Do yourself a favor, if you going to spend that kind of money get a 1800 RPM genset, way way better and it will last you the rest of your life.. The Low Boys are OK , nice set up but they run at 3600.. Look at fuel consumption too.
Backup Generator
- Thread starter downsizingnow48
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Sawyer Rob
Super Member
RoyKing
Platinum Member
Couple of decisions how long hrs, days, weeks, month. How much power can I afford.
For me I knew Honda inverters are the best gasoline machine, expensive and all the problems of gas.
What I learned from last medium sized storm with high winds, lots of little twisters. Trees down everywhere, most roads blocked, cells/landlines went dead 3 to 4 days. Finally attempted leave to find more gasoline. I have 4 roads out to two cities. All roads were blocked finally found one with small tree and about 6 inches of water crossing it. Chainsaw tree, hook to my truck pull open creep through water. Even if station had power but satellite dish had moved so pumps couldn't read cards, and they could not turn them on and do cash. Travel to bad side of town where people pay cash. Long line... I'm filling two 55gallon drums and bunch of 5's. People are starting to ***** and complain. My neighbor has AR15 on backseat of cab, I unzip jacket so my 45 on my hip shows, people back off we leave, keep lots of cash on hand. Three weeks in town stores getting food but still no sign of power, neighbors get water from my hoses and take bath in bathing suits, hot as heck, I've got window shaker AC and satellite internet. 21 days later power comes on.
So my plan truck has 40 gallon tank so good for 600 miles, stay away gas station, have four 55 gallon empty drums keep one filled, if you know storm coming fill drums with agr diesel. Get some gas for chain saws, tractor with grapple.
Best buy used military mep 802a 6kw gen set $2500. You need power like 15/20k genset with Kubota and mecc alte alternator. Have drum tap screws in the top hole cover with garbage bag. Be happy.
For me I knew Honda inverters are the best gasoline machine, expensive and all the problems of gas.
What I learned from last medium sized storm with high winds, lots of little twisters. Trees down everywhere, most roads blocked, cells/landlines went dead 3 to 4 days. Finally attempted leave to find more gasoline. I have 4 roads out to two cities. All roads were blocked finally found one with small tree and about 6 inches of water crossing it. Chainsaw tree, hook to my truck pull open creep through water. Even if station had power but satellite dish had moved so pumps couldn't read cards, and they could not turn them on and do cash. Travel to bad side of town where people pay cash. Long line... I'm filling two 55gallon drums and bunch of 5's. People are starting to ***** and complain. My neighbor has AR15 on backseat of cab, I unzip jacket so my 45 on my hip shows, people back off we leave, keep lots of cash on hand. Three weeks in town stores getting food but still no sign of power, neighbors get water from my hoses and take bath in bathing suits, hot as heck, I've got window shaker AC and satellite internet. 21 days later power comes on.
So my plan truck has 40 gallon tank so good for 600 miles, stay away gas station, have four 55 gallon empty drums keep one filled, if you know storm coming fill drums with agr diesel. Get some gas for chain saws, tractor with grapple.
Best buy used military mep 802a 6kw gen set $2500. You need power like 15/20k genset with Kubota and mecc alte alternator. Have drum tap screws in the top hole cover with garbage bag. Be happy.
I am on my third (and last) generator. Original was a V-twin Vangard powered 8 KW. Nice but very noisy (3600 RPM) and keeping fresh gas was always a concern. I upgraded to an 8 KW Deutz powered diesel. Better, but still noisy (3600 again) air cooled unit. Finally I bit the bullet and purchased a Kubota powered 9875 from Centralmaine (referenced earlier). It has been the best of all of them. 1800 RPM and with the included muffler it is quite quiet. As mentioned it has the Mecce Alte brushless generator with electronic voltage regulator. It powers my entire house (with 3 heat pumps) and has clean power. My main switch was to diesel when I bought a Kubota tractor. No more gas was kept at the house, except for the 2-cycle mix for small yard tools. Diesel lasts forever, if kept dry, and on a typical outage my house will use 0.3 gal/hour. Long life solid engine which shares consumables with my tractor.
I vote diesel for low cost to operate, reliable backup.
paul
I vote diesel for low cost to operate, reliable backup.
paul
Industrial Toys
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 16,742
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota R510 Wheel Loader + Cab and backhoe, JD 6200 Open Station, Cushman 6150, 4x4, ten foot 56 hp Kubota diesel hydraulic wing mower, Steiner 430 Diesel Max, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, JD 4x2 Electric Gator
I have my fourth Diesel Generator still sitting on the truck. An Onan Quiet Diesel 7.5. Looking forward to playing with the this Inverter style of set. I had one before, but it was a "project" in pieces and someone needed the motor for a miniex. I hate getting these things taken apart, but this one is intact.
