Diesel Generator

[Nuffsaid]

I have an Onan quiet diesel 5500 generator that I scored from a buddy at a rental yard when it broke down. I tore it down, replace bearings and brushes and cleaned it up and have been using it for the past 5 years. It is very quiet and easy on fuel. When we purchased our new 310GK, I placed a 3500 em honda generator in the bed of the truck and quickly found out that it struggles with running the 15k A/C unit when it is 100 degrees outside and at 5000 feet elevation. Most people don't realize that if you are running any normally aspirated internal combustion engine for every 1000 foot increase in elevation you have a 3-4 percent decrease in engine power, in a generator, 5000 feet of elevation equals roughly a 15% decrease in output power.

The honda 3500 generator weighs close to 200 lbs. I am watching my pin weight to stay within the rating of my tires. The onan weighs about 400 lbs and is currently attached to a rear mounted hitch on my old Holiday Rambler Alumascape 30 ft 5er. It has done a great job there, but since I sold my hunting truck, now I have one truck for both trailers so my new thought is to temporary mount the quiet diesel in the bed of my truck in front of the 5th wheel hitch. I have a 60 gallon aux fuel tank that I will make quick connections to the fuel tank for lots of run time. I will install a plastic battery box for the generator for now. I can wire the generator for 220-240 volts and will have 25 amps available on each leg. This should be enough to run both A/C units if needed, but easily run one while still able to use other items. The best part is that with the generator in the bed of the truck, the noise in the 310 should be minimal and that is what the DW wants. Happy wife happy life. I have most of the parts I need now to make the conversion, maybe I will give it a shot today. Biggest issue is that my aux tank is totally full and I need to drain it to install the fuel feed for the generator. After this install, I need to go and weigh the truck again, I am getting close to max safe weight on the truck and I am close to being over weight on the front axle, being right at 5600 the last time I weighed it totally full of fuel and water. The generator will add weight to both the front and rear axle because it is ahead of the axle, but only the scale will know for sure.

[Nuffsaid]

After struggling with my engine hoist for quite a while, (when dirt/gravel is soft from moisture, the wheels dig in) I finally got the generator in the back of my truck. It is heavy enough that I couldn't extend my engine hoist all the way out to have a far reach. I removed the solid pieces of channel iron that the generator was mounted to and installed some thick rubber doughnuts to absorb vibration. The generator sit just below the bed rails of the truck, so it should be perfect. I pointed the exhaust pipe straight up. I still need to wire in a 220/240 plug.

[TucsonJim]

I'd love to see some pics when you get this job finished. Don't you love being able to do the work yourself?

Jim

[Nuffsaid]

Jim, I will post up some photos when I get done. Right now the gen set is in the bed of the truck, I need to hook up the battery and the quick disconnects for the fuel lines. Probably about 30 minutes and it should be running. My big question will be my rear axle weight when I get done. I also need to build some lifting eyes for the generator for easy lift in and out.

[LMagelitz]

Jim, I will post up some photos when I get done. Right now the gen set is in the bed of the truck, I need to hook up the battery and the quick disconnects for the fuel lines. Probably about 30 minutes and it should be running. My big question will be my rear axle weight when I get done. I also need to build some lifting eyes for the generator for easy lift in and out.

I was researching gensets tonight, and specifically a diesel, since I’ll have an aux tank in the back of my dually. You did exactly what I thought would be perfect!!