Diesel Standby Generators

[sparrowhawk]

Almost like an Internet Encylopedia on Life!

Only with way more opinions :laughing:


As for the PTO generator, they definitely have their place I think and the price is right for the power you get. If I had a camp that needed a generator, i would definitely consider one (especially if I had time to set it up when I got there). Setting one up in the rain, snow, wind at 4am on a tuesday: not my cup of tea for sure, and I definitely don't see my wife trying to set it up with her bunny slippers on .

 

[MtHam]

Check out this unit:
Kubota 9,875 Watt Diesel Generator

It's a 3 cylinder, 9kw, remote start, about .4 gal/hour, and quiet.
I bought one 15 years ago, 2nd hand for $1200. It is still going strong. It has been suggested Kubota diesels are good for 30,000 hours. I have a manual transfer switch to the whole house, and yes I do have to be mindful of the total load. The hot tub gets switched off during use, and we avoid using the dryer unless other major heating loads are off. This allows any plug or appliance or pump on the ranch to be used, again as long as the total load capability is not exceeded.
Two 55 gallon drums of fuel on hand allows extended use (250 hours.) It is in a shed about 100' from the main house, and can barely be heard when running. When the utility power goes out, we simply go to the main panel on the side of the house, one switch to start the genset, throw the transfer switch, and life goes on nicely.

 

[boggen]

sounds like ya got things nailed down, researched, and been there done that type of thing.

i am no help in department of what brand or specific model to get in higher ranges like you are wanting. but i would caution, about double checking local suppliers. some times they may sell enough, in order to keep some parts in stock. vs having to order certain things.

when just looking at different options a few years back...

some of the plus on some units were.... they would auto start and run for a little bit every so often (week, month). sometimes it was the panel on the gen, sometimes it was the "auto transfer switch" helping keep battery for starter charged up, while making sure engine would start.

some came with a battery minder / trickle charger, to deal with the battery

some came with "cold start" setups, some required add on package. ((core heaters, inline radiator hose heater pumps, oil pan heaters, etc...))

some generators, didn't have a descent, *duh* forget the term. load control, for when a well pump kicked on, or A/C kicked on. there would be a longer low power (brown out) type of situation. before generator started producing more electricity. some came with better "line conditioners for overall demand, some were better when full load others better at half load type of thing.

many times it didn't matter what manufacture you went with. due to amount of models differing from each manufacture.

double check on how loud they are (decibels) some come with a better insulated / sound proof encasement, while others. were just plain tin, that could start shaking, rattling.

double check to see if they need to be lifted off ground for enough ground clearance to drain oils, and other liquids from it easily. or if there are lower side panels you can remove, to access the drain ports.

some may have a more open bottom, allowing birds, mice, and other critters up into the enclosure, allowing them to build nests inside and around the motor and electronics.

double check to see if you need a screw driver to remove panels. or if there are thumb screws or latches you can undo, to double check things.

if water cooled engine. can you easily get into radiator and use air nozzle off the air compressor to clean it out? (dust, lawn clippings from mowing,etc...)

 

[sparrowhawk]

Thanks Boggen, all really great things and I will definitely look at all of these. The majority of those I didn't think of so thanks for the additional items to consider.

Whichever generator I end up with will most likely be moved to a new house in a few years once I get this one situated and my new house started, so I do have to plan for that as well. These old rundown houses are fun and satisfying but sometimes it's amazing how much work it takes to get them squared away!

Thanks everyone, I'll let you know which I end up with and will take pictures of the final setup.

sounds like ya got things nailed down, researched, and been there done that type of thing.

i am no help in department of what brand or specific model to get in higher ranges like you are wanting. but i would caution, about double checking local suppliers. some times they may sell enough, in order to keep some parts in stock. vs having to order certain things.

when just looking at different options a few years back...

some of the plus on some units were.... they would auto start and run for a little bit every so often (week, month). sometimes it was the panel on the gen, sometimes it was the "auto transfer switch" helping keep battery for starter charged up, while making sure engine would start.

some came with a battery minder / trickle charger, to deal with the battery

some came with "cold start" setups, some required add on package. ((core heaters, inline radiator hose heater pumps, oil pan heaters, etc...))

some generators, didn't have a descent, *duh* forget the term. load control, for when a well pump kicked on, or A/C kicked on. there would be a longer low power (brown out) type of situation. before generator started producing more electricity. some came with better "line conditioners for overall demand, some were better when full load others better at half load type of thing.

many times it didn't matter what manufacture you went with. due to amount of models differing from each manufacture.

double check on how loud they are (decibels) some come with a better insulated / sound proof encasement, while others. were just plain tin, that could start shaking, rattling.

double check to see if they need to be lifted off ground for enough ground clearance to drain oils, and other liquids from it easily. or if there are lower side panels you can remove, to access the drain ports.

some may have a more open bottom, allowing birds, mice, and other critters up into the enclosure, allowing them to build nests inside and around the motor and electronics.

double check to see if you need a screw driver to remove panels. or if there are thumb screws or latches you can undo, to double check things.

if water cooled engine. can you easily get into radiator and use air nozzle off the air compressor to clean it out? (dust, lawn clippings from mowing,etc...)

