Generator PTO generator feedback

[SPYDERLK]

I'm not ready to call the chinese standalone engine equal to one I might see in a modern 1st or 2nd tier tractor brand....

soundguy

So, just to be clear, you think these diesel engines might be throwing away 15 or 20% more fuel than a tractor engine?
larry

 

[dex3361]

The unit is setting at my hunting camp at present and the name on the cover escapes me, Sensee or something strange like that. This is one of the Chinese units we see so many of these days and so far we only have 30+ hours run time on it. Not sure what the long term is going to be. If we get as good of service out of it as we have the '89 Coleman 4kW it will be a good value.

I bought a 6.5KW Chinese generator this year as well. I can juggle the load and run the water heater where I could not with the 4KW Coleman Power mate that I have had since 1991.

The Power Mate has been a very reliable unit starting on the first or second time every time. I just had to use it for a 6 day outage we had and I run more than 35 gallons of gas through it(runs 2 hours on a gallon). I was a head ache because it only has a 1 gallon tank.

The Chinese unit has a 3.5 gallon diesel tank mine is an Aurora and is the same as an Optigenerator. I did a break in run for 20 hours and then adjusted the valves and changed the oil to Synthetic. We will see if it holds up well.

 

[bucmeister]

I bought a 6.5KW Chinese generator this year as well. I can juggle the load and run the water heater where I could not with the 4KW Coleman Power mate that I have had since 1991.

The Power Mate has been a very reliable unit starting on the first or second time every time. I just had to use it for a 6 day outage we had and I run more than 35 gallons of gas through it(runs 2 hours on a gallon). I was a head ache because it only has a 1 gallon tank.

The Chinese unit has a 3.5 gallon diesel tank mine is an Aurora and is the same as an Optigenerator. I did a break in run for 20 hours and then adjusted the valves and changed the oil to Synthetic. We will see if it holds up well.

I guess you and I have very similar histories. Got my Coleman just 2 years before you, (the engine and gen head are painted green), I have been amazed at how well this unit has held up and I also have bragged about how dependably it has started and run over the years. With it I had to dump everything to run the water heater since the element is rated at 4.5kW, but it would do enough heating in a couple of hours to let us get decently warm showers on cool mornings.

My Chinese is due for an oil change. Broke it in and went through an outage that was just short of 24 hours with 15-40 Rotella, though the company guy recommends straight 30w. I am contemplating synthetic though. What kind did you use? By the way, did your valves need much if any adjusting? Guess I need to plan on checking mine.

 

[dex3361]

I never tried the water heater with the coleman, but I will say I have not had to do anything to that generator except change the oil(mine is green too).

I used 15w-40 Rotella for break in oil and I used 5w-40 Rotella Synthetic when I changed at 20 hours.
The valves were only slightly out of adjustment.
I did find that the oil filter had a small tear in it probably from the factory but there were only a few metal particles on the filter screen.
I have the generator manuals on PDF for my Genset if you are interested in a copy send me a PM. They may not be exact but might be good reference.

 

[dcyrilc]

Maybe thats my problem I'm stupid I have been trying to figure out whats wrong for years(I spent all that money and you solved it for free). Thanks. Thew other thing that I find is that I need my tractor at the same time I need the generator. The only thing that will fix this need is a stand alone generator or a reeeeeeeeally long cable.

Get the wife a tractor!

 

[Soundguy]

So, just to be clear, you think these diesel engines might be throwing away 15 or 20% more fuel than a tractor engine?
larry

Like I said in a previous post.. I'm not ready to come to a conclusion either way, and .. if youd have read my earlier posts.. which you obviously didn't???.. you'd see that i had said that I would bet the fuel usage would be close anyway.

And yes.. I do expect a cheap small engine to not be as good as an expensive large engine.

