jdonovan
Gold Member
I use Speedtest.net - The Global Broadband Speed Test It uses flash, which I dislike, so I just enable it when I want to run a speed test, and then return to disabled.
Building a stick frame house in the woods in 90 days
- Thread starter pclausen
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pclausen
Veteran Member
Yep, speedtest is what I use as well. We actually have it installed at work for our external customers to use for this very purpose. It's pretty fun watching the results when run from a workstation with a 10GB link to our core network. 
So I hauled my biggest load of logs, by far, this morning. Other than the Allison downshifting a little more than usual to maintain 55mph in a couple of spots, and needing to turn up the maxbrake controller from 45 to 50 to get decent breaking, it felt like any other run to the mill. This 11 year old duramax truck continues to impress.
I almost could not believe the numbers when he gave me the slip. Well over 11 tons of logs, and a gross of over 37,000 lbs!
Last night we have a power outage that lasted from around 2am until 6:30am. At 4am I finally got my generator started after going through almost a full bottle of starting fluid, but I'm pretty used to that at this point and will be addressing that issue soon.
The bigger issue was that mom's generator shut down after about 1 hour of running due to an overload condition. Didn't really have time to look at it this morning in my usual rush to get the logs to the mill and then head to work, but after I talked to her about it a little more this evening, she explained that the A/C was also acting up. So I took a look and the inside coil was completely frozen over.
I started checking the wiring, and it turns out the installer the builder had put this unit in completely fubar'ed the install. This is a 2 stage hp, and it was wired as a single stage one. In fact, it didn't even have the proper 6 conductors between the air handler and the outdoor unit, and the dip switches had never been set to indicate a dual stage hp and the tonnage dip switches were also not set right. On top of that, the settings on the Nest thermostat were off.
The aux heat for defrost was not even jumpered correctly.
I suspect that what happened (and this has probably been going in since it went online), is that it was running way to cool and then the aux heat came on at the same time to deal with the frost built up. That 10kw emergency heat elements are about the only thing I can think of that would cause the generator to go into overload. The only other appliance that mom has that could pull even close to 13kw would be the electric oven, and I'm pretty sure she wasn't using that between 2am and 6am. :laughing:
So I hauled my biggest load of logs, by far, this morning. Other than the Allison downshifting a little more than usual to maintain 55mph in a couple of spots, and needing to turn up the maxbrake controller from 45 to 50 to get decent breaking, it felt like any other run to the mill. This 11 year old duramax truck continues to impress.
I almost could not believe the numbers when he gave me the slip. Well over 11 tons of logs, and a gross of over 37,000 lbs!
Last night we have a power outage that lasted from around 2am until 6:30am. At 4am I finally got my generator started after going through almost a full bottle of starting fluid, but I'm pretty used to that at this point and will be addressing that issue soon.
The bigger issue was that mom's generator shut down after about 1 hour of running due to an overload condition. Didn't really have time to look at it this morning in my usual rush to get the logs to the mill and then head to work, but after I talked to her about it a little more this evening, she explained that the A/C was also acting up. So I took a look and the inside coil was completely frozen over.
I started checking the wiring, and it turns out the installer the builder had put this unit in completely fubar'ed the install. This is a 2 stage hp, and it was wired as a single stage one. In fact, it didn't even have the proper 6 conductors between the air handler and the outdoor unit, and the dip switches had never been set to indicate a dual stage hp and the tonnage dip switches were also not set right. On top of that, the settings on the Nest thermostat were off.
The aux heat for defrost was not even jumpered correctly.
I suspect that what happened (and this has probably been going in since it went online), is that it was running way to cool and then the aux heat came on at the same time to deal with the frost built up. That 10kw emergency heat elements are about the only thing I can think of that would cause the generator to go into overload. The only other appliance that mom has that could pull even close to 13kw would be the electric oven, and I'm pretty sure she wasn't using that between 2am and 6am. :laughing:
FairfaxStu
Gold Member
Speedtest, huh? I just got about 85 down and 40 up over FIOS which is pretty fast. They claim it is 75/75, but I will take it. With the information you provided, savvy people should be able to figure out what exactly it is you do for a living.
