of the box. More info by separate email if you want it. |
