[RE-wrenches] Generac Ecogen (was RE: generator suggestions)

penobscotsolar at midmaine.com penobscotsolar at midmaine.com
Sun Jul 7 09:05:18 PDT 2013


Hi Kirk,
   The Ecogens we have out there (3) have been working great, without
needing service. We do leave the switch set to "manual" which I don't
believe has a phantom load. It so, it is very minimal as we haven't had
customers complaining of lack of power. I continue to recommend them
for small to medium size systems.

Daryl



> Kirk,
>
>     I have 4 Eco-gens out there and working fine.   I'm not sure about the
> phantom load but it does include the battery charging.  My guess is
> that after the battery recovers from starting, the load probably drops
> to minimal.  There is an hour meter in the menu under "state" which is
> many keystrokes to find.  Took me awhile to find it.  Other than a
> possible ghost load problem,  my customers and I really like them.
> Quieter and more fuel efficient.  However, for larger off grid systems
> with really big loads, it may not be strong enough.  Time will tell.
> I have one wired at 240 and the others all at 120.  We did have a
> problem with one of them with a faulty rpm sensor.  I found that the
> authorized service from the middlebury outfit... Taylor Rental or
> green Mtn rental... Not sure of the name... Was excellent.  No charge
> to the customer under warranty and fast service. P
>
> John
> Cvsolar.
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jul 7, 2013, at 9:58 AM, jay peltz <jay at asis.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi Kirk
>>
>> One trick I learned from my generator guy is to hook up the remote start
>> to the manual on position
>> This bypass's the auto position and the extra load on the battery
>>
>> Best I can tell only difference on the Koehler anyway is how fast it
>> starts. On auto right now
>> On manual a few seconds delay.
>>
>> Jay
>>
>> Peltz power
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>> On Jul 6, 2013, at 10:46 AM, "Kirk Herander" <kirk at vtsolar.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Alan and others,
>>>
>>> I have an off-grid customer looking at the Ecogen. Now that 6 months
>>> have passed since your comments, can you tell us more of the pros and
>>> cons of this unit?
>>> I read somewhere the phantom load of the controller (and charger?) is
>>> 20 to 50 watts total. Is it just the controller which needs to stay
>>> awake? Is there a separate charger for the battery, meaning no
>>> alternator / rectifier direct from the engine? Regardless,  it seems
>>> dumb to me that a generator designed for off-grid would mandate a
>>> phantom load to operate. For that reason, it seems no more appealing
>>> than the Kohler R series. Is there an on-board hour-meter? Thanks. The
>>> brochure does not address these questions.
>>>
>>> Kirk Herander
>>> VT Solar, LLC
>>> dba Vermont Solar Engineering
>>> NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant
>>> NYSERDA-eligible Installer
>>> VT RE Incentive Program Partner
>>> 802.863.1202
>>>
>>> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>> [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Allan
>>> Sindelar
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 3:21 PM
>>> To: RE-wrenches
>>> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] generator suggestions
>>>
>>> Ray,
>>> Everything has changed. The Kohler 6.5RMY and the Onan 6.5 Commercial
>>> were wonderful units, but also both flathead twins, eventually
>>> discontinued for efficiency and emissions reasons, as I came to
>>> understand. Also, the American residential market was (and remains)
>>> almost exclusively about home standby, not off grid, and the major
>>> manufacturers went in that direction. Home standby is a competitive
>>> market, and generators aren't expected to run for many hours over their
>>> useful life, so internals can be cheapened and features to make them
>>> more like a home appliance are added. Many of us have customer horror
>>> stories about home standby units used off grid.
>>>
>>> I have written favorably about the Generac EcoGen here and in Home
>>> Power, as it's pretty much currently the only under-10K unit designed
>>> for off grid use. I have now had two at my home - we had a fire in May
>>> that took out an outbuilding and the gennie, and I replaced it with the
>>> same model, because it had performed well and there was nothing else to
>>> compete with it. Always starts, minimal maintenance, exceeds its rated
>>> output on occasion, doesn't require a separate enclosure, and is sealed
>>> against mice. Oh, and very quiet. So far the only disadvantage is the
>>> need for either an AC feed for the 8W phantom load to keep the
>>> controller awake, but a PV module and small controller on the starting
>>> battery will handle that one of these days. It's not just one of their
>>> standard units with different bells and whistles, but has hardened
>>> valves, lower (2,500) rpm, longer maintenance intervals, and other
>>> reliability features.
>>>
>>> I know all about Generac's otherwise-poor reputation, and am willing to
>>> stick my neck out about this model, as I think it's the best we
>>> currently have in this size range. My understanding is that the Propane
>>> Reliability Council (or some similar organizational name) was involved
>>> with sponsoring development of an LP gennie tough enough to handle off
>>> grid demands. They first approached Kohler, who turned them down, and
>>> then worked with Generac (all this is hearsay; don't quote me on it).
>>> Allan
>>>
>>> Allan Sindelar
>>> Allan at positiveenergysolar.com
>>> NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer
>>> NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
>>> New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
>>> Founder and Chief Technology Officer
>>> Positive Energy, Inc.
>>> 3209 Richards Lane (note new address)
>>> Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
>>> 505 424-1112
>>> www.positiveenergysolar.com
>>>
>>>
>>> On 1/30/2013 10:41 AM, Ray Walters wrote:
>>> Hi Randy and all;
>>>
>>> I definitely like the water cooled 1800 rpm machines too, but for
>>> regular off grid homes, they just are way out of the budget.  We jumped
>>> on the inverter generator band wagon for a while, but had the same load
>>> issues Allan described.  (Microwave kicks the breaker, and you're
>>> running the genny for hours for nothing)  Many customers have turned to
>>> the contractor portables with equally disappointing results, but often
>>> they already have the genny, and we just provide an inlet box and cord.
>>> The Generac looks like a good idea, I wish Onan or Kohler would build
>>> one. Kohler used to make a 6.5 Kw that fit the one inverter household
>>> fairly well.
>>>
>>> Ray Walters
>>>
>>> THeOn 1/30/2013 8:55 AM, Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems
>>> wrote:
>>> Randy,
>>>
>>> I concur, the Cummins/Onan generators are built well and are reliable.
>>> They provide a 1 year, 1000 hour warranty for off grid use when a RE
>>> system is installed for primary power.
>>>
>>> We install lots of Magnum Energy inverters with AGS modules in RV's.
>>> What sold me on the Onan's is having seen many RV generators (3600,
>>> 2880 and 2400 RPM), some with several thousand hours, still operating
>>> with tight frequency and voltage control, no leaks, easy starting, etc.
>>>
>>> Larry Crutcher
>>> Starlight Solar Power Systems
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Jan 30, 2013, at 7:52 AM, Randy Brooks wrote:
>>>
>>> Todd,
>>>
>>> We don't sell or install generators, but the only one I recommend for
>>> permanent installations is the Cummins/Onan, 1,800 rpm, propane fueled.
>>>  All others have failed early.
>>>
>>> Good luck,
>>>
>>> Randy Brooks
>>> Brooks Solar, Inc.
>>> Solar Power for People
>>> 140 Columbia View
>>> Chelan, WA  98816
>>> 509-682-9646
>>> Randy at BrooksSolar.com
>>> www.BrooksSolar.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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