37,000 lbs? Jeez... Got that CDL yet?
Somehow, them goofing on your HVAC wiring is not surprising. Glad you figured out the problem and I am sure you will be addressing it soon.
As for your generator woes, you should get a Generac Tech out to figure out the fuel delivery problem. I spoke with the fat ******* the other night and he agrees. I also asked if he happened to have a spare LP carb laying around but he does not. And you will be proud, your old block is still running fine except for the fact that it smokes like crazy for a few minutes after startup. He has replaced most every component around it so the problem must be a micro-fracture in the block.
-Stu
37,000 lbs? Jeez... Got that CDL yet?
Somehow, them goofing on your HVAC wiring is not surprising. Glad you figured out the problem and I am sure you will be addressing it soon.
As for your generator woes, you should get a Generac Tech out to figure out the fuel delivery problem. I spoke with the fat ******* the other night and he agrees. I also asked if he happened to have a spare LP carb laying around but he does not. And you will be proud, your old block is still running fine except for the fact that it smokes like crazy for a few minutes after startup. He has replaced most every component around it so the problem must be a micro-fracture in the block.
-Stu
mkane09
Silver Member
Peter, I'll bet that left rear tire on your trailer can't believe it's 37,000 lbs either. Not sure I'd load that trailer that full on subsequent trips. If you had a blowout, fishtail, wiped out a schoolbus, I'm not sure what you'd tell the State Troopers... JMHO.
mkane09
mkane09
jdonovan
Gold Member
955Lincoln
Gold Member
Does your thermo allow both AC and heat (auto mode)? The only way it could go into defrost is in the heat mode and it did get a little chilly last night and that chunk of ice didn't help things either. Maybe the water heater came on at the same time if it's electric? This could become a problem during the winter if the power goes out when the heat pump goes into its normal defrost cycle which turns the resistance heat on. Could you wire it for like 5K of heat during defrost?
Peter,
If your theory about the Heat Pump is correct, you may be shocked if you look at the electric meter to see the total consumption since it was installed and/or since you turned the unit on after the plasterboard sanding was done.
Ron
If your theory about the Heat Pump is correct, you may be shocked if you look at the electric meter to see the total consumption since it was installed and/or since you turned the unit on after the plasterboard sanding was done.
Ron
tractchores
Veteran Member
Not totally on topic, but we put a generac 14kw generator at mynparents. It had tons of issues, most of which were solved by adding 2 propane tanks to increase the fuel feed rate, one tank couldn't vaporize enough propane to feed it. The remaining issues were solved by a new control board. I won't buy another one after that.
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pclausen
Veteran Member
I don't plan to go that extreme in the future for sure. I guess the fact that my straps did not reach and I had to extend them with a 2nd set should have been a clue.
The G.V.W.R of the trailer is 22,500#. Trailer empty is 5,800#, so the net load capacity is 16,700#, however, being a GN, 25% of the weight can be on the truck rear axle, which would add 5,625 back, so the effective net load capacity is 22,325#. At 22,800#, I was technically only 475# over.
That said, the poor truck was definitely way over what it was rated for. As far as stability, being a GN, there is zero sway/fishtailing since the point of attachment is directly over the rear axle of the truck as opposed to the bumper. 14 tires carrying all the weight, divided into 37,100# gives each tire a load of 2,650#, well with their 3,000# + ratings.
But all that said, I plan to go back to around 9 tons per load for the remainder.
PILOON
Super Star Member
Not only is vaporizing a problem with propane, but in much colder climates if the demand is high propane will freeze up. Also with lower the temps the pressure drops and you end up only using a portion of the available gas.
I.E. you pay for a full tank and only use a portion of it. Guess the answer would be to install some kind of wrap around heating blanket.
OP
pclausen
Veteran Member
I don't think its a fuel delivery issue. Once I get it started, it will run fine indefinitely, including pulling my 4ton HP without breaking a sweat or hesitating when the compressor comes on and off.
