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-   -   Some changes to the Doghouse (https://www.classadrivers.com/forum/owner-operators-forums/34662-some-changes-doghouse.html)

Double L 07-19-2008 09:56 AM

Trying to be famous like Rev and burn down the truck? :lol:

Doghouse 07-19-2008 10:04 AM

Don't jinx me man :shock:
I'm too much of a paranoid, I won't even think of running this thing unattended without 20hrs of test time and thats after all the bugs are out.
Problem with the capacitor was that so many companies make them that they all had diff. temp ranges. The 2 I ordered didn't have the temp range stamped on them so I had to test it to see.
After I moved it to the outside the capacitor barely got warm.

NotSteve 07-19-2008 10:10 AM

Capacitors are not meat to cycle on and off. They are meant to overcome their barrier potential once in a blue moon at full charge. Moving it will not help. They are not meant to work that hard. Emergency situations are their calling.

Doghouse 07-19-2008 10:21 AM

Thanks for the input, looks like I'll have to look into the problem a bit closer.

Double L 07-19-2008 10:22 AM


Originally Posted by Doghouse
Don't jinx me man :shock:
I'm too much of a paranoid, I won't even think of running this thing unattended without 20hrs of test time and thats after all the bugs are out.
Problem with the capacitor was that so many companies make them that they all had diff. temp ranges. The 2 I ordered didn't have the temp range stamped on them so I had to test it to see.
After I moved it to the outside the capacitor barely got warm.

Sorry Doghouse I couldn't help myself, since everyone else is getting their digs in figure why not me. :lol:

Doghouse 07-19-2008 10:29 AM

Thats OK, believe me I've burned some stuff up in my day. I just don't want it to be my vehicle this time :wink:


Steve,
The capacitor on my unit seems to regulate the current to between 115 and 125volts. Without it the gen head won't even put out any current. Do you suppose this is more a voltage regulator than a capacitor?

I had a diff. capacitor on it and the unit would only put out 4 volts, then I put the old one on and it seemed fine, but the reason I took it off was because it was swinging between 56 volts and 130 volts.

Putting this unit outside sure seems to have made a diff.,....thanks for another night of no sleep while I try to figure this damn thing out. :cry:

Rev.Vassago 07-19-2008 10:36 AM


Originally Posted by Doghouse

Putting this unit outside sure seems to have made a diff.,....thanks for another night of no sleep while I try to figure this damn thing out. :cry:

Better than a night of sleep because you are busy putting fires out like me. :lol:

Doghouse 07-19-2008 10:51 AM

I certainly can't disagree with that Rev :lol:

NotSteve 07-19-2008 06:13 PM

Yes, your right. I don't know what I was thinking about last night when I wrote that. Most generators need a small load to get them going and what works best is a ballast. If you take the capacitor out and plug a small florescent light in that will kick start things into motion. I would still recommend the cap but can't tell you what size to use but I have a feeling it may be huge!

Many people who have small generators at home have a small florescent light that comes on every time the generator starts.

Doghouse 07-20-2008 06:44 AM

I double checked it today, it works perfectly now that I moved that capacitor away from the ambient heat of the engine compartment. It's been running for 4hrs and it's got the sleeper down to 60.4degrees. I'm going to set the temp. at 73degrees and see how it does cycling on and off for the rest of the day.


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