My tractor engine costs a few thousand bucks in crate form.. I suspect the rice generator engine doesn't.. I expect a long service life out of that tractor engine.. multi-decades of rated speed and rpm and hp output use. I don't expect multi-decade simialr use out of what amounts to a diesel lawnmower engine. But like I said.. I'd reserve judgement till I saw some actual DATA...

soundguy

 

[dcyrilc]

I went the other way around as I didn't have a tractor at the time. I have a 15KW standalone natural gas generator at the house and a 45KW propane which runs the ranch. Both with automatic transfer switches. The neighbors can ask to borrow them all they want, but they better have a long cord as neither is portable.

 

[SPYDERLK]

While the larger engine may burn a tad more fuel just for differences in spinning mass.. compairing diesel usage to diesel usage on the 2 gennies at the same electrical load level over the same time period.. I'd still lay my 2$ on them having such close fuel usage as to be negligible. The convienience factor, however, as you pointed out, is plenty enough to justify either combination as the owner see's fit.

soundguy

I wouldnt. The pumping and friction losses in the bigger engine will be a factor as you say. But more importantly, the standalone doesnt have the PTO transmission loss exhibited in the tractor and the genny gearbox. The end to end connection of engine to generator in a standalone approaches 0% loss of power. So, with near equal efficient engines and generators the standalone will be much more sparing of fuel use.
larry

I'm not ready to call the chinese standalone engine equal to one I might see in a modern 1st or 2nd tier tractor brand....

soundguy

So, just to be clear, you think these diesel engines might be throwing away 15 or 20% more fuel than a tractor engine?
larry

Like I said in a previous post.. I'm not ready to come to a conclusion either way, and .. if youd have read my earlier posts.. which you obviously didn't???.. you'd see that i had said that I would bet the fuel usage would be close anyway.

And yes.. I do expect a cheap small engine to not be as good as an expensive large engine.

My tractor engine costs a few thousand bucks in crate form.. I suspect the rice generator engine doesn't.. I expect a long service life out of that tractor engine.. multi-decades of rated speed and rpm and hp output use. I don't expect multi-decade simialr use out of what amounts to a diesel lawnmower engine. But like I said.. I'd reserve judgement till I saw some actual DATA...

soundguy

I read your previous posts. Odd that you cant tell... unless you didnt read mine. The inherent advantage in mechanical efficiency offered by the standalone setup is so great it will be hard to get back with a better engine in the disadvantaged unit [tractor system/+pto].

So, to repeat: Just to be clear, you think these diesel engines might be throwing away 15 or 20% more fuel than a tractor engine?
larry

 

[jamtuc]

I was reading these posts and really do not have an opinion...but do have a story about the security of your generator.
Talked to a fella out in western Ky after all the ice storms last year. He was using his small generator to power the heating in his home. Late one night after going to bed he said it kept getting colder and colder....the genny was still running so he thinks maybe a bad connection or something. Went out to check his connections and generator was gone but someone had left a nice running pushmower sitting in its place. Moral is if they want it bad enough they will get it.

 

[bucmeister]

I was reading these posts and really do not have an opinion...but do have a story about the security of your generator.
Talked to a fella out in western Ky after all the ice storms last year. He was using his small generator to power the heating in his home. Late one night after going to bed he said it kept getting colder and colder....the genny was still running so he thinks maybe a bad connection or something. Went out to check his connections and generator was gone but someone had left a nice running pushmower sitting in its place. Moral is if they want it bad enough they will get it.

Had the same basic thing happen to a guy during the outage after Rita which actually knocked power out longer than Katrina for us. These thieves were really gutsy, they cranked the guy's riding mower then jerked the generator while he was watching the late edition of the news. As the story was told, when the power went out he instinctively listened for the engine sound which he heard, so he grabbed a light, got dressed and put on shoes/boots all before he eased out to find out why the output had stopped even though the engine was still running. This is why I use a locked security cable to anchor my unit to the 2-7/8ths tubing that serves as the carport post. They will have to work at getting it loose or bring some high quality cable cutters with them, which they may one day because this kind of theft is getting more pronounced with every year.