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I joined the 803A club as well!

rogpike

Member
53
0
6
Location
Kentucky
Got it loaded up last night on about 65% load. Did very well. I noticed some exhaust while it was running. Not dark, lightly colored. It was not real bad but noticeable. I am assuming this is carbon or some buildup or something like that?
 

jamawieb

Well-known member
1,437
556
113
Location
Ripley/TN
Got it loaded up last night on about 65% load. Did very well. I noticed some exhaust while it was running. Not dark, lightly colored. It was not real bad but noticeable. I am assuming this is carbon or some buildup or something like that?
Yes just a little carbon burning off. 65% really isn't much, when you get close to 100% load which is around 12kw you'll see a lot more smoke until it gets burned off. It's really fun when they are really loaded with carbon and you run them at night. Burning ambers of carbon are shot into the air.
 

rogpike

Member
53
0
6
Location
Kentucky
So I am doing a two hour 80% load. You can see the smoke or carbon or whatever that is coming out of the exhaust. It appears my gauges are working as well. These pics are taken in the dark, but I think you can see if it looks right or not.
2017-09-20 19.21.46.jpg2017-09-20 19.21.25.jpg
 

Daybreak

2 Star Admiral
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,522
771
113
Location
Va
Howdy,
Aw, that's nothing.
That's just a diesel engine running...

Looking good.
 

rogpike

Member
53
0
6
Location
Kentucky
Cool. This is happening live at the moment...too bad we can live stream on here like Facebook and ya'll could watch me do this LOL. Last question, I noticed the volt meter (battery charge meter) is slowing falling. It is still in the green, but it is slowly falling. Any thoughts on that? I would hate to run this for two hours thinking things are all dandy and she's sitting there having the battery sucked dry... My stupid volt meter fuse is blown and now that Radio Shack is non existent I don't really have a way to tell what kind of volts are coming to the battery terminals.
 

rhurey

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
737
14
18
Location
Bothell, WA
Well, you'd expect at some point the batteries would be charged from the generator running and the current going to them would drop. It should stay in the green.

Having it sit in the negative is the problem space where you drain your batteries.
 

jamawieb

Well-known member
1,437
556
113
Location
Ripley/TN
That's normal. After they are fully charged, you will see it drop to 0. Just use a cheap volt meter to make sure its generating 26+ volts when its running. If the batteries are charged and the alternator goes out, it will run for 10+ hours. Had this happen in an emergency and she keep going for 10 hours until I shut it off. But it didn't have enough juice to restart it.
 

Bmxenbrett

Member
602
30
18
Location
NY
Your exhaust flap isnt even dirty on the under side. That unit prob has never been full of carbon. All the gauges look good. When your ready to hook it to your house you may want to put an average load on it and set the HZ at thst point. My set seams to like about 61.5hz unloaded.
The battery gauge your seeing drop isnt a volt gauge its a amp gauge. Basicly amps going out of the alternator.
 

rogpike

Member
53
0
6
Location
Kentucky
Thanks, that all makes sense.

My first run was on the detached garage. I have a separate 200 amp service along with an apartment and a couple very small HVACs out there. This evening I tested it on my house. I have 2 200amp panels. I hooked up to the one panel with my 5 ton heat pump. I have read where several folks have talked about them starting their 3 and 4 ton units but missed it if anyone has spoken about a 5 ton heat pump. It was in A/C mode but started it without a problem. Started the 2.5 ton unit while the 5 ton was running….so that is fantastic!

The temp gauge was not working. Rubbed on the connection points and tapped on it to get it working.

My next dilemma is wondering if I should set this thing up on the concrete pad I have and leave it outside or put some sort of wheels on it and leave it in garage. Kinda heavy for the wife to push outside should she need to. So I like the outside idea that will be a the ready and I like the inside idea so the baby can sleep indoors.
 

Kenny0

Active member
121
30
28
Location
Leland, Iowa
How about installing inside and piping the exhaust outside? Best of both worlds.

Thanks, that all makes sense.

My first run was on the detached garage. I have a separate 200 amp service along with an apartment and a couple very small HVACs out there. This evening I tested it on my house. I have 2 200amp panels. I hooked up to the one panel with my 5 ton heat pump. I have read where several folks have talked about them starting their 3 and 4 ton units but missed it if anyone has spoken about a 5 ton heat pump. It was in A/C mode but started it without a problem. Started the 2.5 ton unit while the 5 ton was running….so that is fantastic!

The temp gauge was not working. Rubbed on the connection points and tapped on it to get it working.

My next dilemma is wondering if I should set this thing up on the concrete pad I have and leave it outside or put some sort of wheels on it and leave it in garage. Kinda heavy for the wife to push outside should she need to. So I like the outside idea that will be a the ready and I like the inside idea so the baby can sleep indoors.
 

jimbo913

Active member
280
35
28
Location
Maryland
That's normal. After they are fully charged, you will see it drop to 0. Just use a cheap volt meter to make sure its generating 26+ volts when its running. If the batteries are charged and the alternator goes out, it will run for 10+ hours. Had this happen in an emergency and she keep going for 10 hours until I shut it off. But it didn't have enough juice to restart it.
So, if the alternator fails it will only run for about 10hrs until batteries drain? I should be able to extend that some since my maintainer is always plugged in to shore power.
 

jimbo913

Active member
280
35
28
Location
Maryland
I believe the alternator puts out 4A and my maintainer puts out 2.5A. I am unsure of the generators DC amp draw while running but I would expect the 2.5A charger to keep it running for a long time if not indefinitely if the alternator fails.
 

jamawieb

Well-known member
1,437
556
113
Location
Ripley/TN
So, if the alternator fails it will only run for about 10hrs until batteries drain? I should be able to extend that some since my maintainer is always plugged in to shore power.
It will run longer but I shut my unit down at the 10hour mark and it didn't have enough juice to restart. I'm sure it will go another 4-6 hours or more because the only thing the DC system is running is the fuel cutoff solenoid and fuel pump.
 

boatman69

New member
97
9
0
Location
Cape Coral, Fl
Good question. No not really. I haven't seen it kill anything in my years, running for a short period of time. You would have two regulators fighting each other. Thinking of work around now.
 

jimbo913

Active member
280
35
28
Location
Maryland
Good question. No not really. I haven't seen it kill anything in my years, running for a short period of time. You would have two regulators fighting each other. Thinking of work around now.
If the sensed voltage is over a set point the maintainer doesn’t turn on so I do not believe it would cause any harm to remain plugged in while the alternator outputs power
 
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