genset exhaust/flagpole!

[Tenor]

First, I'd like to thank Jack Conrad for the original idea.  I just made it fancier.
Here is the completed project:


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[Tenor]

Here's how you build it:

You need:
1 90 degree exhaust bend that works with your genset's exhaust size
1 approx 18 inch exhaust pipe to fit into the 90 degree bend
1 8ft piece of 3" pvc pipe
1 5ft piece of 1 1/4" pvc pipe
1 10 ft piece of 1' (ID) pvc pipe
1 3" coupler
box of 1.5" screws (approx30)
4 eye hooks (1/4 20 thread)
2 90 degree hooks (1/4 20 thread)
several 1/4 20 nuts and 1/4 washers
1 hose clamp for 1.25" diameter pipe.
Small bit of rope
1 flag of your choice

Step 1:  The exhaust pipe

Cut the 10ft piece of 3" PVC in half.  Mark your lower 3" pvc pipe for screws to hold the interior 18" exhaust pipe.   They should go around the pipe, dividing the circumference into 3rds.  I used nine screws for this, creating 3 rings of 3 screws to hold the inner pipe in place.  You do not need to perforate the inner pipe.  It's like holding a christmas tree in a stand.  I inserted the inner pipe to be flush with the bottom of the outer pipe.

[Tenor]

Next:

2. The top pipe

Glue the 3" coupler to the bottom of the top half of the exhaust pipe.  Insert screws into the 3" pipe the full length of the exhaust pipe about 10 inches apart from top to bottom, dividing the circumference into 3rds, just like was done on the bottom half.  Insert the 1 1/4"  pipe into the 3" pip3 and tighten the screws.  Again, do not perforate or over tighten the screws.  This picture shows a cap on the pipe, but I found it caused a blockage and I removed it.  On my MCI 7, I was able to use a screw hole for the trim above the bay door as a location for one of the 1/4 20 hook.  You will have to do some figuring for your own coach here.  I then mounted the 90 degree pipe onto the genset exhaust and placed the assembled 3' pipe onto the 90 degree bend to locate my mounting loops and hooks.  I drilled a 13/64 hole in the  upper exhaust pvc pipe and used nuts and washers inside and out to secure it.  I had to remove the inner pipe to do that.

[Tenor]

Step 2A.  The top hook.

I saw some exhaust stacks that used a tab to drop over the gutter.  They seemed to slide and be flimsy.  I drilled a 1/4" hole in the bottom flange of my gutter and put the 1/4 20 hook into the gutter and tightened it with nuts on each side.  A note here, I put one hook on the forward side and and one on the trailing side of the pipe.  I also adjusted it so that it pulled the pipe against the gutter.  It is very secure. 

[gmbusguy1]

OH Come on.......  this designer flag pole kit MUST COME in Maize and Blue


Gotta go

Chris

[Tenor]

Last step: The flagpole

Take your chosen flag and establish where 1/4" holes should be drilled in the 1" PVC to line up with the grommets in your flag.  Insert the 2 1/4 20 eye loops into the pipe and tighten the nuts on both sides of the pipe.  Slide the hose clamp over the 1" PVC and then slide the flag into the top half of the exhaust stack.  Adjust the height to work with your bus and tighten the clamp.  I found it easy to assemble the whole exhaust stack/flagpole on the ground, having the 90 degree bend already slid into/onto the bus.  I insert the bottom of the stack onto the 90 degree bend, then hook the top hook, then hook the lower hook.  Works great!  I ran my genset with a good load on it, and all I found coming out the top was warm condensation.  There was enough airflow coming up the pipe to move the flag.  My genset is gas, and so far I have seen very little carbon.  I had no problem putting my hands on the 90 degree bend after an hour of run time.  I do have about 12 ft of exhaust and 2 mufflers between the stack and the genset as a frame of reference.  I did originally have a cap on the flagpole, and I removed it as well as the cap I had put on the inner 1 1/4 pipe.  I found some exhaust coming out of the bottom of the stack with these on.  Once I took them off, it didn't puff a bit.

[grantgoold]

Way cool! Nice work and great pictures and list.

Thanks

Grant

[kyle4501]

good idea.

The distance & mufflers between the genset & your flagpole makes a huge difference in the temp of the elbow.
Dad's stack is much closer to the genset & it gets HOT.

[Tenor]

Over due update:

Back in August at the Clio Bus Rally, I put this to use on a 90 degree day.  The flagpole lasted a couple of hours before the innermost pole went soft and headed south at about 90 degrees.  I will say that if you replace the flagpole itself with  the right size metal conduit it should work just fine.

Glenn

[JohnEd]

I don't think that this is made correctly.  You have a piece of PVC inside the 3 inch pipe and that smaller one is impeding the convection flow of air that cools the entire affair.  The ones I saw had the gen ex configured as yours but only a straight pipe up from there.


Put your flag pole on the "outside" of your ex stack, maybe?

John

[Tenor]

Good idea to put it on the outside!  Now that's thinking outside the pipe!

Glenn