grsthegreat
Super Star Member
But seriously….i had to 4x4 up this goat trail to get to the top of this mountain. Most of it in low range. And what do i see at the top…..a ground mount transformer. This must have cost a bloody fortune.
Your last generator Maintenance Run
- Thread starter 3930dave
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Echo Summit Tahoe had a private cable car to reach the microwave station...
Always impressed me at what that cost...
Always impressed me at what that cost...
WinterDeere
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What's the alternative? Running low voltage that far would cost a fortune in cable, not to mention the challenge of getting the larger spool wagons up there.
Are pole transformers more common in these cases? Setting poles up there is probably no easy task, either.
LouNY
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Many years ago a contractor I worked for had the contract to do the maintenance at the telephone repeaters in the mountains. Even 50 years ago there would be some solar panels, tons of lead acid, glass cased batteries and a diesel backup generator. Many of those had no commercial utility.
- Joined
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- Messages
- 24,140
- Tractor
- Cat D3, Deere 110 TLB, Kubota BX23 and L3800 and RTV900 with restored 1948 Deere M, 1949 Farmall Cub, 1953 Ford Jubliee and 1957 Ford 740 Row Crop, Craftsman Mower, Deere 350C Dozer 50 assorted vehicles from 1905 to 2006
Bell systems did pioneer much in the way of solar power...
Smokeydog
Elite Member
Getting to use generator some last night. Can appreciate the time for prior maintenance. Helene eye to pass over Knoxville Tn today.
Classic solution, for a remote site. Ironic, today, seeing what grs posted - given the 1000's of acres of flat-fields full of panels you'll find. Hike a ridge-line.... other than coastal land, it's usually the windiest spot around.... many areas, drive only a 100 or so miles, you'll see wind turbines. Things that make you go Hmmm....
Bell Labs.....legendary facility. Attended a training session, put together by an analog engineer that had worked there - really savvy guy.
Applied labs like that ^, aside from the notable primary work they do, tend to act as an incubator for startups/spinoffs..... they are an even bigger deal than they first appear.
Rgds, D.
Robin Veerman
Veteran Member
Gave this “new to me” girl a workout…and then an oil change with the addition of a Magnetic dipstick from Goldplug. 
D'oh
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My little $299 Champion 1500W quit at night a couple of weeks ago. Funny, because I had just changed the oil and it barely used any before.
I went out and Filled the Oil thinking it was Low, nothing. Switched over to the 4500w and finished the movie, shut it of and went to bed.
Next day, I tried again to start it, found no compression after removing the Plug. So i tore it down to see if a Stuck/Burnt Valve might be happening, nothing.
There was a lot of Carbon built up, cleaned it up, bolted back together. Cleaned the Spark Arrestor, poured some gas in the plug hole. It would sputter but still Very Low Compression (Thumb over the hole).
Next weekend, New Plug in hand, I filled the Combustion Chamber with Carb Cleaner let it sit 15 minutes, Pulled a couple of times, pop, my thumb would get blown out of the Plug Hole. Screwed the Plug in and it started, smoking heavily. Held it on the Governor for a bit to clean out my Cleanings, shut it down, added New Oil, Boom it started again. But smoked heavy. Ran for 1/2 hour and checked the oil, added (it was real low). Fired it up again and went in to watch a movie.
Looked out a few times smoke pouring out of it. Movie was done 1 1/2hrs, I went out to refill the oil, and it was running Clean and Clear. As it is today without burning any oil.
The rings must have been Stuck, the Combustion Chamber cleaning and Carb Cleaner, hard run on the Gov, must have loosen them out. Runs just like New with 1650 hours on it.
I went out and Filled the Oil thinking it was Low, nothing. Switched over to the 4500w and finished the movie, shut it of and went to bed.
Next day, I tried again to start it, found no compression after removing the Plug. So i tore it down to see if a Stuck/Burnt Valve might be happening, nothing.
There was a lot of Carbon built up, cleaned it up, bolted back together. Cleaned the Spark Arrestor, poured some gas in the plug hole. It would sputter but still Very Low Compression (Thumb over the hole).
Next weekend, New Plug in hand, I filled the Combustion Chamber with Carb Cleaner let it sit 15 minutes, Pulled a couple of times, pop, my thumb would get blown out of the Plug Hole. Screwed the Plug in and it started, smoking heavily. Held it on the Governor for a bit to clean out my Cleanings, shut it down, added New Oil, Boom it started again. But smoked heavy. Ran for 1/2 hour and checked the oil, added (it was real low). Fired it up again and went in to watch a movie.
Looked out a few times smoke pouring out of it. Movie was done 1 1/2hrs, I went out to refill the oil, and it was running Clean and Clear. As it is today without burning any oil.
The rings must have been Stuck, the Combustion Chamber cleaning and Carb Cleaner, hard run on the Gov, must have loosen them out. Runs just like New with 1650 hours on it.
