generator

[jr6715]

 Anyone know what it takes to change A marine gen. to A radiator

[luvrbus]

Jr, it is a simple hook up if tell us what brand you have and if it a universal type or not I have a marine gen in mine with a water cooled exhaust         good luck

[jr6715]

Yes it is A westerbeke

[TomC]

All marine generators start out life as radiator cooled.  They add the heat exchanger and water cooled exhaust with spark arrested starter and alternator, and you have it.  To convert back, just take the heat exchanger off and get a radiator of appropriate size (check with the engine manufacturer on that).  You can keep the water cooled exhaust if you want, so long as it is of the closed type that doesn't dump the water into the exhaust.  You just plumb the hot water from the engine through the exhaust then to the radiator.  This will create a larger heat load on the radiator, which means you'll need a larger radiator.  I would suggest just taking the water cooled exhaust off (you can't run the water cooled exhaust very long without water before it usually cracks) and replace it with a normal dry exhaust.  Then you can get a exhaust blanket made for heat control.  Good Luck, TomC

[buswarrior]

On the other hand, the more heat that the rad takes care of, the less heat in that exhaust pipe to cause other problems? I dunno?

I was pleasantly surprised at the exhaust pipe temps in a mobile application with a 15 Kw diesel Onan with a water cooled manifold and one of those hush mufflers. Yes, it runs a bigger squirrel cage rad, but this application, slung under the backside of a 48' drop deck tractor trailer, had the space.

Your choice will depend on where you are installing it, space available, what your exhaust pipe routing is going to be, and what measures you will have to take to keep that pipe from heating or burning things it is close to, that you don't want it to.

I'm going to use the temp gun on it next time I remember, just for fun. Wonder just how many degrees a water manifold will take out of the pipes?

May be a moot point, as busnuts are not known to spend on extras....

Welcome to the contradictions of bus converting!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[luvrbus]

Mine has a sealed manifold you can do what ever you choose  but I have had mine for 15 years on a 15Kw gen my exhaust comes out at around 160 degrees it has never heated the radiator .I have a 3 speed squirrel cage fan with a remote radiator mount and living in the southwest it has always been on the low setting never changed.Fwiw I have no muffler or fans puling and pushing air into the compartment and folks that know my coach will tell you it is quite where the water cooled manifold helps with the sound I don't know.   good luck

[bruceknee]

I  have a 15k marine westerbeke. To convert it back to running dry, Westerbeke said leave the wet manifold alone, it is cast iron and will be fine running dry. they sell an adapter to change to 1 1/2 " pipe to run your exhaust from. Mine has been working fine.