generator extension

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janpaul

janpaul

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2006
Posts
348
Location
Easton, Maryland
I am going to make/install an extension for the generator exhaust pipe on our 5er. How high does it need to go so I can run for long periods, like say overnight? Would it be better to run it away horizontally instead of up? If I do go up, should I put a 90 degree bend at the top to go away from the 5er? Thanks, Paul
 
Extend it vertically to just above the roof line.  No need for any bends, the warm exhaust will rise.  However, even with an extension, I wouldn't run a generator overnight while sleeping.  By the time you purchase the necessary parts, and add in the time to put it together, you might be better off just buying the Genturi.
 
The materials will not cost me anything, which is why I am making one, but if the fumes are up and away from the camper, is there really any danger in running it all night? I will be in a remote area where I could extend it horizontally, would that be better?
 
"If the fumes are up and away from the camper is there really any danger in....?"

There is danger in EVERYTHING, you have to weigh the risks against the benefits though.

Normally, for example. I sleep generator OFF, run on battery power

However on Amateur Radio Field Day, I slept Generator on, since I was powering 1/2 of our operating stations in addition to running the MH,  Next year if all goes as I hope it will, I'll be powering 2/2 of the stations (Yup, all of them) I mean, it's not like I don't have a couple of thousand watts to spare and the entire FD operation runs less than a KW lights included!
 
I guess I will lean toward the side of caution and not run. That will save me some time since I will not need to build the extension right now. I spoke with a couple of my hunting partners and now have access to a battery bank that will be more than enough to keep the heat and fridge going, so all I will have to do is make the connections. Thanks for the input.
 
Here is a rather interesting company product.  I"m not sure of the cost, nor the cost effectivness (Uses a lot of fuel for the amount of power it generates but.. There is more to it than I'm saying) if it were not for the size of the thing It might make a good furnace (too big) Imagine, a 12volt operated furnace that CHARGES the battery when operating...

Sterling Cycle Generators
 
The DC WhisperGen is only capable of putting out 800W of electricity, not quite large enough for general RV use.  The only pricing I could find as from here and it's $12,500US for the DC unit.
 
Thanks Ned, I agree 800 watts is a bit anemic for RV use but consider this...

The major load on the batteries at night is the furnace, The Wisper-Gen also outputs HEAT, (As a generator it's rather wastful but I suspect it's better as a heater) Now imagine a scaled down one.. Power out in the 100-200 watt range.  And a good heat exchanger as well.

Now you have an RV-Furnace that, instead of being the major LOAD on the batteries at night, actually CHARGES them when heating.  now That would be a concept I'd find interesting, very intresting.
 
Ned said:
Extend it vertically to just above the roof line.  No need for any bends, the warm exhaust will rise.  However, even with an extension, I wouldn't run a generator overnight while sleeping.  By the time you purchase the necessary parts, and add in the time to put it together, you might be better off just buying the Genturi.
Click to expand...

As a soon-to-be 5er owner who'll be facing the same decision, does this caution about not running the genset while sleeping pertain only to built-in gensets?  Or does it also pertain to portable gensets stored outside the 5er while running?
 
Or does it also pertain to portable gensets stored outside the 5er while running?
Click to expand...
Really depends on where you put it. Underneath a bedroom window would not be the best idea, but located 15' or more away might be just fine - depending on wind conditions. While CO is odorless, other combustion products are not. If you can smell it or there is any doubt in your mind about the safety of its' location, move it or shut it down. With a permanent installation, we don't have the option to move it elsewhere, so most of us err on the side of safety and simply don't run it while sleeping.
 
My first trip to QZ I had my Gen-turi in place, but the person next to me did not have one for his Class A.

His generator set off my CO alarm, and then once the rig was full of CO we continued to get alarms for a few days after he put in an extension and we routed it well in front.. In fact we had problems all the time we were there.

The 2nd year (last year) we had no problems. There was nobody on one side (Where we parked there was a very rough spot next to us) and on the other side Mike and Wendy had generator problems (Good thing they parked next to us, we have 30 amp outlets)

So their generator did not bother us, since it did not work.
 
Here is a photo of the genset exhaust extension I made and used this weekend at hunting camp. I did not run at night, but I made one and used it while we were there and until going to sleep.
 

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