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#1
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the top of the door. Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all opinions. http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd Outlay was as follows.... $35 cooler $10 ventilation pipe/exhaust $30 padded cooler cover Plus an hour or two of labor. Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in the rain. (We get a little here). Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative. Thanks! -Greg Schoenberg "She Said Yes" 2002 Regal 2465 Kalama, Washington |
#2
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
"dene" wrote in message oups.com... Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in the rain. (We get a little here). Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative. Thanks! -Greg Schoenberg Looks like a clever solution to the problem. The one thing I'm wondering about is cooling. How does the generator get enough air circulation for proper engine cooling? |
#3
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
Stanley Barthfarkle wrote: "dene" wrote in message oups.com... Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in the rain. (We get a little here). Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative. Thanks! -Greg Schoenberg Looks like a clever solution to the problem. The one thing I'm wondering about is cooling. How does the generator get enough air circulation for proper engine cooling? There is some air flow from the unused cord hole, 2 1/4 in diameter, six 1/2 inch vent holes, and the lid.....I cannot, nor need to, close the lid completely. Ran the genny with ceramic heater for 10 mins. No sign of excess heat. I think (hope) Honda genny's shut down automatically if you overheat them. -Greg |
#4
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
dene wrote: A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the top of the door. Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all opinions. http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd Outlay was as follows.... $35 cooler $10 ventilation pipe/exhaust $30 padded cooler cover Plus an hour or two of labor. Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in the rain. (We get a little here). Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative. Thanks! -Greg Schoenberg "She Said Yes" 2002 Regal 2465 Kalama, Washington That looks like a great idea to me. For my Honda EU2000i, I use a Rubbermaid "Roughneck", #2162, 35-gallon, storage container, but I use it for storage only to keep the mice out and discourage thieves. These cost $14.99 at Target. http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid...d=HPProd150029 The EU2000i fits in the storage container with lots of room to spare and no need to cut the lid. However, the container isn't insulated and wouldn't provide any significant sound attenuation. However, you might be able to glue some sort of insulation on the inside of it, or put something on the outside, I dunno. If you did happen to run into heat problems, you could mount some 12V computer fans on the container. The problem, of course, is that the holes for the fans will also let some noise out. People generally minimize this problem by making a couple of U-turns in the airflow path. The EU2000i is already relatively quiet, but it would be nice to make it even quieter. If you cut a hole in the top, I would suggest a cover for the hole to keep the mice and bugs out during storage. The one criticism I would have is that you probably should do some sophisticated heat tests and/or provide a caveat that you're not responsible for overheating damage. I think you can buy a temperature sensor that fits underneath a spark plug to measure heat. Or, another idea might be to rent some good temperature measuring equipment from a rental equipment company and measure the temperature at several locations on the generator. I believe generator companies typically rate their generators for operation at an ambient temperature up to 100F. That would mean you would have to heat your garage, for example, up to 100F and then put the generator in the enclosure inside the garage to run the heat tests. |
#5
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
Looks like a great prototype. A taller cooler should help a lot. Is the
genny mounted to the bottom of the cooler to prevent shifting while underway? How hot does the exhaust vent become with high power loads? Could it be protected from inadvertent touching? I would continue to very carefully monitor generator cooling. I would also recommend the exhaust be vented at the lowest practicable level to ensure no carbon monoxide spills into the cockpit. One would assume that prevailing breezes would place the bow into the wind at anchor and that speed while underway would do the same. But, you never know when something will happen and cause/allow carbon monoxide to get into people spaces. Perhaps the most dangerous situation would be using the genny while tied to the dock. A few carefully placed carbon monoxide monitors/alarms would provide an acceptable comfort level. Butch wrote in message ups.com... dene wrote: A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the top of the door. Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all opinions. http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd Outlay was as follows.... $35 cooler $10 ventilation pipe/exhaust $30 padded cooler cover Plus an hour or two of labor. Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in the rain. (We get a little here). Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative. Thanks! -Greg Schoenberg "She Said Yes" 2002 Regal 2465 Kalama, Washington That looks like a great idea to me. For my Honda EU2000i, I use a Rubbermaid "Roughneck", #2162, 35-gallon, storage container, but I use it for storage only to keep the mice out and discourage thieves. These cost $14.99 at Target. http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid...d=HPProd150029 The EU2000i fits in the storage container with lots of room to spare and no need to cut the lid. However, the container isn't insulated and wouldn't provide any significant sound attenuation. However, you might be able to glue some sort of insulation on the inside of it, or put something on the outside, I dunno. If you did happen to run into heat problems, you could mount some 12V computer fans on the container. The problem, of course, is that the holes for the fans will also let some noise out. People generally minimize this problem by making a couple of U-turns in the airflow path. The EU2000i is already relatively quiet, but it would be nice to make it even quieter. If you cut a hole in the top, I would suggest a cover for the hole to keep the mice and bugs out during storage. The one criticism I would have is that you probably should do some sophisticated heat tests and/or provide a caveat that you're not responsible for overheating damage. I think you can buy a temperature sensor that fits underneath a spark plug to measure heat. Or, another idea might be to rent some good temperature measuring equipment from a rental equipment company and measure the temperature at several locations on the generator. I believe generator companies typically rate their generators for operation at an ambient temperature up to 100F. That would mean you would have to heat your garage, for example, up to 100F and then put the generator in the enclosure inside the garage to run the heat tests. |
#6
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
I think you're going to need to rig a big computer cooling fan into the side
to get real air through that box. Would I sell that on eBay? Only if I didn't mind inviting lawsuits for the first one that catches on fire. Plastic fires are very nasty, especially with gasoline nearby. I do, however, think it is a promising idea. Thanks for sharing. Bill Longyard "dene" wrote in message oups.com... A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the top of the door. Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all opinions. http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd Outlay was as follows.... $35 cooler $10 ventilation pipe/exhaust $30 padded cooler cover Plus an hour or two of labor. Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in the rain. (We get a little here). Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative. Thanks! -Greg Schoenberg "She Said Yes" 2002 Regal 2465 Kalama, Washington |
#7
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
"dene" wrote in news:1169276883.977097.126110
@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative. Bye bye, little Honda (snif)! The HOT AIR coming out of the COOLING SYSTEM is heating the INSIDE of the Coleman cooler and being sucked back INTO the cooling system! That slot in the top isn't near enough cooling to keep it from destroying the engine. It's breathing its own hot cooling air!! NO, no no no NO!.... What you SHOULD have done was cut a hole and put in a piece of internal ductwork the same size as the WHOLE hot air outlet around the exhaust, that whole grillework where the hot air comes out around the muffler inside the gen's case. On the OTHER end of the cooler, you should have opened a hole to let outside air INTO the cooler, sucked in by the vacuum the air blowing out the cooling air exhaust causes, which will fill the cooler with COOL air, NOT its own hot cooling air. The intake should have a little rain cover pointing down and open all along the bottom. The slot in the top is totally unnecessary if you use the cooling I describe, so no "cover" to keep the rain out will be necessary. Drill some holes in the bottom of the cooler, say 3/4", so any water that stands in the bottom of the cooler will simply drain out under it. Air comes in one end....right by the controls and expensive electronic inverter electronics keeping them COOL. Hot air and exhaust comes out the OTHER end, forced out of the case by an internal ductwork that prevents it recirculating inside the cooler and causing the electronics and engine to overheat. I have both the EU1000i little 1KW suitcase and the MUCH BETTER designed EU3000i 3KW genset. The 1KW runs way too fast for longevity, as does your 2KW. The EU3000i only turns its 6.5hp engine 1200 RPM up to about a 1800 watt load. I ran my stepvan shop off the 1KW for a year and it started to show signs, hard starting, etc. I stumbled into the EU3000i in the Honda dealer parking lot. They guy was bringing it back for the 7KW RV model for his 5th wheel camper. Instead of trading it in for $1200 from the Honda ripoff artists, I got it for $1500 cash with about 8 hours of use in the original box. He'd had it 3 days and it wouldn't pull his two RV AC units....(c; The EU3000i is mounted on the outside of the left rear swing door on a couple of really heavy 1000# right angle brackets, permanently bolted to them. Welded to the outer end of the brackets are two hinges whos floppy side is welded to a welded steel framework that supports my unpainted aluminum cover, to keep the 3KW out of the rain. Two Stanley self-locking gate latches hold the cover to the door when it's closed, one on each side. Open these latches and the whole cover swings back away from the generator and down, exposing it completely for service and fueling. The entire bottom of the "box" is simply left open. The EU3000i air intake is STUPIDLY located in the steel channels on the BOTTOM of it so if you lay it on the ground it will suck up anything into the case and engine. Cooling air for the 3KW inverter comes in through cooling slots under the control panel. A full- width slot in the port side of