I think the issue has to do with the governor adjustment, which I know is off since we had to redo the bosses where it mounts since the other engine had been modified to allow a regular gas carb to be mounted to it. However, to adjust it requires a 15kw dummy load. If I get a Generac Tech out, I'd need to make sure he has one, or he would just be wasting his time.
I'm inclined to just put my 8kw one back in service. It should be able to pull my HP in stage 1 no problem, and then sell the 15kw one. I really want to switch to a inverter based diesel generator, but those are hard to come by on this side of the pond.
FairfaxStu
Gold Member
Good luck selling a generator that won't start as anything other than parts only. Seems like you would be better off to get it fixed, use it for a bit, and then sell it in working condition.
-Stu
FairfaxStu
Gold Member
Peter:
A good company that services generators will have a mobile load that they can bring by. I remember several years back when the generator at the building I was working in was rebuilt. It took them about 2 weeks and, at the end, they brought in a large truck with a load tester to verify the operation of and tune the generator. The load was capable of testing this generator which serviced the entire 10 story building. I imagine it was 500 KVA or better. So, in a nutshell, there are companies out there that can do this - it is just a matter of finding them.
-Stu
A good company that services generators will have a mobile load that they can bring by. I remember several years back when the generator at the building I was working in was rebuilt. It took them about 2 weeks and, at the end, they brought in a large truck with a load tester to verify the operation of and tune the generator. The load was capable of testing this generator which serviced the entire 10 story building. I imagine it was 500 KVA or better. So, in a nutshell, there are companies out there that can do this - it is just a matter of finding them.
-Stu
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pclausen
Veteran Member
The saga continues. The guy that originally installed the HVAC system came back today and ran a 8 conductor wire to the outdoor unit and got it wired correctly. What he had done before, was to short the YO and Y2 wires together at the outdoor unit, thinking that would be easier that replacing the 5 conductor thermostat wire rather than replacing it with the proper 8 conductor one. He then installed the humidifier and quickly tested that the unit was cooling and left.
Well, I then programmed the Nest thermostat for 2 stage heating and cooling and the added humidifier. I then noticed that when the Nest was not calling for cool, the air handler was not running, but the outdoor unit kept running and the pressure relief valve would keep coming on and off. I then removed the Nest from it's base, the the behavior continued. I then shut off both the air handler and outdoor unit at the breaker panel. After a few minutes, I turned the outdoor unit breaker back on, and the compressor started running right away, the Nest still not being on its base.
So my conclusion is that by him shorting YO and Y2 together originally, he blew the controller board in the outdoor unit... So everything is powered down for the night. We are having another company come in tomorrow to look over the install and determine what it will take to get everything working properly. The level of incompetence here just boggles the mind.
Oh, did I mention that the guy that that here today dropped the Nest face place on the tile floor and cracked the glass? He never even mentioned it before he left. I'll be picking up a new unit tomorrow and subtract the cost (and that of the service visit by a competent HVAC outfit) from the balance owed the builder.
Well, I then programmed the Nest thermostat for 2 stage heating and cooling and the added humidifier. I then noticed that when the Nest was not calling for cool, the air handler was not running, but the outdoor unit kept running and the pressure relief valve would keep coming on and off. I then removed the Nest from it's base, the the behavior continued. I then shut off both the air handler and outdoor unit at the breaker panel. After a few minutes, I turned the outdoor unit breaker back on, and the compressor started running right away, the Nest still not being on its base.
So my conclusion is that by him shorting YO and Y2 together originally, he blew the controller board in the outdoor unit... So everything is powered down for the night. We are having another company come in tomorrow to look over the install and determine what it will take to get everything working properly. The level of incompetence here just boggles the mind.
Oh, did I mention that the guy that that here today dropped the Nest face place on the tile floor and cracked the glass? He never even mentioned it before he left. I'll be picking up a new unit tomorrow and subtract the cost (and that of the service visit by a competent HVAC outfit) from the balance owed the builder.
OP
pclausen
Veteran Member
Not so far. He said he did recheck the charge and it was unchanged since the install, but with these guys, who knows...
