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Jay
Iâve done this before with the Kohler RES
series to eliminate the phantom in auto-mode,
BUT stressing to all that the generator could
start automatically without notice especially
to the generator tech. As always, best to
disconnect the starting battery when servicing.
Kirk Herander
VT Solar, LLC
dba Vermont Solar Engineering
NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant
NYSERDA-eligible Installer
VT RE Incentive Program Partner
802.863.1202
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of jay peltz
Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2013 9:58 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Generac Ecogen (was RE: generator suggestions)
Hi Kirk
One trick I learned from my generator guy is to
hook up the remote start to the manual on position
This bypass's the auto position and the extra load on the battery
Best I can tell only difference on the Koehler
anyway is how fast it starts. On auto right now
On manual a few seconds delay.
Jay
Peltz power
Sent from my iPad
On Jul 6, 2013, at 10:46 AM, "Kirk Herander"
<<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]> wrote:
Alan and others,
I have an off-grid customer looking at the
Ecogen. Now that 6 months have passed since your
comments, can you tell us more of the pros and cons of this unit?
I read somewhere the phantom load of the
controller (and charger?) is 20 to 50 watts
total. Is it just the controller which needs to
stay awake? Is there a separate charger for the
battery, meaning no alternator / rectifier
direct from the engine? Regardless, it seems
dumb to me that a generator designed for
off-grid would mandate a phantom load to
operate. For that reason, it seems no more
appealing than the Kohler R series. Is there an
on-board hour-meter? Thanks. The brochure does not address these questions.
Kirk Herander
VT Solar, LLC
dba Vermont Solar Engineering
NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant
NYSERDA-eligible Installer
VT RE Incentive Program Partner
802.863.1202
From:
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Allan Sindelar
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 3:21 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] generator suggestions
Ray,
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.
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.
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).
Allan
Allan Sindelar
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]
NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Positive Energy, Inc.
3209 Richards Lane (note new address)
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
505 424-1112
<http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/>www.positiveenergysolar.com
On 1/30/2013 10:41 AM, Ray Walters wrote:
Hi Randy and all;
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.
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.
Ray Walters
THeOn 1/30/2013 8:55 AM, Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems wrote:
Randy,
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.
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.
Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar Power Systems
On Jan 30, 2013, at 7:52 AM, Randy Brooks wrote:
Todd,
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.
Good luck,
Randy Brooks
Brooks Solar, Inc.
Solar Power for People
140 Columbia View
Chelan, WA 98816
509-682-9646
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]
www.BrooksSolar.com
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