Your last generator Maintenance Run

[TheMan419]

Current and future generator setups. First the 3500w Craftsman generator that handles either the house OR the shop OR the well pump. I have got by with that for years always expecting the power situation to get better.

Second the recently acquired Honda 2200w that runs a few essentials during the night. The Craftsman uses a lot of gas and makes a lot of noise.

Third the 10kw Kubota diesel generator I am installing in a dedicated generator shed. Another week or so hope to have it ready. It will run everything except the electric clothes dryer.

Last week PG&E said they expect to continue large scale outages for the next 10 years. In that context the Kubota investment starts looking pretty good.

Today I topped up the two small generators, checked the oil, did a test run. All ready to go.

Looking good! If I were in an area that lost power frequently I would look at a generator hooked to the natural gas supply. Touch wood that I do not have that problem here. I have a 6900 watt generator that I keep at the ready. In four years have only had to run it for power outages twice.

I like the idea of a smaller generator to run over night to keep the house warm if we have a polar vortex, but consuming way less fuel.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have known people that connect an inverter to their car, idling all night to run the fridges and furnace. Not really a bad idea at all, provided your vehicle can make the required current at idle. Nothing screaming away outside.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Looking good! If I were in an area that lost power frequently I would look at a generator hooked to the natural gas supply. Touch wood that I do not have that problem here. I have a 6900 watt generator that I keep at the ready. In four years have only had to run it for power outages twice.

I like the idea of a smaller generator to run over night to keep the house warm if we have a polar vortex, but consuming way less fuel.

The closest natural gas is about 40 mi away on the other side of a mountain range.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have known people that connect an inverter to their car, idling all night to run the fridges and furnace. Not really a bad idea at all, provided your vehicle can make the required current at idle. Nothing screaming away outside.

In 1990 I installed a 1800 Watt Inverter in my service van... it came at a dear price back them but has been flawless once I learned to leave a slight load on it when using it... a 40 Watt light bulb would keep it from going into sleep mode so power was always at the ready for my Skill Saw, etc...

I soon found I needed to augment power if working for any length... added a second battery and then a alternator made for ambulance duty... it supplies much higher rate of charge at low speed... it has been 28 years and several batteries later and proven to be just right for my needs.

Most modern cars tend to have small batteries... not sure what the charge rate would be from the 2019 Honda Civic or Corolla?

My friend has a new Super Duty with 120 volt outlet... he never used it and tried to plug in his refrigerator... I think it is rated at 300-400 Watt... later he said he did not know what he was thinking...

A nurse has a new car with 120 volt... she tried to use it for coffee and just went off on the Dealer saying what good is a useless outlet??? It is her late model Jeep I believe.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I always had a good supply of (free) commercial inverters. Gave one transformer based, pure sine, boat anchor outfit to a friend for his service truck years ago. He was the envy of his coworkers, especially with his on board microwave. Practically ran welding cables to the battery.

Seems in the 80s, 65 amp or so was all you had for capacity on the alternator of the average larger vehicle. Cops can 100 amp or better.Then, it seemed everyone was going bigger even though the alternators started getting physically smaller. Makes me suspicious.

My friend, who I get all the inverters from, installs lots of heavier alternators in service vehicles and sometimes elevated idle systems. Some of the alternators are just friggin massive!

What good is a "plug" if you can't make coffee and curl your hair on the way to work?

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ LOL

Yep... I too put a microwave in my service truck... still works too. Did it more for bragging rights but also to heat up stuff on the those long work days.

I believe my replacement Alternator is 120-125 amp...

I wanted to go bigger and it was available but the shop said that would require a double belt pulley... so I went with the largest GM one for a single belt...

It does make a noticeable difference idling the motor when using larger power tools... skill saw is a sidewinder... not a worm drive.

I have used the invertor for my Spartan 130' Sewer Auger, Lighting, Hammer Drills, even a heat gun... it is not sine wave and not all my battery tool chargers worked on it...

 

[Industrial Toys]

The problems these guys get into with mobile inverter sales is mind boggling. One project involved a Reefer (small) van run on batteries and inverters, that was supposed to have groceries ready, that were ordered on line, for commuters as they got off a train. And many places have anti idling laws. Everything just has to "appear" "green", even if it's really NOT!

 

[PILOON]

We had a massive outage here in Quebec, 1 million out of power.
My 6500 watt genny started just fine and saved the day (foods etc) and we even enjoyed TV but no internet.
Then I decided to manually activate the septic tank pump to lower the level and that's where things went south.
I manually clipped power leads to the pump line via the shut off fuse bon and clipped the power on the wrong side and promptly backfed the whole system.
\The generator did not like that and blew something internally.*

We packed up and left until power was restored which occurred much sooner than expected considering we are in the woods and very remote.
As best I can figure we were unprotected for a mere 8-10 hours so all foods survived. Guess my lucky horse shoe worked that day.

*while not sure I'd suspect that the generator diode bridge is what probably blew and if so that will be an easy repair.
If not a new and more powerful genny will be in order. Already priced and located a suitable set which will be a King @ $1,000 + taxes.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Your explanation of your blunder makes it seem less incompetant, then when you first mentioned it. I guess one can't call the eenie meenie miny moe, method incompetant.

But why didn't the gen breaker trip and secondly, the pump breaker? What diode bridge?

 

[3930dave]

Mission creep with alternators..... Dodge Journey's use something in the range of 150A, often with a decoupler pulley.

Getting old.... I remember when 60A seemed not small.....

I'd have thought there would be at least a basic Physics course on the way to an RN cert.... but perhaps not the case today.....

Rgds, D.