PTO generator

[DarkBlack]

As long as we are talking generators,I'm considering a portable gas generator for use during outages.My main concern is how much current is needed to start my well pump.I have a 450' well with a 1 1/2HP Goulds pump.It runs fine with a 240V 15 amp circuit breaker.I really don't need to keep everything in the house running all the time,just a little furnace here,or the fridge a little,etc.I just don't want to hurt the well pump.Would be happy to turn everything off just to pump some water.I've been looking at 5500 run/6900 peak or 6500 run/8000 peak units.Would one of these be sufficient?Or simply how many peak watts needed to start my pump?
Yes,I'm asking this on a tractor forum.We rock here!Thank you in advance for your replies.

Deep well pumps draw many times their running current to get started depending on your conditions. Here is a good thread that discusses this:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ons/256041-what-best-generator-our-needs.html

 

[PineRidge]

I finally got my Rural King 15kw PTO powered generator up and running today. Voltage and hertz very stable while testing. Tractor seemed at ease powering it at 540 rpm. Now I need to get my 50 Amp etnrance box installed and hooked into my main panel using a interlock.

We got caught off guard during the last major power outage so when I heard about Sandy we drove 50 miles to a Rural King and purchased a 15KW PTO-generator too. This particular model uses AVR (automatic voltage regulation) which is supposed to make it safer around electronic equipment and gawd knows we have a lot of that around here.

Just last month the PC board went out on the Reznor overhead heater located in the pole barn. Probably caused by a voltage spike. I'm in the HVAC industry and that board still cost $300.

I will say that the PTO that came with the generator was to short for my application but the Rural King store made it right for me.

Our New Holland will sit in the pole barn and feed the power underground to the house to keep things online.

Here's the specs on the generator

 

[sdkubota]

We got caught off guard during the last major power outage so when I heard about Sandy we drove 50 miles to a Rural King and purchased a 15KW PTO-generator too. This particular model uses AVR (automatic voltage regulation) which is supposed to make it safer around electronic equipment and gawd knows we have a lot of that around here.

Just last month the PC board went out on the Reznor overhead heater located in the pole barn. Probably caused by a voltage spike. I'm in the HVAC industry and that board still cost $300.

I will say that the PTO that came with the generator was to short for my application but the Rural King store made it right for me.

Our New Holland will sit in the pole barn and feed the power underground to the house to keep things online.

Here's the specs on the generator

The PTO shaft was worthless that came with the generator and Rural King doesn't respond to any of my emails to them even though a piece was damaged on the generator. Luckily I could fix it myself but I would recommend anyone to shop somewhere else if possible. Even Harbor Freight has a better customer service than Rural King in my opinion.

 

[Rob-D]

Deep well pumps draw many times their running current to get started depending on your conditions. Here is a good thread that discusses this:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ons/256041-what-best-generator-our-needs.html

Here's running a 1-1/2 HP motor, that's = 1119 watts, his breaker is 240 * 15 = 3600 but the breaker isn't blowing when the motor starts in fact the breaker is most likely rated 30 to50% over his load. At 2400 watts (240V * 10A) he's a little over 2 times his rated HP. Motors draw is limited by wire ratings and sizes, you can't continually draw more than the wire current rating. At my conservative 3 times over rated HP he's more than safe in his energy calculations.

I think a motor starting load is a product of load regardless whether the load is a well head or a fridge compressor. Using more than three times is overkill, regardless of the application.

Are you saying well pumps draw more current than any motor with the same load? How much more than 3 times do you think he needs?

 

[sdkubota]

Rural King won't even respond to me about the defective part that came with their $1200 generator even though it supposedly has a warranty. This has got to be the most dishonest retailer on the planet. It is unbelievable how they handle themselves.

 

[PineRidge]

The PTO shaft was worthless that came with the generator and Rural King doesn't respond to any of my emails to them even though a piece was damaged on the generator. Luckily I could fix it myself but I would recommend anyone to shop somewhere else if possible. Even Harbor Freight has a better customer service than Rural King in my opinion.

I had Rural King call the vendor while I was in the store. They admitted to Rural King that they knew there was a problem with the PTO shaft and that they were working with the supplier to resolve the problem.

What part was damaged on your generator?

 

[yelbike]

I had Rural King call the vendor while I was in the store. They admitted to Rural King that they knew there was a problem with the PTO shaft and that they were working with the supplier to resolve the problem.

What part was damaged on your generator?

Forget the email. Call them. Just a thought.

 

[BrianW]

You bring up an excellent point that I think most people overlook. I don't need a generator for a one day outage. I need it for extended outages. My solution was to buy a large generator that I can run for short durations as needed and a Honda EU2000 that I run for the fridge and a light or two. I can run the EU all day on about 1 1/2 gal. of gas. I can go a long time without a huge quantity of fuel on hand.

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And that is an important, but often overlooked point. You need to secure your fuel supply for expected duration, plus a safety factor. If you burn a gallon of gas an hour and run 24/7 and it takes 3 days for power to be restored that's 72 gallons, or 15 of the 5 gallon gas cans.

In another generator thread I mention tri-fuel conversion kits which let you burn gasoline, natural gas, or LPG on your existing gas generator. Winco (and others) also make tri-fuel generators. Their 8KW burns about 1.5 gallons/hr on LPG (Winco HPS9000VE Portable Generator - HPS9000VE - 8,000 Watt TriFuel Generator w/ Electric Start B&S Vanguard Engine). I've got two each 250 gallon LPG tanks I try to keep filled, that would be good for about 300 hours.

Where I'm retiring I'm setting up IBC totes for diesel and water.
View attachment 287020

That's about 300 gallons each.

Right now on the news they are showing the multi hour lines for gas, at gas stations in New Jersey. There's nothing stupider than waiting till the last minute to get gas (unless you don't plan on living that long).

 

[BrianW]

Neil, Is Tiger no longer going to make pto generators or just no more 20k?

 

[dex3361]

Here's running a 1-1/2 HP motor, that's = 1119 watts, his breaker is 240 * 15 = 3600 but the breaker isn't blowing when the motor starts in fact the breaker is most likely rated 30 to50% over his load. At 2400 watts (240V * 10A) he's a little over 2 times his rated HP. Motors draw is limited by wire ratings and sizes, you can't continually draw more than the wire current rating. At my conservative 3 times over rated HP he's more than safe in his energy calculations.

I think a motor starting load is a product of load regardless whether the load is a well head or a fridge compressor. Using more than three times is overkill, regardless of the application.

Are you saying well pumps draw more current than any motor with the same load? How much more than 3 times do you think he needs?

Motor inrush current can be more than 6 times running current depending on the NEMA Locked Rotor Amp code usually listed on the nameplate of the motor. Here is a chart for reference and how to use it. NEMA CHART