You might discuss the potential damage to the system that may not show up for a year or more with the "competent HVAC outfit"
It will probably be hard to prove later on, but they can tell you what to expect. The manufacturer may not cover the equipment replacement, since it was not installed properly.
FairfaxStu
Gold Member
Woah, hold onto your hats, folks. Peter is about to get pissed off because even he has reached his limit. I don't blame you one bit Peter. When you have to tell your contactrors how to do their own jobs, it is absurd. Go get them my friend!
-Stu
-Stu
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pclausen
Veteran Member
So the other heating and cooling outfit came out Friday and quickly diagnosed the problem. A short or other malfunction in the Nest base plate, that caused heat and cooling to be called for at the same time. This took place even with the Nest pulled from the base plate. He manually wired it for cool stage 1 and stage 2, and it worked exactly as it should.
The other thing he found was the the original guy had not upgraded the transformer in the air handler to a 75VA unit, which is supposed to be done when you're driving a Clean Effects whole house air cleaner, so he got one of those on order for me.
I picked up another Nest from Lowe's and got it wired up, and sure enough, everything is now working like it should. We have been dealing with that other HVAC company for going on 20 years, so needles to say, they will be the ones servicing mom's HVAC system going forward...
Yesterday I got all the logs on the high side of the house cut up and ready to haul to the mill.
Also took a few exterior pics. DirecTV and Exede dishes.
Front stone work just about done.
Today I got the rest of the burn piles going, and then started hauling in dirt to level along the fence line. Unfortunately my old GMC buckled when I started backing up with the first load.
I was able to scoop out most of the dirt the bucket on the tractor, and then dump the bed to get the rest out. The tire really did a number on the inner and outer fender.
Got the front end up on blocks.
Snapped the lower ball joint.
So I had to drive the rest of the dirt one yard at a time from my place.
The other thing he found was the the original guy had not upgraded the transformer in the air handler to a 75VA unit, which is supposed to be done when you're driving a Clean Effects whole house air cleaner, so he got one of those on order for me.
I picked up another Nest from Lowe's and got it wired up, and sure enough, everything is now working like it should. We have been dealing with that other HVAC company for going on 20 years, so needles to say, they will be the ones servicing mom's HVAC system going forward...
Yesterday I got all the logs on the high side of the house cut up and ready to haul to the mill.
Also took a few exterior pics. DirecTV and Exede dishes.
Front stone work just about done.
Today I got the rest of the burn piles going, and then started hauling in dirt to level along the fence line. Unfortunately my old GMC buckled when I started backing up with the first load.
I was able to scoop out most of the dirt the bucket on the tractor, and then dump the bed to get the rest out. The tire really did a number on the inner and outer fender.
Got the front end up on blocks.
Snapped the lower ball joint.
So I had to drive the rest of the dirt one yard at a time from my place.
Peter,
We are thankful that the ball joint didn't snap just as you were turning left into RRL. That could have been a rollover
I hope you will post pictures when the gate is installed and after your mom gets her backyard flower containers all arranged it would be neat if
you would take an isometric view of the back showing the garage side and the back.
If you would take 2 images using the cha-cha method that would make a great 3D picture pair that could be viewed on the computer monitor
in full color without using any glasses.
Almost time for the supermoon to appear tonight at 9:30, if it isn't too cloudy. I got some good shots at 50X optical last night at about 11:30 pm
but as you know the moon is biggest when it first comes up.
Ron
We are thankful that the ball joint didn't snap just as you were turning left into RRL. That could have been a rollover
I hope you will post pictures when the gate is installed and after your mom gets her backyard flower containers all arranged it would be neat if
you would take an isometric view of the back showing the garage side and the back.
If you would take 2 images using the cha-cha method that would make a great 3D picture pair that could be viewed on the computer monitor
in full color without using any glasses.
Almost time for the supermoon to appear tonight at 9:30, if it isn't too cloudy. I got some good shots at 50X optical last night at about 11:30 pm
but as you know the moon is biggest when it first comes up.
Ron
