Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Topic: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector (Read 1117 times) previous topic - next topic

Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

June 03, 2020, 01:30:34 pm

I finally got around to installing the deflector for the camera and air intake that John Haygarth so kindly provided to me a few years back. The reason it took me so long is that I installed a somewhat unique backup camera system shortly after we bought our coach back in 2011. The camera I installed not only has a physical form factor much larger than the OEM camera, I also mounted it on a powered tilt mechanism to be able to view from above the horizon at the top of its travel to the front of the tow bar at the bottom. Because of this I wasn't able to mount the deflector as it came from John because the proximity of the 3 center clearance lights to the camera/air intake location would block a significant portion of the view when the camera was tilted above the lowest position. To address this issue, I cut about ¾" off along the length of it and relieved the portion of the mounting flange where it intersected with the lights. While at it, I rounded off the edges on the ends to fit my sense of aesthetics. I think that the protrusion of the deflector should be adequate to protect the intake in the rain and next time we drive in the rain, I will be able to see if the view stays clearer on the backup camera.
Don

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #1 – June 03, 2020, 01:42:13 pm

Nice install, great idea. John made it heavy-duty, too.

You just created another project for me to do on ours.

Greg

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #2 – June 04, 2020, 02:47:44 pm

A forum member messaged me about the effectiveness of the deflector regarding whether or not camera visibility would be helped by the deflector. Speaking from his experience, it doesn't help. I hope that my experience will be different, but I won't be terribly upset if it isn't. One thing he brought up was the difficulty of determining the deflector's effectiveness at protecting the air intake from water getting into the filter housing. Giving that some thought, it occurs to me that mounting a GoPro or other water proof camera on the ladder and aiming it at the deflector from the side (while driving in the rain of course!), you might be able to see to what degree the streaming water over the roof of the coach was being sucked in by the gigantic low pressure area at the back of the coach. Of course, the GoPro's view of the deflector would likely be to obscured by the water, but maybe it could be sheltered somehow... Academic question though, because I don't even have a GoPro...

Don

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #3 – June 04, 2020, 02:58:01 pm

I put a deflector on mine in Fla last year. On the way back to Yuma we ran a bunch of rain. I pulled the air cleaner a month ago, no evidence of water entry, and the air cleaner was still reasonably clean.

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #4 – June 04, 2020, 03:22:39 pm

So far OK for me too as far as I can tell. An interesting experiment, a camera on the ladder looking at the area around the air intake. Add a bunch of short streamers, 2-3" long held on with tape around the air intake and on the deflector, drive down the road without rain. It will give you an idea what the air movement is doing. I have done a lot of wind tunnel testing on up to 16% scale railroad cars and on real railroad cars in Kansas measuring airflow and pressure distribution. One can imagine the result or measure it and actually see. Airflow around the rear of our coaches is very complex. And none of us has a supercomputer to do the simulations.

Who has a GoPro?

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #5 – June 04, 2020, 03:41:15 pm

Don, as usual, another stunning job. I tried to talk John out of one, but he had already moved and didn't have the shop to make any more. Timing is everything.

Larry

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #6 – June 04, 2020, 03:47:13 pm

Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 – June 04, 2020, 03:22:39 pm

So far OK for me too as far as I can tell. An interesting experiment, a camera on the ladder looking at the area around the air intake. Add a bunch of short streamers, 2-3" long held on with tape around the air intake and on the deflector, drive down the road without rain. It will give you an idea what the air movement is doing. I have done a lot of wind tunnel testing on up to 16% scale railroad cars and on real railroad cars in Kansas measuring airflow and pressure distribution. One can imagine the result or measure it and actually see. Airflow around the rear of our coaches is very complex. And none of us has a supercomputer to do the simulations.

Who has a GoPro?

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #7 – June 04, 2020, 04:12:45 pm

Great idea Roger!
Of course, no need to drive in the rain to gauge the effect of the deflector on air flow... I was thinking of putting a smoke pot on the roof but figured that it might well garner unwanted attention... especially in this climate of unrest! Streamers would do the job!
Don

Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 – June 04, 2020, 03:22:39 pm

So far OK for me too as far as I can tell. An interesting experiment, a camera on the ladder looking at the area around the air intake. Add a bunch of short streamers, 2-3" long held on with tape around the air intake and on the deflector, drive down the road without rain. It will give you an idea what the air movement is doing. I have done a lot of wind tunnel testing on up to 16% scale railroad cars and on real railroad cars in Kansas measuring airflow and pressure distribution. One can imagine the result or measure it and actually see. Airflow around the rear of our coaches is very complex. And none of us has a supercomputer to do the simulations.

Who has a GoPro?

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #8 – June 04, 2020, 05:35:42 pm

Thanks for the reminder, I started making one to day and it's almost finished. I just need some help to make sure it doesn't
interfere with the backup camera.

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #9 – June 04, 2020, 07:25:31 pm

Don, you didn't do a blog on this camera and your install did you?

Interesting for sure!

