One of the dumbest things I ever tried or How Not To Heat A Van

[Rocketman]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with some good, old fashioned ingenuity. I would, however, refrain from having a gas powered anything running inside the van with me. I would much rather deal with having to go outside to start the generator than risk my life by bringing it inside. What we do out here is a job...not something that requires us to risk our lives. If you or anyone else actually use a setup like this, please use a carbon monoxide detector and a low oxygen detector also if they are not one in the same.

One alternative, if you can afford it, would be to build or buy something to carry the generator on the front or rear bumper. Use a remote or electric start generator. That setup would cost you some money, but it would be pretty nice.

 

[mjmsprt40]

mjmsprt40,* Sounds like you have put a lot of thought into this problem.
At home this weekend so I will try out your theory on vibration between the pipe and door. I had attached the copper pipe to the muffler with two sheet metal screws so I did not have a big concern with carbon monoxide. The pipe became hot enough to burn the hand but I doubt it could cause anything to catch fire. It was still hot enough to melt plastic or rubber. What is a good flexible heat proof spacer to use between the pipe and the exhaust port I put in the door? I will report back here after I try out your theory. Thanks.

Neoprene. During the summer months I run model boats, and the "stinger" section of the tuned pipe is supported with a neoprene grommet in a metal strap support. Vibration would shake out the fasteners otherwise, not to mention the noise problem that you would get without some sort of dampening.

Edit: Add-On; I have to go along with the info others are saying about carbon monoxide, too. I don't know how good your pipe-fitting skills are, but it doesn't take much of a leak to present a problem. Sheet-metal screws joining the copper pipe to the muffler sounds to me like it could be just such a leak waiting to happen.

 

[tknight]

You must like taking chances !where do we send the flowers too ? I would never think of going to sleep with a generator in a van running Mount it outside on the front bumper and be safe and done!!!

 

[mjmsprt40]

The best shot: Figure out how to make a decent heat-exchanger system. Run the generator outside where it belongs, then pipe the heat it makes into the van. One way or another it can be done, and done a lot safer than running the generator itself inside the van. You'll never overcome the noise problem satisfactorily trying to run that machine inside anyway-- I have an electric fan inside my van, and the noise that thing makes can be a problem, I can't imagine a generator ever being quiet enough.

My model-boating side is considering something: Could you make a water-jacket to fit around the cylinder, thereby cooling the engine and capturing its heat, then just do standard plumbing for a heater in the rear of the van? We have aircraft engines that were initially designed to be air cooled from the propeller blast, fitted with a cooling jacket for water cooling-- so, it can be done but it'll take some work.

Fit the water jacket, hook up a decent electric water pump to move the coolant, a reservoir so you'll have enough coolant, a heater core inside the van and some piping.. a little diddly to put together but it should work better than trying to run the generator inside the van.

 

[dancorn]

Running a generator inside is just too dangerous, you guys are right. There is a long list of things that could go wrong while one slept, possibly forever. Case closed.
Thanks to all for the helpful posts. You still might want to try the cayenne pepper sauce in the ketchup, much safer than a generator running in a van and easier done.

 

[muttly]

Thanks for the tip about the cayenne in the ketchup, but doesn't the hot coffee over the vanilla ice cream melt too much and ruin the integrity of it?

 

[dancorn]

Thanks for the tip about the cayenne in the ketchup, but doesn't the hot coffee over the vanilla ice cream melt too much and ruin the integrity of it?

In another century I was in the paint biz and concerned about viscosity but not here. If your coffee ice cream is too thin just let the coffee cool a little before adding to the bowl. It is a cheap substitute for a Jamoca shake from Arby's.

 

[RETIDEPXE]

Running a generator inside is just too dangerous, you guys are right. There is a long list of things that could go wrong while one slept, possibly forever. Case closed.
Thanks to all for the helpful posts. You still might want to try the cayenne pepper sauce in the ketchup, much safer than a generator running in a van and easier done.

Glad to see the 'don't do it' replies hit home. Harmonic vibrations can cut iron and would be no match for the paper thin muffler your pipe is attached to. A small crack and......well, you know.

The idea of capturing the heat of the genny is interesting. Even tho I have my 2' X 2' X 3' alum tool box well vented, everything in it is warmed up after running the EU2000 inside, even the 3 or 4 gallons of extra oil and coolant.

I would only consider a water jacket to heater core exchange, not via air duct for obvious reasons. How about cutting a hole and mounting a heater core to the gen housing somehow to capture the heat then tap into the vehicles cooling system. Here's a cheap housing and core on ebay 04 Chevrolet Aveo Heater Core with Housing | eBay or keep it all Honda; 96 98 Honda Civic Heater Core Unit | eBay

Tap in a small recirc pump for the coolant to circulate and hotwire the trucks blower motor or rear bunk heat fan. This would also pre-heat the truck's engine. I can really see this working if the trucks motor is already warmed when parking after a run.

I have an old EU2000 on the bench at home in overhaul mode, sounds like a good project to look into, a poor man's APU. NOw if I can only find the time.

 

[dancorn]

Retidepxe, Is your aluminum tool box mounted on a van? if so how about a picture.
I made one out of angle iron and plywood but it aged so badly I was ashamed of its looks and took it off. I had two Honda 2000s in it to run the roof top A/C and the weight of it all gradually caused the left rear door to droop. I should install a swing away box on the rear frame in a bumper hitch fashion but don't have the motivation as yet.
Keep us posted if you get anywhere with the heat exchanger you wrote about.

 

[guido4475]

I am by nature a pretty adventurous guy. I have discovered that adding Texas Pete to a bottle of ketchup zips it up, coffee poured over vanilla ice cream is good, Fritos are good in chili and cooking raw broken spaghetti in a can of chicken noodle soup is superb.
So given this outstanding record I decided that the Honda 2000 generator I lug outside and chain to the bumper to run an electric space heater would be better ran inside. While at home last fall I attached a copper pipe to the muffler and put that through a closable hole I made in the left rear door. I strapped the generator to prevent movement and started the thing for a test. I stood outside the van with the right rear door opened and beamed with pride as it quietly ran. This had several advantages; it added additional heat from the generator, I did not have to carry it in and out of the van, it was theft proof and efficient.
So off we go on a run to Edmonton, Alberta in late November. Delivered the load and headed for a parking spot to sleep. I set the generator near the back door, added the copper pipe extension and put it through the door, lashed down the generator and started this quite as a mouse machine. The sound was not loud it was something far greater than loud. It was stowed away in the engine compartment of a fighter jet loud. It was horrid and completely unbearable.
I had failed to correctly test the sound level because I was listening through the door open. I assume harmonics created vibration that resulted in the extreme noise. This was one of the dumbest thing I ever did.

While I am still inventing and modifying no current projects involve generators. If you think about running a generator from inside a van please be forewarned.

Here's you're sign.

 

[RETIDEPXE]

Retidepxe, Is your aluminum tool box mounted on a van? if so how about a picture.

The box is a ProTech box mounted on a straight truck.

It will take awhile, but I want to do this, maybe shoot for next winter. The cooling fan in the EU2000 blows a lot of hot air out around the muffler so I'm now thinking mount a small radiator or heater core to the inside of the box that captures this hot air flow, less the exhaust, and run a couple hot water lines to the bunk heater core and circulate coolant perhaps with a small water pump that is fan driven which turn is driven by the generators cooling fan wind. This way you don't have to modify the generator, just plant the feet in some holes on a piece of plywood covered with flashing.

Just brain storming here, anybody want to add to?