| Author | Message | ||
| Bryan Larrabee (Busasaurus)
Registered Member Username: Busasaurus Post Number: 14 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 24.84.136.155  Rating: N/A |
Is it either legal or advisable to run your gas generator while driving down the road? Bryan Vancouver BC | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 348 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.165.176.62  Rating: N/A |
Mines Diesel but it runs anytime I'm going down the road or I don't have AC or refrigeration. As long as it is installed and exhausted properly I don't see an issue. | ||
| Wec4104 (Wec4104)
Registered Member Username: Wec4104 Post Number: 39 Registered: 7-2008 Posted From: 68.80.242.72 Rating: N/A |
Mine is gasoline and gets lots of use while cruising down the highway. Back when my 4104 was built, it had a gas engine powered air conditioner unit that was run while driving or stopped. Don't see much difference in what I am doing. | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 1112 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.3.157.139  Rating: N/A |
Almost all gas powered motorhomes use gas powered generators (a few use LP powered). But all are set up to be used while driving down the road. We used a gasoline 6.5 Onan for several years before getting our diesel generator. Never had a problem running in on the road to power our AC. Jack | ||
| bill chisholm (Billybandman)
Registered Member Username: Billybandman Post Number: 149 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 198.236.64.22 Rating: N/A |
I had a band bus for 12 years with a 6,500 Onan gas and put 4,400 hours on the genny running 2 AC's, tv, and a small fridge all day long, all night long up and down the West Coast. I won't say we never had any trouble but we never suffocated anyone or had a fire--well maybe one small one. It certainly is ok to run 'em going down the road...it worked great! | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 352 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 74.244.14.221 Rating: N/A |
As long as you don't plan on running it inside the bus or a closed bay  | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 922 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.112  Rating: N/A |
I do it all the time. I consider it much safer than running it while parked. It runs much cooler underway also. | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 780 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.210.202.4 Rating: N/A |
Gus///where is your mounted (how much free air does it require (get)?...and fuel use? Thanx, RCB | ||
| Wec4104 (Wec4104)
Registered Member Username: Wec4104 Post Number: 40 Registered: 7-2008 Posted From: 68.80.242.72 Rating: N/A |
I think most 4104 owners, myself included, mount theirs in the bay that used to house the old A/C engine. There is a door for that bay that is a screen mesh material, instead of solid metal. On average, my Onan uses about 0.6 gal/hr. | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 331 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226  Rating: N/A |
I run my Onan gas Gen on the road and parked. The only thing I have to watch out for is making a left had turn. If I turn too fast or if the grade of the road tilts the bus to the right it will slosh the oil in the Generator away from the pickup and the low oil pressure will shut down the generator. | ||
| Frank Allen (Frank66)
Registered Member Username: Frank66 Post Number: 113 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 64.12.116.203 Rating: N/A |
run my onan on the road when needed, it is a gasoline 7.5, did have a gen fire once with a onan deisel i had. the problem i see with them is there is not a way i know of to know what is going on in that compartment, the desiel i had developed a fuel leak and sprayed the inside of the compartment with fuel, the windy conditions that day in nevada finally ignited the fuel, we were however able to contain the fire and move on without the gen of course, thats when i bought a new gen and installed my in dash a/c now i dont need the gen set much at all Frank Allen 4106 | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 1117 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.3.157.139 Rating: N/A |
Frank, That is scary!! Glad to hear you did not have major damage. We have one on Jim Shepherd's RV Safety Systems Fire Detection & Suppression Systems on our coach. 2 nozzles in the engine compartment and 1 on the generator compartment. They would not detect a fuel leak but would set off the extinguisher as soon as the sensor reached 400 degrees. I hope I never have to see if it works. Jack | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 783 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.211.66.144 Rating: N/A |
Elaborate a bit (details, please) Jack...this is a "new one" to me. Interesting! Thanx RCB | ||
| Frank Allen (Frank66)
Registered Member Username: Frank66 Post Number: 114 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 205.188.116.203 Rating: N/A |
Jack, was a nightmare for sure, deisel fuel from a leaking fuel pump saturated entire comprtment, i guess conditions were just right to ignight it, we were 1/8 mile from camp ground, made a real mess of the wiring both 110 and 12 volt systems were out, got the 110 working again in the camp ground. hope i never see that again. got two fire extingwishers in bus now. i like the idea you have for fire prevention and like to hear more about it. Frank Allen | ||
| David Lower (Dave_l)
Registered Member Username: Dave_l Post Number: 158 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 67.58.201.132  Rating: N/A |
R.C. give this site a read (rvsafetysystems.com) they sell fire detection and supresion systems. hope this helps. Dave L | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 784 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.209.245.82 Rating: N/A |
Thanx, Dave...'preciate it! Quite a system...seems a bit pricey, but then, as some would say, "what price safety"! RCB | ||
| Jim Shepherd (Rv_safetyman)
Registered Member Username: Rv_safetyman Post Number: 279 Registered: 1-2004 Posted From: 67.142.130.42 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the mention about my system. While engine fires get more publicity, I am much more concerned about generator fires. This is especially true if you run your generator when you are not at the bus. I hear quite a few stories about generator fires. They are not huge in number, but they do happen. To me it is not only important to put out the fire, but to make sure the generator is shut down and is disabled until the problem is fixed. If you would happen to have a fire and use the typical dry powder extinguisher, you will have to quickly clean up the electrical parts. The dry powder will wreak havoc on anything electrical. Jim | ||
| Kasse Weikel (More_s_than_as)
Registered Member Username: More_s_than_as Post Number: 43 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 24.205.97.163 Rating: N/A |
i know some one before me has rigged an inverter to their gigantic alternator to use while driving down the road right?? a simple flick of a switch and u have a more efficent system, although a little more will go into installing and purchasing the inverter. but will definetly pay itself back in the end and conserve on fuels. i currently have only two HD truck batteries in their (very small compared to whats supposed to be there) and they crank her right up. i assumed when i put some real batteries in her i should have plenty of juice coming off the alt. The batteries must hold more charge for these 2 little ones did for a month+ and turned her right over. i suppose if you have a lot of pull the inverter might be pricy but no more than a generator eh? i seen some pretty big wattage inverters for cheap at kragen/nappa/walmart and such. but those are all 120V(110). or maybe some one tried this before and had a bigger fire going down the road? lol im sure this is speifically covered somewhere in the archives or a book so if i piss u off i appologize in advance, thats not my intention, plz dont hange me lol! | ||
| Cullen Newsom (Cullennewsom)
Registered Member Username: Cullennewsom Post Number: 71 Registered: 2-2009 Posted From: 98.201.161.214 Rating: N/A |
I have two buses, both were equipped with Amerex fire detection / suppression systems when I bought them. Both systems have had false positives. Made terrible messes, and caused lots of corrosion. It is near impossible to clean all of that stuff up. I looked at the Jim Shepherd systems, and I like that he uses a temp sensor instead of the other methodology. I haven't any experience with his system though. Note I'm not advocating against fire suppression. I'm just relating my opinion that the Amerex systems are junk. | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 1119 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.3.157.139 Rating: N/A |
Jim's system has 2 alarms, a low alarm and a high alarm. The low alarm is programable by the user and does NOT set off the fire suppression system. The high alarm is preset (and non changeable) at 400 degrees. This alarm does set off the fire suppression sysytem. We had the low alarm in our generator compartment go off (we set it at 140 degrees) when the compartment exhaust fans failed. We stopped, found the problem and shut off the generator since we were almost home. Because, our generator radiator is remote, the generator water temp never changed. I feel this probably save me a considerable generator repair expense, probably far more than what I paid for the system. Jack |