Generator mod on 13 Scamp

[Joy A]

Well, It's raining here once again, but that's good because we need it.

I just couldn't resist showing you my generator mod which will go on the tongue of my Scamp. I'm just so proud of myself that I've got to share pictures and will post a picture of the completed project when the rain stops which is in about a week. But then I do have rain coats so I might just complete it in the rain.




The tray is made out of 2x2 angled stock and expanded steel. It measures 39 inches in the back and 31 in the front with the edges softened. I had 4 tabs welded to the frame which the tray is bolted to. I had a 2x2x9inch piece of flat stock welded between the frame for the battery which as you can see I moved forward behind the center jack.

[Joy A]

Here's a close up look at a work in progress. As you can see I'm making a box/cover which will go over the generator and propane tank. The box will be riveted together and all the exterior bolts will face inward so the lock nuts are inside the box. The generator will padlocked down inside the box and the box will be locked to the tray.




Here are all the pieces fitted together before I break it down as I need to paint the frame which will be white.

[Joy A]

With all the pieces primed and painted I just had to work on my project so I moved it inside. I happen to have a very large kitchen which is a nice place to do a multitude of projects. I've often thought that I should have some heat plumbed into the garage but then the kitchen is much nicer to work in as long as I'm careful.





So here's my project to date. It's finished with exception of top/lid. While I'm doing work in the kitchen I won't be using the sable saw inside so cutting the top will have to wait for a break in the storm. As you can see I added boat deck plates, 3 for the generator and 1 for the propane tank. This allows me access to the controls on the generator and as a vent for the exhaust. Also I will have access to the propane valve. The top/lid will either be removable or hinged, I haven't decided which. This will be for adding gas to the generator and connecting the hose for the camp stove to the propane tank. Putting these items on the tongue of a 13 footer makes it quite a tight squeeze. I can't get either the generator or propane tank out the top. So, the street side is removable which alllows me to get the propane tank out. I'll have to lift the box off in order to get the generator out.

I'll post a picture of the final product mounted on the Scamp in a few days.

[Pete Dumbleton]

...as I need to paint the frame which will be white.

Consider leaving it black -- The sun heats it up faster, dispersing the dew, and slows down the rust -- That's why white cars rust out faster than darker ones -- Previous owner painted mine (91S13) white and the rust soon followed -- Shows up more on the white, also.

[Nancy]

Wow Joy, you did it again. Great job. When I think you have every mod you can possibly do you come up with another great one.

Keep the kitchen. Nice big kitchens are hard to come by. My seven foot galley kitchen just doesn't turn me on.

Nancy

[Al and Cindy K]

Hi Joy, that is one nice looking setup you've come up with! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do ours.

Al & Cindy

[Joy A]

Pete, the entire thing is made out of aluminum with exception of the tray which is angle iron and expanded steel. The tray is painted black. I just painted the aluminum frame white because it looks better with the diamond plate.

Nancy, thanks. I finally did this mod that I have contemplated for the last 7 years. I have never liked the gen in the Jeep. Also I want to use my gen in the rain, so now I will be able to. I figure that since I have the gen more available I'll use it more while dry camping not having to drag it into and out of the Jeep and chain it to the Scamp.

Thanks Al and Cindy, I know I will. And, I've more room in my Jeep. Hey, maybe I'll start carrying my golf clubs.


Now something I didn't mention about my mod and the usability is that I purchased a 30amp extension cord to virtually hard wire the gen to the Scamp. What I mean by that is the cord will remain plugged into the gen and is run under the Scamp along the frame. I cut the cord to length, drilled the appropriate size hole and ran it into the electrical cabinet. There I wired the cord to an outlet. Soooooo, to connect the Scamp to the gen all I have to do is open the electrical door on the side, reach in and plug the Scamp cord into the outlet. No cords drapping outside while using the gen.

[Donna D.]

Nice work Joy! As far as the hinge top, or lift off top.... I also have a diamond-plate tongue box to add...(amongst the other stuff that needs to be done), and in order for the lid to lift completely open the box has to sit about 2-3 inches forward from a vertical line down from the belly band. I guess it's because the lid is hinged on the back of the box, rather than at the top of the box. Does this make sense?

[Joy A]

Makes sense Donna. The back of the box is angled forward to clear the trailer, which is like I'm starting to do, buldges a little at the center.

The tray is 15 inches deep as is the lower part of the box. The upper portion of the box is only 12 inches but the opening is about 10 inches because the frame is made out of 1" angled aluminum. That's why I can't get either the gen or propane out the top. I figure I've got space for the lid to open if I choose to hinge it, especially since all I'll be doing is filling the gen occasionally and attaching the camp stove hose occasionally. I definitely know I could put a lift off top on.

