[RE-wrenches] Off-grid generator update?

Fri Apr 29 04:54:45 PDT 2016

Ditto here, if there is a 10-15KW, 1800 RPM water cooled generator out
there, please share. The EPA requirements & definitions have killed every
source I have had. An air cooled 3600 RPM generator is good for about
2000+/- hours before rebuild or replacement. Add to that the noise levels @
3600 RPM, yuck.

There is a real biz opportunity here for a company to fill this niche. 

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Great Solar Works, Inc -  NABCEP # 051112-136

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From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On
Behalf Of Ray Walters
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2016 5:15 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Off-grid generator update?

I haven't seen anything from them that looks like what we're after  We'd be
looking for 10kW to 15 kW  water cooled 1800 rpm. Propane fired.
Everyone makes models in the 30kW + range that fit the bill, but most off
grid systems don't need anything that big.
Do you have a model that I should be looking at?

Thanks,

R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer, 
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760

On 4/28/2016 5:00 PM, jerrysgarage01 wrote:

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 ST III, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

-------- Original message --------

From: Ray Walters 

Date:04/28/2016 7:28 AM (GMT-10:00) 

To: RE-wrenches 

Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Off-grid generator update? 

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

<http://static.squarespace.com/static/52f26626e4b049d9fe1f4f70/t/52fd4d40e4b
0c0844a0eb2de/1393270590052/?format=1500w> 
www.nunatakenergy.com
970-642-5554
NABCEP Certified PV Installer:
Cert. #R02907-17

<http://static.squarespace.com/static/52f26626e4b049d9fe1f4f70/53067822e4b08
22d0c7053a4/53067827e4b0ec57163c45c5/1392932911551/NABCEP%20PV%20Seal%20Lena
.jpg?format=300w> 

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