[RE-wrenches] 30 KW Propane Gennys (&SIs)

Ray Walters ray at solarray.com
Thu Sep 29 10:03:43 PDT 2011


We have a few Kohler 20kw, 30 kw, and 40 kw  units on big off grid stuff.
Great machines, get about 5000 hours before they need work. 2 wire 
start, 1800 rpm water cooled.
Ours had 4 to 6 cylinder Ford motors. I don't know what they use now, or 
if they've changed the line recently. I found over the years that 
oversizing them more, helped everything from cleaner waveform, to 
running the chargers at full throttle, to having more pass through 
current, and the fuel efficiency seems to better. This was at 11,000 ft, 
so you would have to take some of my observations with a grain of salt, 
but we replaced a 30 Kw unit feeding 4 SW4048s, with a 40 KW, and the 
customer was happier.
You're burning more fuel while running, but the generator seemed to 
charge the batteries faster, reducing overall run time, and overall fuel 
use.
 From looking at many Kohlers on an oscilloscope, they have an excellent 
waveform, (no funny spikes, like most portable units) so I can't imagine 
why a Sunny Island wouldn't work well with it, but I never actually used 
one with a Kohler.

Ray Walters

On 9/29/2011 9:53 AM, Jeff Clearwater wrote:
> Fellow Wrenchers,
>
> What's folks favorite Propane Gen line in the 30 KW range for off-grid 
> backup?
>
> SMA has limited exposure to larger generators for the SI for approval 
> to their list.
>
> Anybody out there know which SI's in the 30 KW range that the SI likes?
>
> Thanks!
>
> jc
> -- 
> Jeff Clearwater
> Village Power Design
>
> Renewable Energy Consultant
> 32 Years in all Aspects of Renewables
> www.villagepower.com
> skype: jclearwater
> 413-559-9763
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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