30k reliability

[charlesmann]

Looking for a 3ph generator to power my sawmill and as a backup emergency hm genny or any other offsite electrical needs.

I cant remember whom i was talking to, not sure if it was in person, telephone, on here or maybe FB. Whomever and wherever, told me these prior mil gen sets have a failure rate of something shutting operations down.

I can build a gen set with a 24k gen head and mate it up to a 4bt cummins that came out of a hobart aviation ground power electric cart with a seized gen head. Barring the eng from crapping out prematurely, the 3ph 120/230 24k head with flywheel adapter plate can be purchased for $2000, but i still need to wire it to 3ph weather resistant pdp (store bought or hm built) and branch a leg off for 120/230 1ph and wire it to breakers and plugs as well as the 3ph side needing a plug and 50 amp breaker to feed the VFDs for my mill.

How reliable for the most part and majority of the 30ks in ownership of those here and used on a not so regular basis, maybe 3-4 months a yr, with weeks/month in between use.
What is the ballpark going price for a 30k unit either on the civi market or auctions? Im not looking for reliability or price on anything smaller than a 30k since the info iv been finding online from genny sales locations, google, youtube when looking up how to wire in a 3ph setup, i loose about 1/3 power rating on 1ph, so a 15k will end up a 10k, which isnt enough to power multiple 220 appliances.
So please ONLY comment on 30k and above.

 

[Evvy Fesler]

Looking for a 3ph generator to power my sawmill and as a backup emergency hm genny or any other offsite electrical needs.

I cant remember whom i was talking to, not sure if it was in person, telephone, on here or maybe FB. Whomever and wherever, told me these prior mil gen sets have a failure rate of something shutting operations down.

I can build a gen set with a 24k gen head and mate it up to a 4bt cummins that came out of a hobart aviation ground power electric cart with a seized gen head. Barring the eng from crapping out prematurely, the 3ph 120/230 24k head with flywheel adapter plate can be purchased for $2000, but i still need to wire it to 3ph weather resistant pdp (store bought or hm built) and branch a leg off for 120/230 1ph and wire it to breakers and plugs as well as the 3ph side needing a plug and 50 amp breaker to feed the VFDs for my mill.

How reliable for the most part and majority of the 30ks in ownership of those here and used on a not so regular basis, maybe 3-4 months a yr, with weeks/month in between use.
What is the ballpark going price for a 30k unit either on the civi market or auctions? Im not looking for reliability or price on anything smaller than a 30k since the info iv been finding online from genny sales locations, google, youtube when looking up how to wire in a 3ph setup, i loose about 1/3 power rating on 1ph, so a 15k will end up a 10k, which isnt enough to power multiple 220 appliances.
So please ONLY comment on 30k and above.

Hi @charlesman,

I can’t speak to the 30kVA unit’s virtues, but I’m wondering about your requirements. Is your shop wired with the 1P circuits derived from a 3P source?

Evvy-

 

[charlesmann]

@Evvy
I do not have a shop per say. My hm power is 1ph from the lines feeding my svc pole, through the meter and into the house. My “shop” is wired for 1ph using 3 legs (2 hots and a neutral/ground) of 00 wire from my svc pole to a 200 amp breaker panel.

My mill will be powered by a 15hp, 5hp and 3/4hp 3ph motors, run through a vfd for the 15 and 3/4 hp motors and the 5 will be through a breaker on the genny sled and a switch within the drybox housing the VFDs.

 

[robertsears1]

The electrical connection Switch (don’t know the official name) on MEPs are basically an electrical contactor so you don’t require an additional breaker for your three phase needs.

 

[charlesmann]

The electrical connection Switch (don’t know the official name) on MEPs are basically an electrical contactor so you don’t require an additional breaker for your three phase needs.

What is the amp rating on that switch? Im sure its more than 60 amps. If so, great, that’ll allow me to feed into a pdp.
Each motor has a different amp draw, requiring 3 different breakers. If i want to add later, as long as the main switch is large enough.

