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

[dancorn]

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.

 

[runrunner]

Hey without trying nothing would ever get done or invented! Not all our ideas are gonna pan out but you gotta try! Keep on thinking!

 

[BobWolf]

Heres a tip.
Never soak a cast aluminum part in muratic acid overnite to remove embeded grease and oil. You will have the fifth state of matter an oily powdery jell. Not quite sure what to name it.
Bob Wolf.

 

[Ragman]

Heres a tip.
Never soak a cast aluminum part in muratic acid overnite to remove embeded grease and oil. You will have the fifth state of matter an oily powdery jell. Not quite sure what to name it.
Bob Wolf.

 

[cheri1122]

We learn more from our failures than successes, I think, but best of all is learning from someone else's failures, absolutely.
Thanks for the alert, Dancorn.

PS Is it too loud even for earplugs and a white noise generator?

 

[jjoerger]

I'd be worried about carbon monoxide poisioning. A small leak in the exhaust and you could wake up dead.

Sent from my EVO using EO Forums

 

[runrunner]

I reread your post and got to thinking,you could put some thing under the generator to absorb the vibration but don't do it! I think the carbon monoxide risk is to great.You don't want your Last Run to be your Last Run,if you catch my drift!

 

[dancorn]

We learn more from our failures than successes, I think, but best of all is learning from someone else's failures, absolutely.
Thanks for the alert, Dancorn.

PS Is it too loud even for earplugs and a white noise generator?

I doubt they would overcome the level I experienced.

 

[dancorn]

I reread your post and got to thinking,you could put some thing under the generator to absorb the vibration but don't do it! I think the carbon monoxide risk is to great.You don't want your Last Run to be your Last Run,if you catch my drift!

The thing has rubber feet on it so I don't know if more would help. I had thought about a sound absorbing box placed over it but was concerned with overheating. Think I will just continue to stand outside in the elements to operate the thing.

 

[xiggi]

I am sure their is a way it can be done. RV's do it. But Do Not Do It without boxing in your genny and having plenty of outside venting for intake and exhaust!

Sent from my Fisher Price - ABC 123

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Over 7 years using a Honda and I just toss it outside...I like the thinking process tho....

 

[Oatmeal]

You do know that internal combustion engines run on more than fuel don't you?

They run on air and fuel. Lots and lots of air. Far more air in fact than in a cargo van or 53' trailer for that matter.

 

[FlyingVan]

You do know that internal combustion engines run on more than fuel don't you?

They run on air and fuel. Lots and lots of air. Far more air in fact than in a cargo van or 53' trailer for that matter.

Sure, but the air sucked in by the generator will rapidly be replaced with fresh outside air through the van's air vents.

Like other people have mentioned, I would be more concerned about an exhaust leak that can be fatal.

 

[zorry]

Has anyone done a retractable roof mount ?
Up high when parked,or if space is needed for the load, drop down for aerodynamics .
Not a rookie job. Isn't Wesmicher's gen inside ? He could pull off the retractable roof idea.

 

[xiggi]

Has anyone done a retractable roof mount ?
Up high when parked,or if space is needed for the load, drop down for aerodynamics .
Not a rookie job. Isn't Wesmicher's gen inside ? He could pull off the retractable roof idea.

That space is reserved for my anti tailgater defense system.

Sent from my Fisher Price - ABC 123

 

[Marty]

I agree with Jim. I am not brave enough to chance a leak that would lead to my being overcome by carbon monoxide poisoning. I just don't know how "you could wake up dead".

 

[mjmsprt40]

Thinking about this a bit, purely technical-- don't try this at home!:

It occurs to me that the problem could be the exhaust exit through the sheet metal. There should be a rubber grommet there to absorb the vibrations from the exhaust pipe. If that isn't done, then the metal-to-metal sound generated would be unbelievable. Take a look at the way your engine's exhaust is set up. Hangers and rubber grommets. Those grommets help deaden the engine noise, otherwise you probably couldn't stand to drive your van.

I wonder if a Honda generator could be set up with liquid cooling? Mount the generator outside, then pipe the cooling lines into a heat exchanger inside the van, just like the heat you get from your main engine. Or, another possibility is that you could run flexible ductwork around the generator to capture the heat and pipe that in, using a small fan to force the airflow.

 

[dancorn]

Thinking about this a bit, purely technical-- don't try this at home!:

It occurs to me that the problem could be the exhaust exit through the sheet metal. There should be a rubber grommet there to absorb the vibrations from the exhaust pipe. If that isn't done, then the metal-to-metal sound generated would be unbelievable. Take a look at the way your engine's exhaust is set up. Hangers and rubber grommets. Those grommets help deaden the engine noise, otherwise you probably couldn't stand to drive your van.

I wonder if a Honda generator could be set up with liquid cooling? Mount the generator outside, then pipe the cooling lines into a heat exchanger inside the van, just like the heat you get from your main engine. Or, another possibility is that you could run flexible ductwork around the generator to capture the heat and pipe that in, using a small fan to force the airflow.

mjmsprt40,* Sounds like you have put a lot of thought into this problem.
At home this weekend so I will try out your theory and report back. 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.

 

[dancorn]

Thinking about this a bit, purely technical-- don't try this at home!:

It occurs to me that the problem could be the exhaust exit through the sheet metal. There should be a rubber grommet there to absorb the vibrations from the exhaust pipe. If that isn't done, then the metal-to-metal sound generated would be unbelievable. Take a look at the way your engine's exhaust is set up. Hangers and rubber grommets. Those grommets help deaden the engine noise, otherwise you probably couldn't stand to drive your van.

I wonder if a Honda generator could be set up with liquid cooling? Mount the generator outside, then pipe the cooling lines into a heat exchanger inside the van, just like the heat you get from your main engine. Or, another possibility is that you could run flexible ductwork around the generator to capture the heat and pipe that in, using a small fan to force the airflow.

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.

 

[westmicher]

Has anyone done a retractable roof mount ?
Up high when parked,or if space is needed for the load, drop down for aerodynamics .
Not a rookie job. Isn't Wesmicher's gen inside ? He could pull off the retractable roof idea.

Well, yes & no. It's inside a sealed box with the only air exit/entry through a door to the exterior. That box is heavily insulated on the inside of the truck to prevent the noise problem experienced here. There is a 1/4" of aluminum and 2" of insulation between me and my Yamaha generator. I was also scared to death of waking up dead!