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Quest (198.29.191.147)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 6:36 am: | |
Hi gang
I have an ONAN Genset, weighs about 350#. It is slated to be mounted under the floor where the rear door position is. Here is the problem,,, the spark plugs have to be accessed from the top of the GenSet.
My original thought was to put a trap door in the floor to access, but I fear sealing problems to keep out exhaust gases.
In the running are slides or to hinge the base so the genSet can be pulled out like a door(sort of).
The slider idea is ok, but thats a lot of weight and they can only be about 18" long(deep).
The hinge idea interests me. the Idea sounds simple, use a couple of hinges or run a verticle pipe, mount top and bottem and slip a sleeve over it. the sleeve is welded to the platform the genset is mounted to and is free to turn, moving the genset out from under the floor.
Have any of you built the sleeve type of mounting, how heavy does the piping have to be to be strong enough to support the genset weight??
If you dont think the sleeve type is a good idea, does the slider idea sound doable for the limited space?? where are the sliders available. Any ideas would be appreciated
Quest |
DaveD (216.18.113.69)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 11:31 am: | |
The front wheel drive fibreglas bodies GM motor homes from the 1970s had a nice slide out arrangement for the Onan gensets they were equipped with. Information might be available on a GM motorhome enthusiasts website.
DaveD |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 12:13 pm: | |
Slides are ok. I didn't use slides per se', but I did mount my onan on two rails that extend all the way to the edge of the bus, so when I need to service it I just unbolt the 4 bolts from underneath and undo the exhaust, and slide it out on it's mounting rails. If I need to pull it out farther than it will balance, I drive a forklift up and make the forks match the mounting plate height, so it just slides right in out. That could just as easily be done with a box or pile of wood. Truthfully, it'll have to be slid out so infrequently that I don't personally see building in actual slides to be an advantage.
Photo of mounting bracket:
http://www.heartmagic.com/00Onan8.JPG
Bracket installed:
http://www.heartmagic.com/00Onan7.JPG
Regarding service holes in the floor, that's a fine idea. My Crown has 5-6 of them from the factory- they just cut a hole and cover it with recessed diamond plate. I also have one right over the engine that's 5 feet long and about a foot wide- again, the cover is plywood bolted to diamond plate. I gasketed it with the self-adhesive foam strip stuff used for sealing doors (from home depot) and I never even bolt it down. No leaks in any of them, it's sweet as can be. So if a service port seems easier to you, it's completely OK to do especially if you do some form of soft compliant gasket.
Cheers
Gary |
dougwoodin (24.170.175.44)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 5:20 pm: | |
I mounted my 6.5 Onan gas Gen. where the old A/C fan and condenser once lived. I have an Eagle-01.After removing the fan and condenser, I noticed that the big condensing radiator was hinged for servicing the unit. The big heavy hinges that carried the condenser were re-used to mount the Gen, I made a carrage, or frame that is attatched with 3/8 bolts to the hinges.The frame is made of 1X1 inch steel tubing. The bottom frame is 18X36. Welded to this frame on the right side is another frame 18X20. Looking at the frame from the front, the bottom supports the gen, the right side piece is bolted to the hinges at the right front. Its shaped like the letter "L".A support tube is welded from the right top [in back] to the bottom left. [Behind the gen.]The gen. has a plate in the exaust pipe on the left side of the Ge. To get at the Gen for service, just remove the two bolts from the exaust flanges, pull the lock pin from the bottom left frame, and the whole gen swings out into the air for easy service. It worked for me. |
Scott Whitney (66.82.9.24)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 6:29 pm: | |
Originally, I bougt some heavy duty slides from Rockler.com (made by accuride). I ended up using them for my battery tray instead. I mounted my Onan 6.3 in the rear exit door space and used no slides or hinges. One spark plug is easily accessible. The other is on the back side and barely accessible by reaching over the gennie and working by feel. Any serious work, and the gennie would have to be uninstalled. But that would not be that hard. Undo electrical connections, propane line, four bolts and slide it out onto a milk crate or something. The propane genny requires so little service that even my exterior access panel is screwed on. I just use the cordless to unscrew it if I need to change oil or filters. You can spend a lot of time making fancy slides etc, but in my opinion, you have to estimate how often you will need to access it and how much work it will be to just unbolt it all, compared to how long it will take to make fancy custom compartments, slide, hinges etc. Having said that, mine is in a transit bus, and has it own unique set of challanges when it comes to compartments etc. Also, I am a great believer in having access panels wherever needed, but I usually just make them screw down instead of hinged and latched etc. . .
