Your last generator Maintenance Run

[3930dave]

Here are the tags from the engine and generator head. I'm only able to go with those #'s until I can somehow load test.

View attachment 866380

View attachment 866381

Meant to say "Should be Plenty"...... unless you run smelting-furnaces in your shop...... altho, given the TBN crowd, I should watch what I joke about !

Rgds, D.

 

[daugen]

honey, could you build me an electric arc furnace please?
where do I plug it in?...
I've never heard of a Mack engine running a generator.
that is very cool.
if you need a serious amount of juice.
maybe if you own one you have to build a smelter to test it...

 

[ultrarunner]

I imagine it could be quite thirsty at output.

What about load banking once a year

 

[moriboy]

I imagine it could be quite thirsty at output.

What about load banking once a year

I’m sure it is. This size of generator is not for the faint of heart in regard to operating costs. My machining business uses about 2/3 of the rated output on a normal day. Shutting down the shop is much more expensive than the fuel usage that we’d encounter.

I am looking for a suitable load bank test unit. There are a few in my area, but they cost more than the generator did!

Two new batteries $$$ today, and I added a battery disconnect. I can imagine there wasn’t one on there since this was likely hooked up to an automatic transfer switch.

 

[3930dave]

Animals helping out my utility, on Friday. Small utility area, but most of it was out initially, so I fired up my larger portable, as this is not a good time of year to have no power @ sump-pump. Of course, grid was back about 15 minutes after I had my gen running..... Didn't end up taking them that long, to extract a crispy critter from the switchgear. Ran gen for 45 minutes, as it hadn't been run in too long.....

Rgds, D.

Date: May 03/24

Generator: 7kw Briggs

Activity: 1/2hp sump pump, two 500w floodlights. 45 minutes runtime.

Final Fueling notes: filled w. NonE gas, Stabil 360

Maintenance notes: Started on third pull. Note To Self - go back, and read Post#1 in this thread !

TAmbient: 18C

 

[3930dave]

I’m sure it is. This size of generator is not for the faint of heart in regard to operating costs. My machining business uses about 2/3 of the rated output on a normal day. Shutting down the shop is much more expensive than the fuel usage that we’d encounter.

I am looking for a suitable load bank test unit. There are a few in my area, but they cost more than the generator did!

Two new batteries $$$ today, and I added a battery disconnect. I can imagine there wasn’t one on there since this was likely hooked up to an automatic transfer switch.

View attachment 866747

Needs Must... spending money, so you can Keep Making Money makes sense to me. Industrial gens, despite sizeable cost, find their way into funny places...... many commercial EV sites are powered by diesel generators (line upgrade delays), and I personally know of an engine performance shop that when they got the Utility's quote for upgrading their feedline for a new dyno, just went with a generator on a trailer - when they move or sell the business, they can take the generator with them, or sell it.

Varies geographically, but Grid MTCE and Uptime is an issue for many, so I'm sure your customers will appreciate your Shop being up/running, when nothing else is.

I was joking about the smelting furnace, but perhaps some surplus industrial heating product may be the cheapest load, albeit more work to vary than a Load Bank.

Rgds, D.

 

[Fi-Q]

I’m sure it is. This size of generator is not for the faint of heart in regard to operating costs. My machining business uses about 2/3 of the rated output on a normal day. Shutting down the shop is much more expensive than the fuel usage that we’d encounter.

I am looking for a suitable load bank test unit. There are a few in my area, but they cost more than the generator did!

Two new batteries $$$ today, and I added a battery disconnect. I can imagine there wasn’t one on there since this was likely hooked up to an automatic transfer switch.

View attachment 866747

For « load bank » before buying one it might be worth to check with sone local major genset dealer « IE a Caterpillar dealer with an Energy division » and see with them what they charge you to load bank you genset.

 

[ultrarunner]

For « load bank » before buying one it might be worth to check with sone local major genset dealer « IE a Caterpillar dealer with an Energy division » and see with them what they charge you to load bank you genset.

1500-1800 seems to be a typical charge in the SF Bay Area.

Make darn sure everything is color coded so the cables go back where they belong.

Cummins did real damage when phased reversed and Genset started to circuits with large motor loads... not good.

 

[3930dave]

1500-1800 seems to be a typical charge in the SF Bay Area.

Make darn sure everything is color coded so the cables go back where they belong.

Cummins did real damage when phased reversed and Genset started to circuits with large motor loads... not good.

I remember your account of what happened......

Good example of bureaucrats interfering (started the ball rolling, replacing someone knowledgeable) with quality work being done.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

For « load bank » before buying one it might be worth to check with sone local major genset dealer « IE a Caterpillar dealer with an Energy division » and see with them what they charge you to load bank you genset.

UR's situation notwithstanding.... a potentially good ^ suggestion.

Rgds, D.