sodamo
Super Star Member
- Joined
- May 20, 2004
- Messages
- 15,838
- Location
- Big Island, HI
- Tractor
- LS XR4140H (Mine) BX2380 (wife’s)
Generator info:
This is a Kohler 14RESA, 14kw, propane. Normal warranty is 5 years/2000 hours, or 18 months/1000 hours off grid.
Seems both Kohler and Generac are much less generous in their off grid offerings. Only certain models allowed.
We are off grid. Primary purpose of generator is battery charging. Currently that is happening every day for us lately. Don’t know if my orphaned, bankrupt batteries are beginning to fail (not holding power thru the night), a gremlin in the system, or a setting needs tweaking. So at this point generator does run a couple hours daily.
This generator replaces the 24kw diesel that wife’s washer didn’t like. It is a companion for my 10kw MEP 803A diesel. Rationale for choice. Concerned with ‘whatif’. Not getting any younger and when I’m no longer capable, was concerned wife can manage. No way I expect her to hump 5 gal cans of fuel. Propane I was able to extend line from current tank (remember my summer challenge) so propane delivery takes care of fuel. This is in addition to the 500 diesel storage I set up earlier, giving great redundancy. I’ll figure out a shared use schedule.
Setting up this generator has taken longer due to wife’s suggestion for space utilization - move the MEP. Doing so requires a whole new wiring scheme, being able to choose which generator runs. Takes a bit more thought when using current conduit runs in concrete. This one exhausts out the side, so I decided to install an exhaust fan in the wall that will be powered on whenever generator runs. Just using an old box fan for now, but will likely replace with something more permanent when I install the upper concrete board (after I get Tundra back).
This setup requires a custom transfer switch that allows which gen supplies power to my inverter/chargers and a component to select which gen is activated by Autostart call from the Outback. While I had previously built one for earlier setup, couldn’t resist trying to improve. This needs to be near foolproof, not only for wife but times we may have a housesitter.
This is what I have so far
Mostly done except breaker interlock and tidy up. Haven’t started on Autostart relays yet, just hooked into old setup for now.
This Kohler is a bit quieter than the big diesel. Wife commented she couldn’t smell it.
This is a Kohler 14RESA, 14kw, propane. Normal warranty is 5 years/2000 hours, or 18 months/1000 hours off grid.
Seems both Kohler and Generac are much less generous in their off grid offerings. Only certain models allowed.
We are off grid. Primary purpose of generator is battery charging. Currently that is happening every day for us lately. Don’t know if my orphaned, bankrupt batteries are beginning to fail (not holding power thru the night), a gremlin in the system, or a setting needs tweaking. So at this point generator does run a couple hours daily.
This generator replaces the 24kw diesel that wife’s washer didn’t like. It is a companion for my 10kw MEP 803A diesel. Rationale for choice. Concerned with ‘whatif’. Not getting any younger and when I’m no longer capable, was concerned wife can manage. No way I expect her to hump 5 gal cans of fuel. Propane I was able to extend line from current tank (remember my summer challenge) so propane delivery takes care of fuel. This is in addition to the 500 diesel storage I set up earlier, giving great redundancy. I’ll figure out a shared use schedule.
Setting up this generator has taken longer due to wife’s suggestion for space utilization - move the MEP. Doing so requires a whole new wiring scheme, being able to choose which generator runs. Takes a bit more thought when using current conduit runs in concrete. This one exhausts out the side, so I decided to install an exhaust fan in the wall that will be powered on whenever generator runs. Just using an old box fan for now, but will likely replace with something more permanent when I install the upper concrete board (after I get Tundra back).
This setup requires a custom transfer switch that allows which gen supplies power to my inverter/chargers and a component to select which gen is activated by Autostart call from the Outback. While I had previously built one for earlier setup, couldn’t resist trying to improve. This needs to be near foolproof, not only for wife but times we may have a housesitter.
This is what I have so far
Mostly done except breaker interlock and tidy up. Haven’t started on Autostart relays yet, just hooked into old setup for now.
This Kohler is a bit quieter than the big diesel. Wife commented she couldn’t smell it.
