Thanks Pete and Parker


Yes Parker, there had been a number of times in the past that I would have used my generator but it was a hassle to get it out of the Jeep, plug it in etc then lift it back into the Jeep. I am quite sure I'll use it much more now that I don't have to jostle it around.

It's a little heavy for us dainty ladies, don't you know. I say that because I have to use 2 hands to lift the gen. One day someone asked about my gen. so I got it out and then he put it back in the Jeep with what appeared to be just a flick of the wrist. He didn't even blink the 40+lbs. I thought "man I wish I could lift it with such ease".

Here's an update on my gen. mod.

I finally went camping this last week. Dry camped and used the generator. It did not appear to be any warmer inside the box than when used outside the box. The box did not get hot. Now recall that the bottom of the box is expanded steel for ventilation and I only had the exhaust and the rope pull deck plates off. No exhaust came inside the trailer but I did notice fumes when I stepped outside. Now, consider that the wind was blowng in that direction and the exhaust vents to the door side. With no wind I wouldn't have notice it.

I had the quietest gen. in the campground. Would have been quieter if it had been facing towards the dunes. No one would have known I was using the gen.

Additional mod...loved the stove sparker, new Fantastic fan and new city water faucet with high spout.

I'm such a happy camper. Now all I have to do is install the new fridge that I got from Francis. My original fridge has gotten tempermental and just doesn't heat hot enough anymore to activate the chemicals while on propane. Worked fine on ac, never use it on dc.

Goodness Joy. I keep thinking there is nothing else you could possibly do and then....

Great work.

Nancy

Hey Nanc,

Did you see the post about the stove sparker?? You might have been in Tennessee when I did it. It's really better than the gen box as I cook with the stove much more than I'll ever use the gen.

Joy.. I am a bit late jumping into this..

Just wanted to say that the gen mod is very well executed and looks very sharp. Great job!

Joy, I missed this thread when you first posted it, but after viewing your creation in Oregon and talking to you about it ("aluminum turning to powder when cutting", I believe you said), and deciding I need to re-do mine, yours is at the top of my "this-is-how-to-do-it" list. I'm glad you laid it all out in this thread, and so now the work begins for me!

Hi Patrick,

Yes, when I cut the aluminum diamond plate I was surprised that I had little tiny pieces of aluminum residue. Generally when I cut any metal I end up with little strips from the cut.

Say I had another chance to use my generator mod. I stopped off at an Indian Casino on my way home from Oregon. Being in California near Clear Lake it was hot hot hot. I just opened up the electrical door, plugged in the trailer cord to the outlet, cranked on the gen. and turned on the A/C. Sitting pretty and nice and cool just like the big rigs around me.

And that ease of use is EXACTLY why we want to convert our generator box to the "intant use" variety.

What kind of saw did you use to cut the diamond plate, and does anyone know what the white sheet material some people use for all or part of the box is? (I used pebbly shower fiberglass liner from Home Depot/Lowe's on our existing box, but will go to full/partial diamond plate for the new one.) Here's an example of the smooth white material on a mixed box (just painted aluminum?):

After being inspired by Joy and others, I have now completed a new generator + propane + storage box for the tongue of our Casita. Full details are here: http://www.casitaforum.com/invboard/index....st=0#entry31412

Patrick nice mod.

Well I'm home from the Quartzite gathering and used my generator quite a bit there as well as on a few days while heading home. Sure was nice to be able to use it with such ease.

I came up with a new mod after seeing an add-on at the Quartzite gathering. Thanks to Mel for the idea of an exhaust divertor/noise reducer.

Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

I used leftover diamond plate, L aluminum, rivets and the white trim I purchased at the Scamp factory. While making this mod I thought back to the people that were surprised that I made my gen box. It made me think about the talent we women have. Most of us know how to sew and use patterns. All I did was dream up the pattern and use a different medium to make the box. Aluminum as compared to material. Saw and rivet gun as compared to scissors and sewing machine. You can do it girls.

Any way, the box is not on permanent, it's removable. I drilled key holes into the divertor box and then simply used screws and lock nuts on the generator box to hang it on. I put one lock nut between the gen box and the screw head leaving just enough room for the divertor key hole to slip over the screw head and locked the screw on the gen box with a lock nut on the inside. I put holes on the bottom front of the divertor thinking I'd use some bungies to hold it down and keeping it from rattling, as Gene did with his. I've found that the box being made out of the aluminum diamond plate is heavy enough there is no rattling and it doesn't need it to be held down.

And thanks to Gene for the idea of adding insulation to the box to help quiet things down. I had added several coats of bed liner to my box which did help stop the tinniness, if that's a word. Adding the insulation did quiet the generator noise down. All we used was some bubble wrap window shields for autos. It's cheaper than the bubble wrap insulation sold at the hardware store. Used 3M spray on adhesive. The insulation was added to the exhaust divertor/noise reducer also.

Ah, what a great idea! Anything to knock the noise down and keep the neighbors and occupants happy gets elevated to the top of the To-Do list. Nicely done Joy.