My genset requires fresh air for the engine along with some air movement over the engine.In addition, my genset radiator which I have mounted remotely, requires a fan that can more at least 2500 CFM of air through it. Sounds like maybe those people did not spend much time on design, and just did it, requiring mods later to keep it cool enough. It does sound like a butcher job, and there are other ways to do it.
I have noticed some talk about remote radiators on the gensets. It would seem to me that if your unit was self-contained (all in one box) , you would need to open some kind of vents into your bay to allow proper air flow. (Get out the sawzaw? ) Before I bought my bus, I was looking at a mc-8, that was for sale locally, and noticed a bay door that looked like it had been shot full of holes at a rifle range. I thought ,what is the meaning of this?.... I opened the door and saw what looked like a car engine (genset...) bolted to the floor of the bay. I was shocked at the wanton destruction of the bus bay. Not only had they drilled 50 holes in the door but they also cut two giant three-sided cutouts in the floor and bent down the metal to make whopping air scoops for the genset. Is this necessary? I wouldn't want to trash my bay in this manner. How do we handle the necessary cooling air requirements in an enclosed bay?
... be prepared, it is going to be expensive, and those batteries do require periodic servicing and replacing. ... If you can get away with it, based on your usage profile, why spend alot more money on batteries and inverters to not run the genset you spent alot of money on.
... At full load my 8kW genset uses 0.5 gal/hour. Even at $4 a gal that is $4,400 in fuel cost, leaving $3,300 in maintence costs for 2,200 hours? That seems a bit high.
Also, if you spent $3k on inverter and batteries, and then spent another $2400 on replacment batteries, then either you got a great deal on the inverter or on the initial batteries.
I am never so lucky to get deals like that, so I always base my costs on retail costs. When people talk about running 2 AC's on the road, the first thing that is always recommended is a SW4024, which is going to cost the average unlucky person at least $2500 plus $2400 in batteries for $4900 initial investment, and you have not driven an hour yet.
As for running off inverter while driving, there is a cost to that, it is not free. I agree that it will depend on your busses engine efficiency. In my case, I get about 8 mpg, and at 60 mph that is 7.5 gal/hour. If I am running my genset during that time, that would be a total of 8 gal/hr max. That's is a 6.6% increase. Now, let's guess that motoring down the road takes 200hp and running the inverter is going to take 10hp from the alternator, that is a 5% increase in load on the motor, not sure how that is going to affect mileage, but I am guessing alot of people would love to shave 5% load off their motor.
I think we've beaten this enough I suppose, and I agree that evenones usage is unique, and that it will work both ways. Just be sure you look at how you are going to use it, and where and when you want to spend your money. One size does not fit all.
I'm all ears Where is your radiator? Does your fresh engine air (assuming you have remote radiator) require cutting open your bay? Give me some proven locations for this in a mc-9 with otr air and heat. Please?Thanks.
While that looks very professional..... I was hoping to avoid any serious mods to the bus metal. (not going to happen I suppose )