How long will a 10 KW generatoer run on a good new battery??

[Tomas]

Like many of you, I elected to go without an automatic transfer switch and have wired straight into my breaker box. Everything is working as planned, except that without the ATS, I have no charger on the battery.
How long can I expect a 10 KW Generac to run on a fully charged, new battery? Hours? Days?
Thanks for your time.
Tom

 

[amigauser]

I don't believe the battery is needed at all other than for starting. You could always plug a small float charger into one of the generator 120v plugs so while the generator is running the start battery is being kept charged.

 

[RPW]

When the generator is running it will charge the battery. If you exercise the generator every month or two for about a half hour you shouldn't have any battery problems.

 

[Tomas]

I am afraid my Generac has no alternator, so the battery must be supplying the plugs the fire. I will check further on that as it would solve my problem. Also, as I stated, no ATS, no charging. I talked to Generac about this, and the wires for the built in charger are routed through the ATS. Also, they warned me about charging from an external charger while running. Said it would bypass the board and fry any delicate equipment running. I.e computers.

 

[dusty3030]

I am afraid my Generac has no alternator, so the battery must be supplying the plugs the fire. I will check further on that as it would solve my problem. Also, as I stated, no ATS, no charging. I talked to Generac about this, and the wires for the built in charger are routed through the ATS. Also, they warned me about charging from an external charger while running. Said it would bypass the board and fry any delicate equipment running. I.e computers.

Magneto is firing the plugs. You can test it, disconnect the battery and watch her run.
I don't see how in the heck the 12v starting / charging system of the engine is tied into the AC output side of the generator either.

 

[Tomas]

Good point about disconnecting the battery. Will do.
Many thanks.
T

 

[Soundguy]

and I don't see how a precision regulated low current charger could hurt the 'delicate' circuitry. Just get a regulated power supply that will supply 13.8-14.4v at 500ma to 1000ma and have it tied to the ac side to charge when running.. hadfull of radioshack parts will do it in a lil project enclosure box...

 

[K5OIT]

I bought one of the little battery maintainers and use it to keep my genset battery charged. It works real good but I found out the hard way that it doesn't like to be hooked up to the battery when the genset is running. I guess the alternator just overpowers it. Now I disconnect it before starting the genset and everything is holding up great. Something to think about.
Good luck!

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Thomas, if you wired directly into the breaker box how do you keep the current from going back down the lines to the service? You don't want to fry a lineman, they are expensive.

 

[Soundguy]

hopefully he throws the master at least.. or has some other service disconnect outside??