Your last generator Maintenance Run

[Rustyiron]

An hour and a half after that post, power did go out.
My first outage with Ginny and no moving portable's and cords around, she's purring right along.
I guess we're going "green", at least for now. :laughing:

 

[Popgadget]

hmmm, I understand max 35amps 240, but can't I pull 50 amps 120V through that cord? Or is that the 35amp breaker Lou mentioned?
I need to go study the gen panel.

Not exactly. What you have is two 35 amp legs of 120. So yes you theoretically could get 70 amps of 120 combined total load, but it would have to be balanced at 35 amps on each leg. You could not power a single 70 amp 120 volt load. The good news is that such a load isn’t likely to exist in your house.

But it is important that your loads are balanced on each leg to maximize the generator output.
When you look at your panel, breakers that are opposed from each other are on the same leg. Ones that are above or below one another are on separate legs. So looking vertically every other breaker is on the same leg.

Knowing this, you can look at your panel and see if the single pole breakers with the highest drawn items are on the same leg or not.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I made up this instruction list for generator operation and taped it near the panel box in basement. Have gotten feedback that main breaker should always be turned off
before generator started and plugged in. My reasoning for this is to allow the gen to warm up a little, a few minutes anyway, before a load is put on it. Since the mechanical interlock prevents energizing the panel with gen power until the street power master breaker is flipped off, I didn't see any safety concerns here. But maybe I'm wrong. There is a 100 amp breaker for panel and separate 50 amp breaker for gen, and only one can be turned on at same time. Thoughts? I gave these instructions to electrician and he said they were fine. Safety first, but I thought the interlock prevented unsafe operation.

How do you know utility power is back on? Did they put any indicator light on the hot side of the main?

 

[daugen]

How do you know utility power is back on? Did they put any indicator light on the hot side of the main?

no, that would sure be a nice to have. PECO is pretty good about sending out texts to my cell phone saying power is out, power is back on.
Easiest way to find out I suppose is just to turn off the gen breaker(s) and then flip the utility power breaker back on.
Next time...I'll ask for a light. Can always look at neighbor's homes and see if lights are on, though several have whole house gen. I'd have to turn mine totally off to hear their gens
running anyway.


120/240-Volt, 50-Amp Outlet (NEMA 14-50R):Outlet can supply either 120V or 240V up to 50 amps.

Does this gen have an hour-meter ? yes
15VFT Data Center: Press and release the mode button to toggle between Voltage, Frequency, Total Hour Meter and Run/Maintenance Timer.

Popgadget, there is not a separate breaker for the 50amp outlet, just the master breaker, which I have to assume is 50amps. Can't tell by looking at this:
Westinghouse WGen95DF Generator - Dual Fuel | Westinghouse Outdoor Equipment
manual has a schematic:
https://cdn.westinghouseoutdoorpower.com/owners_manuals/WGen9500DF_manual_web.pdf
I'll look on the house panel and see what that configuration is.

interesting they provide a small battery charger that plugs into receptacle on front panel. I use my smart charger instead.

 

[3930dave]

An hour and a half after that post, power did go out.
My first outage with Ginny and no moving portable's and cords around, she's purring right along.
I guess we're going "green", at least for now. :laughing:
View attachment 678841

Plan Works Out.

:thumbsup:

Rgds, D. (Grid back ?)

 

[3930dave]

Panel balancing. Good discussion lately on this Gen 201 subject.

I expected an hour meter on the size of gen you got d :thumbsup:. You are very attentive to equipment maintenance, but I view hour meters as esp. important running propane/natgas...... no dirty oil reminders.....

Nice option to get those texts..... esp. useful for people away from home.

Rgds, D.

 

[psvfd]

How do you know utility power is back on? Did they put any indicator light on the hot side of the main?

The machine shop where I worked had indicator lights on each leg coming in. We were glad to see all the lights lit then we could shut down the 4-53 Detroit generator.

 

[3930dave]

The machine shop where I worked had indicator lights on each leg coming in. We were glad to see all the lights lit then we could shut down the 4-53 Detroit generator.

Ears still ringing from the last run ?

Rgds, D.

 

[psvfd]

Ears still ringing from the last run ?

Rgds, D.

Yes Ears ringing, not just from it. Wore ear plugs when it ran, most times. I do remember a few times without plugs.

 

[Rustyiron]

Plan Works Out.

:thumbsup:

Rgds, D. (Grid back ?)

Not yet Dave, I've either been trying to sleep or plowing snow on my tractor since it went out. Just got in an hour ago and it sounds like it's very widespread, like areas 30 miles away from me.
Got a question, even with my new overkill generator (20kw) I hear a difference in the sound of the microwave and the tiny little blower motor on the oil fired hwh while on the generator. Currently we are running the mini splits heat pumps (no electric resistance heat) but they don't even seem to ding the electric bill and as mentioned oil dhw along with lp gas range and dryer so basically lights and 2 refrigerators and a chest freezer and whenever the well pump cycles. They both operate properly and don't smell funny and don't trip anything and not throwing sparks:laughing:
Any clue?