Residential Generator

ChrisDIY · 03-29-2010, 10:17 PM

I have an old US Army Surplus generator model MEP-018A. It says gasoline on the top but has a diesel fuel can connected to it. Haven't looked at contents of container label doesn't mean much... There are two nests of some type in it along with leaves, walnut shells and other woodland debris. Will clean it out one Saturday and see what happens.

frenchelectrican · 03-30-2010, 12:21 AM

dawktah.,

Just give you a head up I did read the model number of that generator and that is old miltary generator and it is gazoline not a diesel unit. and the size is 10Kw , 120/240 Volt single phase or 208Y120 three phase or 240D120 three phase as well

But I try to get some specs of the engine itself and be aware about getting parts it may be little tough to find it if the case let me know myself or one of the readers may know a source or two.

Merci,Marc

ChrisDIY · 03-30-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frenchelectrican

dawktah.,

Just give you a head up I did read the model number of that generator and that is old miltary generator and it is gazoline not a diesel unit. and the size is 10Kw , 120/240 Volt single phase or 208Y120 three phase or 240D120 three phase as well

But I try to get some specs of the engine itself and be aware about getting parts it may be little tough to find it if the case let me know myself or one of the readers may know a source or two.

Merci,Marc

MUCH THANKS!

This is very helpful. Once I clean it out at least I have worked on gasoline engines before. The load lines were cut by bank before sale so I need to know what are the issues I could face with nothing connected. there is a cover and I can tape off connections so nothing arcs.

andrew79 · 03-30-2010, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawktah

Bergey Power makes a hybrid system wind and solar but even with 30% tax credit its still $78,000 + towers & installation

I know this is really getting off topic but i was wondering what the rules were in the U.S and abroad on going off grid. Here is canada if we set up an alternate source of power such as a large solor bank or a windmill an environmental study had to be done as well which can add a ton of money to an already expensive system.

ChrisDIY · 03-30-2010, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrew79

I know this is really getting off topic but i was wondering what the rules were in the U.S and abroad on going off grid. Here is canada if we set up an alternate source of power such as a large solor bank or a windmill an environmental study had to be done as well
which can add a ton of money to an already expensive system.

Seriously??? On private land???

ChrisDIY · 09-26-2010, 10:47 AM

My electrician and I are having some trouble getting this mapped out. Well not trouble but $$$. I should have mentioned this in the original post. This house is on a 300 amp service and has two 200 amp 40 circuit breaker panels. One is located immediately inside of the house from where the service disconnects are located. The other circuit panel is located 65 feet away at the other end of the house, next to garage in the large add-on. Wouldn't a typical installation have added the second panel next to the first and run all wire back to it? Oh, well...

The original "plan A" was to use a single 400 amp NEMA 3R transfer switch with service disconnect but that is going to require us to have a 30 Kw generator. Which is ridiculous. The next "plan B" is to use two 200 amp NEMA 3R transfer switches with interior load panels or "plan C" keep service disconnects use two 200 amp NEMA 1 with load center or separate load panel. Dedicated loads could get us "on earth" with 15 Kw.

Do all transfer switches have low voltage communication to allow you to use more than one transfer switch on one generator?
With the exception of major hassle to replace the 40 circuit panel with a 200 amp NEMA 1 enclosure with load center, is there any solution that will not introduce a myriad of wire running in-between the panels and switches except "plan A?"
Anyone have a schematic/diagram of a two transfer switch installation? I haven't found any for two switch install.

bobelectric · 09-26-2010, 03:55 PM

We lost power 8 days in Feb.Ran my 5500 watt gen. non stop. Weather is getting wild and power providers aren't maintaining their distribution systems until a breakdown.

frenchelectrican · 09-26-2010, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawktah

My electrician and I are having some trouble getting this mapped out. Well not trouble but $$$. I should have mentioned this in the original post. This house is on a 300 amp service and has two 200 amp 40 circuit breaker panels. One is located immediately inside of the house from where the service disconnects are located. The other circuit panel is located 65 feet away at the other end of the house, next to garage in the large add-on. Wouldn't a typical installation have added the second panel next to the first and run all wire back to it? Oh, well...

The original "plan A" was to use a single 400 amp NEMA 3R transfer switch with service disconnect but that is going to require us to have a 30 Kw generator. Which is ridiculous. The next "plan B" is to use two 200 amp NEMA 3R transfer switches with interior load panels or "plan C" keep service disconnects use two 200 amp NEMA 1 with load center or separate load panel. Dedicated loads could get us "on earth" with 15 Kw.

