Your last generator Maintenance Run

[3930dave]

I had mentioned earlier that the regulator on my Neihoff 28 volt alternator was bad and I was undecided on how to proceed. Being a fan of market place I found a 5500 watt belt driven generator with a Yanmar hopper cooled diesel mounted on a very nice frame.
I picked it up for $250 brought it home and with a bit of love got it running and did a test run when the generator stopped working.
Inspection found a bad capacitor and TBN helped me find one that works very good regulating at 120v at 60hz.. I also replaced the 3 pole 240v outlet with a 30 amp 4 pole 120/240 outlet.
A google search originally identified the engine as a Yanmar NS10 however further looking found that NS65G is cast into the back of the flywheel.
After giving the injection pump some love and 4 oil changes and several oil filter cleanings I ran it loaded 2.7kw for several hours in preparation for load and fuel consumption testing.
The engine runs at 2200 rpm and the belt driven generator runs at 3600rpm.
It handles a 2.7 kw load nicely but the governor not as accurate allowing the engine to run up to 2500 rpm (68)hz when unloaded.
I have determined that 3.5kw is the maximum load the engine can manage.
The engine is hopper cooled with water and is NOT pressurized but has a condensing radiator on top with a belt driven fan which cools, condenses and recycles the water. During extended full load runs I have not observed steam escaping from the vented overflow tank.
This engine is started with a hand crank that I’m unable to manage so I use my Milwaukee magnum drill and an adaptor to & start it.
Fuel consumption is approx 18-19 grams per minute with a 2.7kw load.
If my rusty math is correct it would run 2.9 hours per gallon with a 2.7kw load (3.618)hp.
Based on my limited time with this unit it would not work as a stand alone backup because of the poor governor speed control however it would work fine as an AC supply for my inverter because the inverter would condition the input power and provider true pure sine 60hz output voltage.
Because of the low operating speed of 2200 rpm I would not hesitate to run this for days if needed.
I was having very little luck in finding information on this engine until bmaverick from TBN saw my post.
The information he had at his fingertips and his recollection of data was truly impressive.
That’s it for today 90cummins

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Interesting Find, and Fix, 90. Thanks for posting the details and pics..... not a design I was familiar with.

No water-pump to change !

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

We moved into our new home a few weeks ago. As part of the utility transfer, the gas company had to come out and inspect the installation and document the gas appliances. I had been smelling the slightest odor of propane near the tank/generator area. Turns out the supply line to the generator was barely hand tight and leaking.

Yikes !

Not something you want to find later..... kids tossing sparklers around 4'th July, or otherwise !

Rgds, D.

 

[kenmac]

Well, I just had a generator installed a couple months ago. So I should have no maintenance to perform until next yr .....Generac 35Kw 4.2 L V6 Ford

 

[3930dave]

Well, I just had a generator installed a couple months ago. So I should have no maintenance to perform until next yr .....Generac 35Kw 4.3 L V6 Ford

A big-block.... compared to what some of us run ! Is that the Ford straight 6 ?

Congratulations ! Lots of house A/C tonnage to support, or is that for an outbuilding ?

Rgds, D.

 

[kenmac]

A big-block.... compared to what some of us run ! Is that the Ford straight 6 ?

Congratulations ! Lots of house A/C tonnage to support, or is that for an outbuilding ?

Rgds, D.

sorry. I missed a key it's a 35 KW with 4.2L V6. It's for the house and also wired to the shop .
I bought it used with 600 hrs on it and had it installed

 

[3930dave]

sorry. I missed a key it's a 35 KW with 4.2L V6. It's for the house and also wired to the shop .
I bought it used with 600 hrs on it and had it installed

I'd say your typing is fine.... it's my eyeballs that aren't working...... either that or I'm a quart or 2 low on coffee !

Nice coverage for both buildings. Propane, Natgas, or ______ ?

Rgds, D.

 

[kenmac]

NG

 

[3930dave]

Relatively rare for NG to be down, so really nice for extended storm outages

Do you have it set to exercise once/month, or ________ ?

Rgds, D.

 

[nickmags]

Have seen this thread for a few years, not paid it much attention. Read a few of the first posts, but went to other things. Saw the title pop up again, and thought about my portable 7,500w. Long story short, went out, tried to start the thing. Checked oil - uh oh - Way over full and smelled of gas. Noticed I had left the fuel shutoff open. The small amount, about two quarts of gas left in the tank, had drained down through the carb, filled the cylinder, and eventually bled past the rings into crankcase. Drained oil/gas, added new fuel and a new plug, plus some carb cleaner to flush carb. Eventually got the thing running, but took umpty zillion pulls to finally get it going. Would have been a mess in a power out situation. More than likely had it not been for the new post to this thread, I would not have thought about checking the gen. Thanks.

 

[3930dave]

Have seen this thread for a few years, not paid it much attention. Read a few of the first posts, but went to other things. Saw the title pop up again, and thought about my portable 7,500w. Long story short, went out, tried to start the thing. Checked oil - uh oh - Way over full and smelled of gas. Noticed I had left the fuel shutoff open. The small amount, about two quarts of gas left in the tank, had drained down through the carb, filled the cylinder, and eventually bled past the rings into crankcase. Drained oil/gas, added new fuel and a new plug, plus some carb cleaner to flush carb. Eventually got the thing running, but took umpty zillion pulls to finally get it going. Would have been a mess in a power out situation. More than likely had it not been for the new post to this thread, I would not have thought about checking the gen. Thanks.

Nice save Nick

Back When (I started this thread) I thought time went quickly. Now, I blink, and 6 months goes by. Originally figured maybe 6 people might drop-by this thread, we'd chat on gens, and I'd have a Reminder To Self sitting on my Thread List. I've learned a great amount about generators (small and big) from the people who have stopped by this thread, seen tremendous total rebuilds done, and some rural Christmas postcard-perfect Generator "Sheds" built. It's been fun.

Of all the small engines, gens concern me the most. I have a high ground-water table here, esp. Spring and Fall. The Murphy Never Rests scenario you had would not have been a fun-time, 3am here, with ground-water rapidly rising......

If it's Summer here (typ. low ground-water), and my lawn-mower decides it's not going to run.... Oh Well, I'll order a new Carb/kit, then I'll be forced to fill in my time with something like...... motorcycle riding .

Rgds, D.