New idea for generator mounting

[dougiequick]

Well what about mounting these awesome quiet and compact little Yamaha Generator DUO, one in/on each rear door? They can be bought as a tandem pair here~~> Yamaha EF2000iSH Parallel Combo Kit | Wise Sales If I understand the numbers then these are incredibly quiet!! They are entirely designed to work together too! I would THINK that by carefully sealing the doors from outside fumes and perhaps even creating a fan forced upward channeled draft in each door then both fumes and noise should not be anymore a problem than with an under chassis GenSet?? What I just LOVE about such a setup is if I can quickly unplug one or both gens and use them in another location for portable power! Think about it and then give me your expert opinion hopefully from years of experence and objective consideration ....obviously I am asking about this ONLY on behalf of myself and anyone else that have already determined that they DO require a generator (to ward off the "No to a generator" response which would not be appropriate for this asker!

 

[guido4475]

Well what about mounting these awesome quiet and compact little Yamaha Generator DUO, one in/on each rear door? They can be bought as a tandem pair here~~> Yamaha EF2000iSH Parallel Combo Kit | Wise Sales If I understand the numbers then these are incredibly quiet!! They are entirely designed to work together too! I would THINK that by carefully sealing the doors from outside fumes and perhaps even creating a fan forced upward channeled draft in each door then both fumes and noise should not be anymore a problem than with an under chassis GenSet?? What I just LOVE about such a setup is if I can quickly unplug one or both gens and use them in another location for portable power! Think about it and then give me your expert opinion hopefully from years of experence and objective consideration ....obviously I am asking about this ONLY on behalf of myself and anyone else that have already determined that they DO require a generator (to ward off the "No to a generator" response which would not be appropriate for this asker!

Why not just buy one larger generator, such as a Honda EU3000? Another thing- stay away from Wise sales....I got fisted from them earlier this summer, just saying...They are not all they are cracked up to be...check out reports about them on ripoffreport.com as well.....

 

[dougiequick]

Why not just buy one larger generator, such as a Honda EU3000? Another thing- stay away from Wise sales....I got fisted from them earlier this summer, just saying...They are not all they are cracked up to be...check out reports about them on ripoffreport.com as well.....

Thanks fir the tip about Wise sales ...did not mean to plug them, it is simply where I found that generator duo. I just really like the idea of two of them because they are 1. so small 2, so quiet! 3. redundant if one fails there is still one! 4. Can choose to run only one if that is all the power I need and hence better fuel economy and even less noise! 5. And finally the idea of them being stored somehow IN/ON the back doors is SO appealing! (I have an idea that might work that will involve modification of the doors to create raised sub doors if you can picture that?) The appealing thing about this is that I can grab one of these gennys out of a door and use it away from the van for whatever....as opposed to mounting one underneath bolted in .

The major downside to this of course is that I can't see any good way at all of having them supplied from the van's fuel tank which has to be a real convienience. Although I THINK I could rig up a gravity fed fuel petcock with short length of fuel hose off the van's gas tank to snag fuel for the generators anytime needed ....might come in real handy to help someone else out of a jam too! As I do not forsee living in a camper van for more than a day or two at a time, I don't see the fueling ordeal as anything major compared to all the other possible benefits... I just wish I could find someone else that has tried a door mounted gen set!

 

[dougiequick]

I'd like to see that front mount. Which reminds me of something else in my out of the box thinking ...what if there was actually enough room under the hood for two of these little guys? I can't check yet because i have yet to buy the van. Probably not in this day and age ...if my other vehicles are any indication just about every nook and cranny has something in it. I can remember vehicles I owned long ago that had more than enough unused real estate under the hood! ESPECIALLY trucks I owned! I had a 71 Chevy PU with a six cylinder that appeared to have enough room for two more engines! I could climb pretty much all the way in there to work on something ...and my old 57 chevy PU had even MORE as I recall! Now its hoses and devices everywhere! I have no idea what some of it even is just looking at it!

For me, I have the Onan generator mounted underneath the body with a fuel supply directly from the main tank of the van. So far, I love it. If I were going to change to something else, it would likely be to the front mount like Guido's, but I would still run a fuel line from the main tank.

 

[xiggi]

I have seen door mounts out here before. Two concerns I would have, the extra weight hanging in the doors over time could cause issues noise although quite outside anytime you attach a generator to a van it works like a giant tuning fork. If you don't get it right the noise and vibration inside can make for sleepless nights.

