[RE-wrenches] Question on Back up generators

Luke Christy sgsrenewables at gmail.com
Thu Apr 9 19:43:02 PDT 2015


Drake,
We have installed a few of the 6kW EcoGen units, and they have been pretty reliable thus far. The oldest one has about 700 hours on it now, and we haven't had any major issues with it. However, I have to agree with Ray about the power-sucking on-board electronics. It is annoying to deal with whether you use a small module to keep the starting battery charged or whether you connect to the inverter and accept the 24/7 power draw.  
In addition, even though our units haven't given any major trouble, I'm somewhat disappointed in the quality. The engines just seem cheaply made, with lots of plastic parts. The unit we have out there that runs the most  seems to leak oily vapor from somewhere- I think from the plastic air filter housing/pcv valve assembly, and that makes a nasty mess inside the enclosure.  Don't get me started on the "240V conversion kit", which is essentially a $10 2-pole Siemens breaker with a short wire pigtail that goes for $200+.
So, -fairly reliable- thus far for me at least, but with definite shortcomings.


Luke Christy

NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™: Certification #031409-25 
NABCEP Certified Solar Heating Installer™: Certification #ST032611-03       
CoSEIA Certified PV Installer 

Solar Gain Services, LLC
PO Box 531
Monte Vista, CO. 81144
SGSRenewables at Gmail.com
719.588.3044
www.sgsrenewables.com


Message: 4
Date: Thu, 09 Apr 2015 14:38:44 -0400
From: Drake <drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org>

Are people still happy with the Generac 
EcoGen?  Has anyone tried the 15 KW yet? 
Hopefully it won't get booted from off grid status.



   










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