Generator 15KW PTO Generator Harbor Freight
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Soundguy
Old Timer
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- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
thanks for the info guys...I think that concept of the electro magnetic resistance increasing with current being drawn and thus making the magnets more difficult to rotate is the missing link in my understanding
So then this is less an issue of how big a generator you buy, and more an issue of how many appliances/devices you simultaneously run off of the generator?
Is there any scientific way to monitor the amount of load you are putting on the system? Or should I just shut down breakers when running off the generator and only turn on those that I am accounting for as I manually calculate load?
yes, you can get wattage meters, or you can do some simple math looking at the ul tag on the device you are plugging in.
you can also monitor your tractors throttle / governor...
as long as you have generator rating, and can keep rpms correct for hz needed, and you are not lugging the tractor, you are in the green.
There are any number of estimating "tools" available on the web and in literature published by generator manufacturers.
Some are spread sheet based, others just help you list the devices, give typical loads for them and tell you to add it all up.
RV sites can help.
Be warned that most of these are trying to scare you into buying more generator than you are likely to "NEED".
Starting current can be a driving factor, e.g. when a fridge, freezer, furnace pump or fan first cuts in.
If you add up ALL the STARTING currents of all the motors and ALL your lights you will have the worst case - but in reality not ALL your motors start at the same time and that starting current is only there for a few seconds.
Neither are all your lights on at the same time - well, mine aren't but my kids have grown and gone.
Somewhere there is (was) a 60% rule, but I don't have a reference for it and I'm not telling anyone to use it.
OK, so if the power goes out and your house goes cold and your fridge and freezer go warm... then MAYBE a lot of motors start up when you throw the transfer switch.
In that case it might be best to flip on the circuit breakers of the transfer switch one at a time, with a second or two between each one.
15Kw should support MOST houses - - EASILY.
Different matter if you are running a farm, but that is a whole different scenario, i.e. when the power goes out the tractor(s) is(are) probably needed for purposes other than running a generator.
Some are spread sheet based, others just help you list the devices, give typical loads for them and tell you to add it all up.
RV sites can help.
Be warned that most of these are trying to scare you into buying more generator than you are likely to "NEED".
Starting current can be a driving factor, e.g. when a fridge, freezer, furnace pump or fan first cuts in.
If you add up ALL the STARTING currents of all the motors and ALL your lights you will have the worst case - but in reality not ALL your motors start at the same time and that starting current is only there for a few seconds.
Neither are all your lights on at the same time - well, mine aren't but my kids have grown and gone.
Somewhere there is (was) a 60% rule, but I don't have a reference for it and I'm not telling anyone to use it.
OK, so if the power goes out and your house goes cold and your fridge and freezer go warm... then MAYBE a lot of motors start up when you throw the transfer switch.
In that case it might be best to flip on the circuit breakers of the transfer switch one at a time, with a second or two between each one.
15Kw should support MOST houses - - EASILY.
Different matter if you are running a farm, but that is a whole different scenario, i.e. when the power goes out the tractor(s) is(are) probably needed for purposes other than running a generator.
buickanddeere
Super Member
Rather than adding up "wattage" to size a generator . Better to add up the nameplate amperage of the loads and size the generator by it's nameplate amperage as well.
Prevents confusion between volt amps, reactive power and watts.
Prevents confusion between volt amps, reactive power and watts.
Soundguy
Old Timer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
- Messages
- 51,575
- Location
- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
If your Gen lists amps.. Mine doesn't, wattage and volts only. North star unit
LittleBill21
Elite Member
any of you guys running these with sensitive items? im finding out the THD of most of the HF generators is actually pretty high.
bigdeano
Platinum Member
You can install current transformers and AC ammeters on each hot wire from the generator so you can monitor your loads. I put them on my 10kw generator. They're available on ebay from china very inexpensively. You just run the hot wire through the current transformer, so there isn't any direct connection to the hot wire. It's all very easy.
Soundguy
Old Timer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
- Messages
- 51,575
- Location
- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
deleted... was a waste of time typing it.
Last edited:
Soundguy
Old Timer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
- Messages
- 51,575
- Location
- Central florida
- Tractor
- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
Depends, according to my graphing meter, my Gen is better regulated that my house utility.
LittleBill asked about total harmonic distortion, not frequency or voltage. I don't have the ability to measure THD, but the UPSs on my computers won't run on my 18-year-old generator and I suspect that's the issue. The voltage is right on, and I have no reason to think the frequency is far enough off to be an issue.