1992 Dolphin generator storage

[gene j]

My 1992 Dolphin doesn't have a rear bumper or ladder. I have a portable generator that weighs 110 lbs and would like to somehow carry it on the rear of the rig. I've even thought of attaching it to the front but don't know how that would affect air flow to the radiator. Does anyone have any ideas on how this might be done?

[Gulfstream Greg]

Hate to say it but I think you have to have someone weld you up a platform that attaches to the frame at the rear. Those dolphin bumpers look nice though! I plan to do just the same except that I have a normal bumper so I will be able to weld up a square tube platform. I'll actual extend the bumper back about 20 inches. Going to put on a Honda EU3000iSA as it is super quiet with electric start. Weighs in at about 140 pounds.

[christine]

Hate to say it but I think you have to have someone weld you up a platform that attaches to the frame at the rear. Those dolphin bumpers look nice though! I plan to do just the same except that I have a normal bumper so I will be able to weld up a square tube platform. I'll actual extend the bumper back about 20 inches. Going to put on a Honda EU3000iSA as it is super quiet with electric start. Weighs in at about 140 pounds.

[christine]

Sorry to cut in on this topic but I'm wondering if your Honda generator would be able to power a roof AC. If so, when you say that it has an electric start does it have to be plugged into an electric outlet to get it going?

I'm actually looking for a generator (reasonably priced) that we can use for our A/C and that is light enough for two women to lift up (we're are not extremely strong!!).

Thanks for any help you can give us.

Christine

[gene j]

Hate to say it but I think you have to have someone weld you up a platform that attaches to the frame at the rear. Those dolphin bumpers look nice though! I plan to do just the same except that I have a normal bumper so I will be able to weld up a square tube platform. I'll actual extend the bumper back about 20 inches. Going to put on a Honda EU3000iSA as it is super quiet with electric start. Weighs in at about 140 pounds.

I imagine you've already seen the Honda Handi, the same unit but lighter with wheels and handle, http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/products/modeldetail.aspx?page=modeldetail&section=P2GG&modelname=EU3000i%20Handi&modelid=EU3000iHAN

I sure would like that unit but way way out of my range. The rear bumber does look nice but I would trade it in a minute for a real bumper and ladder. I'll check with some welding shops. Thanks.

[gene j]

Sorry to cut in on this topic but I'm wondering if your Honda generator would be able to power a roof AC. If so, when you say that it has an electric start does it have to be plugged into an electric outlet to get it going?

I'm actually looking for a generator (reasonably priced) that we can use for our A/C and that is light enough for two women to lift up (we're are not extremely strong!!).

Thanks for any help you can give us.

Christine

You might look at this unit, http://store.jandsrvparts.com/gr-3500rv.html

It weight 110 lbs and will power a roof A/C. Sam's Club has the same unit except it's not the RV model for $409.

The Honda would be the one to get but they are very expensive.

[Gulfstream Greg]

Sorry to cut in on this topic but I'm wondering if your Honda generator would be able to power a roof AC. If so, when you say that it has an electric start does it have to be plugged into an electric outlet to get it going?

I'm actually looking for a generator (reasonably priced) that we can use for our A/C and that is light enough for two women to lift up (we're are not extremely strong!!).

Thanks for any help you can give us.

Christine

Electric start means it has an on-board battery and can start like a car. According to honda it is big enough to run most 13000 btu air conditioners as it is 3000 watts. As far as reasonably priced, probably not, I think its about $2400 out the door. But it is one of the quietest generators on the market, it is even quieter than the eu2000 and eu1000 models. I don't own one yet. Looking around the internet I have seen them for around $1800 plus shipping. 153 pounds is a bit heavy to be moving it in and out of the rv so that's why I am going to mount it simi permanently on the rear bumper platform that I will have to build. Anyhow noise is a consideration with generators in campgrounds. I find even the eu2000 to be a bit noisy.

I imagine you've already seen the Honda Handi, the same unit but lighter with wheels and handle, http://www.hondapowe...elid=EU3000iHAN

I sure would like that unit but way way out of my range. The rear bumper does look nice but I would trade it in a minute for a real bumper and ladder. I'll check with some welding shops. Thanks.

The honda handi is not the same unit. Same wattage but not sound level. It is 57-65 db at 21 feet where as the eu300isa is 49-58 db at 21 ft. 57 and 49 would be 1/4 load and 65 and 58 full load. You can see the the eu3000isa is as quiet at full load as the handi is at 1/4 load. And the handi is $200 more.

Consider most campgrounds are going to be almost dead quiet unless they are next to a freeway or river etc.

dB140.-Threshold of pain-Siren at 100 feet130-Jet plane at 50 feet..120-Auto horn at 3 feet or Rock & Roll bar.110-Chain Saw.100-Heavy city traffic-Rotary mower90.80-Inside a car at 50 m.p.h. or inside a busy office.70-Vacuum cleaner.60-Normal speech.50-Private office-Living room, suburban area40.-Soft whisper30.-Bedroom at night20

[Gulfstream Greg]

You might look at this unit, http://store.jandsrv.../gr-3500rv.html

It weight 110 lbs and will power a roof A/C. Sam's Club has the same unit except it's not the RV model for $409.

The Honda would be the one to get but they are very expensive.

My guess is it is around 75 to 85 or higher db. Also its not for sale in California which means there is a good chance its made in China. Any open engine generator will project allot of mechanical noise with exhaust noise. We use many different sizes and brands of generators in our emergency communications events and most of the time the generators have to be located a good distance away from the operating positions because of the noise levels. I have a Generac 7200 watt generator for my home standby power. It has a 15 horsepower motor and drives us crazy when we have to use it. But it lights up the whole house and refrigerator.