the top has an overhanging rain shield and is close to the hot air/exhaust outlet on the opposite side from the control panel. Venturi effect of the air rushing out the genset through this slot actually pulls a vacuum on the whole case, causing me to have to clean the road dust out of it quite often as it runs all day all summer pulling the 2 AC units cooling my stepvan shop/office. Costs about $8/day at $2.50/gal for 10 hours continuous duty. I fill it every other day all summer. It holds 3.5 gallons on top of the genny, easily filled directly from the hose at any gas station by simply flipping down my aluminum cover. The inside of the aluminum cover is covered with packing foam to reduce the already quiet sounds to a whisper. Most noise comes from vibration transmitted to the door from the mounting brackets. It's a price I pay to keep the van at 75F, not 105F all summer...not an option in SC. In winter, I heat the truck with the 1KW little genset INSIDE! I welded a pipe nipple to that tiny exhaust outlet on the EU1000i muffler. A right angle flange copper tubing adapter directs the exhaust into a coil of 1/2" copper tubing that's about a foot in diameter and a foot thick with the coils pulled apart to form a naturally-aspirated heat exchanger. The genset's cooling air outlet is pointed forward into the cabin of the van from just inside the back doors. The copper tubing open end is routed through a hole in the deck out under the van. By that point, the exhaust temperature is barely warm, resulting in near 100% heat recovery from the genset to heat the truck. Guesstimates show around 35000 Btu at low speed Econo setting. It also powers the shop without having to drive the air conditioning, of course. There's little electrical load and I recover near 100% of my fuel investment making the truck toasty warm at the expense of having to listen to the genset inside the truck. Moving down the highway, this isn't much of an issue and the truck, itself, is noisy. I'm sitting almost on top of a 6.2L diesel V-8 under a fiberglass lid. It's a truck, not an SUV, you know...(c; Coming in out of 25F freezing rain into a heated truck at 80F, dry and warm is worth the noise...(c; A 115VAC-operated carbon monoxide alarm, running off the genset's AC outlet, makes sure there are no leaks gassing the truck interior when either of these gensets are in operation, especially my "truck heater". I recently installed a remote starting kit in the 3KW electric-start genset. It replaces the manual choke with a solenoid unit like outboard motors have and remotes the keyswitch up into the shop. I used to reach up into the bottom of the cover to start it, and damned near got bit by a Brown Recluse, the world's most poisonous spider, that had built her nest in there. Their poison continues to eat flesh long after the spider is squashed. Nasty stuff. Larry -- Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner. Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun. |
#8
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
"dene" wrote in news:1169283545.255971.200710@
38g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: I think (hope) Honda genny's shut down automatically if you overheat them. The inverter electronics has an overheat sensor that shuts down the inverter, but does NOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE! The inverter trips out, just like it does on overload and the engine continues to run until you manually shut it down.....before it siezes from the heat, we hope. Larry -- Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner. Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun. |
#9
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
"William Longyard" wrote in
link.net: Would I sell that on eBay? Only if I didn't mind inviting lawsuits for the first one that catches on fire. Plastic fires are very nasty, especially with gasoline nearby. Won't be a problem if it kills everyone involved. When the plastic starts burning, it will boil the gas in the little plastic tank inside the cooler. The ensuing explosion should destroy all the evidence and kill everyone within several hundred feet from the concussion....eliminating those nasty lawsuits. Larry -- Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner. Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun. |
#10
posted to rec.boats,rec.boats.cruising
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Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
The genny is gonna overheat big time in that insulated enclosure.It's
not just the engine and exhaust. The alternator and inverter board also generate heat when loaded. Suggest 2 4" 12V muffin fans, located 1 at either end, one blowing in, and the other blowing out, for air flow. These can be inset in the case, with an eave of fiberglass over them on the outside to protect from rain. Connect the fans to the 12V sockets on the genny, so they run when the gen is started. Hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like you can relieve the inside of the lid more and close it completely.This would be desirable with the fan setup. JR dene wrote: A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the top of the door. Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all opinions. http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd Outlay was as follows.... $35 cooler $10 ventilation pipe/exhaust $30 padded cooler cover Plus an hour or two of labor. Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in the rain. (We get a little here). Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative. Thanks! -Greg Schoenberg "She Said Yes" 2002 Regal 2465 Kalama, Washington -- -------------------------------------------------------------- Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth |
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