Do all transfer switches have low voltage communication to allow you to use more than one transfer switch on one generator?
With the exception of major hassle to replace the 40 circuit panel with a 200 amp NEMA 1 enclosure with load center, is there any solution that will not introduce a myriad of wire running in-between the panels and switches except "plan A?"
Anyone have a schematic/diagram of a two transfer switch installation? I haven't found any for two switch install.

If you mention to us first place we could come up a alternative way to deal with it.

Anyway with a whole house transfer switch AKA ATS { Automatique transfer switch } you must sized the generator to the main breaker or max rating of ATS that kinda pain in butt due the new code came out { I heard they are working on to rewrite the code to correct this one but IDK if they will slove the issue or not but read on .,, }

Now the other option which I know many peoples are going this route is MTS { Manual transfer switch } you can use far much smaller generator and have a subpanel near the main load centre and use the slected circuit you want to be on the generator I know it can be pain in butt for two load centres what you have there.

I know KBsparky , Nap , Myself and few other electricians in this fourm can help you with few details BUT I know it will be not easy with multi load centres.

I have two diesel generators in my shop and that used for both shop and house useage but I have pretty compaited set up due I have paralleling controller in there and have 3 ATS/MTS.

Not all transfer switch will use the low voltage circuit some will use line voltage as well.

I know there are couple manufacter do make build in transfer switch in the load centre and they are the same size but you will loose IIRC at least up to 4 circuits.
Timewise to do that it will be the same amount of hours to replace the whole breaker box { anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. }

Merci.
Marc

ChrisDIY · 09-26-2010, 08:57 PM

One other headache is the house is about 40% original (built 2002) and 60% add-on (built 2005). The service enters the original house. Just running a generator for like bobelectric stated for 8 days on just the original house in full blown winter will leave the majority of the house unheated. The house also have two HVAC heat pumps a 2.5 ton in original and 3.0 ton in add-on. Since we have been on vacation when a blizzard hit a few years back would feel more comfortable with ATS.

As much work as I have to do don't need frozen pipes...

Sounds like a wiring nightmare, so will have to suck it up and do the two NEMA 3R ATS with service disconnects and add generator later. 30-35 Kw

Will put off HVAC upgrade in add-on to hydronic air-handler (emergency heat) until after the generator is installed.

I'll have to pray for no winter outages.

frenchelectrican · 09-26-2010, 09:14 PM

Now that make sense the way the house set up.

The last super long power outage is 3 weeks on my part I have two diesel generators and that work very well due I have two diffrent size unit one for light load and other one for hevey load { 5 KW and 20 KW } and did not ran out of diesel fuel yet during the whole peroid of time due I have large underground fuel tank 1000 US gallon size.

that was right in middle of winter time that time it was way below zero most of the time.

{ curpit was underground cable failure and have attempt to retrench the frozen ground was pretty rough what I heard }

Merci,
Marc

Lsparky · 09-27-2010, 12:20 AM

We had a bad ice storm a few years back and were out for 2 weeks. I had a small Gen.(gas)3500w and it ran only during the day....We also have Nat.Gas for heat, water and fireplace....Lots of trees were we are.

ChrisDIY · 09-27-2010, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsparky

We had a bad ice storm a few years back and were out for 2 weeks. I had a small Gen.(gas)3500w and it ran only during the day....We also have Nat.Gas for heat, water and fireplace....Lots of trees were we are.

We have a ton of trees but no fireplace... I would have built this house so so different.

Red Squirrel · 09-27-2010, 09:42 AM

I was looking at Generac generators for a while, still interested in one. They are not that expensive to consider their size. It's like buying central AC. The power hardly goes out where I live. I had a bunch of outages in spring due to trees but they cut lot of branches now.

ChrisDIY · 03-06-2012, 04:39 PM

Decided on a Kohler Generator with ATS for north half of house on the other half I am now leaning toward a Miller Bobcat. The second generator would sit unused unless there is a very long winter outage. This way it would at least serve some repair, fabrication use instead of collecting dust.

frenchelectrican · 03-06-2012, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisDIY

Decided on a Kohler Generator with ATS for north half of house on the other half I am now leaning toward a Miller Bobcat. The second generator would sit unused unless there is a very long winter outage. This way it would at least serve some repair, fabrication use instead of collecting dust.

Thanks for letting us know what is your plan is and the following up with this.

Merci,
Marc