Posted: 6/12/2012 7:31:32 AM EDT
|
Looking at purchasing a good diesel generator for a home back-up application. 5-7KW is sufficient. I intend to hook this generator up to a large fuel tank (55 gallons or more) and build a shed for it to stay outside of the house, for protection from the elements, and noise reduction.
I searched for a thread that maybe already addressed this topic but could not find one. If someone is able to send me a link to a thread that already exists or can make recommendations, your help would be much appreciated. Thank you for your input. |
|
They make diesel generators in your size range on trailers with built in fuel tanks... You can keep it in a garage when not in use and put it out in the elements when in use... It is also transportable (I assume you have a vehicle with a hitch) to a friend or relative in need if you are GTG and they are having an outage...
Just some food for thought / consideration... <eta - sorry, the post above wasn't there when I opened the thread... got called away for a few minutes and then replied...> |
|
Both of my tri-fuel conversion kits came from here: Central Maine Diesel
They have a very good reputation and sell quality products in all sizes and budgets 
|
|
If you want a small diesel gen this is one of the best on the market for reliability.
However it is a little high in price. ETA: Note I said small generator above. Small diesel generator = 3600 RPM Large diesel generator = 1800 RPM http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_8792_8792 X |
|
Quoted:
If you want a small diesel gen this is one of the best on the market for reliability. However it is a little high in price. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_8792_8792 This seems like a good unit but it runs at 3600rpm. Many folks seem to tell me to go for a unit that is @1800. |
|
Quoted:
Both of my tri-fuel conversion kits came from here: Central Maine Diesel They have a very good reputation and sell quality products in all sizes and budgets
I have been talking to these guys. They were saying for the money the Chinese unit they sell is the best deal. I think I will still go for a yanmar or a Perkins |
|
A suggestion, try to find a light tower, they are usually equipped with a 6 kw head and a diesel engine on a trailer.
With that you can config it anyway you want. The engines are economical, easy to start and modestly quiet. Alternatively find a small Whisperwatt from MQ. Ebay is your friend. Then back it up with a little Honda. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
If you want a small diesel gen this is one of the best on the market for reliability. However it is a little high in price. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_8792_8792 This seems like a good unit but it runs at 3600rpm. Many folks seem to tell me to go for a unit that is @1800. 1800 will last longer and is quieter. 3600 is more efficient, cheaper, and lighter. I've seen plenty of yanmars go past 2000hrs, while a 1800 generator is good for 5000+. In that size range, I'd go for a air cooled yanmar. When you hit 10kW, there start to be more choices in 1800 rpms. Plus a 3600 generator is portable, a 1800 is transportable. I can load my 3600 yanmar by myself into the back of a 4x4 PU bed. Thats a nice advantage. |
|
Quoted:
Looking at purchasing a good diesel generator for a home back-up application. 5-7KW is sufficient. I intend to hook this generator up to a large fuel tank (55 gallons or more) and build a shed for it to stay outside of the house, for protection from the elements, and noise reduction. I searched for a thread that maybe already addressed this topic but could not find one. If someone is able to send me a link to a thread that already exists or can make recommendations, your help would be much appreciated. Thank you for your input. The best of the Chinese made Yanmar clones are the Aurora Generators. Google them. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Both of my tri-fuel conversion kits came from here: Central Maine Diesel They have a very good reputation and sell quality products in all sizes and budgets
I have been talking to these guys. They were saying for the money the Chinese unit they sell is the best deal. I think I will still go for a yanmar or a Perkins I agree with you completely. Yanmar, Perkins, Cat, Deere, and Kubota all have solid dealer networks in the US. Availability of parts and consumables is key-no matter whose name is on it. When you make your purchase, stock up on plugs, filters, etc. A few ice storms ago the 125kW Cat powered backup genset that powers the server farm at work went down. Some weather seal or something on it's enclosure was rotted out, and the excessive wind and icing conditions were enough to compromise the rooftop enclosure and shut it down. It was a damned nightmare that could have been prevented with proper care and maintenance. Getting the needed part after the fact was worse, and since the roof was a skating rink we couldn't get to it for several days. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
Quoted:
Looking at purchasing a good diesel generator for a home back-up application. 5-7KW is sufficient. I intend to hook this generator up to a large fuel tank (55 gallons or more) and build a shed for it to stay outside of the house, for protection from the elements, and noise reduction. I searched for a thread that maybe already addressed this topic but could not find one. If someone is able to send me a link to a thread that already exists or can make recommendations, your help would be much appreciated. Thank you for your input. do you own a tractor? if so, consider a PTO-driven generator head. the result is one less engine to maintain. ar-jedi 
|
|
This is a military MEP-002a 5KW Diesel Generator.
