| Author | Message | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
I am working on an enclosure box for an Onan. It is mounted in the "trunk" of our coach, a 1964 Crown ( room for a double bed) The Onan is mounted on a steel frame, with slides that are 12 inches above the floor of the trunk. The entire unit slides out over the rear bumpers for servicing. Problem is, the heat in the trunk from the genset is enormous, having melted 1 inch blue styrofoam directly above and behind the genset. I have thought about Hardie-Backer, a product for tile installation, which is fireproof and apparently very sturdy. Thought I would add 3/4 inch foiled, rigid styrofoam insulation and a final Masonite or Formica covering. All removable, of course. On the rear door, a large vent, the width of the genset and about 20 inches high will provide fresh air with the exhaust out the bottom and the vented engine heat thru a large opening in the floor. Anyone have any comments or suggestions. Many Thanx....  RCB | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
Rating: N/A |
I saw a NICE bus the other day...the rear doorskin had been removed & preformed 4"x96" louvers had been installed & painted same color | ||
| Marc Bourget Rating: N/A |
What are you doing for airflow through the box? Don't know how big the genset is or if gas or diesel but Wrico specs 600 cfm fan for the box, not including the radiator. What's in your walle. . . er sound box? Marc Bourget | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Genset is 4000 watt air cooled, 2 cylinder. But am building with a footpint for a larger wattage unit. Frame 48 inches high at front (with rear door sealed up against the box...and louvers in the door) 27 inches high in the rear, sloping front to back ( 25 inches front to back) 31.5 inches in overall width. Everything open directly below the genset ( 12 inches high by 31.5 wide by 25 inches deep). An opening on one side of that "box" under the genset, also enclosed, of course, which is 8" by 10 inches for evacuation of all air. Box itself to be made of 1/2 inch Hardie-Backer..then 3/4 inch of foiled (both sides) foam board, followed by Formica or Masonite on the exterior of the box. $50 ballpark cost. Thanx, RCB | ||
| BrianMCI Rating: N/A |
Airflow, airflow airflow... it's all about the airflow. With enough airflow, you could have the gen compartment lined with flamable materials (not recomended)! Still, any flame retardant or flame-proof material in and around the genset, or any engine bay for that matter, is a plus. Brian | ||
| Marc Bourget Rating: N/A |
Im not sure I understand your description of your box. is it open to the bottom? If not . . . I worry that 80 sq in of cooling channel won't be enough. Dick Wright counsels almost 2x that for remote radiator-cooled genset cabinets. You need to look at your HP/Torque/BSFC curves and see how much heat you have to shed. I'm beginning to see why the foam showed heat degradation. Get the airflow up, Like Brian says. Aircooled are much harder to keep quiet. Engine produces more noise without the water jacket, air passages are so large it's hard to trap the sound. Ends up inefficient use of precious space. Onward and Upward Marc Bourget | ||
| Lin Rating: N/A |
That maybe true about it not being the most efficient use of space, but an Onan 4kw is relatively small anyway. Ours fit back in the engine compartment. I think I have enough ventilation, but have not done any real trips to test its since the installation. | ||
| Chuck Lott (Chuckmc8)
Rating: N/A |
R.C.- Is there a possibility of having a mechanical issue with the generator itself's cooling system, such as a mouse nest blocking the cooling fins, or similar? | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
Rating: N/A |
R.C., does your main frame run all the way to the rear bumper, or does it stop just behind the drivers? You mentioned a steel frame. Wonder if it is the factory frame, or did your extend an addition to the rear to bear... ...the weight of the Onan? My '74's frame stops just behind the tandem rear and I will have to engineer a frame extension ... ...down and to the rear to bear the weight of the planned 100 gallon rear (factory) fuel tank, plus the gen set. This hopefuly will allow me to tie the extension into the rear bumper soosss a heavy duty trailer hitch/pintal hook ... ...can be employeed with an air brake hookup chuck. Anyway, I babble again, but am interested in the engineering of your Crown. Thanks. | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Hey, Henry....no the main frame stops short of the trunk, as your's probably does. The steel frame I built out of 1.5" angle...an open box. Sliders on the top of the frame supported on the outside with another piece of angle and clips welded to the "box frame". The trunk itself has a 1.5" marine plywood floor and heavy Linoleum cover, supported underneath by jr. channel in both directions. I understand these trunks can handle a lot of weight....engines, etc. Onan weighs about 250 with a pretty large footprint. As I recall, the angle box is 31.5 wide by about 23 deep. On my ocach, the rear bumper is tied to the body.....not the frame, but in connection ( conjunction) with the jr. channel. Inside of trunk is steel sheet....would guess about 16 gauge. Bottom side of the floor is heavily "undercoated" with, I suppose, old style aluminum asphalt undercoating. My propane tank is also in the trunk, centered between the sides of the coach and against back bulkhead. Gen set in front of it, separated by several layers of stuff....(still developing that.) Webasto also located in trunk, on the left shelf above the coach muffler, as is the Webasto pump, water pump and plumbing controls, including filters, valves and accumulator tank. Pretty compact, all contained on the shelf. Exhaust for both Webasto and genset run thru the shelf area and into the coach muffler compartment. Jury is still out on how that arrangement will work, but, seems logical and so far, so good. I should think a hitch tied to the jr. channel and to the supports just in front of the trunk would do very well. For me, tying to the rear bumper, in any way would not be satisfactory. FWIW RCB '64 Crown Supercoach | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
Rating: N/A |
Will the noise of the Wabasto running be a problem just behind your ears when you are in bed sleeping at night? Not trying to be critical, but just curious as I do not know. Yeah, my Crown's frame stops just behind the drivers and yeah, you can cram a LOT of weight into a Crown trunk. Stories one could tell hauling two (2) football teams with all their stuff. CROWNS FOREVER!! | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary)
Rating: N/A |
I have the same question, the locker for my boiler is under my bed, I want to know if I should plan a relocation. Gary | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Henry,....don't know the answer to the question of noise from the Webasto yet. It is plumbed, is located just above the muffler, roughly 1 foot in from the rear door. Time will tell, and so will I. Lots of insulation,however, between it and the bed....including 100 gallons of water. I haven't connected electrically as yet, so have not fired it up, but maybe this time next week, I can let you know more. Have a trip to TUC planned over Thanxgiving. |