Generator surging?

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JoeNorm

Senior Member
Location
WA
I installed a Kohler 20RCA and ATS recently. On it's maiden voyage it started up great and ran for 45min. The customer then reported it shutdown. The customer then tried to start it manually a few times with the button on the unit. Shutdown immediately each time. The latest theory is that the temps were so low at the time the propane line froze up and was not supplying sufficient fuel. Fast forward two days later temps warmed up and another power outage. Everything ran perfect 6 hours until the grid was restored.

The customer is now reporting a washing machine that is not working. Also somewhere during the first outage there are reports of tripped breakers in the main panel in the house. I have not been back to the site yet but have confirmed that the washer receptacle is hot(over phone), just the washer not responding.

Are surges associated with generators? If the washer is toast I cannot believe it would be a coincidence. What could have happened and what can I do to avoid it in the future? Would a surge protector in the main panel have prevented this?

thanks
 
I have that same setup, and have had no problem with the power. I would imagine the problem was with the POCO when it shut off. When power comes back on, there is a 10 second delay before it switches back, and when it does, there is only a very short blip in the power.

If the tank is too small, then the pressure will drop too much as the LP boils.
 
Barbqranch said:
If the tank is too small, then the pressure will drop too much as the LP boils.
Click to expand...

I did an installation once where the generator was run off a 1000 gal tank. We took the propane from the bottom of the tank as a liquid to avoid the problem of low vapor pressure. The generator had a heater in line before the carburetor to vaporize the liquid.

-Hal
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top