The box around it is an ASK kit (Acoustic suppression kit) Its rated at 5kw continues duty but I'm estimating it will do 7KW. I have a external 50gal tank and a 55 gal drum for fuel. At a full load it uses 1/2 gal an hour. Depot rebuilt before I won it at auction. Runs great. It will soon be mounted on a trailer. 
|
|
Quoted:
I run one of these- http://www.generatorsales.com/order/Vegetable-Oil-Lister-Generator-6600-Watt.asp?page=L09989 Not exactly portable but my children will be using it long after I'm dead and gone. Nice. I bought an yanmar tractor 18hp that I plan to use to run a PTO genset. It is about as simple as a tractor can get. 2cyl diesel, starts the same way the listers do, at least partially, you turn a compression release lever hit the starter and release the compression lever and it fires up. It's so simple it doesn't have or need a water pump. Once I buy a PTO genset, I'll be into the whole thing for under $2500. Plus I can throw a 4' tiller on it and save myself hours and hours of tilling the wife's garden. Not to mention installing deer feed plots. It's amazingly frugal on diesel, unlike the other tractors I've had. |
|
Quoted:
If you want a diesel, get a Yanmar or Kubota. Buy once, cry once. I am a Yanmar fan for small diesel engines. They are quite run clean and have seen very few problems even with high hour engines. I am talking 40 thousand plus hours of hard run time with semi poor maintenace. Kubotas are ok but have seen many more catastraphic failures with less hours on them. I am also a fan of Izuzu small diesels. I have some in a fleet right now with 60 + thousand hours on them and still run great. Each of these engine have there pros and cons and I am lucky enough to have a lot of experience fixing them all. So when I build my gen set I could use any of them and not worry about anything happening to them. I would stock pm items for it oil filters ect. Also I would stock some minor gaskets and components like a used starter, alternator, water pump thermostat and hoses. I would also run it hard for an hour or so every month just to keep things working properly. If you ask me a diesel is the only way to go for anything 7k and up. In fact I am researching right now for my build and how I am going to do it. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
The 3600 rpm units are good, but the 1800 rpm are better. Less wear and tear at 1800 versus 3600. with a 4 pole alternator turned at 1800RPM, you need about twice the engine displacement (and therefore increased size/weight). ar-jedi I edited my post, since somebody already answered his question about rpm. But you are correct sir. AR, what size PTO genny do you have? I'm not familiar w/ that brand, how do you like it? Your 'bota is about 18 hp isn't it? |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The 3600 rpm units are good, but the 1800 rpm are better. Less wear and tear at 1800 versus 3600. with a 4 pole alternator turned at 1800RPM, you need about twice the engine displacement (and therefore increased size/weight). I edited my post, since somebody already answered his question about rpm. But you are correct sir. AR, what size PTO genny do you have? I'm not familiar w/ that brand, how do you like it? Your 'bota is about 18 hp isn't it? yes, that head is 10KW unit. it is a little oversized for my tiny BX but it does what i need it to do –– which primarily is to run the deep well pump (240Vac @ 11A running current). so far so good, i bought it used off of a farmer who barely used it.
see also http://www.messicks.com/Articles/PTOGenerator.aspx ps more info on my setup is here: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_17/644329__ARCHIVED_THREAD____DIY_Generator_Power_Cables_and_Install.html&page=2 ar-jedi |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Looking at purchasing a good diesel generator for a home back-up application. 5-7KW is sufficient. I intend to hook this generator up to a large fuel tank (55 gallons or more) and build a shed for it to stay outside of the house, for protection from the elements, and noise reduction. I searched for a thread that maybe already addressed this topic but could not find one. If someone is able to send me a link to a thread that already exists or can make recommendations, your help would be much appreciated. Thank you for your input. do you own a tractor? if so, consider a PTO-driven generator head. the result is one less engine to maintain. ar-jedi http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/22265-3/generator.JPG http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/24377-3/IMG_4579.JPG http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/22278-3/IMG_4581.JPG http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/27504-1/DSCN6651.JPG http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/27544-1/DSCN6669.JPG http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/27459-1/DSCN6661.JPG http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/24066-1/DSCN6238.JPG http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/24431-1/DSCN6280.JPG http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/24426-1/DSCN6289.JPG Awwwww, Darn IT!! I wanted to get in before ArJedi posted pics of the PTO!!! Crap!! 
|