[RE-wrenches] Off-grid generator update?

Mac Lewis maclewis1 at gmail.com
Thu May 5 06:13:40 PDT 2016


Chris,

Yes, this is a good point.  The QT series from Generac is a great machine
and pricing is better than any other machine in that size that I've seen.
Is there an off-grid warranty on the QT series?

On Thu, May 5, 2016 at 3:14 AM, Chris Mason <cometenergysystems at gmail.com>
wrote:

> 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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-- 



Mac Lewis

*"Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates*
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