The Generator Lives!

[Roly]

IMO shutting of the fuel is the better way to stop. This way there is no fuel evaporating leaving varnish residue to gum thing up. It won't start quite as quick, but start more reliably.

Except it is propane.  No varnish problems but you must shut off the propane when not running. Roly

[MstrCarpenter]

Your control board may still be o.k.. If you post the wiring diagram for your particular application (there may be many for the same engine) we may be able to suggest  where the problem lies. On the propane engines I've worked on the key provides power to a N.O. oil pressure switch that will keep the fuel switch open after it starts. In this situation low oil pressure (i.e. key on, not running,) results in fuel shutting off. I have also seen an additional relay that opens the fuel switch while the engine is cranking. I'm not sure how comfortable I would be permanently bypassing the control board unless I knew everything it actually controlled. That being said; if my house was freezing and I couldn't flush the toilets... Anything that MacGyver or Mickey Mouse had Jury rigged would be better than spending a day chasing burst pipes!

[crokett™]

Last update.... Yesterday I wired a toggle switch to the fuel solenoid and installed a permanent jumper for the starter solenoid (it uses the existing switch) to bypass the connector to the control board. I was able to start and stop the generator just fine. I started it back up and after a few minutes verified it was producing 240V @ the generator, so all was good so far. My meter said after a few minutes of watching it the voltage was constant at 240V, this was with no load. My house has the meter base/panel outside with the main and then another panel inside where all the inside circuits are with another main in that panel. The generator is wired to the outside panel, as is the shop. I turned off the outside main and the inside main. I turned the generator breaker on at the outside panel and tested some halogen lights, space heaters, etc in the shop. It all worked fine and the generator didn't seem to notice. I turned on some tools, they all worked. I finally plugged in a bluetooth speaker I have, it seemed to work. I figured at that point that the generator was producing just fine and frequencies were good. I left the outside main off and went inside and turned on the main at the inside panel. Everything ran fine for 15 minutes or so. TV worked, satellite worked, interwebs worked, etc.

The only other change I'm going to make is replace the existing starter switch with a push-button one since after the engine starts you have to set the switch back to off position.

thanks to everybody for answering questions. Aside from not having to write off the $$$ I've already spent, I've a happy wife, which is priceless. Oh and some of the money she earmarked for a TV but we didn't have to spend on a new generator bought a new 60" TV today.

[Stwood_]

[Mr_Mike]

Fantastic. Manual backup power is better than no power at all, that's for sure. Glad it's working.

[MikeBob]

60" just in time for the SB!!

[TDKPE]

I left the outside main off and went inside and turned on the main at the inside panel.  Everything ran  fine for 15 minutes or so.  TV worked, satellite worked, interwebs worked, etc. 

Did you run the heatpump?  That was one of, if not the, biggest concern.  

Glad to hear it's working.  It's been a long road, hasn't it? 

[crokett™]

that's the last thing I need to check. I know a good engineer who looked at the name plate ratings and says it should work.
I also had some limited time and don't have a clamp on amp meter. Yet. The heat pump will put me pretty close to the max output of the generator, especially when it starts so everything else would have to be off. I'm seriously wondering if a couple electric space heaters would be just as effective. Their current needs are predictable, basically 750-1500W per heater depending on size. I've already let my wife know that in the event of a power outage, the t-stat gets set back to something like 60. In summer I'm just leaving A/C off. I want to have an amp meter at the cables into the panel inside the house with the generator running then start the heat pump so I can see what current draw is. Since the heat pump will consume most of the output when running I want to know what needs to get turned off for it to be turned on. Based on the numbers right now, everyting else will need to be off for it to start, then I can switch stuff back on. With the space heaters, just turn them off when I don't need them. then I'm not messing with breakers and cycling electronics on and off.

In a couple weeks my inlaws will be out of town. I'll send my wife and kids on errands and do some testing with an amp meter.

[Mr_Mike]

My biggest problem with an all electric home. No heat when you need it. At a minimum, I'll be installing some type of secondary heat. It is yet to be determined whether it will be a wood stove or a dual fuel heat pump. Perhaps both. The wood stove being more reliable, but takes floor space.

[TDKPE]

The biggest load from that heat pump is starting (but that's almost instantly started), and when the resistance heat strips kick in on super cold days.  But the heat strips are a fair bit below the continuous rated output of the generator, and there's no startup 'surge' when they kick in, and the outdoor propeller fan won't run either.  Only the blower in the air handler, which runs in either case. 

Just a gut feeling, but I'd bet the heat pump will cycle without you knowing it, other than a brief and minor dimming of incandescent lights, which are very sensitive to voltage changes anyway. Once running, that heat pump only requires about 2.5kW (and 3.3kVA) or so as long as the heat strips are not active, not counting the air handler blower (1/2 hp blower, probably).  So as long as it starts with lights on and refrigerator(s) running (very small running current there), it'll work just fine.  And if the heat strips kick in, the compressor and outdoor fan won't be running, so even though there's a higher load, it's still well within the capacity of the generator.

And that heat pump only draws about as much as two small space heaters (and a half, if you count the air handler), so you're better off running the heat pump and heating the whole house, IMO.

Air conditioning should draw the same amount of current, I would think.  So if you can run the heat, you can run the A/C.


I'm betting it'll work just fine, without micromanaging your loads.  Within reason (shut off the pottery kiln, and don't do any submerged-arc welding, for instance
).

Waiting for the results of the real-world testing, with heat.  


Oh, and do put in a real transfer switch, or retrofit kit for mechanically locking out the utility when closing the breaker for the generator.