Oil & Fuel Kohler 30KW standby generator

[JB4310]

2 quarts down in 140 hours - yikes!. I am not familiar with the generator, although I thought most of the bigger units were 1800 rpm. Is it a water cooled 1800 rpm unit or an or an air cooled 3600 rpm unit?

We were on generator 5 days last week and 5 days during Irene (same oil fill) and oil level never changed. Onan 7.5 kw generator turned by Kubota 3 cylinder diesel running 1800 rpm. Most of our load was pretty low (lights) unless the well pump or oven was on. I was using Mobil 1 10w30. Just switched to Mobil 1 5w40 but haven't run enough to see if there is any difference in use.

That's quite the power-plant for such modest KW output, but that is my dream generator, 4 pole, 1800 rpm, diesel powered, liquid cooled, maybe 12-15 KW. That configuration should be the longest lasting most maintenance free set up.
Ain't gonna be any oil consumption there. and you aren't gonna be changing the oil every 24 hours like the whiz bangers.

Why change the oil viscosity? is it still within the manufactures recommendation?

Regarding OP question, Does LP combustion lend itself to greater oil consumption for any reason, run hotter or any other draw backs???

JB

 

[grsthegreat]

That's quite the power-plant for such modest KW output, but that is my dream generator, 4 pole, 1800 rpm, diesel powered, liquid cooled, maybe 12-15 KW. That configuration should be the longest lasting most maintenance free set up.
Ain't gonna be any oil consumption there. and you aren't gonna be changing the oil every 24 hours like the whiz bangers.

Why change the oil viscosity? is it still within the manufactures recommendation?

Regarding OP question, Does LP combustion lend itself to greater oil consumption for any reason, run hotter or any other draw backs???

JB

Im not the OP, but my Inan runs on propane, its run now for 16 years. Still running strong. I have no idea how man hours are on this thing, as there is no hour meter. I do know that for 6 months straight it ran at least 12-16 hours a day while building my house. We didnt get power until after house was completed.

 

[Little_Grizzly]

Sounds like my piece of junk Briggs & Crapton. It has a 5 gallon gas tank and you can NOT run it out of gas. It will run out of oil far before it runs out of gas. We use it at our cabin. Running about four 100W bulbs. It will run about 3 or 4 hours before it runs out of oil. The Briggs rep was there when we brought it in four it's tenth service. He said that is sounded normal to him. Never ever again. Kubota lowboy is on my list now.

 

[RandyT]

I don't know about the larger engines but the small engine manufacturers claim that an ounce of oil use per hour is normal.

 

[wrede]

New information - I went and had a look at the 30 KW generator myself. The specification says 5W-30 for less than 0F, and 10W-30 for above 0F. Since it rarely gets down to zero here, it should have 10W-30 in it. It's the dealer that insists that 5W-30 is correct. I guess he needs to go to reading school. It's a water cooled engine that runs 3600 rpm. It's a standby generator and not meant to run forever, though with the increasing power unreliability here, perhaps the time will come to consider a diesel with 4 pole alternator running at 1800 RPM. Any idea how to estimate the difference in oil consumption between the two grades.

By the way, I refilled my 12 kw unit and it took 8 oz, and that is after 250 hours.

 

[JB4310]

New information - I went and had a look at the 30 KW generator myself. The specification says 5W-30 for less than 0F, and 10W-30 for above 0F. Since it rarely gets down to zero here, it should have 10W-30 in it. It's the dealer that insists that 5W-30 is correct. I guess he needs to go to reading school. It's a water cooled engine that runs 3600 rpm. It's a standby generator and not meant to run forever, though with the increasing power unreliability here, perhaps the time will come to consider a diesel with 4 pole alternator running at 1800 RPM. Any idea how to estimate the difference in oil consumption between the two grades.

By the way, I refilled my 12 kw unit and it took 8 oz, and that is after 250 hours.

I doubt it just, real world experience.

What engine is it, make, V or inline, how many cylinders?

Don't know why such a big genny would be 2 pole.

JB

 

[wrede]

Engine is a GM 1.6 liter (98 c.i.) OHC inline 4 cylinder, water cooled, and the alternator is 2 pole.

 

[JB4310]

Engine is a GM 1.6 liter (98 c.i.) OHC inline 4 cylinder, water cooled, and the alternator is 2 pole.

So I guess using the 2 pole has to do with where that engine makes it's needed HP, though I see some specs calling that a 100+ hp engine

JB

 

[wrede]

The engine hp rating is 52 hp, I believe, which ties in with the 30 KW rating. A 2 pole alternator is cheaper to make, I assume, and in order to get 60Hz you need 3600 rpm. A 4 pole alternator is run at 1800 rpm to get the 60 Hz. Alternativley, it's 3000/1500 rpm for 50 Hz.

 

[JB4310]

The engine hp rating is 52 hp, I believe, which ties in with the 30 KW rating. A 2 pole alternator is cheaper to make, I assume, and in order to get 60Hz you need 3600 rpm. A 4 pole alternator is run at 1800 rpm to get the 60 Hz. Alternativley, it's 3000/1500 rpm for 50 Hz.

Well that's it, that engine would never make enough HP at 1800 rpm for 30 KW. And if you were really taking 30 KW off the generator that would be every ounce of reserve that engine could produce. so basically it would be flat out and would help explain the oil consumption.

The engine would have to be direct coupled to the gen head, so it would be turning 3600 as well. Typically the rule is 2 hp per KW, but it must be something a little less than 2hp/kw for 52 horse to make 30kw. Unless that 30 kw is it's surge rating and it's continuous is more like 25KW???

I think, actually I'm pretty sure it's not that a 2 pole gen head is cheaper to make (can't be a big difference in price) it's that a disposable gm 4 banger is far cheaper than comparable diesel power would cost, it would likely double the cost of the gen-set.

JB