All - update for those of you interested, we are starting the portal installation tomorrow (with a Sunny Island for better or worse) and ended up going with a Kohler 14RESA propane generator. This should be 2-wire start, ok at 100% duty cycle 120 v, and CARB compliant. If all goes as planned we'll be up and running next week and I'll keep you posted.
http://www.kohlergenerators.com/home-generators/products/14RESA -August *August Goers* Luminalt Energy Corporation o: 415.641.4000 m: 415.559.1525 www.luminalt.com On Fri, Jun 23, 2017 at 3:46 PM, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar < offgridso...@sti.net> wrote: > I did a few projects for Yosemite. Then I used the EU6500i which is now > the EU7000i. Never had anyone ask. and that you will find is the issue. In > my county of Mariposa they will issue a certificate of occupancy on a > house running a generator for final approval. Pretty lax about it all. If > I go across the county line into Tuolumne everything is hard to do. Geeze > an offgrid generator...Use Honda or design so that you don't need one :) > > Dave Angelini / Offgrid Solar > > > > Hi Gary and All – > > > > > > > > We looked into the EcoGen unit, but the 6kW is discontinued and the 15kW > > EcoGen is not rated to be sold in California. Bummer. > > > > > > > > Speaking of California, do any of you know about the CARB compliance > > issues > > on selecting a generator for an offgrid renewable project? We had one > > generator rep tell us that only a Tier 4F CARB generators are legal for > > use > > with offgrid in California, but I can’t find anything online to > clarify. > > Since this project is in the National Parks, we need to make sure we > > don’t > > have any compliance issues. If anyone knows anything about what kind of > > CARB compliance is or isn’t required, I’d love to hear about it. > > > > > > > > Cheers! > > > > > > > > August > > > > > > > > *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] > *On > > Behalf Of *Gary Willett > > *Sent:* Friday, June 16, 2017 7:58 AM > > *To:* re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Generator choice for Sunny Island > > > > > > > > AUGUST: > > > > The Generac EcoGen is dual-fuel capable (NG or LP), comes in 6kW and 15kW > > versions, is 2-wire start, can be field-configured for either 120V or > > 240V. > > It's not "portable" as it does not have wheels. It's transportable though > > based on its footprint and weight. Also, it was specifically designed and > > warranteed for off-grid applications. > > > > Regards, > > > > Gary Willett PE > > Icarus Engineering LLC > > > > On 6/16/17 9:36 AM, Kevin Pegg wrote: > > > > You could use a 2 -> 3 wire converter such as the Atkinson GSCM module > > that > > will take the 2 wire output from the SI and convert to 3-wire to control > a > > gasoline generator such as the Honda EU7000 series, or Cummins/Onan makes > > a > > good line of gasoline generators. It may be very hard to find a gas > > generator that has 2 wire native remote start. That is more common with > > larger propane or diesel generators. > > > > > > > > Kevin > > > > > > > > *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org > > <re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org>] *On Behalf Of *August Goers > > *Sent:* June-16-17 7:22 AM > > *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > > <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Generator choice for Sunny Island > > > > > > > > Thanks for the good feedback folks! > > > > > > > > We are using a Sunny Island setup because we had access to a free Sunny > > Island and Sunny Boy being scrapped from another site. Otherwise I was > > definitely planning on going with a Outback DC coupled system. > > > > > > > > I think the trick here is trying to find a portable generator that has a > > two-wire start option. I’m looking through the usual genny suppliers > and > > nothing has presented itself so far. Anyway, I’ll keep looking and will > > check out Chris’ suggestion on the nexus controller and Generac propane > > unit as well. > > > > > > > > FYI, here is a link to what the portal is like. It’s going in National > > Park > > land by the Golden Gate Bridge so I hope we can pull it together! > > http://www.sharedstudios.com/ > > > > > > > > August > > > > Luminalt > > > > > > > > > > > > *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] > *On > > Behalf Of *Chris Mason > > *Sent:* Friday, June 16, 2017 4:56 AM > > *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Generator choice for Sunny Island > > > > > > > > To my limited mind, the whole 120V sunny island setup is a disaster. Why > > not install a DC coupled 8KW Outback Radian and solve all your problems. > > USe any 240V generator, although finding a 2 wire start gasoline unit may > > be hard. I would use a Nexus controller generac propane generator with > > propane tank, all mounted on the container. I would never design anything > > to use gasoline, it's too dangerous. > > > > > > > > On Fri, Jun 16, 2017 at 7:19 AM, Matthew Sirum <matthewsi...