Your last generator Maintenance Run

[90cummins]

I bought a specially optioned new L70 (3.7 kw) long run Yanmar and mated it to a 5kw gen head for that same reason, more surge capacity.
It doesn’t even flinch when starting the 2hp hydraulic lift pump on my loaded Mohawk 10k lb auto lift.
I have a 4kw Generac XL4000 that won’t start it unless I unload the pump & let it spool up.
Copper is King!
90cummins

 

[3930dave]

I bought a specially optioned new L70 (3.7 kw) long run Yanmar and mated it to a 5kw gen head for that same reason, more surge capacity.
It doesn’t even flinch when starting the 2hp hydraulic lift pump on my loaded Mohawk 10k lb auto lift.
I have a 4kw Generac XL4000 that won’t start it unless I unload the pump & let it spool up.
Copper is King!
90cummins

While I'll never argue w. More Copper, Respect for the Tq out of the little Yanmar Too !

Rgds, D.

 

[90cummins]

Agreed.
However my testing of two identical Generac XL4000 generators I found the problem to be a lack of generating potential not lack of HP or speed.
I say this because both Generac’s had identical voltage drop 105 volts with a load of 3.5kw’s. With a 4kw load voltage was less than 100 volts while the frequency stayed at 60 +- 2HZ.
The original literature rated it at 4kw with a surge capacity of 4.5kw.
In my experience any new or used generator should be properly tested to start & operate your actual loads.
DO NOT assume your new generator will operate as advertised in the literature.
The least you should do is have a volt meter to monitor the voltage on both legs if it is a 240 volt generator.
Sorry for the lecture but one thing leads to another and another.
There’s really no good spot to sign off when talking about generators and home connections.

90cummins over & out!

 

[3930dave]

Agreed.
However my testing of two identical Generac XL4000 generators I found the problem to be a lack of generating potential not lack of HP or speed.
I say this because both Generac’s had identical voltage drop 105 volts with a load of 3.5kw’s. With a 4kw load voltage was less than 100 volts while the frequency stayed at 60 +- 2HZ.
The original literature rated it at 4kw with a surge capacity of 4.5kw.
In my experience any new or used generator should be properly tested to start & operate your actual loads.
DO NOT assume your new generator will operate as advertised in the literature.
The least you should do is have a volt meter to monitor the voltage on both legs if it is a 240 volt generator.
Sorry for the lecture but one thing leads to another and another.
There’s really no good spot to sign off when talking about generators and home connections.

90cummins over & out!

Walking the Walk..... nothing beats actual real-world testing. Good advice, esp. for someone getting their first generator.

One State I haven't been to yet is Missouri.... but relative to the above ^, I might as well have been born there !

In some respects, incandescent bulbs still have value IMO. If no instrumentation is available (emergency etc.), having a known incandescent bulb plugged in may give you a hint that something is off with the voltage (vs. an LED one).

Rgds, D.

 

[Darth_DMack]

We just completed construction and final move in, on our new home. We have a chunk of land, and are pretty remote. I opted for a Generac 26kw genset, and a 1,000 gal propane tank (buried). I have a gas fireplace in the great room, gas on demand tankless water heater and a gas range.

The genset "exercises" each week, and is all controlled via my Generac ap. So far, the Genset has been awesome! We've had two power failures due to storms recently, the Genset never missed a beat.

I'm watching the maintenance schedule closely.

 

[90cummins]

Walking the Walk..... nothing beats actual real-world testing. Good advice, esp. for someone getting their first generator.

One State I haven't been to yet is Missouri.... but relative to the above ^, I might as well have been born there !

In some respects, incandescent bulbs still have value IMO. If no instrumentation is available (emergency etc.), having a known incandescent bulb plugged in may give you a hint that something is off with the voltage (vs. an LED one).

Rgds, D.

Funny you mention incandescent bulbs. The local utility replaced my light fixtures twice first with cfl’s then LED’s. I have a huge supply of cfl’s & incandescent bulbs just in case there’s an event.
I view them like an old pre-emissions non electronic diesel like my namesake 90cummins.
Nothing can hurt a tungsten filament that’s in storage.

90cummins

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I've found and fixed a number of issues that were either missed or couldn't be identified by the regular service people over the years with incandescent bulbs and/or analog meters. Even a cheap analog meter will provide data that requires a much higher end digital meter to see, and as a bonus, they always display the RMS value. Many digital meters display something between RMS and peak voltage causing a lot of people to think they have much higher AC voltage than they do especially when the sine wave is not pure.

Even a scope is not really the answer as most won't give the good visual in the .5 - 10 Hz range that an incandescent bulb will and this is often the frequency of voltage instability - especially when connected to the grid or other gensets.

 

[3930dave]

We just completed construction and final move in, on our new home. We have a chunk of land, and are pretty remote. I opted for a Generac 26kw genset, and a 1,000 gal propane tank (buried). I have a gas fireplace in the great room, gas on demand tankless water heater and a gas range.

The genset "exercises" each week, and is all controlled via my Generac ap. So far, the Genset has been awesome! We've had two power failures due to storms recently, the Genset never missed a beat.

I'm watching the maintenance schedule closely.

Nice setup !

Welcome to the thread. People like grs and CM that hang out here have forgotten more about fixing/servicing gens, than many people ever figure out. Yours shouldn't need attention for a while, but keep this thread in mind (ex. grs has a very nice telemetry set up on his Generac, that you can find a few pages back if you are interested/haven't gone that route yet).

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Funny you mention incandescent bulbs. The local utility replaced my light fixtures twice first with cfl’s then LED’s. I have a huge supply of cfl’s & incandescent bulbs just in case there’s an event.
I view them like an old pre-emissions non electronic diesel like my namesake 90cummins.
Nothing can hurt a tungsten filament that’s in storage.

90cummins

Takes space, but I remember load-banking industrial chargers with large 12v bulbs, many years ago

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I've found and fixed a number of issues that were either missed or couldn't be identified by the regular service people over the years with incandescent bulbs and/or analog meters. Even a cheap analog meter will provide data that requires a much higher end digital meter to see, and as a bonus, they always display the RMS value. Many digital meters display something between RMS and peak voltage causing a lot of people to think they have much higher AC voltage than they do especially when the sine wave is not pure.

Even a scope is not really the answer as most won't give the good visual in the .5 - 10 Hz range that an incandescent bulb will and this is often the frequency of voltage instability - especially when connected to the grid or other gensets.

Great examples CM.

I'll often take the time, with inexperienced people who are willing to learn, to recommend getting an inexpensive Incandescent bulb 12v test-light, to diagnose basic vehicle wiring.

Connected, but high resistance connection.... cheap incandescent will give you an indication, when often an LED may not....

Like Thoreau said..... often value in Simplifying.....

Rgds, D.