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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Ray,<br>
Everything has changed. The Kohler 6.5RMY and the Onan 6.5
Commercial were wonderful units, but also both flathead twins,
eventually discontinued for efficiency and emissions reasons, as I
came to understand. Also, the American residential market was (and
remains) almost exclusively about home standby, not off grid, and
the major manufacturers went in that direction. Home standby is a
competitive market, and generators aren't expected to run for many
hours over their useful life, so internals can be cheapened and
features to make them more like a home appliance are added. Many
of us have customer horror stories about home standby units used
off grid.<br>
<br>
I have written favorably about the Generac EcoGen here and in Home
Power, as it's pretty much currently the only under-10K unit
designed for off grid use. I have now had two at my home - we had
a fire in May that took out an outbuilding and the gennie, and I
replaced it with the same model, because it had performed well and
there was nothing else to compete with it. Always starts, minimal
maintenance, exceeds its rated output on occasion, doesn't require
a separate enclosure, and is sealed against mice. Oh, and very
quiet. So far the only disadvantage is the need for either an AC
feed for the 8W phantom load to keep the controller awake, but a
PV module and small controller on the starting battery will handle
that one of these days. It's not just one of their standard units
with different bells and whistles, but has hardened valves, lower
(2,500) rpm, longer maintenance intervals, and other reliability
features.<br>
<br>
I know all about Generac's otherwise-poor reputation, and am
willing to stick my neck out about this model, as I think it's the
best we currently have in this size range. My understanding is
that the Propane Reliability Council (or some similar
organizational name) was involved with sponsoring development of
an LP gennie tough enough to handle off grid demands. They first
approached Kohler, who turned them down, and then worked with
Generac (all this is hearsay; don't quote me on it).<br>
Allan<br>
<br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><b>Allan Sindelar</b></font><br>
<small><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" color="#000099"><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>
Founder and Chief Technology Officer<br>
<b>Positive Energy, Inc.</b><br>
3209 Richards Lane (note new address)<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>
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</span> </div>
On 1/30/2013 10:41 AM, Ray Walters wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:51095B52.5030202@solarray.com" type="cite">
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hi Randy and all;<br>
<br>
I definitely like the water cooled 1800 rpm machines too, but
for regular off grid homes, they just are way out of the
budget. We jumped on the inverter generator band wagon for a
while, but had the same load issues Allan described. (Microwave
kicks the breaker, and you're running the genny for hours for
nothing) Many customers have turned to the contractor portables
with equally disappointing results, but often they already have
the genny, and we just provide an inlet box and cord. <br>
The Generac looks like a good idea, I wish Onan or Kohler would
build one. Kohler used to make a 6.5 Kw that fit the one
inverter household fairly well.<br>
<br>
Ray Walters<br>
<br>
THeOn 1/30/2013 8:55 AM, Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power
Systems wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:B4BC171C-75C5-49F4-9BA4-6948246725C3@starlightsolar.com"
type="cite">Randy,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I concur, the Cummins/Onan generators are built well and
are reliable. They provide a 1 year, 1000 hour warranty for
off grid use when a RE system is installed for primary power. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We install lots of Magnum Energy inverters with AGS modules
in RV's. What sold me on the Onan's is having seen many RV
generators (3600, 2880 and 2400 RPM), some with several
thousand hours, still operating with tight frequency and
voltage control, no leaks, easy starting, etc.</div>
<div>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse:
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<div style="word-wrap: break-word;
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<div><br
class="Apple-interchange-newline">
Larry Crutcher</div>
<div>Starlight Solar Power Systems</div>
</div>
</span></span></div>
</span></div>
</span></div>
</span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
</div>
</span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
</span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
</span> </div>
<br>
<div>
<div>On Jan 30, 2013, at 7:52 AM, Randy Brooks wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space;
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Todd,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We don't sell or install generators, but the only one
I recommend for permanent installations is the
Cummins/Onan, 1,800 rpm, propane fueled. All others
have failed early.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Good luck,</div>
<div><br>
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