For those of you who have never heard any of the open bay engine generators run it would be a benefit to hear a test run before you plunk down even $400. Just my opinion.

[Derek up North]

If your roof air is in the 8k-9k Btuh range then you can get away with a 2000w portable from Honda, Yamaha or Kipor. If it's one of the 13,5k Btuh units you'll need closer to 3000w. The onboard generators were usually 2500w or 2800w.

[Gulfstream Greg]

The average voltage produced by gensets is 116 volts. Even though a gen might have a rating of 2000 or 3000 watts its important to read the fine print as that rating might actually be max (surge) and not continuous. Here are some formulas for figuring out wattage and current.

P=watts

E=voltage

I=current (amps)

P (2000 watts) divided by E (120 volts) = I (16.66 amps)

E (120 volts) times I (15 amps) = P (1800 watts)

With the above formulas you can calculate the wattage or amperage needed to run something. Many labels only have amperage on them so if you know the amperage and voltage you now will know the wattage.

Startup current for A/C units and other motors is always higher than the rating you will read in the manual or label. That in mind its important to size a genset allowing for that start up current surge.

As an example a honda EU2000 is rated 2000 watts 16.7 amps max (surge) and 1600 watts 13.3 amps continuous. So even though its called a 2000 watt generator its actually a 1600 watt generator with the ability to produce 2000 watts for a short burst such as startup or surge current. Bottom line is it might be able to start up an 13.3 amp A/C.

[christine]

You might look at this unit, http://store.jandsrv.../gr-3500rv.html

It weight 110 lbs and will power a roof A/C. Sam's Club has the same unit except it's not the RV model for $409.

The Honda would be the one to get but they are very expensive.

I looked up the Gentron 3500 Watt and it may be the best one for us since our AC unit has 13,400 btu. The price seems reasonable ($478.00 incl. shipping) and the noise level is 67 db (something between the noise of a busy office and a vacuum cleaner!!)

Now we just have to figure out where to store it. We do have a platform of about 20" welded on the back bumper but it has a very useful container on it. We would have to remove that container to put the generator on it....but how to attach it to the platform mmmmmmmmm Just thinking out loud.

Christine

[christine]

You might look at this unit, http://store.jandsrv.../gr-3500rv.html

It weight 110 lbs and will power a roof A/C. Sam's Club has the same unit except it's not the RV model for $409.

The Honda would be the one to get but they are very expensive.

I looked up the Gentron 3500 Watt and it may be the best one for us since our AC unit has 13,400 btu. The price seems reasonable ($478.00 incl. shipping) and the noise level is 67 db (something between the noise of a busy office and a vacuum cleaner!!)

Now we just have to figure out where to store it. We do have a platform of about 20" welded on the back bumper but it has a very useful container on it. We would have to remove that container to put the generator on it....but how to attach it to the platform mmmmmmmmm Just thinking out loud.

Christine

[Gulfstream Greg]

I looked up the Gentron 3500 Watt and it may be the best one for us since our AC unit has 13,400 btu. The price seems reasonable ($478.00 incl. shipping) and the noise level is 67 db (something between the noise of a busy office and a vacuum cleaner!!)

Now we just have to figure out where to store it. We do have a platform of about 20" welded on the back bumper but it has a very useful container on it. We would have to remove that container to put the generator on it....but how to attach it to the platform mmmmmmmmm Just thinking out loud.

Christine

Noise level descriptions can be misleading. In a quiet campground environment a vacuum cleaner is fairly loud and can be very annoying to fellow campers. Its not just the db level its also the tone of the sound. If at all possible listen to the generator before you buy it.

[Tom W]

I have a older 2.5K Kohler it does the job but I wouldn't use it in a campground if their others camped its loud only use it out the way places when its hot,if it goes out,will probably get the Honda 2000 for the 9000btu ac. The mounting on the rear bumper with the weight bouncing as you drive down the road?? the rear frame on ours 21ft Winnie is not good for any extra weigh, I would put it in the side compartment and fab a slide to pull it out and a leg to drop down for support for using it. Just my thoughts.

[gene j]

I have a older 2.5K Kohler it does the job but I wouldn't use it in a campground if their others camped its loud only use it out the way places when its hot,if it goes out,will probably get the Honda 2000 for the 9000btu ac. The mounting on the rear bumper with the weight bouncing as you drive down the road?? the rear frame on ours 21ft Winnie is not good for any extra weigh, I would put it in the side compartment and fab a slide to pull it out and a leg to drop down for support for using it. Just my thoughts.

I want to mount the generator on the rear also. Went to a long time welding shop here and spoke to the owner. He's done quite a few of these. He starts by welding reinforcement from the truck frame and incorporate that into the existing coach frame. The extension frame material they use for the coach is much lighter gauge than the truck frame, as you probably already know. From there he is going to build me a rear storage rack. He assures me that this will be plenty strong and handle the weight bounce okay. I want to mount a 110 lb generator back there, and have some room for a couple of bikes. Bringing it in on Monday for the work. It's not cheap. $125 for the reinforcing and another $250 for the rack. Oh well, I live in the Nevada desert and there's plenty of outback territory to plant yourself on for the night. Tired of hauling the gen in and out of the coach. I also want to be able to run the A/C occasionally while driving. It's plenty warm here....today was 106 and that's the summer norm. I'll let you know how it comes out.