Album: Generator Doghouse

     Album:Electrical System:Generator Doghouse

I bought a custom 10kW genset from Wrico in Oregon. They make good and quiet gensets with 1800RPM heads and liquid cooled Kubota engines.

I decided to build the super-quiet doghouse for the genset, it's going to be completely enclosed with sound deadening plywood and sound insulating foam, rubber foot isolators and an baffled air intake and separate air exhaust with a remote radiator and muffler. Supposedly this should make it near impossible to hear - the doghouse isn't complete and it's already fairly quiet.

The "plans" are at the end... it actually fits quite snug using exactly the space of one side of the cargo bay and the space under the center channel. The other side of the bay is just what I needed for my massive battery bank.

The box in it's
pre-attached state (minus roof) ( comments)
Behind the genset box
goes the air intake and air exhaust, plus the starter battery ( comments)
The floor in the bay,
with the hole cut for the squirrel fan ( comments)
And the air intake hole
also cut, with me sneaking in. ( comments)
The genset box
partially installed, showing air intake (left) and air exhaust/radiator mount (right) ( comments)
After many days of labor,
Haley takes a break. ( comments)
The genset in the bus,
with the first sheet of soundproofing on the back wall. ( comments)
I start welding
onto the flex exhaust pipe. ( comments)
Haley demonstrates
the exhaust plumbing (minus muffler) ( comments)
The muffler
welded and mounted. ( comments)
Stealth muffler,
with the cargo bay door closed. ( comments)
Genset
with muffler, radiator, fuel hose and some initial wiring - it runs! ( comments)
The back side,
showing squirrel cage fan/radiator exhaust and air intake (with fan wiring and starter battery hidden to right. ( comments)
2009: Disaster.
The squirrel fan burns out, and I uninstall the genset to get to the squirrel fan. ( comments)
Damn squirrel fan.
First failure that Wrico has ever seen of these things. (Note temp install of new baffle) ( comments)
Reinstalling the back wall,
attempt #1 (of three. ugh..) ( comments)
Advantage, I finally
get to put up the sound insulation in the intake box ( comments)
And an actual intake baffle!
( comments)
Final intake insulation
( comments)
Insulation on the side wall
( comments)
The genset doghouse,
minus front wall and ceiling (and a genset) ( comments)
The doghouse complete and closed.
( comments)
The 'plans'
scribbled out. If you actually want to reproduce this box, let me know and I'll help interpret the plans. ( comments)
The back wall
measurements, for vents and radiator, plus some of my notes. ( comments)
Layouts for cutting up
a minimum of 4'x8' sound-deadening plywood. That stuff is expensive! (Only three sheets needed!) ( comments)
Noise comparison:
w/out finished Doghouse: Interior of bus with genset on (low load) [Video] ( comments)
Noise comparison:
w/ Doghouse: Interior of bus with genset on (low load). A huge difference! [Video] ( comments)
Noise comparison:
w/out finished Doghouse: Exterior of bus with genset on (low load) [Video] ( comments)
Noise comparison:
w/Doghouse: Exterior of bus with genset on (low load). Less noticeable difference. [Video] ( comments)

Specs for Wrico 10kW genset


(remote radiator)

Power
82A at 120V
Dimensions
39.25"x21"x24" (compact version??)
Weight
427 lbs
Engine
Kubota 4 cycle Diesel


Basic installation notes/steps for a Wrico Genset:

  • mount genset
  • attach radiator
  • fill oil
  • attach 12V to starter and to ground
  • prime fuel lines (w/ elec fuel pump)
    1. attach fuel supply line, make sure line is switched on by tank
    2. Crack open top center screw on fuel filter to let air bleed
    3. Jumper from 1->4 (12V to Run) to start elec pump
    4. close top center screw once fuel comes through
    5. manual prime mechanical pump (up-down lever further up fuel line) until fuel flows out return Optionally open bleed screw at end of fuel line and run elec pump and prime mechanical pump until fuel flows out
    6. remove jumper
    7. attach fuel return
  • fill radiator prime radiator by opening bleed screw on top of genset and squeezing radiator hose while running genset
  • attach exhaust/muffler
  • connect fan and 110V
  • connect starter switch and/or starter/meter panel
Created with the tool album a script by David Madison on Thu Jan 28 03:53:38 2016