Generator Compartment Dirt

All the CC/front shield guy, I have a question.

I opened the bay to the generator, a PTS 17.5, and the whole area was covered with sand and fine dust. I'm not sure how this area should look after 3000 or so miles and 30 hours of gen. useage. I cleaned the filter to the compartment and checked the air filter to the gen. it's self. The cover to the air filter has the rubber insert to remove and dump out dirt---I did and a fair amount of 'talc' looking dust came out.

The gen. was serviced prior to delivery, all filters and fluids, and was spotless. I ran on paved roads only. I did park on mostly gravel sites while in the AZ. area.

Am I concerned about nothing or do I need to seal up the compartment with better filter material?

Thanks for the input.

30 hrs of gen time is relatively nothing. If things went from clean to dirty in that amount of time you would of had to be in some pretty terrible conditions. We have no filter on the compartment itself. We have a a opening covered with a stiff mesh. I can run it for months and the gen bay requires a quick spritz with 4-09 or Fantastic.

Larry, my generator compartment does the same thing. Gets dirty real fast with the same kind of grit/sand you describe. I just hose it clean before I wash the coach. The air filter is never real bad but I blow it out every time I change the generator oil. I don't think you have a problem.

Ted & Jan, where do you think the sand is getting in? The compartment filter wasn't that dirty and it should have been for the amount of sand. The bay door seal seems good and tight as well. Is there another hole somewhere I haven't found? Do you run your gen alot enroute?

Joe, so how does your compartment stay so clean?

Is the sand coming in as a result of running or as a result of going down the road.

Where is the radiator located, and does it have a fan? You may be pulling in fresh air.

Like Gary says, the radiator fan is the likely culprit here. I will take a close look tomorrow and see exactly how my compartment is set up and where the opening that is letting the grit in is located. I run the generator most of the time while driving.

Larry,

There is a hole under the generator, probably 18" square with a screen and a foam filter pad that draws in cooling/combustion air. Mine requires the services of a double jointed midget to attack, in the 40 there is an access port in bay 1L, don't know about a 45. Should you not have that foam pad, spect that your unit has been vacuming the ground under the coach..my guess!

Also Arizona is full of sugar sand...by that I mean that stuff that looks like talc and if you had the generator running and it was sucking in that stuff...nuff said.

John

John, I DO have the fibermat{?} in the hole. Not sure about the fan location as Gary and Ted spoke of.

Ted, keep me posted if you find the fan air source.

Larry,

Mine is mounted fore/aft in bay 2L. Hole is between bays 1L and 2 L. Fan/fan belt all that stuff mounted on the engine between radiator and the block, facing aft.

I do not get any dirt to speak of, the air filter on the engine (identical to yours) remains clean. Btw, in this access compartment is also the battery for generator start/stop....PITA to check/change...not charged by anything but the generator.

John

John, mine is configured a bit differently but I will dig a little deeper in the AM.

Thanks

Larry,

I started to answer this yesterday evening, but wanted to see other responses first. Mine accumulates dirt and grit quickly as Ted stated his does. I generally blow mine with air or vacuum.

Let me know if you figure out why this happens.

Hector

You guys that are getting dirty are the radiators in the same enclosure as the gen itself. If so that would be a big reason. I know there is a course filter for the intake on this design but try improving it. On this design where both components are in the same "box" you are also exhausting noise from the gen along with the hot air from the radiator, no good Mr bus driver.

IMO the better design is to separate the 2 for both reasons it stays clean and it is quieter.

Larry,

On the Liberty the gen and fan assembly are in separate compartments, but those compartments have air openings between them, usually with some type of screen. I think you will find that all that dust and junk probably came through the openings while running your gen in Arizona.

Maybe Paul can jump in here, his vintage is the same as yours..

On our Liberty, the "box" that contains the generator stays very clean.... no accumulation of sand or such.

However, I don't remember ever running the generator while driving, although it has been running in some fairly dirty areas while stationary for as much as 18 - 20 hours at a time to keep the AC's running while dry camping. Still, no real issue with dirt or sand.

Wish I had an answer for you....

Larry,

I think Truk is probably right on. I notice the dirty ones all appear to be operating or from the Desert Southwest. CC does install that pad/fibermat/foam or whatever on the inlet screen and yeah it can get dirty fast. Mine does not get too dirty but on the other hand I rarely use the generator so that may explain that!

Get out your first aid kit, stock up on band-aids, and attack the fiber matt with a good bath...then watch it. I'll bet your issue disappears now that you are out of the desert.

John