Your last generator Maintenance Run
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dieselscout80
Veteran Member
Question on how does a poly tank minimize moisture accumulation?
Happy in NC
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Used mine a month ago for a week due to Helene. All went well. Justified running it for the fridge and freezer but really it was for Net and TV. 
WinterDeere
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Speaking out of turn, here. But I suspect 90cummins reasoning was more about size, than material. Less air in a 30 gallon drum, versus a 50 gallon drum. Poly may also reduce fresh air exchange, if metal drum top didn’t have a good seal, anymore.
Fallon
Super Member
Metal is a good conductor of heat & plastic is not. So when temperature drops metal gets cold faster & causes moisture to condense faster. The same reason your mirror fogs up before the walls (or a plastic container) after a shower. It doesn't stop condensation, but slows it a bit.
Also, plastic doesn't rust after the moisture accumulates.
Here, we can occasionally get a 25C swing in ambient, over 12 hours or less, often coupled with high humidity. With that delta, any thermal delay you can affect is a Good Thing.....
Not gonna talk about the accountants running the facility I work in (haven't had BP meds yet today....), as the bulk fluid tanks are all mandated to be @ 1/2 capacity or less..... and, they're all metal.....
Rgds, D.
90cummins
Veteran Member
The change to a poly tank was primarily to minimize condensation & eliminate rust with a steel drum. After a cold spell frost often formed on outside of the steel drum at the liquid level & there was considerable rust in drum when removed.
The poly tank is also semi-transparent so I can see the fuel level and the smaller size is more appropriate for the limited space.
90cummins
The poly tank is also semi-transparent so I can see the fuel level and the smaller size is more appropriate for the limited space.
90cummins
bdhsfz6
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I use poly tanks as well for all the above reasons. The only issue I have is, I use red dyed fuel and over time, it stains the inside of the tank making it difficult to impossible to see the fuel level.
bdhsfz6
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Finally finished my home backup generator project. It took longer than I estimated and I was getting a bit nervous. I sold my PTO generator a few weeks ago and power outage "season" is approaching.
It's a Kubota GL11000, 11 KW unit which I put in an unused space in the rear of the barn. It's up on blocks but I ordered the wheel kit in case it needs to be moved.
It's controlled from the house and monitored with cameras that I added to my security system. Rather than use an auto transfer switch, I elected to control it manually so I can set my own warm up and cool down times.
The trickiest part was the exhaust system. I needed something that would vent outside without melting the vinyl siding or burning the place down.
I found this product that works perfectly:
It's double wall, stainless steel design minimizes it's outer temperature. I used stainless bolts to offset the mounting flange from the siding and filled the space around the outer shell with muffler wrap.
I'm still thinking about a block heater or some other prewarm method. I'll probably wait and see how it starts on cold days. The barn isn't heated but it does buffer the outside temps considerably. My tractors always start in the building, even on the coldest mornings, so I'm hoping the genny will too.
The only thing left to do is come up with a way to fuel it. It only has a 7.4 gal tank, which will provide 13 hours of run time at 1/4 load, or 7 hours at full load. I fuel my tractors from my fuel oil storage tanks in the house. The generator is stationary, so I'm looking at a caddy to transport fuel to the barn. More to follow.
It's a Kubota GL11000, 11 KW unit which I put in an unused space in the rear of the barn. It's up on blocks but I ordered the wheel kit in case it needs to be moved.
It's controlled from the house and monitored with cameras that I added to my security system. Rather than use an auto transfer switch, I elected to control it manually so I can set my own warm up and cool down times.
The trickiest part was the exhaust system. I needed something that would vent outside without melting the vinyl siding or burning the place down.
I found this product that works perfectly:
It's double wall, stainless steel design minimizes it's outer temperature. I used stainless bolts to offset the mounting flange from the siding and filled the space around the outer shell with muffler wrap.
I'm still thinking about a block heater or some other prewarm method. I'll probably wait and see how it starts on cold days. The barn isn't heated but it does buffer the outside temps considerably. My tractors always start in the building, even on the coldest mornings, so I'm hoping the genny will too.
The only thing left to do is come up with a way to fuel it. It only has a 7.4 gal tank, which will provide 13 hours of run time at 1/4 load, or 7 hours at full load. I fuel my tractors from my fuel oil storage tanks in the house. The generator is stationary, so I'm looking at a caddy to transport fuel to the barn. More to follow.
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
you need to run it for awhile on a hot day and see what the exhaust temps are around the wood. me, id feel better if that was metal support, like my fireplace uses.