[RE-wrenches] Off-grid generator update?

Thu Apr 28 16:00:31 PDT 2016

Have you looked at Cummins,  we have have great luck and no programming issues but battery charging needs to be added foroff grid
Jerry

Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S™ III, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

<div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Ray Walters <ray at solarray.com> </div><div>Date:04/28/2016  7:28 AM  (GMT-10:00) </div><div>To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> </div><div>Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Off-grid generator update? </div><div>
</div>FYI,  generally we haven't had cold start issues with propane units, as long as the pipe is sized properly ( as mentioned in another recent post) and the starter battery is kept fully charged.
This is based on about 20 years experience in the Rockies with temps below 0, but not 40 below.  We don't use block heaters, carb heaters, etc.
We currently have been using Generac Ecogen, but not that happy with them. Cheap air cooled motor, way too many computer gizmos, no on board charging (must have AC power or PV to charge the starting battery)  We even had to call customer service to get an authorization code to set up remote start.  This is off grid with no internet or cell service; ridiculous.  I hope Generac reps are lurking here, because these are really not much better than the crop of stand by generators.
 IMO  no off grid generator should have a phantom load, or require cell service to commission.  What happened to the old water cooled Kohlers?

R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer, 
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760
On 4/28/2016 11:17 AM, Jeremy Rodriguez wrote:
Check out Gillette generators. Made in Indiana 
12.5 kW w Subaru 

Jeremy Rodriguez 
Solar Installation And Design Expert 
All Solar, Inc.
1463 M St
Penrose Colorado 81240

Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand!

On Apr 28, 2016, at 10:20 AM, Lena Wilensky <lena at nunatakenergy.com> wrote:

I did some searches on the list for what folks are doing for off-grid propane generators these days, but all the threads I found were from 5-6 yrs ago, so I was hoping to get some more current info.

We're looking for about a 10kw+ propane unit (big derate at altitude), and we run into 2 main problem areas:

First is the warranty - either there are no units warranteed for off-grid use, or there are only a couple of models and the warranty is short (1 year).

Second, and perhaps larger, is all the loads that now come with the "off-grid" units.  The computer takes some, but mostly the "cold weather kit" aka carb heater must be installed in our climate (to actually start, but also for warrantee), and it's set up to be on a thermostat (read: "on all the time from Nov-April" here in the mountains).  According to the Kohler tech support it takes a steady               50W. We have set up older units to do battery charge only during the day, and have the carb heater on a manual switch, but it sounds like we can't really get at these circuits anymore since they're all pre-configured and pre-wired in the guts of the genset computer.

The Kohler and Onan support folks said both these issues are due to EPA considering off-grid use as prime power as opposed to standby, so they are held to tougher emissions standards.

Whatever the reasons, we're wondering what people are actually doing these days - still the standby units they kind-of warrantee for off-grid? 12RES from Kohler and the 13kw unit from Onan?  Generac?  Have folks been going back to the smaller gas units from Honda and running them               more?  And how are cold climate folks dealing with the heating issue?

Any suggestions appreciated!

Lena Wilensky

www.nunatakenergy.com
970-642-5554
NABCEP Certified PV Installer:
Cert. #R02907-17

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