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01-06-2017, 04:14 PM
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#21
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2 Rivet Member
2007 25' Safari
Attleboro
, Massachusetts
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 71
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I know lot's of people run their generators right next to their campers but I'm thinking it should be at least ten feet away to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.....
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01-06-2017, 04:48 PM
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#22
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Limited
Wichita
, Kansas
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 817
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Quote:
Originally Posted by romeb
I know lot's of people run their generators right next to their campers but I'm thinking it should be at least ten feet away to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.....
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Romeb,
The threat of CO poisoning is a real and ever present danger in any RV! It's important to remember that the sources of carbon monoxide go far beyond a generator.
Last fall, my CO detector went off once with a reading of about 50 PPM (parts per million) so I took it outside and reset it to zero. Then in a few minutes, it went off again with a slightly higher reading. I was operating the furnace and the hot water heater was running on propane. I turned both off and opened several windows and waited until the reading went back to zero and closed the windows. I first turned on the furnace only and after several minutes, the reading was still zero. Then, I turned on the hot water heater and within five minutes, the reading was up to about 20 PPM, so I carried the detector over to the bathroom and opened the door beneath the vanity where the hot water heater is located and the reading quickly climbed up to 65 PPM. So I turned off the water heater, let everything air out again, and we didn't have hot water for the remainder of the trip (about four days). Thereafter, I monitored the CO several times daily and it stayed at zero.
When I got home, I looked over the hot water heater and I couldn't find visible crack, but I figured at about twenty-five years of age, the hot water heater must have a cracked heat-exchanger and I bought a new one. Now, I have hot water and no alarms. Sorry for the slightly off-topic rant, but I feel pretty passionate about the need to have a working CO detector!!!
Back to your question...I've oriented the generator so that the exhaust faces forward. This is for a quieter cabin in the trailer and to allow for more air dilution of the exhaust. I also would not operate the generator with the windows open (both for safety and sound levels). Also, I prefer camping in national parks and I seldom run the generator more than a couple of hours in the early evening to recharge the batteries or any other time that I want to run the microwave. The generator will run my air conditioner, but I don't really use it for that purpose.
Steve
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01-06-2017, 05:30 PM
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#23
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2 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 21
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Another approach
We have a 1972 31ft, and have installed a 3.5 kw generac generator under the front couch. I had to cut out the front section of the belly pan where the spare tire rack would go. A frame was welded up and bolted to the AS frame. I constructed a cover out of 3/4 plywood and lined it with sheet metal. I had to give up the center storage tray, and increased the propane bottles to 40 lb. The exhaust exits forward under the propane tanks. This unit will run the ac, and is not visible.except for small exhaust pipe. The cover insulates the heat and sound so it is not annoying. This.solution saved me when I was parked in St. Louus a few years.ago during a several week power outage with temp in the high.90s.
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01-06-2017, 06:36 PM
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#24
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Limited
Wichita
, Kansas
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 817
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I'd like to see a few pictures of your installation. It sounds pretty interesting to me!
I believe in the seventies or eighties, Airstream made some factory installations of generators underneath a dinette seat in some travel trailer models.
Steve
__________________
Steve
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01-06-2017, 09:26 PM
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#25
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2 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 21
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another approach response
My understanding is that the early Airstream generator was 6 volts. I will provide pictures of the installation I described in a couple of days, I am out of town now, but wanted to chime in on the ability to mount the generator inside the trailer without giving up much space. The trick was to mount it so it was in frame rails so the sofa would still work, and it would not be vulnerable under the trailer. It also moves the generator weight back several feet from the tongue, thus shifting some of the weight to the axels. Maintenance is also relatively easy. The inverter was mounted under the dinette table; against the wall, so it is not in the way either. I did this several years ago, so will not appear as fresh as the one in this thread, but that just means it is proven.
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01-07-2017, 12:36 PM
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#26
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3 Rivet Member
1990 34' Limited
2013 27' FB International
Conroe
, Texas
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 208
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Thank you Steve I will do that.