http://www.dustyfoot.com/generator.html
Scott |
Jim Stacy (32.101.44.80)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 10:28 pm: | |
Inovative Industries makes a variety of slides that can easily handle your gen set. Mine is a triple slide that allows 100% extension in seconds and is rated at 800 lbs if memory serves. BTW the GM motorhome gen sets were especially made for a short time. They were called "powerdrawers" and the slide was mounted at the top of the gen set. They were supported from the ceiling of the compartment. They still bring a pretty penney.
Dave Galey wrote an extensive article on supporting a gen set on a single vertical pipe. It was in one of his books and in a Bus Conversion mag article. HTH
Jim Stacy |
Jayjay (152.163.188.227)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 1:12 am: | |
Go to Home Depot/Lowe's and get a sliding barn door rail. Fasten it to the bay ceiling and fabricate a removable extension for it. You can build a wooden or metal support for the outboard end of the rail extension. All of it for less than $30.00. The rollers supplied will hold many times the weight of the genset. cheap, light, strong, easy to assemble. Cheers...JJ |
Jim NH (172.134.86.98)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 8:33 am: | |
This post is part of the KISS philosophy. Since the genset rarely has to be removed, I find it easier on mine to set up some blocking (like 8x10's) and undo the 4 mounting bolts and the exhaust pipe and just slide it out onto the blocking. Just make sure any wiring or fuel lines are long enough to get it far enough out to do minor work on it. Works with my 800 lb 16K Kohler diesel. If it is necessary to completely remove it, once it is on the blocks, the engine hoist can lift it and roll it anywhere I want.
Jim |
CoryDaneRTSIIIL (4.17.253.179)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 11:07 am: | |
Hey Scott Whitney
You and I seem to have the same type of propane fueled genset and bus (Transit). And you are right on that converting a transit offers its own set of challenges.
You seem to have your genset on a platform under the door, that is where mine is going too. Is your genset really loud sounding? I was trying to find a way to stuff in some soundproofing, but I havent heard mine run yet (so I can't determine how loud she will be). Is it possible that the genset is so quiet that I dont need sound proofing?? That would be good news, but I think that would be too good to be true.
I, just like Quest, have been struggling to find a way to mount the unit, rack, slide out or hinge system. As Quest has, MY particular genset has sparkplug access on the top of the unit. (anyone know how long the spark plugs last before needing maintenance?) Sounds to me a rack will be just what the design requires since the propane unit seems to run so cleanly and maintenance free.
Any other hints you can offer, I'm all ears as i try to design a rack for the welder to make for me. cd |
Scott Whitney (66.82.9.30)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 12:12 am: | |
There was a heavy peice of C channel where the first step used to be. From that I welded square tubing back and vertical pieces up to make a compartment floor.
If you have the same genny I do, you will want to make a sound box. I ran mine before I put it in the box and was surprised how loud it was. So I coughed up the dough and bought some Soundown.com lead quilted fiberglass. I covered my metal framework with 3/4" ply and then put the soundown material over that. My outside hatch is the same with a sheet of aluminum making the exterior skin. The genny sits on some soundown too, so all six sides of the box are deadened.
Air intake comes from the open compartment next to it and exit air goes out a hole in the bottom. Someday, I'll baffle both intake air and exhaust air. Also, I plan to put some muffler wrap around the exhaust pipe to seal its exit point a bit better. But for now it is reasonably quiet.
I also have a removable roof stack that helps a lot too. When the gennie is running, if you stand on the driver's side of the bus, you can hear it as a low rumble, but not loud at all. If you go stand in front of the exhaust, it is louder but you can still talk normal.
Works for me. As time allows and it climbs the priority list, I'll improve sound deadening qualities. BTW, this model of Onan, almost all service items are in front. So changing filters, oil etc. is all easy to do with just front access. The only service item not in front is that one spark plug. Even still, it is reachable, if not fun to get at. But how long will plugs last burning propane? I suspect a long, long time.
Scott
P.S. Anyone know if these Onan Emeralds can be converted to natural gas? There is a 20 year supply natural gas well here on this property and my imagination is taking off again. . . Virtually free electricty? |
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