A little dismayed to see that they run the RPM variable but way up there in RPM. Also, only 110Volt output, so I would put it through a transformer.
The Inverter scares the crap out of me, except that I have three other units in case it fails, so let the transistors go snap, crackle pop, if they must.
A little dismayed to see that they run the RPM variable but way up there in RPM. Also, only 110Volt output, so I would put it through a transformer.
The Inverter scares the crap out of me, except that I have three other units in case it fails, so let the transistors go snap, crackle pop, if they must.
OP
downsizingnow48
Elite Member
OK I got a shipping estimate from the Maine place. $500 for the 9875w Kubota to a freight terminal in Sacramento. So even including shipping, it is less expensive than the Kubota GL11000. And of course the 1800rpm engine vs 3600rpm on the Lowboy. I checked the fuel consumption figures, at half load the 9875w Kubota is .41 gph vs .71 gph for the GL11000. That would make a real difference in a long outage. And it is good to know from commenters here that the generator is a good one. I am pretty much convinced to order one.
I spent more time on their website. They sell an Isuzu engined generator for $6400 (8kw) and $7100 (12.5kw). Both are also in the ballpark for me, in terms of KW and budget. I wonder if anyone here has experience with those. They are rated continuous duty. Worth the extra loot over the 9875w Kubota?
Thanks very much for info and feedback.
I spent more time on their website. They sell an Isuzu engined generator for $6400 (8kw) and $7100 (12.5kw). Both are also in the ballpark for me, in terms of KW and budget. I wonder if anyone here has experience with those. They are rated continuous duty. Worth the extra loot over the 9875w Kubota?
Thanks very much for info and feedback.
RoyKing
Platinum Member
Here is my concerns with base configuration. No diagnostic or monitoring, only does shutdown on low oil pressure or high temp. So if it shuts down you won't know why. Also need an exerciser to run once a month. The do install the dynagen controllers. Will cost more read about it and decide, also I'm leaning toward 18 gallon tank, large base tanks are vented and constant breathing from heating and cooling draws in moisture, so water separator like Golden rod, and treat fuel for algae.
Industrial Toys
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 16,742
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota R510 Wheel Loader + Cab and backhoe, JD 6200 Open Station, Cushman 6150, 4x4, ten foot 56 hp Kubota diesel hydraulic wing mower, Steiner 430 Diesel Max, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, JD 4x2 Electric Gator
I have two Dyagen controllers, both not installed yet. I think they are good quality for the money, not too fancy. Even better if you can get them cheaper off E-Bay. They do show up.
LittleBill21
Elite Member
you have to figure out your runtime totals, and ask main what the expectancy on each engine is, then decide if your close to either rebuild time, i don't believe alternators have a hourly rebuild time, but i could be wrong.
at least thats what i would do. why get a 50k hour engine, if you never expect to see over 10k etc..
The 9875 has an alternator that is oversized (I believe it is 14 KW rated) along with the larger rotating mass of the diesel's flywheel which gives you quite a bit more surge capacity for starting larger motor loads. As I indicated I have 3 heat pumps (a 2 ton geo, a second 1.5 ton geo and a 1.5 tom air-air unit. I have no problem starting even when two are already running. One problem in many big box store generators today is that to cut costs they reduce the iron (magnetic frame) and copper (windings) to a bare minimum on the generator. This reduces the surge rating substantially which limits motor starting capability. Also the light engine construction with small flywheel weight also reduces the surge load capacity of the engine due to lower rotating inertia. This is why the heavier units (also the mil surplus are in this category) do better overall. One change I made to my Centralmaine unit was to add a water separator to the fuel line to protect the unit's injection pump. Also I use a plastic 55 gal drum for diesel, so rust and corrosion is not a problem. Also if you have fuel stored for long periods, temperature changes causes breathing of air and moisture in the fuel tank. To combat this I have a desiccant breather on the tank to eliminate water (condensate) accumulation in the tank.
I also had Centralmaine add a "2 wire start controller" to my unit. They used a Dynagen unit, which when I bought mine some years ago cost an additional $300. This unit enables remote start/stop over a low voltage pair of wires (in my basement), controls shutoff valve, glow plug timing, warm up and cool down timing as well as low oil, low battery, overcrank and hi temp shutdown protection. It also displays battery voltage and frequency. Well worth the money.
paul
