Chariot for a Generator

[awemawson]

As some of you may be aware, I recently completed the resurrection of a 110 kva 11.3 litre diesel generator that is destined to run my 100 kva induction furnace. Thread here:

https://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,12989.0.html

I had intended to house it in a lean too building adjacent to my main workshop but a/ this has a sloping concrete floor, and b/ it is quite a distance from where the induction furnace will be operated. Now there is an area next to my 'foundry room' where my wife keeps a few geese, but there would be masses of room to put a small container, or even an old concrete garage, to house the generator.

A concrete garage would necessitate a concrete slab (about £1000  ) and they are unbelievably heavy to dismantle / re-assemble - I know I've done it twice at my old place!.

20 foot containers are locally fetching £1200 in reasonable condition, plus delivery, added to which the EDF three phase power line to my workshop crosses this area and the limited height prevents the hi-ab lorry placing the container where it's needed.

So I hit on the idea of obtaining a substantial trailer, and building a sound reducing 'box' on it to house the generator. This way I can roll it into position with my tractor, and if necessary in the future pull it out again for use elsewhere.

As the generator weighs at least two tons (and probably nearer three) your average baby trailer wasn't going to cut the mustard. Ideally a three axle job, with jack at all corners to take the weight off the tyres when static for months (maybe years!) on end.

Facebook Marketplace revealed the one in the attached photos

[awemawson]

Now it was reasonably local - 55 miles away - and theoretically I could fetch it with my Landrover Discovery. The plant trailer was equipped with the 'Eye' style of towing hitch, and my hitch on the Disco is able to take 50 mm ball or Eye, however the eye on this trailer is extremely stout, the width of the 'doughnut' of the eye being too great at 35 mm for my attachment where the distance from the rear of the pin to the housing is only 30 mm.

Fortunately a friend was able to lend me a pin attachment that took the some mounting bolts as mine, and easily took the bigger ring. A slightly nerve wracking journey eventually saw it in the farm yard. The over run brake on the trailer is not functioning and as the trailer is darn heavy braking was 'interesting'. The Disco has a 'tell tale' indicator light that confirms that if a trailer is fitted, it's indicators are working. No such confirmation, so turning was always a bit squeaky, but amusingly when I got back I discovered the the indicators WERE actually working, but as they are retrofitted modern LED ones, they didn't draw enough current to operate the tell tale relay 

So what is the plan. It's up in the air at the moment - I'll take my time and let a plan coalesce in my mind before I get the angle grinder out - but initial thoughts are:

A/ Totally remove the 'Beavertail' arrangement and its associated sloping deck .

B/ Remove the present 'mudguard' arrangement in it's entirety - it's pretty rusty and will get in the way - yes those are scaffold boards that have been bolted to them !

C/ Cut off all the tie down loops from the pair of fore and aft chassis members and clean them up as the starting point for building the 'box'

D/ Obtain and mount four corner jacks

Now the hunt is on for suitable material to make the box itself - desirable properties are:

A/ Weatherproof

B/ Sound reducing

C/ Fireproof

D/ CHEAP !!!!!


So there we have it chaps - I am very open to any suggestions at this stage to guide this project. It won't happen quickly as wrong decisions at this stage will have consequences down the line.

[nrml]

Galvanised box profile roofing sheets fixed to a frame on the trailer. Thick fibreglass insulation on the insides for noise reduction.

[chipenter]

A insulated cold unit would also do sound https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11FT-INSULATED-WEATHERPROOF-DRY-STORAGE-CONTAINER-/233284996491 that's the first I found , but I am sure you can do better .

[WeldingRod]

Compressed fiberglass duct board has excellent acoustic properties.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[mattinker]

Hi Andrew,

When insulating my workshop, I used fridge truck panels. a friend of mine works as a salesman for a company that builds and repairs refrigerated truck bodies. Accident damaged trucks have to have whole panel s replaced (50mm foam with a skin of fibreglass inside and out), so the semi trailer that hit a low bridge generates large panels that have to be replaced and disposed of. Unfortunately,  these panels are on the wrong side of the chanel for you, but, there might be a fridge body builder near you!

Regards, Matthew.

[awemawson]

Jeff, a complete refrigerated van body would be pretty well ideal, but I've been looking for a while for one of the correct proportions - several available that frustratingly don't quite fit the bill - I suppose what I'm looking for is relatively narrow for it's length. (or perhaps relatively long for it's width !!)

Jeff (Chipenter) the compressed fibreglass insulation panels are eluding my googling at the moment, do you know a source

Matthew, yes I thought of your panels when I started planing this, they'd be very handy. I even considered getting an over sized 'lorry back' in the refrigerated variety, and dismantling it as a source of the corner and edge extrusions as well as the panels themselves.  A few supermarket 'home delivery' van bodies have come up locally but sadly although the overall length and width are about right, the roof slopes down too much to the cab.

. . .but I suppose life is a series of compromises . . . .something will turn up 

[WeldingRod]

Google "duct board" for compressed fiberglass.  It will come with some sort of skin on one side.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[awemawson]

Sadly I'm only getting suppliers based in the USA searching for Duct Board.

[nrml]

100mm thick rockwool slabs sold for acoustic insulation are reasonably cheap. If you fit them on metal battens inside a structure made of galvanised roofing sheets, it ticks all your desirable criteria list with the added benefit of allowing enough air circulation space to reduce condensation build up inside the wall. It will look a bit third world, but it will be cheap.

[V8DRUID]

how about some of those cold room panels that are used for building cold storage rooms ?
range from 2" to about 6" thick

[awemawson]

Yes they are just what I want, but no local source and the transport gets silly for big things like that.

I did get a quote for a complete set to make up a suitable sized box, £2400 

[V8DRUID]

Yes they are just what I want, but no local source and the transport gets silly for big things like that.

I did get a quote for a complete set to make up a suitable sized box, £2400 

OMG  .. ned to keep an eye open for someone scrapping a cold room perhaps .... I do have a contact down the village who builds cold rooms and refrigerated bodies ... see if I can catch up with him ... used to build him trailer chassis for making mobile cold storage units ... see what he has kicking about or what he knows for ... what sort of dimensions Andrew?

have you looked for s/hand silentpak enclosures ... usually a few on ebay

[awemawson]

I've come to the conclusion that all solutions to box in the trailer are too expensive to justify and am reverting to housing the generator in the stable - see thread here :

https://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,13100.0.html


Anyone want to buy a three axle plant trailer ?

[DaveS]

Might be useful to keep it, in case you buy an old machine for restoration 

[awemawson]

Well Dave I sold it on eBay just before the Covid-19 issue at a price that gave me about 50p profit taking eBay fees into consideration. The buyer failed to collect on the first, second and third arranged days, and now of course CANNOT collect due to lock down.

So 5 minutes ago I cancelled the sale as eBay had already added the £69 final value fee to my account - cancelling removed the charge just before they debited it from my bank!

So by default I have kept it, but it's a big lumbering thing and will have to go when this virus thing is over.

[DaveS]

The Good, the Bad and ugly all mixed into one. Seems about right for this year so far.

On a brighter note how is the mighty Oak going?

[awemawson]

Still growing and so far I’ve avoided decapitating it when I flail the hedge !