Standby diesel generator - not for welding

[brewdexta]

I'm in a remote area and the electiricity infrastructure is very old and we have outages lasting a day or so a few time a year. Usually in the middle of winter. So I'm thinking of getting a standby gennie.

As I only need is say 4 or 5 days a year, probably less, then I'm not too bothered about paying a premium for a perkins/mosa/honda/hyundai etc. Diesel is my preference as I have red diesel for tractors hanging around. Between about 4.5kVa and 5.5kva seems about right for emergency home use. I was thinking of using an ATS too eventually.

I did look at PTO gennies for the tractor but they are v.expensive considering its an alternator on a stick and they don't tend to have voltage control etc. needed for home computers etc. I believe.

Second hand on fleabay, anything any good generally isn't cheap and if it is cheap its probably knackered. There's one I have my eye on nearby that looks OK though.

There's loads of chinese imports, kipor seems to be a name that keeps cropping up, a 5.5kva gennie with ATS is about 1200 quid.

I want to get ther right balance between getting something fit for purpose, not paying a premium for something sat doing nothing but don't want to buy a pile of cheap junk that looks the part but ultimately is useless.

Anybody else got experiences of this? Any recomendadations.

Cheers
Andy

 

[madkayaker]

You will need a sparkey to fit a changeover switch and to check the earthing arrangement. PTO would be my first choice and often have control panels for voltage etc but I would look new instead of eBay second hand.

 

[brewdexta]

Cheers MK.

My tractor is in bits at the moment and the ATS can't back the tractor into the gennie and the power always goes off when I'm away so I dont think SWMBO would like that option I do though.

Just taking a closer look at there does seem to be some decent PTO gennies around 1K with higher output than the diesel and with voltage control etc.

I do have another tractor that has a lovely 3 cyl perkins diesel engine but the hydrostatic transmission is probably knackered. I feel a project coming on

Back to reality, I will probably be under pressure to put a gennie in sooner rather than later so may need to go the diesel route. Kids have been blue for last two days with the a major power outage while I was away on business.

I will defo get a sparky to do the wiring.

Cheers
Andy

 

[madkayaker]

Would you get past entertainment commity a three phase unit then you can run better toys as well? A lot depends on budget but I would get old and British over new and Chinese if you have an engine laying about you could get an alternator and build your own .

 

[brewdexta]

like this one

 

[madkayaker]

That would work.

 

[octo0072000]

how about this well proven set up

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LISTER-DI...trial_Tools_Generators_ET&hash=item1e7860281a

this looks to be worth a look at

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/lister-di...trial_Tools_Generators_ET&hash=item19d9ce26a0

 

[madkayaker]

Only down side I can see is teaching wife how to hand start them!

 

[brewdexta]

I like the big Lister I will need something a bit more portable for now but on the longer term I could find a home for that.

I think I have the makings of a strategy now.

I have this tractor, been abused a bit since I bought from an auction about 12 years ago, used it as a general donkey to build the house.

it has a nice perkins diesel in it that runs lovely.

it has a loader, but no bucket, sold it as it was way too big

It does have a PTO, it did work before I laid it up however since then the hydrostatic transmission has stopped working, I can't remember if that drove the PTO too.

So I've got her battery on charge, and if I can get her moving, could be just fluid levels, then I'll try and sell her. If she doesn't move I'll try and sell her anyway as spares/repair, if I only get offered a silly price then I can see a use for my plasma cutter and an alternator and I'll flog the rest for spares ;-)

If I do sell it I'll use the cash to buy some kind of generator.

Only problem is that I have to clear out the barn and grounds before end of May as we are using it for our wedding reception..

Cheers
Andy

 

[KemppiFrog]

Lots of the HR series Listers will take CAV starters. So push button for the fairer side. Smart charger for the battery and a weekly start up for an hour or so. Last forever.

 

[the snooper]

the only downside to using your tractor and pto compared to a self contained unit will be the amount fuel you will use running an engine that is over sized for the job required, even more so if your not using the full capacity of the alternator

 

[brewdexta]

Hi Snooper
True but its only for occasional use so fuel consumption on red diesel is not my main issue. AS it happens I'm trying to flog my little italian alpine tractor and my other tractor is going through a nut an bolt renovation and will not be ready until next year at the ealiest the way I'm going - I keep finding other stuff to do.

I do like the idea of a lister or similar so if I can find one with electric start then I may go for it. The ideal location for it is in the barn about 30m away from the house and main consumer unit so I'm considering how to wire it in safely. The barn is connected to the house with 6mm SWA.......

Cheers
Andy

 

[brightspark]

Hi Snooper
True but its only for occasional use so fuel consumption on red diesel is not my main issue. AS it happens I'm trying to flog my little italian alpine tractor and my other tractor is going through a nut an bolt renovation and will not be ready until next year at the ealiest the way I'm going - I keep finding other stuff to do.

I do like the idea of a lister or similar so if I can find one with electric start then I may go for it. The ideal location for it is in the barn about 30m away from the house and main consumer unit so I'm considering how to wire it in safely. The barn is connected to the house with 6mm SWA.......

Cheers
Andy

if the house and workshop was to run of it u would have to wire it back to the power source at the meter with a changeover switch

 

[brewdexta]

if the house and workshop was to run of it u would have to wire it back to the power source at the meter with a changeover switch

Thanks BS, that's what I thought, you've confirmed it

I wish I had foreseen this before I moved/replaced the consumer unit when rebuilding the house and put an extra SWA in. I've now layed about 80 tonnes of reclaimed cobbles set in pitch - no way am I digging them up, took me forever with a pitch boiler and watering can.

Later this year I'm excavating around the back of the house to put in a plant room for a wood chip/log boiler and hopper etc. I may stick it in there so I can get a cable to it easier. I'm guessing I only need to get to the output of the meter not to the consumer unit?

Cheers
Andy

 

[the snooper]

i have 3 diesels a lombardini a petter and a kipor the petter is cranking handle start where as the other 2 are starter motor

 

[brewdexta]

I've sold the tractor subject to the guy picking it up so will be looking for a generator when the funds come through.

 

[brightspark]

Thanks BS, that's what I thought, you've confirmed it

I wish I had foreseen this before I moved/replaced the consumer unit when rebuilding the house and put an extra SWA in. I've now layed about 80 tonnes of reclaimed cobbles set in pitch - no way am I digging them up, took me forever with a pitch boiler and watering can.

Later this year I'm excavating around the back of the house to put in a plant room for a wood chip/log boiler and hopper etc. I may stick it in there so I can get a cable to it easier. I'm guessing I only need to get to the output of the meter not to the consumer unit?

Cheers
Andy

yes changeover switch is connected between meter and your distribution board wherever is convinient along the line