 

[JohnTso]

I have a Kohler 10 KVA (continuous) powered by the Kubota V1305 4-cylinder engine. It's about 13 years old, but runs like a watch. Both the house and shop wired to it. Uses about .5 gallon per hour at 50 percent load. FWIW - it doesn't even grunt running all the lights in the shop, house furnace, well pump, HD TV and normal home lighting. When the 4 ton A/C kicks in I may hear a blip, but that's about it.

I recommend anyone contemplating a backup generator first invest in a good clamp meter. Monitor your cyclic loads, each leg, and I think you will be surprised how low your continuous load is - IMHO.

Just pick up a used Gillette GEN-PRO 13 KVA LPG unit with 4/10's of an hour on it. Came with 200 amp Cutler-Hammer ATS, Ronk Meter-Rite DPDT bypass and main panel. Couldn't pass it up!

 

[techman]

I too have the 9,875 Kubota powered genset referenced in post 32. I replaced an aircooled Deutz powered gen. Diesel and plastic barrel is the way to go. I did have a steel 50 gal before, but the steel rusted at the fuel level, and plastic for sure will not rust.

They make 15kw and 20kw units as well. Bigger the set, the more fuel you will use. With this unit I can power the house. Just can't run the stove and heat pumps at the same time, but this is not a problem. Also using a manual transfer/interlock on the main panel. Similar to: Generator InterLock Kit but homemade.

paul

 

[JohnTso]

All my appliances are LPG, except for the Advantium oven that I have. I'm going to get this GEN-PRO running and see how well I like. Here diesel is abut twice the price of propane.

The Gen-Pro is power by a Kohler Command 25 hp and it's 3600 RPM. It's even got an oil cooler on it. I'm not to concerned about reliability, because I have the same engine in 20 hp on a garden tractor It's about 15 years old with several hundred hard hours on it and still runs like a top. I think fuel consumption will be a wash cost wise, but the Kubota powered Kohler is bullet proof. Time will tell the story.

 

[atgreene]

I went with these guys: Central Maine Diesel Generators | Diesel Generators | Triple-Fuel Generators | Propane/Natural Gas Generators

They're from Maine and between myself and the FD I have purchased 4 generators from them.

For my house I went with the entire autostart unit, but opted for a small diesel gen. Now I plan to upgrade to a larger gen.

Here's the one I bought. Yanmar Powered 6,500 Watt Diesel Generator

Just an update on my gen. We just came off a 94.1 hour outage due to Irene. The gen ran non-stop the entire time powering everything we needed, including washer, propane dryer, a/c from time to time, well pump, welder, microwave etc... etc.....

The final figures were .23 gallons of fuel per hour.:thumbsup: Yes, less than a quart per hour. The unit now hads a total of 160 hours on it.

As I have stated eleswhere before, the only downfall to this unit is the small fuel tank, so my 50 gallon saddle tank that I plumbed into it made life much easier.

The only issue we had is that every dvd player in the house and camper quit, all 5 of them? No other electronics had any issues, I'm wondering if we had a spike when the power quit? We're buying UPS's for all our electronics just to be safe.

On edit: The propane powered gen that the FD has (we have several actually) of the same size was using 1.5+- gallons of propane per hour with no load (7 kw gen, 150 watt load). We had to call for propane (100 gallon tank) 3 days in and were told it was a $60.00 delivery fee. Another reason I decided not to go with propane. Some people around here were burning almost 50 gallons of propane per day to keep their houses up and running. For 4 days thats close to $700 to keep the lights on.

 

[atgreene]

Another note, once again, a Kubota gen here locally died. Elderly neighbors called me 2 days into the outage and asked me to come look at their Kubota 6800?watt diesel unit. Looks to me like it's lost a valve or rocker? Blowing air out the exhaust when you crank it.

This is the third diesel Kubota gen that I have personally seen quit. The other two were electronic issues with the gen head, but makes me wonder about Kubotas.

 

[JB4310]

Check out this unit:
Kubota 9,875 Watt Diesel Generator

It's a 3 cylinder, 9kw, remote start, about .4 gal/hour, and quiet.

Those 4 pole (1800 rpm) are my dream machines, yeah they are the most expensive initially, but in the long run are the most cost efficient.
I'm not saying the brand specific, but that design.
In a survival situation, that's the one I want.

Also using a manual transfer/interlock on the main panel. Similar to: Generator InterLock Kit but homemade.

paul

Great job with the home made interlock. the interlock option is the way to go, for manual switching anyway, brilliant, simple and safe.

I can't do it on my panel unfortunately, since my panel is considered remote (more than x number of feet from the service entrance) so I only have a main outside at the meter, not in the inside panel

Another note, once again, a Kubota gen here locally died. Elderly neighbors called me 2 days into the outage and asked me to come look at their Kubota 6800?watt diesel unit. Looks to me like it's lost a valve or rocker? Blowing air out the exhaust when you crank it.

This is the third diesel Kubota gen that I have personally seen quit. The other two were electronic issues with the gen head, but makes me wonder about Kubotas.

That looks like a great unit you have, and you give it a good review, but that being a 2 pole (3600 rpm) I don't think it will have the life expectancy of the 3 cylinder units. More portable though.

Not sure what's up with the kubotas you have seen broke down? but in general that design SHOULD be the most reliable and durable.

JB