Your last generator Maintenance Run

[Popgadget]

Well the verdict is in.
I’m keeping the Onan switch. It was going to be a lot of work to replace it with the Generac because the Onan Cabinet is huge by comparison, and it is installed with conduit from the disconnect to the panel. Also it has digital volt and ammeter displays for the utility and generator that I added and can leave in place including the current transformers with my planned rewire.

It really won’t be a lot of work, all of the internal wiring is terminated on barrier blocks that are well labeled and I have the drawings. I ran the wire from the transfer switch terminals on the generator this afternoon.

 

[3930dave]

Well the verdict is in.
I’m keeping the Onan switch. It was going to be a lot of work to replace it with the Generac because the Onan Cabinet is huge by comparison, and it is installed with conduit from the disconnect to the panel. Also it has digital volt and ammeter displays for the utility and generator that I added and can leave in place including the current transformers with my planned rewire.

It really won’t be a lot of work, all of the internal wiring is terminated on barrier blocks that are well labeled and I have the drawings. I ran the wire from the transfer switch terminals on the generator this afternoon.

Sounds like you will be back-to Backed Up, soon !

Rgds, D.

 

[Popgadget]

All done.
I had a 3PDT relay with A 12vdc coil, socket and DIN rail, so it was off to the races.
Here is the relay and the socket wired up-

Here it is installed in the switch-

All of the white wiring was added.
And if you aren’t familiar with an Onan OT switch-

This one was a 3 phase model that i converted to single phase when I installed it at least 3 decades ago. I used it because I had it left over from a job that canceled.

 

[Popgadget]

Sounds like you will be back-to Backed Up, soon !

Rgds, D.

Yup, like an hour ago. And if worse came to worse, I have a 50kw PTO generator.

 

[LittleBill21]

why is the main copper bar heatsinked? I am not sure I understand why that would get hot, is it because the actuator stays active and gets hot?

 

[Popgadget]

why is the main copper bar heatsinked? I am not sure I understand why that would get hot, is it because the actuator stays active and gets hot?

I don’t think it’s actually a heat sink. It draws less than 1 amp of 240v, and is energized for less than a second to make the transfer, it opens a switch at full stroke that cuts off the power to it.
It does actuate with authority, I’m wondering if it increases the magnetic field.

 

[grsthegreat]

we had an older onan switch in our pumphouse. worked with a 30 years old generator. when they tossed out the old generator and installed parallel generac industrial units, i wanted to keep the old switch, but they supposedly scrapped it out earlier.

those are bulletproof switches, but makor overkill for most residential applications. parts are getting harder to find also.

 

[90cummins]

I also have an OLD Onan 200 amp 3 phase transfer switch in my house. I also use it on single phase.
It came out of a local college years ago and is old school technology.
When it transfers from line to gen or back it’s a loud clunk.
Not much to go bad in there.
It has an Anderson full power plug for my 24kw PTO generator if I need big power.
Another backup for the backups backup, backup.
Wife needs to curl her hair or she’s not going to work
90cummins

 

[3930dave]

Some SERIOUS iron on this page.



Rgds, D.

 

[check]

Speaking of surge protectors, I have one inside just downstream of the main disconnect, but do I need another one somewhere for my automatic transfer switch on my Kohler generator?

 

[grsthegreat]

If the generator is powering your main panel, the surge suppressor at main panel would still protect it., unless its BEFORE the house main breaker.

 

[WinterDeere]

If the generator is powering your main panel, the surge suppressor at main panel would still protect it., unless its BEFORE the house main breaker.

I’ll add to this that if you’re feeding the genny thru a sub panel, a surge suppressor on the mains will still offer some partial protection, the degree of which is determined by the associated loads, wire gauges, and lengths. Since you wouldn’t expect enormous transients coming from a generator, the simplified answer is “probably good enough,” either way.

 

[Williy]

If I am ging to go compeletly solar I would never spend the money
to hook up to the grid use that money for the cost of hookiing up
to the grid for solar products. My L6 batteries have to be replaced
as they are between 15 to 20 years old just don't let your batteries
go below a certain voltage and they will last a very long time

willy

 

[3930dave]

If I am ging to go compeletly solar I would never spend the money
to hook up to the grid use that money for the cost of hookiing up
to the grid for solar products. My L6 batteries have to be replaced
as they are between 15 to 20 years old just don't let your batteries
go below a certain voltage and they will last a very long time

willy

The traditional Cost argument was Buy Cheap Land (remote), build off-grid, and put the grid Line-In Cost into batteries.

