Genny cooling issues

[Greg Young]

Hi - Update on this project...

In our case the fan was wired into the breaker box on the side of the genny compartment. Someone (perhaps the shop that repaired the genny) had wired it into L1/L2, which since it's a 110V unit wasn't working. I switched the white lead to L0 and it's working fine now. There's a little more vibration than I'd like on the fan, so will be trying to adjust that. And as Wayne pointed out, one of the two blowers at the back top of the compartment was shot - the squirrel cage was shreded and detached from the motor. But the other's still working its little rodent heart out. I'll be replacing the dead one shortly. Ran the genny with all three cruise-Air units running (about 55A total load on both legs) and it peaked at a little
over 190 degrees water temp after about an hour. This was with the radiator shroud off and in the sunlight, but only 75 degree ambient temperature. We'll be in 110 degrees later this year and will need to make this work better. Hopefully the blower and the shroud replaced to improve airflow will give us the additional headroom we need. But always appreciate suggestions!

This is fun! I'm no gearhead - my college degree was in English & Philosophy. But I love learning new skills, and it is such a joy to have so much knowledge and willingness to share it available from you all!

We would make it to one of the BB rallys, but are a little afraid that we would be embarrassed by all of your beautiful rigs. We don't go for the classic polished look of a machine that just came off the showroom floor... But we are very concerned about keeping it running and functional. However, we
are slowing decorating Bluefire in Burner style - adding animated elwire on the outside and various fabrics inside, to go with the 15'x30' projection screen gear we carry on top along with our 16 foot tall Saguaro cactus.

With all this, we should be on the road east by Monday. First stop Phoenix and then on to Toast, an event on the AZ/NM border. Will post our story on our website (www.52weekburn.org) and will let you know when it's been update. It's empty right now.


Thanks again for all your help!

Greg & Barbara Young (AKA Smoke Blower and Luscious to our Burner friends)
1986 PT-40 Bluefire
About to leave home base in Escondido, CA

Each time you judge yourself you break your heart.
-Kirpal Venanji

---

From: Ralph L. Fullenwider
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 2:45:59 PM
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Genny cooling
issues

Ok:


The power to the fan motor come directly from L1/L2/LO. these points are
located behind the vented plate on the back side of the Kohler gen
housing and are on isolated studs. Were they wired back properly? The
motor can be configured as 100VAC or 220 vac, double check the way the
motor is wired then check the wiring from the motor to the isolated
studs. You can see those connections in your gen set manual on the 2 line
wire diagram.


Safe travels,


Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider

84FC35 "Ruff Diamond"

Duncan, Oklahoma


At 02:19 PM 4/30/2009 -0700, you wrote:

Hey Ralph - Thanks for the
pointer. No such switch on my control box - there are three wiring
harnesses (one on the back leading to the coach and two on the tront
leading to the genny), one 10A bus fuse (which is still good) and the
start/stop and preheat switches. That's all.


Thanks!

Greg

86 PT-40

Escondido CA




From: Ralph L. Fullenwider


To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com

Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 2:00:36 PM

Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Genny cooling issues



Hi Greg:


Open the gen set slide and on the left side of the control box see if
there

is a switch. This is not the start stop or preheat switch. Some of the


Yammar sets have a switch that cuts the cooling fan off.


Safe travels,


Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider

84FC35 "Ruff Diamond"

Duncan, Oklahoma


At 01:51 PM 4/30/2009 -0700, you wrote:


>Hi Everybody -

>

>Ernie and all - Thanks on the pointers on the Chrysler power seat


>controls. Found one, and after a little plastic modification it fit
and

>works perfectly. Now we can move the co-pilot's seat again!

>

>This one's a little more critical. Late last week we had the
generator

>worked on after it completely stopped producing power - its rotor
bearing

>was shot and the stator and rotor were about to start arcing due to


>insulation wear. Had them "washed, baked and dipped," and
$1700 later are

>now getting plenty of power. However, it seemed to be overheating
still,

>as it did on last year's long trip. We have a 1986 PT-40 with the


>side-mounted radiator and the Kohler / Yanmar12.5K generator. So I've


>pulled the radiator and noted that the fan wasn't getting any current
from

>the generator. I bypassed the feed and found that the fan blades were


>binding on the housing. I've now got the binding fixed, so it will
rotate

>freely - but two things still baffle me:

>

>1. Is there a circuit breaker or fuse somewhere on the power feed to
the

>fan that could have blown because the fan blades were stuck? Any idea
of

>where to look for this?

>2. Have noted that the fan was installed so that the airflow is from


>outside to inside - pulling air through the radiator and exhausting
it out

>through the cage and to the center of the coach. Is this

>normal? Functional? Flipping the fan blade doesn't help - it's got


>scooped fins and only collects air in one direction. Thoughts? The
guys

>who repaired the genny suggested I get a 12V radiator fan at a local
auto

>parts store, but then I'm faced with having that switch on when the


>genny's running.

>

>Thanks!

>Greg Young

>

>86 PT-40 Bluefire

>itching to get on the road.

>

>

Safe travels,


Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider

84FC35 "Ruff Diamond"

Duncan, Oklahoma