Portable Generator / Exhaust Vent?

[Tiggs]

Is there a product or has anyone attempted a DYI project that vents the exhaust of their portable generators above their TT? I've a Honda 2000 and have had problems in the past with the exhaust blowing back through the campsite. I dry camp a lot at dog shows so my neighbors are sometimes fairly close. The big rigs with their on board generators often exhaust their fumes up and over the top of their roofs. Would be wonderful to have something like a Genturi but designed to be used on something portable. Maybe the Genturi can be used, I don't even know. (I did search the forum for a similar topic and didn't find anything)

Carolyn

[Reddog1]

Carolyn, I started a Thread in Tech Issue on the Generator-Line Enclosure Exhaust System. You may find it of interest. It has promise, although it could be overpriced for what you get.

Wayne

[ShapeShifter]

64thunderbolt wrote:
In over 13 years with onboard gen I have never had a problem with fumes in the trailer.

It's only partially about fumes coming in your own rig. Obviously, you've never camped at a dog show, which generally demands stacks, as indicated by the OP. At a show, you're packed in like sardines, and your exhaust is not only pointed directly at your neighbor, but also pointed at their dogs. That doesn't go over very well, some sort of generator stack is usually REQUIRED by the show committee.

Tiggs wrote:
Mike, Love this and will see if I can find the piece parts on my next trip to Lowes.

Have you seen an actual GenTuri in person? Look closely at Mike's well designed home-made version. The exhaust from the generator is short, immediately turns upright, then goes through only a short pipe before it ends. That end of the short pipe is centered inside a larger stack, using straps that give plenty of air space around it. These are important construction details. You want the small pipe to be as short as possible to prevent restriction on the generator's exhaust. Then you want a large air gap at the bottom of the stack. The hot exhaust blowing into the large stack will draw a lot of cool air in with it, helping to reduce the heat in that stack. Without the extra air, the plastic pipe will get dangerously hot and melt. Edit: looks like Mike posted those details while I was still proof-reading my post.

Thank you for using a quiet Honda portable, and for being concerned where the exhaust goes. Far too many people use loud portable construction generators, and don't care where the exhaust goes. At crowded dog shows, most people with built in generators use stacks, but I've found that most portable generator users don't.

At a show recently, the folks in the next site had not one, but two of the loudest generators I've ever heard, positioned about 10 feet from our bedroom window. They ran them 24 hours a day - the only time they stopped was when they ran out of fuel, at which point they were refilled and started up again within minutes. They were so loud it was virtually impossible to carry on a conversation outside our rig, and inside with the windows closed and air conditioning running, those generators were still obnoxiously loud.

Thank you for your consideration to your dog show neighbors, it's greatly appreciated. I wish everyone had half of your sense of courtesy. :C

[mikestock]

Don't forget to buy a steel strap to make the attachment between the 1 X 4 nipple and the PVC. A longer nipple wouldn't hurt. I cut 4 pieces from a 1/2" X 1/4" X 30" strap, 6 bolts and nuts to attach them to the PVC and 6 very short lag bolts to attach to the nipple. One way I cheated in a way that may not be available to some is that I used a thread tap to tap into the nipple.

The idea of a Venturi is to push hot air into the PVC, allowing the velocity of the moving air to mix with cool air as it rises. The PVC stays cool. This is the same way most commercial RV exhausts work.

[Tiggs]

Mike, Love this and will see if I can find the piece parts on my next trip to Lowes. No apologies necessary here for the "stealth" paint job. Would consider same myself.

Carolyn

[mikestock]

I made my own Venturi type stack for far less than $179. In fact I made two of them for my twins. I did this out of necessity, due to a tailgate parking requirement. They are standard 3" PVC pipe, a 1" X 4" nipple ans a 1" street L. Note that the street L threads snugly into the opening in the shroud of the generator. The pipe, being a little heavy, is suspended by a bungee cord, when in use. I attach the bungee to my slideout awning roller bracket to carry most of the weight.

Excuse the paint job. Didn't like the bright red color drawing extra attention when unattended.

[Tiggs]

Thanks, guys. Love the application that is being sold on ebay. Will have to think about the price though. Has anyone tried one?

Carolyn

[64thunderbolt]

In over 13 years with onboard gen I have never had a problem with fumes in the trailer. I just don't open the bedroom window on that side while running the gen.

[beemerphile1]

Be creative. I saw an exhaust stack on an old John Deere hit and miss engine that was nothing but a section of aluminum downspout.

[bgum]

Yes there is a vent for your 2000. It is a piece that fits over where the exhaust came out and had a 3-4 inch flex pipe attached to it. You can then add sections of flex duct to get the fumes where you want. Do a EBay search for Honda 2000 generator exhaust. Cost is $179.

[RoyB]

My 2KW Honda Generator sits secured on my truck tail gate and I have to watch pretty close which way the exhaust is directed. I can set off my alarms by pointing the exhaust at my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer.

I only run my generator just three hours aday usually right at 8AM recharging my batteries from the previous day/night run off the batteries and I am very conscious which way the exhaust is directed.


Roy ken