[RE-wrenches] Off-grid generator update?

[Chris Mason]

What about the Generac QT commercial units. Liquid cooled, enclosed, sold
engines, inexpensive.
For diesel, the Generac protector series meets your requirements.
For mobile, generac acquired Magnum, they have some beautiful models.
On May 4, 2016 20:27, "jay" <jay.peltz at gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Allan,

I was at our new Kohler dealer today.  They had a trailer mounted, propane
 water cooled 25kw with fuel storage and sound enclosure, really nice
machine, but it was $29,000

Its  kind of weird that there isn’t anything in the lower sizes that is
water cooled, good quality, in propane anyway.

jay

peltz power

On May 4, 2016, at 10:30 AM, Allan Sindelar <allan at sindelarsolar.com> wrote:

Lena and all,
I was watching this thread closely, as I have shared your concerns and I
was hoping to hear of any new solutions. In this thread I hear of Gillette
(always positively over the years that this question has come up), one
5.5kW Onan RV set (120V only and too small for all but an Outback VFX at
close to sea level), and Hardy diesel units. I have nothing to add to these
suggestions.

I went out on a limb a few years ago in suggesting the Generac EcoGen,
hoping that this would fill this need and restore Generac as a worthy name.
I think now I have to just say "eh..." - yes, it works, but too many
problems have been noted here, and Generac's dealer support system is
poorly suited to the off grid market.

Thank you to all who replied.
Allan

*Allan Sindelar*
<allan at sindelarsolar.com>allan at sindelarsolar.com
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
*505 780-2738 <505%20780-2738> cell*


On 4/28/2016 10:19 AM, Lena Wilensky 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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