Standby Generator Brands : GE, Generac other?
junkjon
12 years ago
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wayne440
12 years agoRelated Discussions
Standby generators
Comments (18)Hi, A quick, tough not neccesarily always good, measure of quality of a generator is to look at the weight. The more the thing weighs the better. Why? Many things make a generator good, but in essence more copper wiring, or thicker copper wiring means less resistance and stronger magenetic fields. Also more weight means more inertia, especially rotational inertia to help when large motors kick in. I would therefore simply look at the specifications and look in the weight of the generator. The heavier ones will in general be the better quality products, and also the more expensive. Also water cooled car based engines are better than air cooled lawn mower based engine based gensets. RPM wise look for ones that spin at 1,800 rpm vs 3,600 rpm. Not there is a big jump in price between water cooled and air cooled. The cost difference of approx 2x comes mostly in instalation costs. Air cooled means light. Does not need a concrete pad, and does not need heavy lift e.g. crane to install. Good brands for top end are Kohler and Cummings Onan but they are expensive. Best, Mike....See MoreExceeding home standby generator rating
Comments (23)There's no argument there, brickeyee. In context, the breaker on the OP's generator *IS* likely to trip before undervoltage or oddball waveforms damage MOST consumer electronics. Computer PSUs typically operate *PROPERLY* down to about 90V or so, and shut themselves off (protection circuit) below that. Devices with linear power supplies aren't going to give a darn about undervoltage - and the waveform issue is never going to be seen by the secondary side - the transformer won't be happy, but that usually just blows the input fuse. I AGREE that, if the problem is overcurrent, everything electronic is long gone before the breaker trips. Overcurrent through any one particular electronic device isn't the issue here, it's undervoltage before the generator's breaker trips. Overcurrent through one particular electronic device, I might suggest, probably means that said device is already fried anyway....See Moregenerac generators
Comments (17)Recomended oil change frequency is 150hrs or annually. Its had 2 changes already as its 3 years old. I will change it this weekend if the power does not come back. The recomended oil is Full Synthetic 5W30. I called Generac and asked about using Shell Rotella Synthetic 5W40 as we already use it in most everything else and they agreed it was a very good fit in the Houston climate. So that's what it runs. I overstated the engine's oil usage. In a week of run time I have used less than 1/2 gal topping off every day so its not a pint a day, more like 8oz. Still far less than my Onan 6.5KW Emerald on the RV uses. You are also mistaken about the zinc (ZDDP) additive content of synthetic oils. The formulations are different for various blends, has nothing to do with synthetic or conventional. And FYI, Shell Rotella Synthetic has 1200PPM of ZDDP in its formulation. The Onan gen set has well over 2000 hrs on it running this oil so its not a problem for air cooled engines, quite the opposite, its a recomended application. Also, its very hard to compare oil consumption for natural gas engines to gasoline ones due to the very different types of contamination and lack of oil dilution in NG applications. I also went and read the article posted above on the other generac problem. I don't doubt the guy in the article had a blown generator stator winding, but it was not a result of insufficient air flow through or around the generator. I have the same 15kw air cooled model he has and was VERY concerned after reading the article. Went home last night and spent some time really looking over the cooling flow design. First, the generator does not share a compartment with either the muffler or the exhaust pipe. Second all the air that the intake fan on the engine end draws into the enclosure and across the cylinder heads is forced THROUGH the generator housing and out a cooling air port just behind the stator bearing carrier. There is also a discharge air fan in that compartment that helps to draw air through the generator housing, all the air from the engine fan plus additional air from the front air intake vents near the battery compartment. Then the exhaust is blown into the hot air just before it is blown out of the enclosure. Pretty slick design resulting in LOTS of air flow for both engine and generator and a engine oil cooler. Lastly, several articles speaking on the air cooled gen sets report that the generators used incorporate sleeve type bearings. This is not true. The generator only has one bearing and its a true roller bearing. The engine bearings are pressurized oil sleeve bearings like in automotive engine applications. Thanks to this conversation sparking a bit of research on just what I have sitting next to my house, I feel much better about the unit's design....See MoreWhole house standby generator advice...
Comments (2)The gas usage for the weekly test isn't going to amount to much. I've got an 80KVA Generac and even with three years of weekly tests and a few days of actual operation, I've still hardly dented my propane tank (don't use propane for much else). I doubt you'll having a problem with any electrician competent to do the install having a problem with you doing all the gas line installation, concrete work, and heavy lifting. They'd just have to sub that out anyhow. Sounds like you've got the unloading dealt with (I'd like to talk to you about which four post you got, I've been looking and a BendPak myself). The other solution I've heard is to contact a towing company with a rollback (flatbed truck). You can transfer it to the rollback and if you can back the rollback close to where it goes, then you can tilt the thing off the truck (they will have a winch even). To move something like this (I've moved heavy equipment including pipe organs) a great tool (you can rent these) is a "Roll-a-Lift". Essentally it's a pair of hydraulic jacks on rollers that you can lift the unit up and then roll it around fairly easily....See Morepetey_racer
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