Generator PTO Generator Question

[SPYDERLK]

You do realize that some appliances can be damaged by the wrong frequency and voltage. I would at least initially monitor these for each load so you know which loads present a problem. There are many variables here. For example if the generator is lightly loaded and you turn on a load you will probably have a greater voltage and frequency change then if the generator is 1/2 loaded and the same load is turned on. I don't have experience with this, but that is the theory. Does anyone here have direct experience with this? I was not sure from the other comments.

I run my 12/14KW with an L2550. It holds the gen speed +/- 5% regardless of load. This has presented no problem to appliances or computers. No glitch when the air compressor or AC comes on. I have had a problem with a standalone tho, that did not run steady under light load. It caused problems with electronics due to "hunting" rpm unless the gen was carrying at least a 25% load causing the rpm to be steady.
larry

[Soundguy]

When that big snow storm comes through and knocks out your power, you have to choose between using your tractor to power the house or using the tractor to plow snow. You can't do both with the same tractor.

Of course if you have more than one tractor you're set.

And if you only got one tractor.. you do what everybody else does.. you practice power managment and load management.

You power up the refer's for a bit to keep them cold.. then you pump up water.. if you got a wife / kids.. you power up the water heater.. then yo power up the water again and the wee ones get a warm bath.. then you go plow snow while everybody snugles up in a big blanky till 'dady' comes back in from plowing the drive.. then 'dady' powers up the blower on the furnace and runs some heat.

No different than having a family with one car.. or more people in a house than you have bathrooms... you simply do everything in turns...



I know some pople like to have 24/7 power. we've all seen or lived next to the guy that runs alternate power the entire time the grid is down.. it's especially great when they use a cheap gasser genset.. they always have the best ( yeah right! ) mufflers!

soundguy

[Soundguy]

You do realize that some appliances can be damaged by the wrong frequency and voltage. I would at least initially monitor these for each load so you know which loads present a problem. There are many variables here. For example if the generator is lightly loaded and you turn on a load you will probably have a greater voltage and frequency change then if the generator is 1/2 loaded and the same load is turned on. I don't have experience with this, but that is the theory. Does anyone here have direct experience with this? I was not sure from the other comments.

There have been tons of discussions on gensets on this board over the years.

I can tell you that my 12.5kw genset delivers as clean or better power than my utility, as observed on a graphing o-scope... I'm sure milage will vary.. lots of things to add in.. different loads.. different gens.. different power sources for these gens..

IMHO.. large inductive loads will be the biggest issue for frequency and laod control.. not simple ressitive or electronic loads like switching power supplies.. which are by design.. EXTREMLY fault tolerant of input power..

soundguy

[BobRip]

[quote=Soundguy;You power up the refer's for a bit to keep them cold.. then you pump up water.. if you got a wife / kids..soundguy[/quote]

I found that it is best to supply power to the refrigators for as many hours as possible. Mine needs to have power at least 50% of the time to stay cold. If you run it less the temperature will go up. This does not mean to run it 24 hours a day. That takes way to much fuel besides the noise, wear, and aggravation of refueling. Also be prepared to store a lot of fuel even with a diesel. You will put a lot more hours on it than you normally would.

[Egon]

go plow snow while everybody snugles up in a big blanky till 'dady' comes back in from plowing the drive.. then 'dady' powers up the blower on the furnace and runs some heat.

Have you been plowing snow soundguy??? Or did you move ???

The peanut gallery awaits!

[Soundguy]

I found that it is best to supply power to the refrigators for as many hours as possible. Mine needs to have power at least 50% of the time to stay cold. If you run it less the temperature will go up. This does not mean to run it 24 hours a day. That takes way to much fuel besides the noise, wear, and aggravation of refueling. Also be prepared to store a lot of fuel even with a diesel. You will put a lot more hours on it than you normally would.

Different equpment will have different needs... my chest freezer ( sears) can get by with only 1-2 hrs a day IF if it full and kept closed.

As for the refer.. freezer section gets all the perishables hat can be safely placed in there.. and other risky consumables are always used first to reduce power / cooling needs... least that's how we've always done it here in a warm state.

soundguy

[Diamondpilot]

This is a Ford GM fight here. I see pros and cons to each. I personally ended up buying a Troy Built stand alone genny. It is 8,550 watts and runs everything in my home very nicely except the 3.5 ton AC unit. I have a $10 garage sale window unit as a backup now. I do have a well and my furnace is propane as is my water heater.

We loose our power bi-monthly here. I have ran 8 days straight in the winter of 2005 on the genny and a few times 2-3 days at a time. I have averaged 9 gallons per day on this genny. When I start it it runs for 2 days at a time. I then shut it down, change the oil, check things over, fill the tank and back off and running. It has never let me down and in my opinion is very efficent at 9 gallons per day or .375 gallons per hour. By the way I keep 70 gallons of gas on hand at my home and at least 100 gallons of diesel for the tractor and truck if needed. When we lost power for 8 days I had to drive nearly 120 miles to get fuel. I learned from that.

Yes, I would like to have a pto genny but this was the right choice for me. It has been used at my home, lake property, in the woods, to run one of my welders from the bed of my truck, and at my sisters place when she lost power after a tornado. 75% of the time I have needed the genny I needed the tractor to do storm cleanup of some sort.

Again, I will buy a pto genny some day but I will always keep this 8.55kw Troy Built around. Its just too good and now owes me nothing.

Chris

[Egon]

least that's how we've always done it here in a warm state.

Plow snow or a warm State? Which is it Soundguy??

Peanut gallery still awaits!

[Iplayfarmer]

And if you only got one tractor.. you do what everybody else does.. you practice power managment and load management.

You power up the refer's for a bit to keep them cold.. then you pump up water.. if you got a wife / kids.. you power up the water heater.. then yo power up the water again and the wee ones get a warm bath.. then you go plow snow while everybody snugles up in a big blanky till 'dady' comes back in from plowing the drive.. then 'dady' powers up the blower on the furnace and runs some heat.

No different than having a family with one car.. or more people in a house than you have bathrooms... you simply do everything in turns...



I know some pople like to have 24/7 power. we've all seen or lived next to the guy that runs alternate power the entire time the grid is down.. it's especially great when they use a cheap gasser genset.. they always have the best ( yeah right! ) mufflers!

soundguy

I'm not saying that's any kind of deal killer. I'm just saying that it's a difference between a standalone generator and a PTO Generator.

I'm interested to hear more of the pros to a PTO Genny. Anytime I've looked at them it just seems that an equivalent standalone can be had for cheaper. So why go to the extra expense to tie up your tractor?

[Soundguy]

I'm not saying that's any kind of deal killer. I'm just saying that it's a difference between a standalone generator and a PTO Generator.

I'm interested to hear more of the pros to a PTO Genny. Anytime I've looked at them it just seems that an equivalent standalone can be had for cheaper. So why go to the extra expense to tie up your tractor?

I don't know of any place i can buy a standalone for cheaper than a ptogenset... I made a post about this in another thread.. I looked in 2 industrial catalogs.. the price difference for the cheapest standalone compared tot he pto genset.. at even KW.. the pto genset was still cheaper.. per KW.. and that was comparing it to a no-brand chinese standalone. All the other more common standalones were 1.5 to 2x$ perKW vs the ptogen.

It may be different in other states.. but here... ptogen is the cheapest KW's you can make..

soundguy