I have removed the aft end cap and drilled up a new one. I've moved to the front end cap and removed it. Also completely gutted the interior and after pulling up some of the flooring I have decided to pull the shell off. So my next step is to brace it, build a gantry and start the shell off process.
I will look for your threads.
Thank you
Thomas
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02-03-2017, 10:32 PM
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#27
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Limited
Wichita
, Kansas
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 817
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Here's a recent tweak that I just finished yesterday. Last summer, I bought a Coleman gas grill cover that had been discontinued and I was able to pick it up for $16 at the Coleman Outlet Store here in Wichita. It is really well made for that price, but it was made to fit a grill, not a generator. On our trip last fall to Utah and Arizona, we barely got 60 miles down the road before the wind had nearly sucked it completely off the generator. So I took it off and planned to alter it and sew a bungy cord around the bottom hem in a pocket.
So I did rip out the seams and tailor it to fit better. I'm pleased to get it to fit better. Also, my hope is that it will help would be thieves unless they really have their heart set on a grill.
__________________
Steve
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02-04-2017, 04:56 AM
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#28
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Mantua
, Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,062
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I like it. Good idea.do you run the genny there on the tongue or do you have to remove it. Looks like you could run it while going down the road for 120 power.
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02-04-2017, 06:11 AM
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#29
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Limited
Wichita
, Kansas
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 817
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I run it only when stationary. Look at post 15 and click on the link to the YouTube video to see it ib ooeration.
__________________
Steve
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02-13-2017, 10:57 PM
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#30
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2 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 21
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I replied about mounting a generac 3.5kva propane generator in the frame of our 1972 31' international. This has been in service for over 5 years, so pardon the rust and dust in the attached pics
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02-14-2017, 10:18 PM
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#31
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Limited
Wichita
, Kansas
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 817
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Quote:
Originally Posted by open01
I replied about mounting a generac 3.5kva propane generator in the frame of our 1972 31' international. This has been in service for over 5 years, so pardon the rust and dust in the attached pics
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Your pictures didn't attach to your post. Would you try again?
Thanks,
Steve
__________________
Steve
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02-15-2017, 08:29 AM
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#32
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2 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 21
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AS gen installed under couch in 1972 31
Having some trouble formatting and loading the pics, another try.
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02-15-2017, 08:48 AM
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#33
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2 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 21
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AS gen installed under couch in 1972 31
Looks like pics posted, now to explain. Generator is mounted in frame between the rails where a-frame for tongue attaches. This is a spot previously designated by AS for spare tire mount accessory. The mounted is welded 2" angle iron bolted to frame. The cover is 3/4 in plywood lined with 22 gauge galvanized sheet metal, it is sealed with truck bed tape, and a CO monitor is close to it. The Generac is small enough to allow the cover to fit without interrupting the couch or side storage bins- the only thing we lost was center storage bin. You can see clearance underneath the trailer is adequate, and the only thing visible outside is the exhaust which exits under the propane tanks. Notice the cutouts in the belly pan, the slots in front allow proper cooling air flow not to interfere with the cooling fan in the generator. This unit was used continuously for over a week in 90 plus degree weather in St. Louis during a major power outage. It operates my single AC unit with no problem (would not run the stock Armstrong AC unit, but does fine with the more modern unit we replaced it with.) Noise levels within the trailer are acceptable to us. Aside from the cover being rigid enough not to resonate the sound from the unit, the couch offers over 4" of foam sound insulation over the unit, and the exhaust is moved forward of the trailer, obviously we keep the front windows closed when running the generator. It is no louder inside the unit than parking next to a A-class running their generator. I don't have any design drawings, this was just a "monster garage" project I did in a week.
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02-15-2017, 09:45 AM
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#34
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Limited
Wichita
, Kansas
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 817
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open01,
Thanks so much for reposting the pictures and the explanation. You and I have certainly had some similar thoughts/aspirations/approaches! Is the Generac generator the inverter version that they built up until about five years ago?
I like what you have done!
Steve
__________________
Steve
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02-15-2017, 09:48 AM
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#35
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2 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Chicago
, Illinois
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 21
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Yes, I have the inverter mounted under the dinette table, on the wall. It has worked.flawlessly.
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