Building a Powerhouse for my generators looking for ideas!

[90cummins]

I知 planning on building a powerhouse for my generators and I would like your input on design details that must be built into it to best serve its intended purpose.
First I will describe what I have and my plans.
The purpose of my powerhouse is to provide secure shelter for my generators from the elements and vandals.
It will be moveable (if needed) on skids and have a foot print of approx. 4x8ft with 7 feet headspace.
A two piece door will be used to allow installation & removal of generators.
It will house an MEP-952b Military diesel APU (600lbs) that generates 5.5kw of 28v DC power to support my battery backup system.
A portable Yanmar 4kw 120/240 generator will also be inside with possibly 55 gallons of fuel for both generators to draw from.
I also have a Honda EU 2000i that can support my essential needs in the winter.
I plan to use stud construction and insulate it for noise control and to maintain an interior temperature of perhaps 50 to 80+ degrees using thermostatically controlled fans to maintain interior temperature.
Roxul will be used to insulate and fire code sheet rock will go over that.
Diesels are prone to wet stacking if operated cold so this will help avoid that condition and improve their efficiency.
Exhaust will be plumbed out thru the roof or side not sure on this.
The exterior will be Hardy board cement siding to match my house.
It will be located in back of my house to minimizing noise exposure.
Using quality generators of various sizes to match my Kw needs my plan is to be able to maintain my home for several weeks if needed.
My time frame is to start building it in my garage when the snow flies.
If you suggestions or photos of your powerhouse please post them.
Thanks
90cummins

 

[docone]

90cummins, check with local building, electrical and fire codes, all of the design criteria will be available from these resources, and you will be compliant in all areas as long as you follow the codes.
I am a generator systems tech, working for national defence.

Dave

 

[boggen]

fuel (gas / diesel) can be an issue with storage. other words if fuel went BOOM! the shed could turn into a more deadlier bomb!

fuel storage has its own set of rules / regulations / laws / and possibly inspections as well. some of it deals with run off water and if a leak ever happened. and needing to contain the fuel. while other is make sure if things did go BOOM! there are exhaust ports that would be large enough to deal with the BOOM!

i would hesitate to build it portable. that much electricity and that many gens, you will have electrical coming / going from shed. and most likely some sort of "emergency shut off"

ventilation for just "fumes" themselves can be an issue. generators = enclosed area / shed = extra restrictions / laws / regs.

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lean to building = 0 to 3 sides. with a roof. and one side min completely open (no wall) put what ever you want for 1 side. and fence in the other 3 sides. say rebar mesh, or some sort of chain link fencing. there should be no need to heat / cool the area. and as a result no need for any sort of insulation.

put in a concrete floor / pad that just lays on top of the ground. and call it good enough. toss in some anchor eye bolts once you get things poured and after smoothing. so you have a couple spots to toss some chains through and then through generator frame work. with a padlock to lock things down.

the longer open side of the lean to. make sure it is either 1 single large door. or 2 doors. that open up completely. so you can open up the gate doors per say so you can use tractor to move generators in out / fuel in/out.

if you face the "open side" away from house. noise will go in other direction.

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if you are wanting portable. i might advise a "3pt hitch carry all" as base framework. assuming you do not need to load generators into back of truck or onto trailer. 600lbs... might be easier just using FEL (front end loader) of tractor to either strap it and lift it, or push/pull gen into the bucket of FEL.

not a large fan of SKIDS. for entire shed. you are talking a huge amount of extra weight, once you get lumber, sides, roof, etc.. on and you may be out of a lot of luck trying to find a tractor to lift it all up.

again might be easier just to build a shed with concrete floor. and forget portable shed doing. and getting away from various varments that will most likely try and make a home under shed with skids or like underneath it.

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auto start with auto transfer switch. for one or multi generators = you can not simply build an enclosed shed. that requires opening doors / vents and like. meaning venting and like will need to be there 24/7 most likely some vents with some sort of fine mesh. to keep birds / rodents from coming in through the vents.

have had birds, bats, squirls, come down chimmy for fire place on cabin and fire place for house a few times over the years. including a mouse that got into a dryer vent and built a nest in the vent piping. you can pickup some pretty small metal mesh out there. that keeps most of everything out but bugs. i forget what size screen / mesh you need to keep out bugs. keeping out bugs = more issues with dust and like clogging up the screen / mesh = bad.

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google keywords....
generator shed
then click up on images and scroll down a few pages. lots of various doings.

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simply insulation may not cancel out the noise. but rather a noise canceling material can work much better, even old carpet lined on the walls.

you might look at a larger mufflers. just like vehicles... a straight pipe (no muffler = very loud) getting a better muffler = can not tell if car is on/off do to it is so quiet running.