As a neat alternate to a generator mounted in a trailer, do like we have done
to a couple of our pole line construction trucks. You can get from Northern
Equipment and several other sources a BELT DRIVEN generator, in other words -
without a motor. Then with a little math to determine the proper belt pulley
size, mount the thing on your HMV main drive motor. Our jeep/truck motors
are extremely oversized for a small generator, and will sit there all day
long happily ticking over at idle speed, spinning the generator at the same
time. Eliminates (1) spare fuel (2) another motor that may not start when
you need it (3) noise level issues (4)cooling problems and not to mention the
whole trailer.
These can be had up to 10KW and are belt driven off of the main truck motor.
Use a simple idler arm with an extra pulley on it to tighten the drive belt
(similar to the old WWII jeep generator arms). Most, if not all HMV's have
got a throttle knob, so you can bump the speed up a notch or two if need be.
We have 3KW units on three of our trucks, simply for drills and an occasional
light stand. The trucks sit there all day running anyway to supply the
hydraulic power to the booms, so that's not a problem. For the camping
aspect though, it would mean you jeep/truck would run well into the night.
Tom Campbell
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