MEP- 803A All Weather Enclosure

[Bubba73]

Hey guys I am new to the forum. Picked up a 803A and as you can see I am building a full enclosure for it.
Any finish ideas other than lots of venting? Was going to run the exhaust through the roof.
Any ideas would be great.

Thanks

 

[Coug]

Because the shed is so small, try to seal off as much as you can to around the top of the generator. The idea is you want all of the waste heat to go up and out, and not give it any route to recirculate inside the enclosure. Large vents on the sides where the air intakes are, screened to prevent rodents from entering.

Excess heat is the enemy of all generators, and I've seen more than my fair share that were installed in places where the exhaust and heat couldn't escape resulting in toasted units.

You could probably run the exhaust out the side instead of the roof, gives it one less place to fail and leak.

 

[Chainbreaker]

Not related to finishing...but if you ever needed to pull an engine or gen head how easy would it be to remove the generator from the enclosure or lift the complete enclosure off?

I'm thinking about ideas of locating some eye-bolts for lifting the structure up & off or hinging one side on bottom, or end, to a ground plate so it rotates up and out of way for servicing or allows complete removal of genset.

 

[rcamacho]

Expense aside, non flammable materials might be a consideration in the event of a genset fire.


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[Daybreak]

Howdy,
Do you have means to remove the generator from there?
Will the shed lift off?
Why so tight around the generator?

Door swing radius, changing filters, gaining access, filling fuel, control panel access.

 

[Bubba73]

Howdy,
Do you have means to remove the generator from there?
Will the shed lift off?
Why so tight around the generator?

Door swing radius, changing filters, gaining access, filling fuel, control panel access.

Yes all doors will open allowing for access to everything. Shed doors will either swing up and prop or swing out.
I have a skid steer should I need to remove the generator from the shed. All the lower and upper openings you
see will be doors with vents in them. I may just steel screen the entire top from the generator up.

 

[Bubba73]

Not related to finishing...but if you ever needed to pull an engine or gen head how easy would it be to remove the generator from the enclosure or lift the complete enclosure off?

I'm thinking about ideas of locating some eye-bolts for lifting the structure up & off or hinging one side on bottom, or end, to a ground plate so it rotates up and out of way for servicing or allows complete removal of genset.

I have a skid steer with fork tines for getting it out. Thats how I got it in there. I will be hinging all sides with vents in every door.

 

[69birdman]

Welcome bubba,
A couple of questions:
Where's the power meter to the home? Most, not saying all, but most have power meter, A/C, (utilitys) in a side of the home with no Windows. That would be optimum location for the gen set.
Be aware of your local codes on backup generators. "Fixed" units may require you to permit & have inspections as opposed to being classified as portable (on a trailer) with plug in cable.
Also, what's your auxiliary fuel plan?

Peace Brian

 

[Hard Head]

Maybe you should look at my new hood design and screen the intakes. You won't need a shed at that point. You can build a small fence to hide it if that is also part of your goal. Sorry I didn't have a pic on my phone with the flap installed. Just a rod rolled into the flap and a weak magnetic strip that keep it closed until the 803 fires up. No worries about ice, snow, and leaves. Originally sound was directed up to the bedroom window. Now it diverts sound toward the ground since the flap directs it down.

 

[Bubba73]

Maybe you should look at my new hood design and screen the intakes. You won't need a shed at that point. You can build a small fence to hide it if that is also part of your goal.View attachment 776583 Sorry I didn't have a pic on my phone with the flap installed. Just a rod rolled into the flap and a weak magnetic strip that keep it closed until the 803 fires up. No worries about ice, snow, and leaves. Originally sound was directed up to the bedroom window. Now it diverts sound toward the ground since the flap directs it down.

Looks really good. However I live 3 miles from the ocean. Been through 3 hurricanes in the last 5 years. Rain blowing sideways can still get in.
What is the price of one of those covers?

 

[mavucci]

I like the hood design. Are you selling them?

 

[Hard Head]

I have a few left. These are heavy aluminum (3/16" thick), that are laser cut and bent. I will see how much I have in them. They were not cheap as it took a whole sheet to make one.

 

[Bubba73]

I have decided I am just going to have roof protection leaving all sides open. Now for the exhaust I think I will just flash the underside of the enclosure so I can wipe the soot off. Anyone see why this would not work?

 

[Coug]

There is a very large amount of airflow from the generator blowing the exhaust off to the side, so as long as there is plenty of space for it to blow the heat and exhaust out away from the unit and not back into the intake I don't see any issues.

You could always make removable panels to hide it when you aren't using it, then remove them all when you want to fire it up. That is unless you plan to install the automatic start board one of the members here has been selling for these things, in which case you'd want unrestricted airflow all the time.

 

[enem178]

You can't just leave these things in the elements? Im asking because I'm close to pulling the trigger and I thought they would be fine without an enclosure.

 

[Coug]

You can't just leave these things in the elements? Im asking because I'm close to pulling the trigger and I thought they would be fine without an enclosure.

That's pretty much all we ever did in my unit in the Army. Some of the ones mounted to trailers had bows and covers over them, mostly the MEP00X series. The MEP80X units didn't get covered.

It SHOULD be just fine out in the weather, but here in the civilian world we don't typically have all the same resource and supply chain behind us that the military does, so a little extra protection is never a bad thing.

 

[enem178]

That's pretty much all we ever did in my unit in the Army. Some of the ones mounted to trailers had bows and covers over them, mostly the MEP00X series. The MEP80X units didn't get covered.

It SHOULD be just fine out in the weather, but here in the civilian world we don't typically have all the same resource and supply chain behind us that the military does, so a little extra protection is never a bad thing.

Got it! Thx

 

[Guyfang]

That's pretty much all we ever did in my unit in the Army. Some of the ones mounted to trailers had bows and covers over them, mostly the MEP00X series. The MEP80X units didn't get covered.

It SHOULD be just fine out in the weather, but here in the civilian world we don't typically have all the same resource and supply chain behind us that the military does, so a little extra protection is never a bad thing.

Got to agree. As long as the exhaust flap stays closed, its going to be alright from elements. The critter problem requires a bit more thought. Mice, bees, mud dobbers and the like, not to mention these things seem to be hornet magnets, can be a problem. I lived for a year in Graham, not far from you. Read some of the threads about critter control. For my money, I have seen more damage from mice, then weather.

 

[enem178]

Got to agree. As long as the exhaust flap stays closed, its going to be alright from elements. The critter problem requires a bit more thought. Mice, bees, mud dobbers and the like, not to mention these things seem to be hornet magnets, can be a problem. I lived for a year in Graham, not far from you. Read some of the threads about critter control. For my money, I have seen more damage from mice, then weather.

I may consider installing it on a utility trailer and storing it in the garage until needed.

 

[smokem joe]

Hardware cloth or expanded metal mesh to cover the openings keeps everything out. I use hardware cloth in the air intakes and the expanded metal from the fan guards underneath to fill the holes there.