Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan

[doxford jim]

Oops - I have just looked at you first photographs, should have done it before. That is one nice setup you have got here man - much better than mine.
Have attached a couple of photo's of my setup if it is any help. I run my machine about every six weeks. Usuall one without house load then the next time with full house load. That way the diesel gets to earn it's keep and gets a workout of consequence. Too little load is not really good for the engine.
As far as sitting for several years, you diesel should be fine - and John Deere make some good equipment, so you should have no worries.
Best thing you can do is put a good load on the machine for several hours at a stretch. That will bring everything up to temperature, drive out any moisture from the engine oil and help run in the diesel. Of course watch what happens and don't forget to have the alarm switched on when running the set.

 

[buickanddeere]

Oops - I have just looked at you first photographs, should have done it before. That is one nice setup you have got here man - much better than mine.
Have attached a couple of photo's of my setup if it is any help. I run my machine about every six weeks. Usuall one without house load then the next time with full house load. That way the diesel gets to earn it's keep and gets a workout of consequence. Too little load is not really good for the engine.
As far as sitting for several years, you diesel should be fine - and John Deere make some good equipment, so you should have no worries.
Best thing you can do is put a good load on the machine for several hours at a stretch. That will bring everything up to temperature, drive out any moisture from the engine oil and help run in the diesel. Of course watch what happens and don't forget to have the alarm switched on when running the set.

What kind of a building is that generator located in ?
Building code and insurance company require that indoor gen set room to be made fire resistant with a double layer of drywall as a minimum.

 

[buickanddeere]

Building code will require that generator room to made fire resistant with a double layer of drywall. Just depending a heat detector tied to a monitored alarm system maybe required. Has your insurance agent seen the setup ?

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[hr3]

Building code will require that generator room to made fire resistant with a double layer of drywall. Just depending a heat detector tied to a monitored alarm system maybe required. Has your insurance agent seen the setup ?

View attachment 371007

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Not according to the International Building Code Section 403.2.1.1

 

[aczlan]

Building code will require that generator room to made fire resistant with a double layer of drywall. Just depending a heat detector tied to a monitored alarm system maybe required. Has your insurance agent seen the setup ?

The first post says that it is in a "generator building" so I would assume that its a standalone building.

Aaron Z

 

[buickanddeere]

The first post says that it is in a "generator building" so I would assume that its a standalone building.

Aaron Z

What about doxfordjim's paneling job ?
In Ontario an engine inside a building has a fire resistant barrier around it. More regs than that too.

 

[doxford jim]

Perhaps I should have said that my generator is also inside a shed that is 50ft from the house. Even though it might look a panelled room in the house, it isn't.
Both the local council and the insurance company inspector have seen the set up and there have been no complaints to date - that could change of course.
The set up was there when I bought the place - I improved on what was there before.
Should I buy another place and install a stand by/back up generator, it will installed inside a used suitably equipped, cargo container - where there will nothing to burn and any fire would be completely contained.
However, what I have now will have to do. At least I can keep everything running in a cold winter - the house will be warm and dry in the event of any power outages like Toronto experienced this past winter.

 

[doxford jim]

Here are a few foto's for you.

 

[buickanddeere]

It was a whole swath of freezing rain across southern Ontario. Of course most folk still had not learned their lesson from the 3 day long August 2003 blackout. I don't have one second of sympathy for any of them.

 

[buickanddeere]

Here are a few foto's for you.

I relieved the genset is not in any sort of a dwelling. On another board there is a person who can't understand why an antique Lister gen set in the house basement could be a problem.
There needs to be a CO detector installed in the gen shed. You will be surprised how often and how high the CO levels are.