Your last generator Maintenance Run

[90cummins]

I have more details on compressors and application.
They are single phase with one being 240v and one 120v.
I did some research and found this unit which looks like it may be what he needs. I’ll leave that up to you if it will work for him.

https://www.radwell.com/Shop?source=GoogleShopping&IgnoreRedirect=true&ItemSingleId=127315476

Thank you
90cummins

 

[90cummins]

Id like to say that the knowledge base here is priceless with everyone’s combined diverse experience.
My system is the result of the thousands of posts highlighting the good & no so good features of various systems.
If you have a problem most likely someone here has been there done that.
Thank you 3930Dave for starting this forum and all contributors that make this work!!

Awesome Gang!!
90cummins

 

[3930dave]

Thank you!!
90cummins

Anytime 90 ! You've posted a lot of valuable data about your system on here.... it's great 411 for many people.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

That’s not quite enough information for a specific answer but most likely the ‘power quality’ issue is low voltage, loss of phase if these are 3 phase units or a voltage spike when utility is lost.

There are protection relays to detect every type of unsatisfactory condition and multifunction protective relays that can be programmed for many types of protections but brand name industrial controls are very expensive - thousands to tens of thousands. There are cheap single function protection or sensing relays from that overseas country that starts with C.

These will require a contractor to isolate the equipment. If these are not huge loads, it may be cost effective to run them from a UPS. It only needs to be large enough to supply the load, battery life is not an issue as the intention is to have the UPS supply ‘clean’ power at a constant voltage and frequency the make a clean power cut when it’s battery depletes rather than suffer an extended low voltage or other condition.

Thanks CM, grs, and everybody else posting on this protection issue.

Cost-wise, I was thinking later in the day about whole-house surge protection modules people have posted about using - wondering if a commercial variant might be of value for 90's application ?

Good point about the UPS, as you'd mainly just need it for Conditioning, not runtime.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Thank you 3930Dave for starting this forum and all contributors that make this work!!

Awesome Gang!!
90cummins

My weakness, ends up being a Net-Benefit for some folks.... I started off posting, to try and kick-start my Maintenance Memory, and figured maybe half a dozen or so other posts might happen....

Over the years this has been running, I've constantly been impressed by the cool fixes, builds, and practices that people have posted up here. For me, this has been one of the best long-running examples of the positive potential of 'Net tech, and we've collectively helped various people with breakdowns, or buying decisions.

Thanks to all the generator-geeks who hang-out here, and share what they know

Rgds, D.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

Had to edit my post due to typing it on my phone in an airport. Re: whole house surge protection, it is relatively cheap insurance IF you get something that is more than a single use device. Most distribution panels have supressors you can install in a breaker space but you are better off to buy a regular breaker and a dedicated much larger supressor for the same dollars that mounts on the wall. What I got from power quality question was it was likely a sustained low voltage condition causing the issue. Another possible solution for that is adding a motor starter with adjustable overload settings. Motors fail on low voltage (usually due to poor connections) because the current increases as voltage drops since the motor can only run at its design speed. This additional current overheats the motor.

Most power bars etc with surge suppression consist of just an MOV that shorts to ground above a predetermined voltage. Good for extremely short spikes but not much else - most I have taken apart over the years were long burnt out and doing nothing. Better ones have a current limiting resistor and better still have a continuity or health light.

 

[3930dave]

Thanks for those options CM !

Rgds, D.

 

[oosik]

02/21/2024.

 

[LouNY]

Been an uneventful winter this year for my generator. Hooked the tractor up to it a couple of times to be ready and knock on wood haven't needed it. Per National Grid over 1100 separate outages effecting over 51,000 customers at the present time. Dropped from upper 50's yesterday afternoon to low teens last night with the wind. Our's didn't even flicker last night, when it used to blow a line fuse in any kind of wind or storm.
First year I can recall not losing power a couple of times in the winter.

 

[oosik]

We have a Co-Op electric company. Two scheduled - maintenance outages - per year. Spring and fall. Otherwise - I can not remember the last time - summer or winter - that we had an unscheduled outage.

I've been with the Co-Op 42 years now. Our electric rate is one of the lowest in the country.