[DK on the road]

I'm not full timing but do enjoy several months at a time on the road. So not sure where to post the following.

 I have discovered a weakness in my preparation of traveling into colder weather. We are currently in Amarillo TX and they have been experiencing a bit of a cold snap this week, having single digits overnight and wind chill to a minus 4 +/-. My coach 784's weakness is at the generator compartment. I should have looped a Aquahot line or a extension from my engine coolant lines into the Hush box and along the fuel lines. My fuel tank and fuel is saying it's at 22 degrees and I had not, till now, added any additives to keep my fuel from gelling. Currently the Gen set will not start due to fuel gelling. Running my Cat engine recirculates the fuel and gets fuel warmer, while running, and brought up 150 gallons to 30 degrees in about 10 minutes of fast idling.

The Hush box is the only compartment that is not piped into the Aquahot. I have been able to keep the coach comfy and the Preheater on the Cat engine at about 110 degrees. 

Yes, I know, why travel during these temperatures? The answer.... I do not like being confined to rules and common sense LOL

[Richard]

Can you get a 75 watt bulb in your here temporarily to get it cranked?

[cwl1979]

As a resident of extreme (every winter but this one) arctic temps, I had not thought about the genset heating or fuel issue. Now that i have, Arctic Fox tank heaters. Downside is this would be something Newell would have to install in all their new coaches, but would give anyone absolute peace of mind. I know from experience that they will keep fuel from gelling at -68F. You could probably extend the loop for the "stir pump" and put a heat loop in the hush box. As an after thought one of the Diesel Hydronic heaters could be used to preheat the genset coolant. I wonder how many zones you could actually run through the Aqua Hot? I suppose someone could install a lower radiator hose heater in line with the genset and use a bay outlet to warm it as well. would work if plugged into shore power but not real effective if boondocking.

Anyways, thanks for giving me something new to think of a solution for.

[DK on the road]

Can you get a 75 watt bulb in your here temporarily to get it cranked?

Short answer is yes. Done. Thank You Richard! 

But I was using the only corded light I have, in my Compressor box. I had it there because I once had the pumps freeze up. 

With Fuel additive placed in the tank, running the C15 for 5 minutes to circulate the additive, along with a period of warming with the light, and the ambient temps getting way up to 22-24 degrees, I think a starting it up in a bit will get the additive into the fuel line to the Gen set and allow me to have access to the genset when needed. 

When I get back to my shop, I might add 40' (+/-) of a loop of Heater hose with valves only to be opened when it's cold, so I can loop coolant adjacent to my Genny fuel and filter in the hush box. I have a side mounted Genset, so it's not super hard to route all of this.

Adding another loop line to my Aquahot is option #2. I need to review how I add to its manifold and another pump. Currently I'm to cold to go outside and investigate

[Richard]

Hmmmmm, another option might be to add a 12V powered heated fuel filter assembly.

[arcticdude]

Depending on how you're set up, Racor has a bowl with a heater that goes on their filters. They've got 12V and 24V versions.

The Racor 24V part # is RK21113-24-10, while the Cat 24V part number is 157-1206. The Cat part # for the 12V version is 155-2629. I haven't looked for the Racor part # for the 12V version. While I have searched for the Racor number, I've found using the Cat number is less expensive.

All part numbers listed also have a WIF sensor port as well. There are versions without that sensor.

[360]

Interesting post Dave. I experienced something similar yesterday. We were planning to leave tomorrow so i went up to grab the coach yesterday to bring it home to load up, etc. I had went to top off my fuel earlier in the week and added Power Service at the recommended rate and ran my generator back from the truck stop (maybe 15 minutes max). Yesterday I pulled out of the shop, fired up generator just fine and went to drain my waste tank and had to futz around getting into the dump site so maybe 20 minutes and generator started acting like it was running out of fuel and then died.

Went back up there today after it had sat inside at 60ish degrees overnight and it would sputter and smoke but not really fire. My gut thought it would fire right off after warming up a bit but I was wrong. Took it to a friends shed where my favorite mechanic will stop by on his way home to see what's up and also to fix my diesel Aquahot while it's there and we're just going to use a hotel on this trip tomorrow.

What has me stumped if it was gelling is that I would have thought 15 minutes or so would have drawn plenty of treated fuel, but maybe not? I also had a thought that at about 7 degrees yesterday MAYBE with the 50 mile an hour wind from my fan blowing right past that filter she gelled anyway as I only treated it to be down to zero degrees and not a double dose. If that was in fact the case it sounds like a heated filter as described above would be the ticket regardless.

Truth be told I was more than a little nervous about heading out with the only Aquahot being run by my generator/electric and I'm going to just chalk this up it having been either a bad idea or a little warning to get as Bill would call it my belt and suspenders with having two ways to heat at damned near zero vs. heading off hoping all goes well with I thought was up to now a perfectly functioning belt with my electric side only.

[afrench]

Are you sure it’s the fuel gelling for
The gen? I have been experiencing the same problem but found out it was my fire extinguisher is low. When it’s warm out it reads there is enough pressure that it will run. When it’s cold the pressure shows it is empty and will not let the gen run. Bypassed it and viola it fires right up until I can replace fire extinguisher.

[bestgenman]

I’ve spent over forty years in the generator business and had a small fleet of sets for rent. So, I’ll share forty winter experiences.
This is my opinion which will not be shared by all.  If you search the net for gelling temperatures you’ll see it is all over, but the median point seems to be about ten degrees F for the starting point.  This is where the wax begins to solidify.  Additives can prevent this or at least lower the gel point.  However, water enters into this conundrum. As temperatures change, water condenses and this occurs from the refinining storage tanks clear through the transfer process until it reaches the supply tank for the generator, there’ll always be some water.  The filters are paper, for the most part, and will absorb the moisture, no matter how small.  When fuel passes through the media at below 32 degrees, the moisture trapped by the paper freezes blocking the flow. 
Most diagnoses of gelling are actually frozen filter media not gelling.  The remedy is fuel additives to prevent gelling and plenty of filters.  At the beginning of cold weather, always change fuel filters and carry spares before heading out.
Fleetguard and Racor, to name a few, have in line fuel heaters built into some of their filter heads which are thermostatically controlled to start heating when the temperature drops below their set point.  If there are wires going to your filter head and you don’t have WIF indication, it’s likely for the heating element.  It is rare to seem them in motor coach applications.  

My two cents worth!

[Richard]

Thanks Gordon,

That was extremely informative, and makes perfect sense when I think about it.