Re: Failover generators

["Simon McCaughey" <simonmcc@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Nigel,

Thats very interesting! I ran a 16.5kva Lister-Petter generator for a
few months while building our house.

Do you have automatic failover when grid power is lost? If so, where
does it connect into your house? Is it just after the meter board?
What happens when power resumes?

Thanks

Simon

On 24/06/06, Nigel Giddings <nigel@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Paul,
>
>
>
> Using generators can open a whole can of worms...
>
>
>
> I have a 'medium' size generator which I have incorporated in my self
bui=
ld. It is rated at 11KVA and should allow the house to function normally
if=
I lose the grid connection. We use Gas for Heating and Hot Water.
>
>
>
> Things to consider:
>
>
>
> Noise - I have a full acoustic canopy
>
> Fuel - Petrol (Highly flammable loses it punch after 6 - 12 months),
Gas =
(easy to handle bottles or connect to local mains supply) diesel (red
diese=
l cheaper, less volatile, doesn't go off with age)
>
> Fuel Storage - (How long before refuelling, I have 400 Litres, fuel
deliv=
ered in 205 litre drums. Genny can run for 2=BD to 3 days)
>
> Location - Mine is 30 Metres from the house in the garden which helps
dea=
l with Fuel, Storage and noise.
>
> KVA - You may need to run things as well as computers (monitors,
routers =
etc. Lighting, cooling?) Gennys like to run at 80 - 90% load. A Genny at
no=
load uses 50% of the fuel used at 100% load. A light load will lead to car=
bon build up.
>
> RPM - 3000 is typical for smaller sizes, mine included. 1500 for large
un=
its this gives less wear.
>
> Stability - Small gennys can be noisey on the o/p and this upsets some
UP=
Ss. I have heard it said no more than 50% of load should be UPSs due to
har=
monics created by SMPS and effects on frequency stability circuits of
Genny=
. I have 6KVA of UPS with no issues.
>
> Self Start - Definitely the way to go. By using a small genny you will
ne=
ed to split the wiring between protected load and un-protected load at a
co=
st.
>
> Maintenance - Annual Oil and filter change or after a number of hours
of =
use. Air cooled reduces fluids to monitor.
>
>
>
> My install was second hand from E-Bay (less than 100 hours) and cost
=A33=
K fitted (by me).
>
> HYPERLINK "http://photos.corbenic.co.uk/photos/photo213.html"http://photo=
s.corbenic.co.uk/photos/photo213.html
>
>
>
> Depending on load and duration a UPS may be a cleaner, quieter, more
easi=
ly maintained solution....
>
>
>
> HTH
>
>
>
> Nigel
>
>
>
>   _____
>
> From: Paul Gale [mailto:groups@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 24 June 2006 09:10
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: [ukha_d] Failover generators
>
>
>
> Anyone have a small generator with automatic failover start? Does it
cost=
much to put something in place for say enough power to run a small amount =
of computer kit?
>
> Paul.
>
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> 24/6/2006
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