Generator auto start [RE-wrenches]

[Kelly Keilwitz]

Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Save up to $1,500 on your phone bill with Packet8
Free Activation, Free Equipment & First Month Free!
30-day money back guarantee. 1-877-868-1135
http://click.topica.com/caaemrkbz8Qcsbz9JC9a/ TMONE
-------------------------------------------------------------------

William,
Wow! There's one small paragraph in the manual about the auto start;
"...connect the two terminals to the Generac Automatic Transfer switch...",
is pretty much the summary. This one's off grid, so no transfer switch.

We can certainly change the relay to normally closed and put 220V on it.
But, if the genset demands 35 watts, with two inverters on that's probably
going to be double that (or more) draw from the battery! That might be
acceptable in the summer, when the owner is on vacation, but otherwise will
be pretty expensive. This property is going to be absentee owned and should
be automated as much as is possible.

Did you come up with a workaround?
-Kelly


On 1/10/06 12:35 AM, "William Miller" <wrmiller at charter.net> wrote:

>
> We've seen many (if not all) Generacs that start on the absence of a 220V
> sensing voltage.  Generac is notorious for lack of customer support.  We
> first deduced this by tracing the wiring in a Generac transfer switch to
> discover the sensing voltage feed.  This can be dealt with by feeding 220
> volts via a normally closed contact on your outboard relay.  Be aware that
> the gen. set can consume 35 or more watts of power just in voltage sensing.
> 
> Feel free to call if you want to discuss this in person. 805-440-5161.
> 
> William Miller
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> Wrenches,
>> I'm trying to set up a customer's existing 15 KW Generac Guardian generator
>> to auto start and charge the batteries through the Outback system we've
>> installed. I have a 12V relay with its coil switched off of the Master
>> inverter Aux output and connected the contacts to the genny's 2-wire start
>> posts. The relay works fine.
>> 
>> What's wrong is that the generator starts immediately when we switch the
>> generator to "Auto", irregardless of the relay. I've disconnected the
>> starting battery to clear any on-board memory, with no change.
>> 
>> Any experience with this? I'm not keen to dig into the genny control wiring
>> too deep. And, I can't find a way to talk to anyone at Generac.
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> -Kelly
> 
>

Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Is your computer freezing up or slowing down?
Repair corrupt files and harmful errors - protect your PC
Take a 2-minute PC health check-up at no charge!
http://click.topica.com/caaemrnbz8Qcsbz9JC9f/PC PowerScan
-------------------------------------------------------------------

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at homepower.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------