dustless gennie intake

sharpstick · Post by **sharpstick** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:19 am

this occurred to me on the playa this year. i discussed it with several folks and everyone thought it was a good idea. i drew up the basic plan:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sharpstick/ ... 2910641298
basically it is a tall chamber that is sealed to the air intake of a generator. the air is drawn up from the bottom on one side, over the top of a partition and back down to the intake. by the time it reaches the top, most of the dust should have drifted back down and out. should require less frequent filter cleaning. you DO clean your air filters regularly, right?
(i fly out from florida and don't do gennies, so i can't test this myself)
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ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:02 pm

I made a plywood box, cut several square feet of area all around and covered it with swamp cooler pads, and, sprayed them with wd40, then, put the exhaust and cooling air stream into a duct and sealed it from the box and vented both straight up........

kept the dust out pretty darn good...........and the genny stayed cool enough........

you gotta get "dead air" inside a structure for the dust to settle out. the more movement and velocity the air has, the more dust that can be held in suspension..............

Just another thought.

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:35 pm

I have a Honda eu1000. What works really well for me is this - I bought a regular plastic tote with lid that the genny fits into. I cut out big panels in the sides and top and inserted furnace filters. Instant light filter box that's easy to access to refuel, etc. It also makes the genny less obvious for pilferage, even though it is chained to my bumper.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:10 am

Mojo, if you can't find cut proof chain, I can help.
I think hiding it is a great idea.

Zona_the_stona · Post by **Zona_the_stona** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:32 am

We rented a Honda EU2000. After returning it the rental place they turned it on for a test. You should have seen the cloud of dust that blew out of that thing. We got a nasty look, but the genny worked and we went on our way..

Now I am in the market to buy a used Honda EU and I think it would be a good idea to protect it on the playa after seeing how much dust got sucked in there.

Mata · Post by **Mata** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:11 pm

I've got a EU2000 Honda gennie that I've run on my art car for a couple of years now, with no maintenance. This year, at the very end of the week it stopped working. What happens now is that I can get it to kick for 5 or ten seconds, then it dies and the oil light on the side lights up red for a few seconds. Any idea what all this can mean? Is it user serviceable or do I need to take it to a small engine repair place? Thanks!

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:39 pm

Mata wrote:I've got a EU2000 Honda gennie that I've run on my art car for a couple of years now, with no maintenance. This year, at the very end of the week it stopped working. What happens now is that I can get it to kick for 5 or ten seconds, then it dies and the oil light on the side lights up red for a few seconds. Any idea what all this can mean? Is it user serviceable or do I need to take it to a small engine repair place? Thanks!

First clean it completely, Clean or replace the plug, clean or replace the intake filter and clean or replace the gas filter.. Another cleaning is the gas tank it self.. After each step try to start it.. Do not jump on it and start ajusting every thing you see.. At the end it will run or you will not be charged for cleaning at a repair shop.. Oh ya.. Clean the fly wheel it is the timing and spark producer..Carefuly put the spark plug end near a bolt head and try to start.. Spark should shoot from the plug to the bolt head.. In other"words" the word is clean clean clean..

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:01 pm

Mata wrote:I've got a EU2000 Honda gennie that I've run on my art car for a couple of years now, with no maintenance. This year, at the very end of the week it stopped working. What happens now is that I can get it to kick for 5 or ten seconds, then it dies and the oil light on the side lights up red for a few seconds. Any idea what all this can mean? Is it user serviceable or do I need to take it to a small engine repair place? Thanks!

Normally I'm a do-it-yourselfer, but if you're completely unfamiliar with small engines, I think you'd do yourself a favor taking it to a Honda shop.

Having said that, the EU won't run if the oil level is low. You need to change it anyway, so pour it out and refill with clean oil, to the mark on the dipstick.
Disassemble the case and hose all the playa dirt out of everything, then dry it. I like to WD40 everything inside too. The carburetor probably needs to be cleaned out too. Clean or change the air filters. There are two in an EU2000. You can wring them out in soapy water until no crud comes out of 'em, oil them and wring them out some more and reinstall them, or get new ones.

P.S. I eliminated the Honda generator from my mutant vehicle this year by installing two alternators (GM CS-130s from late 80s - early '90s GM small cars, they put out very strongly at idle speed) and using an inverter and deep-cycle batteries; this works much better and is trouble-free so far, no more generator choking in the dust issues.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:11 pm

oops forgot clean oil..

Most newer gennies are designed to stop if the oil level drops

Intubater69 · Post by **Intubater69** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 8:05 am

Mata wrote:I've got a EU2000 Honda gennie that I've run on my art car for a couple of years now, with no maintenance. This year, at the very end of the week it stopped working. What happens now is that I can get it to kick for 5 or ten seconds, then it dies and the oil light on the side lights up red for a few seconds. Any idea what all this can mean? Is it user serviceable or do I need to take it to a small engine repair place? Thanks!

Does this mean no preventive maintenance? Good advice from the others. I may have missed it, do you stabilize your fuel when the gennie has a long down time? Another issue that is talked about among my fellow boaters is the effect of ethanol in the fuel upon boat motors, one that would presumably effect gennie motors as well? Maybe someone with more exp. w/sm. engines could validate this.