Just FYI the Hondas can also be paired

 

[Slo-Ride]

I have seen door mounts out here before. Two concerns I would have, the extra weight hanging in the doors over time could cause issues noise although quite outside anytime you attach a generator to a van it works like a giant tuning fork. If you don't get it right the noise and vibration inside can make for sleepless nights.

Correct..
I mounted mine on left rear door and slowly tweaked it out each time I saw the Van. Slowly got it muffled to a low roar. Now thats its a hunting vehicle for me I will get down to nothing soon or a later.
A bigger issue which a owner/driver should not have is, Closing the door like its not yours. Mine survived 2 good drivers that good care with it. Last driver would throw the door shut which over time created a small crack running downward in the sheet metal. I seen him do it time and time again. Now I think I am looking at having the crack brazed and door painted if I want fix it??
With weight mounted on that door ya need to bring door to the latch and just snap it shut..Doors have handles on both sides and should be held on to until your done using the door..Dont throw the door shut..Close it slowly and with a good mounting it should hold up fine.

Remember your parents yelling,,DON'T SLAM THE DOOR. there is a reason for that..

 

[asjssl]

Here is how I had mine on my old truck..worked good for 4 years till i sold the van

 

[Slo-Ride]

I went on the cheap and had a canvas maker at a boat shop make my cover. snaps in place.
I just welded up a crude frame out of square stock and painted it white.

 

[Opel2010]

Many toll roads do indeed charge more for the height of a Sprinter. Ohio is one (I think).

For sure WV is one of them. But if you don't have logos on your van, just tell 'em that it's your private van and you'll pay the regular car price.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note III

 

[xmudman]

The Pennsylvania turnpike--- well, let's just say I have good reason not to use that any more than I absolutely have to.

The PA pike charges by weight, not height. It is frickin' expensive, tho. That's why I always go up 322 to State College and pick up 80. I don't use the Indiana Toll Road either; if I want a rough ride, I'll go into Michigan

 

[asjssl]

Well what about mounting these awesome quiet and compact little Yamaha Generator DUO, one in/on each rear door? They can be bought as a tandem pair here~~> Yamaha EF2000iSH Parallel Combo Kit | Wise Sales If I understand the numbers then these are incredibly quiet!! They are entirely designed to work together too! I would THINK that by carefully sealing the doors from outside fumes and perhaps even creating a fan forced upward channeled draft in each door then both fumes and noise should not be anymore a problem than with an under chassis GenSet?? What I just LOVE about such a setup is if I can quickly unplug one or both gens and use them in another location for portable power! Think about it and then give me your expert opinion hopefully from years of experence and objective consideration ....obviously I am asking about this ONLY on behalf of myself and anyone else that have already determined that they DO require a generator (to ward off the "No to a generator" response which would not be appropriate for this asker!

See no need for 2 ..just buy 1 HONDA eu2000 ..you will be plenty happy

 

[ishipforexcellence]

Stupid question. How does the power from the generator get inside the vehicle? What's that set up look like? I have this generator.

 

[ishipforexcellence]

Do most just crack the window and run extension cord?

 

[Moot]

You could just crack a window or you could do an outlet installation. Get a weatherproof receptacle and install it in a convenient location, like close to where the generator will be running.

Get a short weatherproof, extreme cold, 12 gauge extension cord to run from the genterator to your van. Get another matching extension cord of appropriate length to run from the weatherproof receptacle to an outlet inside the van. Me, personally, I'd run the interior extension cord through plastic conduit to protect it from rubbing on any metal ribbing inside the van. Just to be safe.

 

[ishipforexcellence]

Thanks so much Moot. Did you do that yourself, or have it installed?

 

[Moot]

Neither. Its a pic off the internet. I don't have a generator, but when I get one this is how it will be wired. You should be able to get the weatherproof receptacle at a big truck dealership or an RV dealership. You may have to go to an electrical or construction supply place (Graybar, Grainger, Fastenal) for a 12AGW, extreme cold extension cord. The two I have a blue in color. Very flexible in cold weather.

 

[ishipforexcellence]

Lol ok thanks! I wonder how the folks who have them mounted up front run their wiring?

 

[Moot]

I'd use the same type extension cords and run it in plastic conduit for extra protection.

 

[Moot]

These receptacles are typically found on big trucks for blockheaters or shore power. They can be mounted on the side of the cab or sleeper by drilling a hole in the sheet metal. Mounted up front like behind the grill or under the bumper requires a metal "L" shaped bracket with a hole for screws on the small leg of the "L" and a single hole on the long leg to accept the receptacle.

 

[billg27]

I mounted an RV outlet right into my front bumper. Inside I just used a standard 110 volt outlet box.