PTO Generator

[aidank]

Some v knowledgeable folk on here re generators I see.

Im buying a SH Sincro generator, same as this one here http://www.jfaengineering.com/gener...rator-25kva-single-phase-38kva-three-phase--- and I have changeover switch all wired up and ready to go

the generator is working, Is there anything i would need to check

 

[Agroshield]

Somebody who knows will be along (i.e. I do not know) but it seems to me it might be important to check the phase rotation direction of the two sources are the same. When you go from mains to genny, you do not want all your motors to run backwards.

 

[aidank]

Somebody who knows will be along (i.e. I do not know) but it seems to me it might be important to check the phase rotation direction of the two sources are the same. When you go from mains to genny, you do not want all your motors to run backwards.

will get the electrician to have a look at it before its installed, I was wondering is there anything i need to check when i go to buy it as its an SH machine

 

[GRW]

Sincro were (are?) a relatively inexpensive Italian alternator brand.. but AFAIK they are OK for the intended use (I.e. an emergency standby power supply). I seem to recall they are carbon brushed /armature alternators, not more modern brushless rotating diode - so whipping the cover off the back and checking the brushes, brush-holders and springs etc are all good, not seized/worn might be time well spent.

It's basically a 3ph alternator, but configured for 1ph by re-arranging the windings by swapping the wire arrangement on the Terminal Block.

When running it up to test on the tractor, I'd want to use a multimeter to check correct speed in Hertz (note when using you should set up offload at 52-ish Hz to allow for the tractor dropping a few rpm as the alternator load builds), and that the voltage output is correct and stable.

The generator may well have been supplied with a Speedlight (or maybe a Frequency Meter) - you can check that for accuracy against your multimeter. If you don't have any form of Frequency/ Speed device (a voltmeter isn't really any good for accuracy btw) - then I'd suggest getting one.

 

[GRW]

will get the electrician to have a look at it before its installed, I was wondering is there anything i need to check when i go to buy it as its an SH machine

If you've not bought it yet, ask to see it running and producing an output. At least then you know you've not bought an expensive boat anchor!
Also... lots of folk inadvertently over-pay for these things. They used to be a lot more pricey donkeys years ago than now, plus a set this size isn't big enough for the modern big dairy farm by a distance, so it's marked is limited.

P.S. I don't know what you intend using it for....but in case it's any kind of regular daily use as a prime power source - I would never suggest a PTO Gen fir that duty.

 

[aidank]

If you've not bought it yet, ask to see it running and producing an output. At least then you know you've not bought an expensive boat anchor!
Also... lots of folk inadvertently over-pay for these things. They used to be a lot more pricey donkeys years ago than now, plus a set this size isn't big enough for the modern big dairy farm by a distance, so it's marked is limited.

P.S. I don't know what you intend using it for....but in case it's any kind of regular daily use as a prime power source - I would never suggest a PTO Gen fir that duty.

its for a once a year when we lose electricity during a storm or somesuch, or maybe the russians turn off the gas.

its the same technology as one of these I guess https://tbws.co.uk/product-category/mosa/generators/mosa-pto-generators/

but this would be superior https://tbws.co.uk/product-category...-diesel-generators/16kva-to-88kva-generators/ better AVR ?

 

[GRW]

its for a once a year when we lose electricity during a storm or somesuch, or maybe the russians turn off the gas.

its the same technology as one of these I guess https://tbws.co.uk/product-category/mosa/generators/mosa-pto-generators/

but this would be superior https://tbws.co.uk/product-category...-diesel-generators/16kva-to-88kva-generators/ better AVR ?

I dunno what alternators Mosa are using these days, so hard to say. Being Italian, it's likely to be an Italian alternator make. It doesn't look like the casing of a Meccalte, so maybe Marrelli or Sincro .
Either way Mosa are generally built as Rental/Field generators (they do a lot of Welder Gensets) and Wilkinson Star are the UK Distributors if memory serves - and they have socket arrays and stuff that you'd be paying for that you don't need - so maybe not the best choice.

Household appliances aren't that fussy (they have to tolerate quite a lot of grid voltage variation), so I'd expect the Sincro PTO to be fine in that respect (as long as you run it at the correct speed etc).
A lot depends on your budget etc. Also 25kva is a lot for a house backup - 99% would manage perfectly well on a lot less

 

[Guineafowl]

Make sure it’s earthed properly when installed, as there’s a difference between running a single machine and a whole house. Usual practice is to connect a nice, deep earth rod and carry the genny frame in as your earth. Essentially TNS. Some background:

 

[aidank]

I dunno what alternators Mosa are using these days, so hard to say. Being Italian, it's likely to be an Italian alternator make. It doesn't look like the casing of a Meccalte, so maybe Marrelli or Sincro .
Either way Mosa are generally built as Rental/Field generators (they do a lot of Welder Gensets) and Wilkinson Star are the UK Distributors if memory serves - and they have socket arrays and stuff that you'd be paying for that you don't need - so maybe not the best choice.

Household appliances aren't that fussy (they have to tolerate quite a lot of grid voltage variation), so I'd expect the Sincro PTO to be fine in that respect (as long as you run it at the correct speed etc).
A lot depends on your budget etc. Also 25kva is a lot for a house backup - 99% would manage perfectly well on a lot less

farm use would be primary use, 15kva would be max load i hope


are all the generators, brushed generators anyway, the same technology since the 70ties ? I have seen an old 50kva PTO driven Makron running, it looked pretty the same to me. Possibly even better quality than newer ones

 

[GRW]

farm use would be primary use, 15kva would be max load i hope


are all the generators, brushed generators anyway, the same technology since the 70ties ? I have seen an old 50kva PTO driven Makron running, it looked pretty the same to me. Possibly even better quality than newer ones

No, brushed alternators have been old hat for over 30-years. Industrial 4-pole stuff is far more likely to be brushless rotating diode type, but some (usually cheaper-end) carbon brush stuff remains.
Given its standby role etc though, if its got a stable output and is reasonable money a brushed unit shouldn't put you off unduly.

 

[Justme]

Just remember that a PTO genny will use more fuel per unit than a dedicated genny.