I'm tired today, if you noticed I posted at 4:30am was up all night and so since I was weary I thought I'd kick back. I don't want to make any mistake on cutting the lid. Diamond plate is pretty pricey and I've only got enough left for one lid.

I'll post front and side pictures when I complete the project and get everything mounted back on the Scamp.

[Pete Dumbleton]

My error -- I thought you were planning to paint the egg frame white!

Please be very careful with the generator almost hard-wired into the Egg 120VAC system -- That may likely mean that the male end of your shore cable is hot when the generator is running unless you hard-wire the shore cable into the generator and never use shore power.

How much does your "900 lb" Scamp 13' weigh after this mod? You must be really getting up there!

[Joy A]

My "hard wire" is simply that the extension cord goes from the gen to an outlet. When I want to connect the Scamp I just plug into the outlet.

That's not unlike what I used to do which is that I'd pulled cord outside, drug it to then gen and plugged it in. This is just all contained inside utilizing an extension cord in between.

I don't know how the male end of the plug would be any hotter.

But Thanks Pete


My 900 lb. Scamp was never 900 but was 1700 lbs. directly from the factory with nothing of mine added to it. I know the gen weighs some 40 lbs. I plan to weigh the Scamp when I complete this mod.

[Christi V.]

wow Joy.. your mods cease to amaze me of what you can do!!! looks great!!

[Pete Dumbleton]

My "hard wire" is simply that the extension cord goes from the gen to an outlet. When I want to connect the Scamp I just plug into the outlet.

I don't want to beat this to death, but it's a potentially dangerous situation and I am still not clear as to what the "extension cord from the gen to an outlet" looks like and how it is connected to the Scamp and generator.

If you have the generator connected to the Scamp 120VAC system, so the breakers are hot, then the hard-wired shore cable will also be hot unless you used the shore cable to do the plugging into the generator outlet. If you use any hardwire or male-male extension cord or a second, short, dedicated "shore cable" extension cord to connect the generator's outlet, the primary shore cable will be hot on its male prongs.

This is a classic problem similar to a homeowner connecting a generator to the home electrical system during a power outage without first pulling the power meter or a main disconnect -- The generator back-energizes the power company's power lines, presenting a danger to the guy who comes out to fix the lines. Whole-house auto-starting generators have an automatic transfer switch that selects between generator and power company but not both.

[Joy A]

Pete,

I have a generator connected to my home and know what you are talking about. I have a shut off for the electricity main which I pull before I use my generator.

The generator on the trailer is not connected at all to the 120 wiring in the Scamp so there is no cross over of electricity when connected to shore power. This is simply an extension cord run from one end to the other of the trailer. Instead of the female end just laying there in the compartment it's wired into an outlet. There is no power going through it until I start the generator. I simply have twp options, either plug the trailer cord into shore power OR the generator, not both at once. The cord when connecting to the Shore power goes outside to the electric standard. The cord when connecting to the generator simply plugs into the outlet.

Thank you for worrying about me but there is no problem here.

[Gene L]

Hey Joy, looking pretty good and where have I seen those kind of parts before? Spent the day with Mel today
Gene

[Pete Dumbleton]

OK, got it, just wanted to be sure.

BTW, that's an excellent job you are doing on the carrier, but you already know it is! <g>

[Lizbeth]

Joy very nice mod! I'm looking forward to seeing it done. I've been pondering trying to fit mine on the tongue of the Boler. I agree that carrying it in the vehicle doesn't cut it.

[Roy in TO]

This is simply an extension cord run from one end to the other of the trailer. Instead of the female end just laying there in the compartment it's wired into an outlet. There is no power going through it until I start the generator. I simply have twp options, either plug the trailer cord into shore power OR the generator, not both at once. The cord when connecting to the Shore power goes outside to the electric standard. The cord when connecting to the generator simply plugs into the outlet.

Now I'm confused. From what I think I'm reading both could be plugged into power sources at the same time. A simple and safe method would be to just plug the trailer power cord into the generator when needed. That way someone who is not familiar with your trailer could not make a mistake.

[Roy in TO]

Sorry I missed the quote below in your earlier post.
I was thinking you wired the new cord into an existing outlet, not a new outlet only connected to the generator.
My apologies.

There I wired the cord to an outlet.
... to connect the Scamp to the gen all I have to do is open the electrical door on the side, reach in and plug the Scamp cord into the outlet. No cords drapping outside while using the gen.

[Joy A]

Well, I finished the lid and my project last night and here it is:









I added all the deck plates because I had in mind to rivet the top on. Since I decided to hinge the top and secure it with a locking hasp I find the only deck plate I really needed was the large one on the left side for exhaust.

Hey, that's OK if I want to start the generator and don't have my keys at hand I can do so because all the deck plates allow me access.