Still valid today (IMO), for the people willing to live Remote, and take on that project. Just jumped back here from a local EV thread..... I'd add Today - living off-grid, with a sizeable alternative energy system may end up looking even more affordable, in terms of charging your own EV, AND, if you take proper care of your own system, possibly more reliable than where many grid-systems are heading...

Batteries... many people don't want to bother with their maintenance, but it's not that it's a high-skill job (given an understanding of Ohm's Law, and some minimal mechanical skills, it's just Time to Allocate....).

Rgds, D.

 

[nikdfish]

Had the annual service done on the 22kw standby today. Still having it done by the installer (Generac). Still got 3 years left on the 10 yr. guarantee that came with the install.

No issues, but the tech did comment on the number of run hours since last year. Not enough to have required an interim oil change, but close.

Still need to exercise the portables, though....

 

[3930dave]

Had the annual service done on the 22kw standby today. Still having it done by the installer (Generac). Still got 3 years left on the 10 yr. guarantee that came with the install.

No issues, but the tech did comment on the number of run hours since last year. Not enough to have required an interim oil change, but close.

Still need to exercise the portables, though....

Rgds, D.

 

[Fallon]

The traditional Cost argument was Buy Cheap Land (remote), build off-grid, and put the grid Line-In Cost into batteries.

Still valid today (IMO), for the people willing to live Remote, and take on that project. Just jumped back here from a local EV thread..... I'd add Today - living off-grid, with a sizeable alternative energy system may end up looking even more affordable, in terms of charging your own EV, AND, if you take proper care of your own system, possibly more reliable than where many grid-systems are heading...

Batteries... many people don't want to bother with their maintenance, but it's not that it's a high-skill job (given an understanding of Ohm's Law, and some minimal mechanical skills, it's just Time to Allocate....).

Rgds, D.

Ya, go with batteries or the grid, not both. Unless you have some uncommon situation.

Personally I have a grid tied system. I got a generator disconnect as part of the install when I got the solar. My inverter goes offline the instant I loose grid power. Batteries make very little sense & a lot of cost and maintnance for my use case. I have had maybe 12-24 hours of outage in the past decade. Easy enough to ignore if it's short & not freezing. Or hook up a generator if it's down a while or below freezing.

Entirely different equation if I had to pay $20k to hook up to the grid or the grid around here was that unreliable.

Batteries in the RV are enough of a pain & expense to maintain.

 

[daugen]

power went out to lot of homes last night at 2am, so nice not to have to get up to turn on
gen, since I just installed a battery backed sump pump.
but I was now wide awake, so after a while, went out with flashlight and fired up gen.
ran fine, and that shore/street power alarm works beautifully.

Amazon.com

had to laugh, quotes 86db output, no way, felt much, much louder, and piercing. All good but actually hurt my ears getting near it to turn it off in basement.

 

[3930dave]

Ya, go with batteries or the grid, not both. Unless you have some uncommon situation.

Personally I have a grid tied system. I got a generator disconnect as part of the install when I got the solar. My inverter goes offline the instant I loose grid power. Batteries make very little sense & a lot of cost and maintnance for my use case. I have had maybe 12-24 hours of outage in the past decade. Easy enough to ignore if it's short & not freezing. Or hook up a generator if it's down a while or below freezing.

Entirely different equation if I had to pay $20k to hook up to the grid or the grid around here was that unreliable.

Batteries in the RV are enough of a pain & expense to maintain.

A reliable grid is the cornerstone/foundation of modern life... your #'s are great.

Once you get into a Cali type scenario..... Island mode starts looking pretty good. UR had plenty of surgeons who previously had been bragging about their PV systems and Teslas, crying pretty hard during extended "safety" outages....

The advantage I see with a designing your own battery system is you can make it much more accessible for service, than many vehicle installations are. That said, most people want everything MTCE-free today, and don't want to deal with batteries.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

power went out to lot of homes last night at 2am, so nice not to have to get up to turn on
gen, since I just installed a battery backed sump pump.
but I was now wide awake, so after a while, went out with flashlight and fired up gen.
ran fine, and that shore/street power alarm works beautifully.

Amazon.com

had to laugh, quotes 86db output, no way, felt much, much louder, and piercing. All good but actually hurt my ears getting near it to turn it off in basement.

Brian Johnson ended up with hearing problems, not from fronting a loud rock band, but from racing cars.... we all likely need to use better hearing protection !​

(not sure where the perma-bold ^ came from....)

Thnx for the feedback on the alarm. ".... in basement" ? < Did you change your setup to run indoors ?

Rgds, D.