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #10 – June 04, 2020, 09:09:27 pm

Here is an update on our coach filter. After just reading the article I took a photo of the install date of the last one and as can be seen it is over 5 years ago and although I have not checked it visually now I did a couple of months ago and it was still very usable and had a very light dusting of grey at the intake port section. So, having said that it tells me that the deflecter is doing the job I hoped it would and given a much longer life thereby saving money and the engine too.
JohnH

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #11 – June 04, 2020, 09:40:54 pm

Hey Joe,
No blog, but I did some posts and even a YouTube video of the pan tilt actuator in action. I will dig it up when I get a chance in the next day or two, as today is day two of packing for a trip down to Pio Pico for a few weeks.
Don

Quote from: juicesqueezer – June 04, 2020, 07:25:31 pm

Don, you didn't do a blog on this camera and your install did you? Interesting for sure!

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #12 – June 04, 2020, 09:41:34 pm

The Cummins engine tech that rebuilt my ISM11 after it suffered an air filter failure suggested changing the filter every three years. He said if you open the canister - remove the filter, throw it away, clean the interior very carefully and put in a new filter. Don't open the filter canister unless you are ready to change it.

So that is what I am doing. It is due next summer.

The best filters you can get cost less than $100. The worst are about $60. Rebuilding your engine will cost $25K or more. Sometimes it just doesn't pay to skimp on critical stuff.

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #13 – June 04, 2020, 11:44:49 pm

Roger, What would be the best brand airfilter?

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #14 – June 05, 2020, 06:29:11 am

Don't know if it's the best, but I buy the Donaldsons brand. Never had a problem with them.

Larry

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #15 – June 05, 2020, 08:45:59 am

Best is subjective. I use the Donaldson Blue DBA5029.This is Donaldson's highest performance air filter. This part number is for the air coming in the side and out the end. There is an equal for the setups where air comes in the end and out the side. I understand some earlier FTs used this configuration. Be sure to check.

Search on line, I looked today and found one for under $80 but shipping was $34.

When you include shipping this place has them for about $96.
Donaldson Filters for Diesel Trucks, Engines and Tractors

See Air Cleaner Quality

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #16 – June 05, 2020, 10:11:05 am

Donaldson air filters are my choice, but you must give ANY filter a good look before installing it. My engine uses the DBA5025 and here is a picture of a brand new one I received direct from Donaldson a filter change ago.

Had I taken this filter out of the box, installed it, and went on my way...no doubt my engine would have been dusted. Donaldson did next day air another one with apologies, but if I hadn't paid attention much trouble would have resulted.

I continue to use Donaldson air filters, installed another new one just last week, but bottom line....look them over! (any brand)

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #17 – June 05, 2020, 11:25:26 am

Good suggestion, Ralph. I got one filter with a slightly bent end. I called and they sent a new one. Got it in two days. Every part we get for our coaches needs to get inspected before it gets installed.

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #18 – June 05, 2020, 01:14:30 pm

Classic Foretravel Owners + epic engineering skills = awesome reading and learning for the rest of us.

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #19 – June 07, 2020, 09:56:11 pm

Thanks to Don for reminding me about the defector, I finished mine today

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #20 – June 08, 2020, 12:26:01 am

Looks great I attached mine with 3M trim tape, no screws.

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #21 – June 08, 2020, 08:44:54 am

Are yall making all of these from aluminum? I wonder how white ABS plastic would hold up. It's easy to bend and form using a heat gun. Doesn't sound difficult to paint if wanted to match.

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #22 – June 08, 2020, 10:44:40 am

John Haygarth made mine out of ⅛" aluminum flat stock. I imagine ABS would do as well, though it might need to be thicker. After all, Winnebago apparently makes their end caps out of ABS, at least in certain years. Personally, I prefer fiberglass or other composites for projects like this, or stainless steel or aluminum.
Don

Quote from: folivier – June 08, 2020, 08:44:54 am

Are yall making all of these from aluminum? I wonder how white ABS plastic would hold up. It's easy to bend and form using a heat gun. Doesn't sound difficult to paint if wanted to match.

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #23 – June 08, 2020, 10:57:03 am

I've driven mine across the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas in the summer several times and you all know what kind of rain that comes with. Did it without a deflector and took on no water BUT on the wrong day with the wind and rain direction just right ,water in the intake WILL happen therefore I am going to have a deflector.. In no way do I plan to shoot dice with ruining an engine when an easy fix/ preventative is available.. Good job to whoever thought of the remedy.

Re: Unicoach Air Intake Backup Camera Water Deflector

Reply #24 – June 08, 2020, 01:58:23 pm

I took a little different approach to the air deflector. Didn't want to drill any more holes in the coach, so, while I had the intake grate out to replace the rearview camera (6 nuts to remove from inside the cap), I fabricated a .032 aluminum piece from a cardboard pattern, painted it white and some caulk to seal it above. Seems to work fine...no water in air filter canister after driving thousands of miles in the rain. Just what I did. Woody.

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