Your last generator Maintenance Run

   / Your last generator Maintenance Run
  • Thread Starter
#2,821  
Hydro One Had a “planned” power outage on the weekend. Generator fired up OK, but no power transferred to the house. Went out, shut off the generator, and toggled the 70 amp breaker off and on again. Then turned the generator on to standby again, whereupon it started as it should. This time, however, power was transferred to the house. Very worriesome.

Odd. IIRC, your installation is not that old and you get remote reporting on AC status (?).

Rgds, D.
 
   / Your last generator Maintenance Run
  • Thread Starter
#2,822  
Hydro One just showed up here unexpectedly in a New F550 bucket truck. They wanted a sample of oil from my transformer. Nice guys. Even trimmed a couple of branches I have been meaning to do, away from the transformer pole. They had a Stihl Cordless saw.

A lot of people don't appreciate how much work has to be continuously done, to Keep The Lights On..... it never ends.

Stihl being battery..... I know arbourists that will keep those around..... just need a quick trim at height, pretty much done by the time a gas saw settles down to idle. They have all the heavy weapons of course, but you can save time with the battery ones under certain conditions.

Rgds, D.
 
   / Your last generator Maintenance Run #2,823  
Odd. IIRC, your installation is not that old and you get remote reporting on AC status (?).

Rgds, D.

Yes, I have a freeze alarm, which calls me when the power goes out. And I was on the site when the power went out, and I heard the generator kick in, as it should. However, no power to the house. My only guess is that the breaker on the generator tripped when Hydro One turned the power off, perhaps because of some surge or other.

Anyway, I should test the generator again by turning the power off manually and see if the generator kicks on AND sends power to the house.
 
   / Your last generator Maintenance Run #2,824  
Are you sure it was the breaker. Maybe the transfer switch didn’t switch over.
 
   / Your last generator Maintenance Run #2,825  
Are you sure it was the breaker. Maybe the transfer switch didn’t switch over.

No I am not sure. All I know is that I shut the generator off, toggled the (70 amp) internal generator breaker, and then switched the generator back to “Auto”, whereupon it started again (since the power from the power company was still off). But this time it did send power into the building. So I don’t really know if it was just the breaker that had tripped or if the act of shutting off and then restarting the generator somehow “fixed” an automatic transfer switch problem.
 
   / Your last generator Maintenance Run #2,826  
I was checking local Craigslist and chuckled when I read this.
Guy was likely overwhelmed by all the gauges.
Diesel Generator Military MEP82A - farm & garden - by owner - sale

I watched my Generac run when we were out yesterday for about an hour. Very little vibration, maybe top of engine vibrating
a 32nd of an inch. Nothing unusual going on, no strange smells, just loud with the top up. Keeps giving me battery error, don't know how to clear it.
Battery is fine. I put it on a smart charger at least once a year.
 

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   / Your last generator Maintenance Run #2,827  
The last time I had a battery error on a small controller it was the memory backup battery,
which was a watch type battery.
After the initial installation it had a pull tab to pull the insulating paper of the battery contact,
the ear pulled off leaving the paper on the battery it was not noticeable til I removed the battery and saw the paper.
 
   / Your last generator Maintenance Run #2,828  
The last time I had a battery error on a small controller it was the memory backup battery,
which was a watch type battery.
After the initial installation it had a pull tab to pull the insulating paper of the battery contact,
the ear pulled off leaving the paper on the battery it was not noticeable til I removed the battery and saw the paper.

thanks Lou. I get a green light and an orange light, likely the orange being the battery unhappiness.
did read the online manual, nothing about the watch battery in there. I need to look for the tab or whatever holds it in.

what was more important was reading this below, for the first time, where I find I have a fuel filter/sediment trap I'm supposed to be draining and never have.
Anyone else have experience with this?

Figure 4-10. Cleaning the Sediment Trap4.Use a clean-out tool (not provided) to removeaccumulated moisture and particles from the capand body (B).5.Wipe the inside of each component with a clean,dry, lint-free cloth.6.Seal the threads of the cap with appropriatesealing compound. Install the cap and hand-tighten. 7.Tighten the cap with an appropriately sized pipewrench. DO NOT overtighten.8.Turn the generator fuel supply on. Check for leaksby spraying all connection points with a non-corrosive gas leak detection fluid. The solutionshould not be blown away or form bubbles.9.Install the intake side panel.
 
   / Your last generator Maintenance Run #2,829  
Assuming running on propane, how many hours of run time before spark plugs even begin to show wear?
Mine seem like new. Less than 100 hours on unit now. Wonder if worth the bother to pull a plug when it's running fine.
Assuming clean fuel, how long do plugs last?
 
   / Your last generator Maintenance Run
  • Thread Starter
#2,830  
Assuming running on propane, how many hours of run time before spark plugs even begin to show wear?
Mine seem like new. Less than 100 hours on unit now. Wonder if worth the bother to pull a plug when it's running fine.
Assuming clean fuel, how long do plugs last?

What plug metallurgy in use ? (Copper core, platinum electrode.......).

If no coin-cell backup present, try dis-assembing the battery connections - inspect and clean if needed. IF the controller is watching for voltage sag, it may be faulting on Low Voltage at startup, or some other time that it is selectively applying a known load.

^ Ditto for battery capacity diminishing..... how old is the battery ? Any way to load test it ?

Rgds, D.
 

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