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > > > Greetings August, > > > > Great thoughts and comments from Brian! I would also suggest speaking > > with the generator manufacturers' tech/engineering folks regarding the > > 120VAC configuration and to confirm 2-wire start set up once you have > > a brand and model or two in mind. Generator parts and service > > availability in the region of the project may also drive brand > > selection. If you need to maximize the inverter's battery charging > > capabilities (depending on battery system charging requirements) you > > may end up needing to look at generators in the 7.5 kW to 8.0 kW > > capacity range to allow for headroom in generator output loading. > > > > Also; I am curious how you arrived at an AC coupled design for this > > project. I do not know any of the details or specific projects goals > > you are working with, but I would potentially consider a DC coupled > > system design... DC/DC charge controller(s) would keep the battery > > system charged (and any DC loads operable) even if the Sunny Island > > and/or Sunny Boy(s) have a failure or is taken offline. If most of > > the AC loads are 120VAC I would consider keeping the inverter AC > > output circuit 120VAC and install a dedicated transformer solely for > > the 240VAC load.... Or perhaps consider a 120/240VAC inverter model. > > Depending on the overall situation a DC coupled system could be more > > resilient. The dedicated transformer for the 240VAC load could also > > potentially help make the system more robust. Also; I have spoken > > with a number of folks who have told me they wish the Sunny Island had > > more/better features for generator integration. I'd like to hear more > > from those who have plenty of experience designing and installing > > systems with Sunny Islands and generators to learn what the current > > thoughts and issues are. > > > > I hope some of these thoughts may be helpful. > > > > Best regards, > > > > ----MATT > > > > Matthew Sirum > > P.O. Box 1227 > > Greenfield, MA 01302-1227 USA > > phone: +1.413.773.0611 > > email: matthewsi...@gmail.com > > > > > > -------- Original Message Below -------- > > > > [RE-wrenches] Generator choice for Sunny Island > > August Goers august at luminalt.com > > Thu Jun 15 09:02:41 PDT 2017 > > > > Hi Wrenches, especially those of you who work on off-grid projects, > > > > We have an upcoming off-grid project where we will be powering a storage > > container with electronics in it. The loads are mostly 120 volt but there > > is a 240 volt heat pump that might occasionally run. We’re AC coupling > > the > > Sunny Island with a Sunny Boy PV inverter. So, we’ll be installing a > > Outback PSX-240 autoformer to bump the Sunny Island’s output from 120 > to > > 240 volt. > > > > We need to select a generator for backup. We need a two-wire electric > > start > > (in order to be controlled by the Sunny Island) and preferably a > generator > > that is okay just running 120 volt loads since the Sunny Islands input is > > only 120 volt. Something in the 3 kVA -7 kVA range should be fine. > > > > Does anyone have experience or ideas about what kind of two-wire start > > generator we might select? > > > > Thanks, > > > > August > > > > Luminalt > > _______________________________________________ > > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > > > Change listserver email address & settings: > > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > > > List-Archive: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches. > org/maillist.html > > > > List rules & etiquette: > > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > > > Check out or update participant bios: > > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Chris Mason > > > > NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™ > > > > Solar Design Engineer > > > > Generac Generators Industrial technician > > > > > > > > www.cometsolar.com <http://www.cometenergysystems.com> > > > > 264.235.5670 > > > > 869.662.5670 > > > > Skype: netconcepts > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > > > > > > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > > > > > > > Change listserver email address & settings: > > > > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > > > > > > > List-Archive: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches. > org/maillist.html > > > > > > > > List rules & etiquette: > > > > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > > > > > > > Check out or update participant bios: > > > > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > _______________________________________________ > > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > > > Change listserver email address & settings: > > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > > > List-Archive: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches. > org/maillist.html > > > > List rules & etiquette: > > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > > > Check out or update participant bios: > > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > > > > Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar > "we go where powerlines don't" > http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ > e-mail offgridso...@sti.net > text 209 813 0060 > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches. > org/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > >
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