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

[CajunBuccaneer]

Well we have a festival coming up this weekend that we always bring our camper to and it normally has electric hookups. This year due to some other activities/changes the campers will have to be relocated and no power will be offered so this morning I went and got everything and this afternoon got 'em done. I modified a little to use 1 1/4 EMT to go over the nipple and have the suction cups (dent pullers from Harbor Freight) to fasten them to the camper. I left them 5 ft for each section and after this trip I may get another pipe and reduce them to 3-4 ft for each section.

[mikestock]

I checked with my Honda dealer before building this. He pointed out that the exhaust actually goes through a much more restrictive cross section before it gets to my stack, so, no problem.

Actually, I sold the generator because I have since bought a motor home with a 7000 watt diesel generator. This generator exhausts through a 1-1/2" tube. In fact, the 350 Cat exhaust is slightly smaller than this stack.

[bartlettj]

mikestock wrote:
If you want hot, the one I made for my EU3000is gets pretty hot. About as hot as the roof of my wife's black car, in the sun.

I'd be more concerned about the internal temperature of the generator with that stack design, because you are reducing the cooling airflow through the elbow and duct. I'd check the temperature of the cylinder fins with and without the stack with an infrared thermometer to make sure you don't cook the valves with a stack like that. It would also be a good idea to regularly service the spark arrestor screen if you have an exhaust pipe to make sure you aren't putting too much backpressure and heat on the exhaust. With the way everything gets packed in there, there's probably not a lot of margin on materials for cooling.

I find that my Champion 3100 moves a huge amount of air out the end of the case when running. If I was to try to redirect that I think I'd build a kind of hearth and use at least 8" pipe as a stack. However, when I run mine I just run it 20 feet away from the rig and I've never even smelled the exhaust.

[D_E_Bishop]

Carolyn, I think that mikestock's stack is the best bet for you if you have the storage room. I made one for my Bounder years ago and spent somewhat more but I used 4" laminated drain pipe from Lowes and 1/8th X 3/4 strapping and an actual piece of automotive exhaust pipe that was expanded to fit the 4.5K Onan's exhaust pipe and bent into an ell.

I don't like running my 5.5K Onan in campgrounds and so I have a Chanpion 2K Inverter type that I use. I think I will look at it with the idea of adapting Mike's idea to the Champion. To further silence the Champion, I might extend the pipe 2 or 3 inches into the stack as Genturi has started doing. I thought the pipe needed to end below the bottom of the stack but it doesn't. I made an adapter for the one I made for the bounder extending it about 2" inside the stack and it did not heat the generator or the stack but it did reduce the noise at ground level, it carried up above the roof line along with the exhaust gas.

[mikestock]

If you want hot, the one I made for my EU3000is gets pretty hot. About as hot as the roof of my wife's black car, in the sun.

[mikestock]

With the 2000 the Venturi pipe barely gets warm. Even with my commercially built exhaust, running, probably, 3.5 kw it is far from hot warm. The more exhaust the more cool air is mixed.

[westend]

For you venturi makers--ABS pipe will handle slightly higher temperatures and is tougher against impacts. It's black.

[free_radical]

Tiggs wrote:
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

I bought a piece of metal tube for auto exhaust,removed the plastic protective cover from Honda 1000 exhaust,,and glued it onto the outlet using JB weld epoxy,,driled coresponding hole in the camper wall,,put another slightly bigger pipe thru that sealed all with silicone,,
Now I can run genny safely inside with exhaust going out,,only need to keep doors and windows closed so wind doesnt blow fumes in..
No problem as I only used it in winter charging batery when sun isnt shining..mind you
I dont stay in campgrounds so no one is bothered by the exhaust..

[mikestock]

Cajun Buccaneer wrote:
Looking at making this for my twin 2000s this week. Any issues with the weight of this on the 90 attached to the gen? Thinking of using
some suction cups and bungees for steading to camper. Thanks for any updated info.

Yes. It needs support just as a Venturi stack on a motor home. I actually have twin EU2000i's and tied the stacks together with a piece of 1/4' all thread, bent in the middle and run through holes drilled through the pvc. I suspended it from one of my slideout awning supports.

This was done because it was required for football tailgating at all of the tailgating lots.

[packnrat]

easy home made fix.

2-1/2 to 3 in pvc piping ( length to get one to two feet above your coach.)

pending where you set it up around you. clamps for tip over support.

use a plastic base ( all weather thing)

make sure the piping has holes around the base ( drill one in or support piping a in or two above the base).= to twice the air space of the piping. cold air in here.

pending the hight to match your exhause from your get set. a eletrical el conute of min 1-1/2 in dia.
supported by rods/straps, etc. to the pvc piping.
condute should travel at least 9 inches up the pvc then just ends.
never let this condute touch the pvc as it will get hot from the exhaust.

mod your exhaust pipeing of the gen to accept a eletrical conduit connecter. a short ( length as needed) to hook up the gen to the pvc stack.
little to no back psr and exhaust is above and out of the way.
the pvc can be cut to lengths to fit into storage when not in use.

.

[CajunBuccaneer]

Looking at making this for my twin 2000s this week. Any issues with the weight of this on the 90 attached to the gen? Thinking of using
some suction cups and bungees for steading to camper. Thanks for any updated info.

mikestock wrote:
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.

[tenbear]

I made my own genturi for my MH similar to what mikestock made. Only cost about $25. Shouldn't be too difficult to adapt to a free standing genny.

[64thunderbolt]

ShapeShifter wrote:

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:


Never thought about that. I dry camp mostly. I've only stayed in an RV parl 1 time in over 13 yrs. Maybe I should just stay in the forest, LOL.

[Tiggs]

Thanks, Wayne. I've already spied it 😉 I hope it brings more great ideas.

Carolyn