Lost your generator lately ?

[Flyer15015]

We currently have a 2007 Jayco Seneca 33ss (Chevy C5500) and as with most super "C's" the generator is located about 3 ft behind the driver side drive wheels. Just the right distance to get all the mud, rocks and water thrown up into the open grille area of the generator.

SO......... on a very rainy drive to Florida this fall, we "lost" our generator.
Per the great folks at North Florida Welding Supply in lake City, who rebuilt it, we had a bunch of rocks and mud in the intake and it literally ground her to a halt..........

My DIY fix was to add an 8" rubber skirt (floor mat mat'l) around the front of the generator, AND to add 10" of poly rubber mud flap material to the existing rear mud flaps. They are now 6" off the pavement.

Our latest trip down a wet gravel road in Colorado has proven to me that our "fix" works, as there is mud on the generator skirt, but not nearly as much as there used to be.

Thought I would pass along our "fix" , as so many threads are problems and not solutions.

Mike in Colorado

[Funengineer]

Great idea Mike. Would you provide pictures?

[Flyer15015]

Funengineer,
Here u go..........

Mike in Colorado

[avfordguy]

Funny how rocks and mud can get by the air filter....hummmm.

[Funengineer]

Originally Posted by Flyer15015

Funengineer,
Here u go..........

Mike in Colorado

Thanks.

[Flyer15015]

Originally Posted by avfordguy

Funny how rocks and mud can get by the air filter....hummmm.

They did not get into the engine (via the air cleaner), they got into the generator itself via that grille you see, which will only stop the biggest of boulders. Lots of sand sized pebbles and ground up the armature.

Mike in Colorado

[Funengineer]

Originally Posted by Flyer15015

They did not get into the engine (via the air cleaner), they got into the generator itself via that grille you see, which will only stop the biggest of boulders. Lots of sand sized pebbles and ground up the armature.

Mike in Colorado

Good clarification. I too was wondering how they bypassed the air filter.

[avfordguy]

Thanks for the cl

Originally Posted by Flyer15015

They did not get into the engine (via the air cleaner), they got into the generator itself via that grille you see, which will only stop the biggest of boulders. Lots of sand sized pebbles and ground up the armature.

Mike in Colorado

Thanks for the clarification! Makes sense now.

[GypsyR]

If it were me I think I'd add some mesh screen over the air intake.

[Flyer15015]

Originally Posted by GypsyR

If it were me I think I'd add some mesh screen over the air intake.

Yup, a good idea, but instead of "mesh" I will fabricate a grille made up of a series of slats (louvers) pointing backwards at 45 degrees. Don't want to starve the unit for air, just deflect the stuff coming off the rear wheels.
Will post pictures of it when I finish.
Who knows, we might just get into the business ???

Mike in Colorado

[CharlesinGA]

Google custom hood louvers punched out and you get a lot of good hits, both DIY and businesses that do it.

Charles

[Flyer15015]

Well as promised, here is what I whipped up yesterday afternoon, and installed today.
Found some 1 inch wide, 10 gage strips and kind of engineered it on the fly. Five slats 23 inches long, bent back at 45 degrees, welded to a frame and bolted to the intake behind the "mud flap".

Plenty of open area so I won't have any air flow restrictions, but she looks like a good rock deflector, just in case I loose the mud flap.

Mike in Colorado

[sirdugg]

My Onan 4k diesel generator runs but wont produce power to my coach. What could be the problem?

[sirdugg]

7 k generator