gas generator recommendations [RE-wrenches]

[Jay Peltz, Peltz Power]

<x-flowed>

Hi John,

I second the issue about some sort of manual control for long periods  
of inactive use.

Auto exercising if not needed ( as you mention below) is a good thing  
to do without.  However I do have folks who don't use the generator  
for months in the summer, come fall the battery is dead.
User problem, yea, but the battery is still dead.  So good candidate  
for auto exercise.  Also its a bit better for the engine and oil etc  
to run every so often.

As to propane vs diesel.  The more you use it, the more its cheaper  
to go with diesel, but diesel fuel doesn't do well sitting for long  
periods especially if very cold.

In the end its case by case.

jay

peltz power




On Oct 28, 2007, at 7:06 PM, John Raynes wrote:

>
> Great generator discussions...  I have a related question about  
> auto-starting philosophies.
>
> I lean toward's Jay's point of view, it's ultimately the customer's  
> choice.  But I'd add a qualifier - I'm not crazy about auto-start  
> being enabled when the homeowner is away for a period of time, as  
> many of my customers are.  First off it's not needed usually, as  
> the house idle loads are very small so the system will keep up  
> fine, and if there was a problem the inverter would eventually cut  
> out to protect from serious discharge.
>
> My question is, what do folks think about auto-exercising?  I've  
> got systems way up in the mountains that will sit completely  
> unattended for as much as 6-7 months straight, depending on when  
> the snow clears.  Are the benefits of periodic exercising not worth  
> the risks of a system control problem that might use up the  
> available fuel and/or run the generator into the ground?  Would  
> your answer be different for a propane vs. a diesel genny?
>
> Thanks,
> John Raynes
> RE Solar
> Torrey UT
>
>
> At 04:05 PM 10/28/2007 -0700, you wrote:
>
>> Hi Todd,
>>
>> HI Todd,
>>
>> While I agree I will add that most of the customers I have ever dealt
>> with live off grid because: cheaper land, end of the worlders, all
>> sorts of things, but few, very few do it for environmental reasons.
>>
>> Hence all they really care about is that the lights come on.
>>
>> And while I try to educate as much as possible, in the end its their
>> decision.
>>
>> If I only worked for folks who lived off grid for environmental
>> reasons, I'd need another job.
>>
>> jay
>>
>> peltz power
>>
>> I pose the following question however.
>>
>>
>> Do you think that its more or less environmental to have customers
>> kill their batteries in 1/2 life span
>> because they don't run their generators enough?
>>
>
>
> - - - -
> Hosted by Home Power magazine
>
> 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/
>
> Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
>
>


- - - -
Hosted by Home Power magazine

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/

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

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
--^----------------------------------------------------------------


</x-flowed>