What a bad generator install looks like

[hillbilly1]

You are running 60 KW on propane that is being vaporized in the storage tank? I would have thought something that large would draw enough to need a vaporizer. I guess if the tank is really large

My 30 kw is liquid withdraw, but I ran it on vapor. I have done as large as 60 on vapor, tank was real close though.

 

[Joethemechanic]

My 30 kw is liquid withdraw, but I ran it on vapor. I have done as large as 60 on vapor, tank was real close though.

A 60kw is going to have an engine of somewhere around 90 HP. I don't think I could reliably get that much propane to vaporixe up here where it gets cold just relying on the tank for vaporization. I guess with a large enough tank, but I would think it would have to be so large that it'd be impractical for most applications

 

[gadfly56]

With existing propane distant from the house and generator, you can sometimes avoid having to upsize the main line from the tank to the house by switching to a dual stage regulator system.
The main line will then carry propane at several psi, increasing the flow capacity of that line, with secondary regulators at the generator and the house dropping the pressure to the proper operating pressure for appliance without their own regulator.
If installing a propane source from scratch, you may design the system to carry full tank pressure all the way to the generator.

Yeah, we have city gas, so it would mean going to the street, coming to the house and out the back side for the generator. Lots of expensive trenching.

 

[Frank DuVal]

vaporixe up here where it gets cold just relying on the tank for vaporization.

Buried tank?

 

[Joethemechanic]

Buried tank?

Easier just to run a liquid line and use a vaporizer. Really the ones that are heated by engine coolant are fine if you even use a low wattage block heater. Most of the commercial/ municipal/industrial ones I have done have block heaters, and battery tray heaters anyway. I've even used some 240v 1500W heaters supplied with 120 that were heating at 325W on large diesel engines like 855 ci Cummins and they started just fine like it was summertime

 

[B677]

The 2 switches is for individual panels in a house. When we bring in a 300 amp service we split it to 2 panels and install a switch for each. I install a trough and make all the splices in it though.

I'd like to see install pics of this, sounds interesting - so you do 2x 150A panels?

Particularly interesting to me is what you splice the 250cu/350al kcmil feeder conductors with. The most common largest service by me is 225A

 

[Sberry]

I run vapor on V8 engines, down to 30's. 500 gallon tanks or bigger. I have a 383 and a 350 on 500s.

 

[Joethemechanic]

Actually when I have had propane vaporizing problems it has been very cold, and always when you need it most like in the middle of the night.

Speaking of 350 chevy small blocks, do any of you guys have any experience with the 350 Chevy powered Winco generators? We had a Ford powered generator in a police district in Philly that got water in the exhaust. I wrote a proposal to fix it, but the city decided to replace it and somebody else won the bid. They installed a small block Chevy powered Winco. I kind of liked it, but I always liked small block Chevys. It never racked up many hours so I never got to see how it was long term

 

[Birken Vogt]

The same engines are typically used across multiple brands of generators. Probably a PSI engine who they also sold to Kohler and others.

 

[Joethemechanic]

The same engines are typically used across multiple brands of generators. Probably a PSI engine who they also sold to Kohler and others.

Yeah it was. But it's the only time I've encountered a small block Chevy on a genset. Most of those smaller spark ignited ones I see are Ford power or something foreign. Back in the day I used to see a lot of IHC

https://www.wincogenerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/GM5.7L-Spec-Sheet.pdf

 

[Birken Vogt]

About 15-5 years ago Kohler seemed to be using all GM/PSI for everything. And now they switched to their own Kohler engines but they are still SBC clones for the small ones only now they are 6.2 L. For the big block they have 8.8L GM/PSI and also a 10.3 BBC clone that has not been seen in great numbers yet. They also liked to use an 8.1 and 8.8 GM engine in smaller stuff not so very long ago. This appears to have happened after Ford dropped the 460 platform.

Also besides Kohler switching to their own engines, all the small mfrs still use 5.7 and 8.8 Chevy engines wherever appropriate.

 

[Joethemechanic]

Ford dropped the 460 platform.

I had a lot of those on Spectrum generators at communication towers

And now they switched to their own Kohler engines

I used to see a lot of Hercules powered Kohlers'. I have a Kohler 7.5C61 here that has the little 4 cyl Kohler flathead on it, stone reliable good little unit. I got it for free when my town scrapped their 1970's SWAT van

 

[Sberry]

 

[Joethemechanic]

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I knew they were going to be on irrigation pumps. How fast do you run them? 1800ish? What are you using for governors?

 

[Sberry]

Somewhere in the 2 g range, maybe harder at full output. 5 or 6 gallons an hour. I have had a tach on them but its been a while. I dont use governors, simply set throttle to set the pressure and have full murphy protection on them. I have ran them on 3/8 line and used the converters but I dont now, I have 1/2 at tank pressure, no reg into them and use vapor. I used to,,, till I figured out i didnt need it,,, but don't even have the water lines hooked to the converters.

 

[Joethemechanic]

Somewhere in the 2 g range, maybe harder at full output. 5 or 6 gallons an hour. I have had a tach on them but its been a while. I dont use governors, simply set throttle to set the pressure and have full murphy protection on them. I have ran them on 3/8 line and used the converters but I dont now, I have 1/2 at tank pressure, no reg into them and use vapor. I used to,,, till I figured out i didnt need it,,, but don't even have the water lines hooked to the converters.

How much water, and what kind of head pressure?

 

[Sberry]

Geez,,, I was told there wouldnt be any math,,, ha. Right around 1000 gpm at 110# or so at the pump when needed, the Caddilac with a 500 will pump 1200 or more easy but it is a 6 inch pump. The Berkley B4 is on the Chevys and a Mopar will drive it a bit harder. I built the engine cooling rads, the original systems were always a mess.

 

[Sberry]

I have a couple systems, I boost to the big gun.

 

[tshea]

Somewhere, somebody thinks this is a great install.

 

[Joethemechanic]

Somewhere, somebody thinks this is a great install.

Well I've seen the deadfront off the panel with a piece of SO cord hanging out the front, so I guess it's all relative