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03-04-2009, 02:27 PM
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#41
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Senior Member
Trailer: Bigfoot 25 ft / Dodge 3500HD 4X4 Jake Brake
Posts: 7,316
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03-04-2009, 07:50 PM
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#42
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 3,072
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Mike, I remember when you built the original box and posted photos.
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03-04-2009, 09:46 PM
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#43
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Senior Member
Trailer: Bigfoot 25 ft / Dodge 3500HD 4X4 Jake Brake
Posts: 7,316
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Quote:
Mike, I remember when you built the original box and posted photos.
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Here is my first generator box.
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03-04-2009, 10:57 PM
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#44
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2001 13 ft Scamp / 1993 Jeep Cherokee
Posts: 1,294
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[quote]Here is my first generator box.
Attachment 18297
These are the pictures I had. The back in the open lid box appears solid and from what I remember seeing it in person, it was solid. I had thought about a grate for the back, then I thought about a grate half way up and then I decided to put a solid back on. I've liked the idea of a partial grate all along. I think that's a change I'll make. It'll be easy to remove the back cut it shorter, add a grated panel to it then rivet the whole thing back on.
I'm not terribly concerned about heat as I don't see myself running the gen. for long periods of time, just occasionally. The only time I'd really want to run the A/C would be through the night when it stuffy inside and it's hard to sleep, but then you can't run the gen. any way.
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Joy A. & Olive
and "Puff", too
Fulltime
2019 Ram Longhorn
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03-05-2009, 12:01 AM
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#45
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Senior Member
Trailer: Bigfoot 25 ft / Dodge 3500HD 4X4 Jake Brake
Posts: 7,316
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Quote:
These are the pictures I had. The back in the open lid box appears solid and from what I remember seeing it in person, it was solid.
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You’re correct Joy. I had forgot I had a solid back on that one. I did add the fans though because it got pretty hot pretty fast.
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03-10-2009, 12:53 AM
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#46
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2001 13 ft Scamp / 1993 Jeep Cherokee
Posts: 1,294
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Ok Folks here's the report on running my generator in the box I made.
I opened the exhaust vent deck plate as well as the other two to access the gen controls. Then I started the gen and closed the control accesses leaving only the exhaust deck plate off.
I ran the gen for 1 hour. The box sides and top were not the least bit warm let alone hot. In fact, it wasn't even hot where the exhaust was venting. The outside temperature was in the high 60's with no breeze to affect any added air movement up from the grated bottom.
As I use gen through the summer heat I'll keep you posted only if there is any measurable heat problems.
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Joy A. & Olive
and "Puff", too
Fulltime
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03-10-2009, 02:32 AM
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#47
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2009 Trillium 13 ft ('Homelet') / 2000 Subaru Outback
Posts: 2,222
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It is good that you are keeping an eye on it. I didn't give my thoughts to discourage you, but only to point out some things to watch. If you camp at the seashore a lot, you may encounter more rust than usual. Heck, cars deteriate faster near the ocean, just ask any Floridian.
However, I do think that running in a closed box will invalidate any warranty. Companies look for reasons to not live up to their obligations.
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Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
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03-13-2009, 02:04 PM
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#48
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2001 13 ft Scamp / 1993 Jeep Cherokee
Posts: 1,294
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I had to remove the sewer hose holder that Scamp puts on the front of the trailer. So I copied what I had done several years ago. I added it to the side of the tongue as I had with a sewer hose extension. Because the electricity comes out of the trailer on one side and the propane comes out on the other, I could not put the hose holder behind the box as others have done. Not enough room on a 13 footers tongue.
This is the large holder painted black and affixed in the rear with a piece of strapping around the tongue to the tabs on the hose holder. In the front I affixed it to the tongue with a hose clamp as one of the tabs had to be removed because of the battery box above. This holder has a hose slightly longer than 10 feet in it.
This is my hose extension holder. I cut it shorter because of the anti-sway bar on the front portion of the tongue.
I affixed the back of the holder the same as the large holder but because of the box above I hooked it to the box tray with a hose clamp as I could not put the clamp around the tongue. This short holder has a cheap flimsy 10 foot hose squeezed into it. Cheap and flimsy so it would compress.
No, I could not put them on the rear bumper or should I say I did not chose to do so. I have a bike rack on the back of my trailer. There is no way to add a long hose holder. I would have had to have 2 short ones on either side of the bike rack. I would not like that look.
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Joy A. & Olive
and "Puff", too
Fulltime
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03-13-2009, 11:41 PM
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#49
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 3,072
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Like the box, nice job!
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03-14-2009, 06:56 AM
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#50
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Senior Member
Name: Parker
Trailer: Escape 19
Ohio
Posts: 373
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Joy,
I appreciate you posting all the details of your installation. We expect to get a generator soon. We'll probably leave it portable for the first several uses and then may consider mounting it in a similar way. I can certainly see advantages to having it on the tongue. We camped in the parking lot for the Tobermory ferry last summer to be ready for the first departure the next morning. A little electrical power would have been great before bedtime, but I wouldn't consider setting a generator out on the ground there. I'm sure there will be other such occasions.
Thanks again,
Parker
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03-14-2009, 10:32 PM
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#51
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2001 13 ft Scamp / 1993 Jeep Cherokee
Posts: 1,294
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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".
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Joy A. & Olive
and "Puff", too
Fulltime
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05-20-2009, 06:10 AM
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#52
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2001 13 ft Scamp / 1993 Jeep Cherokee
Posts: 1,294
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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.
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Joy A. & Olive
and "Puff", too
Fulltime
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05-21-2009, 09:38 PM
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#53
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 13 ft Scamp / 2004 Honda Odyssey
Posts: 1,075
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Goodness Joy. I keep thinking there is nothing else you could possibly do and then....
Great work.
Nancy
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05-21-2009, 10:15 PM
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#54
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2001 13 ft Scamp / 1993 Jeep Cherokee
Posts: 1,294
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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.
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Joy A. & Olive
and "Puff", too
Fulltime
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05-22-2009, 09:07 AM
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#55
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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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!
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08-14-2009, 05:37 PM
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#56
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2007 Casita Liberty Deluxe 17 ft / Honda Odyssey
Posts: 705
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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!
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08-16-2009, 10:18 AM
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#57
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2001 13 ft Scamp / 1993 Jeep Cherokee
Posts: 1,294
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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.
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and "Puff", too
Fulltime
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08-16-2009, 10:35 AM
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#58
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2007 Casita Liberty Deluxe 17 ft / Honda Odyssey
Posts: 705
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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?):
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02-25-2010, 05:40 PM
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#60
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2001 13 ft Scamp / 1993 Jeep Cherokee
Posts: 1,294
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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.
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.
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and "Puff", too
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