Generator in a shipping container

[Ranger Danger]

Howdy folks!! I recently became the proud owner of a MEP-802A. I started a thread about how to wire it into an RV. (https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?177209-Wiring-a-50-amp-120v-rv-service) Well my issue's at this point is keeping my wife (and neighbors) happy and theft resistance. I ran across a guy who had a 20' shipping container for sale for a GREAT price ($500!!). It was used as a portable office on construction sights. The container has 2 walk in doors as well as the double doors on one end. It also has a 14" X 14" hole in the roof where an A/C unit had been installed. My plan is to wall the container in half on the inside and use one end for the generator and the other end for garden needs. I would mount the generator in the end with the double doors so I could remove it with my forklift if it needs some kind of major work. Otherwise, it would be mounted on a short pedestal of some kind for easy oil change's. I have NO problem cutting holes in the sidewall of the container for air intake and exhaust. I was thinking about putting in a wall mounted electric gable fan down low next to the generator and then putting a turban vent in the 14" hole in the roof. I would wire the gable fan so it was on any time the generator was running. This would provide fresh combustion air and heat exhaust at the same time. Then I would use flexible exhaust pipe and run the diesel exhaust out the opposite side wall from the combustion air. Now the big question.....where have I gone wrong in my plan??
I did put the generator inside the shipping container and fire it up. With the doors closed, its much quieter!!

 

[SCSG-G4]

Add acoustic insulation to the inside of the container and some baffles around where the air flow goes through the walls/roof to keep the noise levels down even more. Just be sure the inside of the baffles are as large or larger than the intake fan opening so the air is not restricted. What you do not want is any line-of-sight between any part of the fan opening and any part of the generator. Sound does not like making 90 degree turns, thus make sure your air needs to make two of them between outside and inside and the neighbors should remain happy, or at least not fussing.

 

[kloppk]

You'd want to add a temperature sensor so that if the temperature inside the container gets too high it'll shut down the generator should the fan fail or the inlet get clogged somehow.

 

[Ranger Danger]

I had planned on acoustic insulation. Good thinking on the 90* turns. I could build a baffle from the fan to the genny and use the same insulation on the inside of it.

 

[Ranger Danger]

You'd want to add a temperature sensor so that if the temperature inside the container gets too high it'll shut down the generator should the fan fail or the inlet get clogged somehow.

Good idea but I'm not sure how I would do it. I should have included that the temps where the genny is will be no higher than about 90* and the shipping container will be located under a heavy tree canopy so no direct sunlight.

 

[kloppk]

You could easily tie the temperature limit switch into the oil pressure switch circuit or the high coolant temp switch circuit.
If the temperature limit switch activates it will cause the set to shut down and display a Low Oil Fault or a High Coolant Temp fault depending on which you tie it to.
It could be tied into the set in a number of other ways to make it shut down too.

 

[stugpanzer]

An interesting thing...my 803 is quieter than my 8kw air cooled screamer! I can't believe the 802 is any louder than the 803. But then I'm not sure how picky your neighbors are!

 

[Ranger Danger]

An interesting thing...my 803 is quieter than my 8kw air cooled screamer! I can't believe the 802 is any louder than the 803. But then I'm not sure how picky your neighbors are!

I was trying to be polite. The problem is my wife

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[Light in the Dark]

802s are louder than 803s, IMO.

 

[justacitizen]

I was trying to be polite. The problem is my wife

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i broke my wife when she complained about the noise by turning off the gen and getting out the flashlights and blankets,no water to flush or drink either. i now have several generators and she doesn't complain a bit. i did recently purchase an 802A and that thing whispers.

 

[Dock Rocker]

My wife likes the noise of the generator much more than she likes the silence of no power.


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[98G]

The larger diesel gensets that make their power at 1800rpm are considerably quieter.

Your baffled conex container should resolve it though...

 

[Chainbreaker]

Rather than wiring in another temp based shutdown switch via an ambient air temp monitor you might consider some of the home automation devices that use Wi-Fi temperature sensors/alarms. You could predetermine a "yellow zone" ambient temperature alert setting. As an example lets say its set at ~95F to alert you that things are heating up so you can take preemptive action before the genset shuts down due to tripping the over temp circuit. That way, in a pwr outage situation you could open the doors to let some of the heat escape, rather than allowing the unit to shut down as its only remedy.

The wifi sensor could trigger an app on a PC or smartphone to alert you. I think there are sensors that use probes so the probe could go inside the unit with sender located outside if getting a wifi signal out of container is an issue. On the other hand, you might also be able to use a wired sensor that connects directly to house if close enough to run a buried wire up to house.

Wireless examples: https://www.amazon.com/Wifi-Temperature-Sensor/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i:aps,k:Wifi Temperature Sensor

Wired examples: https://www.amazon.com/Room-Alert-T...rd_wg=kTlqd&psc=1&refRID=BM1EEEMRTSN7V0MVRX74

https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Temp...974&sr=8-22&keywords=temperature+sensor+cable

 

[Ranger Danger]

Chainbreaker, thanks for the links. The problem is that I have this place to get DISconnected. My smart phone only gets one bar of service. I will probably leave a door open during the day if I need to run the granny. At night, I'll close the container up. I really don't think heat is going to be an issue.

 

[justacitizen]

you could always just leave one door open or just prop it almost closed to allow air flow. those big doors would block a lot of noise. these sets are designed to run in hot humid environments and hot desert conditions also so i don't think you will have much trouble if you have some air flow.

 

[Light in the Dark]

Why not just outfit the trailer for your wife, and put the generator where you want?

 

[Ranger Danger]

Why not just outfit the trailer for your wife, and put the generator where you want?

I would but she makes Way more money than I do and she lets me SPEND it!!��

 

[justacitizen]

I would but she makes Way more money than I do and she lets me SPEND it!!��

Aha! so this is "Her" generator. smile wink

 

[Chainbreaker]

Chainbreaker, thanks for the links. The problem is that I have this place to get DISconnected. My smart phone only gets one bar of service. I will probably leave a door open during the day if I need to run the granny. At night, I'll close the container up. I really don't think heat is going to be an issue.

Your welcome. I was just providing an alternative way of implementing Kloppk's suggestion of monitoring and acting upon the potential for rising temperatures inside your shipping container. Although I had forgotten that this setup is to supply your RV (that is until you eventually build a house on site) so I understand wanting to keep it simple for now. Just for clarification though, there are ways to monitor temp senders from a laptop, etc. which don't require the need for cellular service. However it sounds like heat build up may not be that much of an issue and if it ever is you have options to deal with it.

 

[Ranger Danger]

Aha! so this is "Her" generator. smile wink

Well......ya......but she lets me play with it!!

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