<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
Thank you for the good responses. Here's what I have learned so far:<br>
<br>
Re Onan: as I had mentioned in my original post, "The 6 year old
system has worn out two Onan residential standby generators." This
was before our initial visit. Both generators were air-cooled 3600
rpm units, as I understand. Neither was designed for the hours it
was run. However, the customer is not very pleased with Onan because
of this experience, even though I'm not sure how much of the
experience was Onan's fault, beyond the initial recommendation.
Certainly, selling the customer a home standby unit with heater and
battery charger/controller AC loads was not wise. But apparently the
distributor is buying the most recent failed unit back from the
customer. I would like to recommend an Onan RS20000, as these are
excellent units, but the customer may resist this after bad
experiences with the RS12000, even though it's a completely
different unit.<br>
<br>
Re Kohler: Kohler's 15kW unit is that it too is for home standby
application. The local Kohler service rep had no model to recommend.<br>
<br>
Re Olympian (made by Caterpillar): the smallest model sold in this
country is a 25kW, well larger than we need.<br>
<br>
Re Generac: while I am quite impressed with the 6kW EcoGen unit,
that's a special model, developed for the purpose, and too small for
this application. I'm hesitant to use one of their standard units.<br>
<br>
That leaves Gillette, who makes a 15kW LP with a GM engine. I'm
waiting for a quote.<br>
Allan<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;
charset=ISO-8859-1">
<title></title>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><b>Allan Sindelar</b></font><br>
<small><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"><font
color="#000099" face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><u>Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</u></font></a></small><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><br>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic
Installer<br>
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional<br>
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>
<b>Positive Energy, Inc.</b><br>
3201 Calle Marie<br>
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507<br>
<b>505 424-1112</b><br>
<a href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/" target="_blank"><u>www.positiveenergysolar.com</u></a><o:p></o:p></span></font>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 722.25pt;"><span
style="font-size: 10pt;"><font face="Times New Roman, Times,
serif"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"></st1:city><st1:state
w:st="on"></st1:state><st1:postalcode w:st="on"></st1:postalcode></st1:place></font><b
style=""><br>
</b></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br>
</span> </div>
<br>
On 1/10/2012 10:15 AM, Randy Brooks wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:54AF8AAA-2355-487C-8B21-A89795C7866E@BrooksSolar.com"
type="cite">Allan,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Check out Cummins/Onan units too. </div>
<div><br>
<div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse:
separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal;
letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2;
text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal;
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<p style="margin: 0px;"><font style="" size="3" face="Times
New Roman">Randy Brooks</font></p>
<p style="margin: 0px;"><font style="" size="3" face="Times
New Roman">Brooks Solar, Inc.</font></p>
<p style="margin: 0px;"><font style="" size="3" face="Times
New Roman"><b><i>Solar Power for People</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0px;"><font style="" size="3" face="Times
New Roman">140 Columbia View</font></p>
<p style="margin: 0px;"><font style="" size="3" face="Times
New Roman">Chelan, WA<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>98816</font></p>
<p style="margin: 0px;"><font style="" size="3" face="Times
New Roman">509-682-9646</font></p>
<p style="margin: 0px;"><font style="" size="3" face="Times
New Roman"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Randy@BrooksSolar.com">Randy@BrooksSolar.com</a></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0px;"><font style="" size="3" face="Times
New Roman"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.BrooksSolar.com">www.BrooksSolar.com</a></font></p>
</span> </div>
<br>
<div>
<div>On Jan 9, 2012, at 7:59 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<blockquote type="cite">
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;
charset=ISO-8859-1">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000"> Wrenches:<br>
We have cautiously agreed to take on a substantial upgrade
and rehabilitation of a poorly designed 48V off-grid
system. Our upgrade will include a substantial array
addition, battery replacement, and charge
controller/safety disconnect replacement. But the
immediate need is for a generator. The 6 year old system
has worn out two Onan residential standby generators; the
second one just now (at winter solstice) has failed
completely.<br>
<br>
We expect to keep the two SW5548 inverters. The site is at
7,800' elevation. The fuel must be LP. The customer is
willing to pay for a high-quality unit. We expect only to
specify or recommend the unit, but not resell it, so
there's no profit motivation involved; we just want the
best solution..<br>
<br>
I am looking for recommendations of a low-speed,
liquid-cooled, commercial- or industrial-grade LP
generator, of at least 12kW and preferably around 15kW,
with a good reputation for long-term reliability, and that
is not designed for home standby use (with phantom-load
heaters and controls). It will be located outdoors, so
must have a weather enclosure.<br>
<br>
I occasionally am asked to answer this same question by
Home Power readers, who assume I know the answer because I
wrote a primer on generators for HP awhile back. Truth is,
I don't have any good recommendations in this size range,
and I'm really hoping that some of you experienced
off-grid Wrenches who have done larger systems can help
here.<br>
<br>
Thank you,<br>
Allan<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;
charset=ISO-8859-1">
<title></title>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><b>Allan
Sindelar</b></font><br>
<small><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"><font
color="#000099" face="Times New Roman, Times,
serif"><u>Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</u></font></a></small><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><br>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">NABCEP Certified
Photovoltaic Installer<br>
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional<br>
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>
<b>Positive Energy, Inc.</b><br>
3201 Calle Marie<br>
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507<br>
<b>505 424-1112</b><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/"
target="_blank"><u>www.positiveenergysolar.com</u></a><o:p></o:p></span></font>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 722.25pt;"><span
style="font-size: 10pt;"><font face="Times New
Roman, Times, serif"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city
w:st="on"></st1:city><st1:state w:st="on"></st1:state><st1:postalcode
w:st="on"></st1:postalcode></st1:place></font><b
style=""><br>
</b></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br>
</span> </div>
</div>
_______________________________________________<br>
List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br>
<br>
List Address: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
Options & settings:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
List-Archive: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
List rules & etiquette:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br>
<br>
Check out participant bios:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
</blockquote>
</div>
<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
</body>
</html>