Your last generator Maintenance Run

[3930dave]

The trigger to start was a battery voltage of 14.5 volts.

Is that an ^ inverter-input battery ?

Also trying to remember..... are you running loads off Inverter full-time, and just change over what power source the supply batteries get ?

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I seriously consider a small Kubota powered Multiquip diesel generator with a trailer option but can't justify plus it would be a target for theft.

As for cold... It's getting cold and dipped below 50 last night.

My furnace friend is busier than ever.... he had planned on retiring and only works on natural gas but with this "Cold Snap" the phone just keeps ringing... often just thermocouples or gas control valves and an occasional blower motor... he says the older the better!

He is starting to get more calls where it turns out the homeowner can't figure out the new thermostat... that never happened when he started and unless physically damaged the old mercury stats last forever.

For one of those trailerable MQ's, storing it inside a sea-can, with something hard to move in front of the door would be my vote... haven't checked, but they must be $$$$$. Noticed on their page.... using a hydraulic-fan drive.... devil in details (re. low noise).

Thinking of a Mark Twain line that went something like "Coldest Winter I spent, was one summer in San Francisco !". 50F is nice MC riding weather here....

GRS is one example... people that Know What They are Doing often have a hard time retiring..... A friend in BC had a buddy who had been trying to retire from Locksmithing for years....... every time Vancouver extended the Skytrain (or, as locals now affected by it call it.... The Crime-Train) further out, he was run off his feet for a year or more, with referrals to get security updated.

At least the criminals in Vancouver weren't driving around in cars to commit crimes, they were using mass-transit !

I posted an old thread on here, about a wonky digital Honeywell thermostat @ a relatives house..... decent enough design, but when the AA batteries are left in it long enough to corrode..... the Ones and Zeroes just get stuck @ ______________

We are Not Going to Make It......

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

14* here for last 2 nights. got 2 generators ready to go. 4 others are about ready. I depend mostly on the 2 electric start ones. Gittin to damn old to pull ropes anymore but do when I gotta!
We have more outages in the summer than any other time of the year. -- just long enough to mess up the freeze dryer when we have it on. IF we get an ice storm, ---- we are out for days, thats why I have a dozen generators!

Fleet Maintenance !

Local equipment-rental shop probably gives you a call, when they are stuck on something !

Necessity + experience..... lots to learn.

Rgds, D.

 

[90cummins]

Is that an ^ inverter-input battery ?

Also trying to remember..... are you running loads off Inverter full-time, and just change over what power source the supply batteries get ?

Rgds, D.

14.5 volts is the trigger point to start the generator when house is on batteries. There are pass thru loads when grid is UP that go thru inverter for critical loads, heat etc. If grid goes down the inverter picks up the critical loads in milliseconds providing uninterrupted power. I have it set up like this so the inverter does not attempt to carry excessive loads such as the dryer which is much more than it can handle.
I must manually throw switches to power up the entire house after I verify unnecessary loads are turned off.
I hope I answered your question.
90cummins

 

[3930dave]

14.5 volts is the trigger point to start the generator when house is on batteries. There are pass thru loads when grid is UP that go thru inverter for critical loads, heat etc. If grid goes down the inverter picks up the critical loads in milliseconds providing uninterrupted power. I have it set up like this so the inverter does not attempt to carry excessive loads such as the dryer which is much more than it can handle.
I must manually throw switches to power up the entire house after I verify unnecessary loads are turned off.
I hope I answered your question.
90cummins

Interesting setup. Nice (truly) smart inverter you are using..... I was just being tech nosy about trigger-event.... one other option was the generator starting-battery....... if it's not on a schematic, my long-term memory often doesn't grok it.....

Let us know how that high-capacity fuse story works out.....

Rgds, D.

 

[90cummins]

The engine does not have a separate starting battery it uses the 24v battery bank.
As far as the 300amp dc fuse blowing I have no idea.
Perhaps a defective underrated fuse. My spider-sense is on alert.
China fuses may be the issue??
Need to dig the manual out to see what the max recommended fuse is.
90cummins

 

[3930dave]

The engine does not have a separate starting battery it uses the 24v battery bank.
As far as the 300amp dc fuse blowing I have no idea.
Perhaps a defective underrated fuse. My spider-sense is on alert.
China fuses may be the issue??
Need to dig the manual out to see what the max recommended fuse is.
90cummins

Might not have been more than a "cost-optimized" fuse..... though in-rush considerations have been covered here recently too.....

Much smaller, but just isolated a funky 20A blade fuse @ work....... ever have an incandescent filament bulb break, then re-weld itself together.... for a little while...... that SAE blade fuse had done it, in 2 spots......

Grrrrrr

Rgds, D.

 

[daugen]

big storm due in tomorrow, lots of rain and high winds.
that means trees will fall over and bye bye electricity
so this morning fired up the Westinghouse gen, and it cooperated perfectly,
starter engaged properly and it started on 1003 as usual.

lot of debris flew out, squirrels must be getting back under there, so once again I got out
my small Makita leaf blower and blew out the junk underneath. Headed out now to put cover back on, will drench it and surroundings
with some peppermint oil spray I have.

 

[3930dave]

Speaking of spray..... I think I've posted about this before, but your application (and my morning coffee) brought it back to mind d.

Termin8R UAE — Spectra Products - Home of Brake Safe®

I've become a fan of Termin8r in recent years - my first use for it is electrical, but it's also a v.good mechanical spray.

I get mine @ the Truck division of Napa up here (Traction).

Rgds, D.

 

[grsthegreat]

My gen did a 3.5 hr run………tree took power out.