Your last generator Maintenance Run

[Chilliwack Murray]

Can you attach a picture of the heater? Industrial tank style heaters usually have a thermostat on the inlet to shut off when the incoming coolant hits about 85F which ideally keeps the engine block about 120F.

If it’s in the rad hose it’s probably not an OEM heater if this is a genset from a major manufacturer.

On standby units they aren’t for starting as much as to keep the engine warm enough to go straight to 1800RPM and immediately accept 100% block load. Depending on the application they are required to do this in either 10 or 15 seconds of a power loss. Just like starting your car and immediately putting your foot to the floor and keeping it there. It only takes a handful of starts like that before the rings grab a liner and it comes outside to visit.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... this is why year round the hospital units have coolant heaters... Code requires max 10 second load transfer... we average about 6.

It use to bother me because 52 times a year it was tested... It would just slam the generator full throttle.

Now it is only monthly because of added Air District restrictions on testing and maintainence hours limited to 20 annually.

Cummins/Onan must be good... 25 years of service always performs.

 

[ultrarunner]

they wont hate you if you power their houses also. Might have to purchase a fuel truck too.

This one has 360 gallon belly tank reduced to 180 gallons because it is double containment should the inside tank leak...

Testing monthly now vs weekly has drastically cut fuel consumption.

I dipped the tank every 6 months but annual lab fuel analysis now required

 

[grsthegreat]

This one has 360 gallon belly tank reduced to 180 gallons because it is double containment should the inside tank leak...

Testing monthly now vs weekly has drastically cut fuel consumption.

I dipped the tank every 6 months but annual lab fuel analysis now required

is that an epa requirement or a hospital requirement... the testing

 

[ultrarunner]

is that an epa requirement or a hospital requirement... the testing

Bay Area Air Quality Management District for run limitations and max 10 second because hospital that accepts medicare...

The generator predates the district but now the district assesses annual stationary source pollution fee and imposed the 20 hour max testing and sends out inspector to examine logs and verify allocation of hours...

$565 was most recent fee for this generator... reporting included fuel calcs weighted on sulphur content.

The grocery store next door can line up refrigerated trucks running all week or rent standby power but not counted because temporary nature.

A very savvy stationary engineer once told me to be happy about regulation as it means employment but looking at it from a business point it just eats away at the bottom line.

 

[grsthegreat]

Bay Area Air Quality Management District for run limitations and max 10 second because hospital that accepts medicare...

The generator predates the district but now the district assesses annual stationary source pollution fee and imposed the 20 hour max testing and sends out inspector to examine logs and verify allocation of hours...

$565 was most recent fee for this generator... reporting included fuel calcs weighted on sulphur content.

The grocery store next door can line up refrigerated trucks running all week or rent standby power but not counted because temporary nature.

A very savvy stationary engineer once told me to be happy about regulation as it means employment but looking at it from a business point it just eats away at the bottom line.

Omg..... that would drive me nuts. So glad i moved from the nanny state. I hear this is the next requirement for you guys before you go outside.

 

[3930dave]

Can you attach a picture of the heater? Industrial tank style heaters usually have a thermostat on the inlet to shut off when the incoming coolant hits about 85F which ideally keeps the engine block about 120F.

If it痴 in the rad hose it痴 probably not an OEM heater if this is a genset from a major manufacturer.

On standby units they aren稚 for starting as much as to keep the engine warm enough to go straight to 1800RPM and immediately accept 100% block load. Depending on the application they are required to do this in either 10 or 15 seconds of a power loss. Just like starting your car and immediately putting your foot to the floor and keeping it there. It only takes a handful of starts like that before the rings grab a liner and it comes outside to visit.

What is the consensus on modern inline coolant heaters ? I tried one on a car many years ago - it worked well initially, but died by the second Winter, or maybe just the end of the first Winter.

Hopefully they've gotten better than back when..... I see two concerns design-wise - at any decent wattage level, I'd expect the inline heater to generate some kind of pumping action, given the limited volume in a hose. That "pump" is what seemed to pack it in on mine, years ago. In hot-weather/high-load conditions, my concern would be that adding anything inline to the hose may restrict flow to some extent. Then.... there's cavitation...... any good design shouldn't add any, but.....

I haven't seen enough small generator diesels to know..... does most of the small stuff have enough of a water-jacket to install a traditional (the elements do seem smaller though, today....) immersion heater in the block ?

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

For me the inline coolant heaters is far superior to the freeze plug heaters which I was lucky if I got 2 years...

 

[3930dave]

No, I'm keeping the 20 and entertaining the idea of selling the kubota. The 20kw is probably twice as "big" as I need, but I was happy with the $4500 price and the 1800rpm. Mrs. Rusty wanted to get away from the portable type requiring the tractor to move it to the house and connecting, playing with the panel lockouts and "stuff", maybe she has a horrible accident planned for me.
The 20kw is a 200' walk from the house (out at our meter and transfer sw) so it's just starting the genny and throwing the xfer switch.

Is it in a generator shed, or just roofed-over ?

Rgds, D.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have never used an inline heater but I agree, they are better at circulating heat. They just make a tractor look so butchered although I know that's just cosmetic. Usually when you see one on an older tractor, you also see all kinds of added wire and electrical tape as well it seems.