Hi Kirk One trick I learned from my generator guy is to hook up the remote start to the manual on position This bypass's the auto position and the extra load on the battery
Best I can tell only difference on the Koehler anyway is how fast it starts. On auto right now On manual a few seconds delay. Jay Peltz power Sent from my iPad On Jul 6, 2013, at 10:46 AM, "Kirk Herander" <k...@vtsolar.com> wrote: > Alan and others, > > I have an off-grid customer looking at the Ecogen. Now that 6 months have > passed since your comments, can you tell us more of the pros and cons of this > unit? > I read somewhere the phantom load of the controller (and charger?) is 20 to > 50 watts total. Is it just the controller which needs to stay awake? Is there > a separate charger for the battery, meaning no alternator / rectifier direct > from the engine? Regardless, it seems dumb to me that a generator designed > for off-grid would mandate a phantom load to operate. For that reason, it > seems no more appealing than the Kohler R series. Is there an on-board > hour-meter? Thanks. The brochure does not address these questions. > > Kirk Herander > VT Solar, LLC > dba Vermont Solar Engineering > NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant > NYSERDA-eligible Installer > VT RE Incentive Program Partner > 802.863.1202 > > From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org > [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Allan Sindelar > Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 3:21 PM > To: RE-wrenches > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] generator suggestions > > Ray, > Everything has changed. The Kohler 6.5RMY and the Onan 6.5 Commercial were > wonderful units, but also both flathead twins, eventually discontinued for > efficiency and emissions reasons, as I came to understand. Also, the American > residential market was (and remains) almost exclusively about home standby, > not off grid, and the major manufacturers went in that direction. Home > standby is a competitive market, and generators aren't expected to run for > many hours over their useful life, so internals can be cheapened and features > to make them more like a home appliance are added. Many of us have customer > horror stories about home standby units used off grid. > > I have written favorably about the Generac EcoGen here and in Home Power, as > it's pretty much currently the only under-10K unit designed for off grid use. > I have now had two at my home - we had a fire in May that took out an > outbuilding and the gennie, and I replaced it with the same model, because it > had performed well and there was nothing else to compete with it. Always > starts, minimal maintenance, exceeds its rated output on occasion, doesn't > require a separate enclosure, and is sealed against mice. Oh, and very quiet. > So far the only disadvantage is the need for either an AC feed for the 8W > phantom load to keep the controller awake, but a PV module and small > controller on the starting battery will handle that one of these days. It's > not just one of their standard units with different bells and whistles, but > has hardened valves, lower (2,500) rpm, longer maintenance intervals, and > other reliability features. > > I know all about Generac's otherwise-poor reputation, and am willing to stick > my neck out about this model, as I think it's the best we currently have in > this size range. My understanding is that the Propane Reliability Council (or > some similar organizational name) was involved with sponsoring development of > an LP gennie tough enough to handle off grid demands. They first approached > Kohler, who turned them down, and then worked with Generac (all this is > hearsay; don't quote me on it). > Allan > > Allan Sindelar > al...@positiveenergysolar.com > NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer > NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional > New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician > Founder and Chief Technology Officer > Positive Energy, Inc. > 3209 Richards Lane (note new address) > Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 > 505 424-1112 > www.positiveenergysolar.com > > > On 1/30/2013 10:41 AM, Ray Walters wrote: > Hi Randy and all; > > I definitely like the water cooled 1800 rpm machines too, but for regular off > grid homes, they just are way out of the budget. We jumped on the inverter > generator band wagon for a while, but had the same load issues Allan > described. (Microwave kicks the breaker, and you're running the genny for > hours for nothing) Many customers have turned to the contractor portables > with equally disappointing results, but often they already have the genny, > and we just provide an inlet box and cord. > The Generac looks like a good idea, I wish Onan or Kohler would build one. > Kohler used to make a 6.5 Kw that fit the one inverter household fairly well. > > Ray Walters > > THeOn 1/30/2013 8:55 AM, Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems wrote: > Randy, > > I concur, the Cummins/Onan generators are built well and are reliable. They > provide a 1 year, 1000 hour warranty for off grid use when a RE system is > installed for primary power. > > We install lots of Magnum Energy inverters with AGS modules in RV's. What > sold me on the Onan's is having seen many RV generators (3600, 2880 and 2400 > RPM), some with several thousand hours, still operating with tight frequency > and voltage control, no leaks, easy starting, etc. > > Larry Crutcher > Starlight Solar Power Systems > > > > > > On Jan 30, 2013, at 7:52 AM, Randy Brooks wrote: > > Todd, > > We don't sell or install generators, but the only one I recommend for > permanent installations is the Cummins/Onan, 1,800 rpm, propane fueled. All > others have failed early. > > Good luck, > > Randy Brooks > Brooks Solar, Inc. > Solar Power for People > 140 Columbia View > Chelan, WA 98816 > 509-682-9646 > ra...@brookssolar.com > www.BrooksSolar.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >
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