 

[87cr250r]

Reliable? Keep it simple. I see the military units on here and they're way too complicated. I operate a fleet of 99kW-125kW generator sets. I've got 18 at the moment. I just replaced all of the generator sets as they had up to 35k hours on them. You want a John Deere 4045 engine, Marathon or Stamford generator, and a decent voltage regulator. I had a few of the Marathon SE350 regulators fail on me. Reliability is good but there are better options from companies like Basler but at 3x the price. Everything else above this is simply more stuff to break.

 

[charlesmann]

Iv got a 4bt cummins rated at 100hp @2000 rpm for a power plant, and that wont change. As for the gen head im looking at, it is a stamford.

I am wanting the KISS method of building my own generator if no one has any input regarding the 30k generators, let alone positive input for reliability.

 

[87cr250r]

Oh and mount as much of the controls off of the engine as possible, especially fuses and circuit breakers as they don't tolerate vibration.

 

[country]

30Kw Trailer mounted - runs great



MEP-005A Diesel Engine Powered 30 KW Generator on 2.5 Ton Trailer Chassis
MEP-005A Diesel Engine Powered 30 KW Generator on 2.5 Ton Trailer Chassis
NSN #: ---
$6,450.00

Home | Eastern Surplus

 

[charlesmann]

30Kw Trailer mounted - runs great



MEP-005A Diesel Engine Powered 30 KW Generator on 2.5 Ton Trailer Chassis
MEP-005A Diesel Engine Powered 30 KW Generator on 2.5 Ton Trailer Chassis
NSN #: ---
$6,450.00

Home | Eastern Surplus

Before i would ever consider dropping that much $$$ i wanna now how reliable these thing are. But that is also way more than i want to spend right now. But thanks for the link.

 

[charlesmann]

Oh and mount as much of the controls off of the engine as possible, especially fuses and circuit breakers as they don't tolerate vibration.

Iv got drive shaft lord mount isolators off our helicopter that get replaced for the smallest of cracks yet are still very much in good shape. My plan is to put the ignition/gauge panel from the gen cart the eng came off of, back on and use 4 mounts top and bottom to absorb the vibes.

 

[Mullaney]

Iv got drive shaft lord mount isolators off our helicopter that get replaced for the smallest of cracks yet are still very much in good shape. My plan is to put the ignition/gauge panel from the gen cart the eng came off of, back on and use 4 mounts top and bottom to absorb the vibes.

.
Yessir. Perfectly good. Difference is that floating through the air and something goes wrong - and that can be a really bad day. That exact same part on the ground... Not nearly as much of a problem.

 

[Evvy Fesler]

The electrical connection Switch (don’t know the official name) on MEPs are basically an electrical contactor so you don’t require an additional breaker for your three phase needs.

Does the contactor provide over current protection?

 

[Evvy Fesler]

Do you already own the milling machine?

 

[charlesmann]

Do you already own the milling machine?

Its a build in progress iv been working on for 3.5 yrs. I can either do a design change and spend a bit more $$$, or throw money at r&d and hope it works long term or throwing more $$$ at building it as the plans called for. Plus iv got 1000s of lbs of pecan logs i need to mill or pay half the cost of going all electric, in what it will cost to pay someone else to mill the logs

 

[Evvy Fesler]

Its a build in progress iv been working on for 3.5 yrs. I can either do a design change and spend a bit more $$$, or throw money at r&d and hope it works long term or throwing more $$$ at building it as the plans called for. Plus iv got 1000s of lbs of pecan logs i need to mill or pay half the cost of going all electric, in what it will cost to pay someone else to mill the logs

Well then… if you don’t own the motors yet you can consider going 3-phase. They’re cheaper to operate, robust, and relieve subtle power requirements that come along with big 1P motors. The used market is attractive too. Couple them with a 3P generator and I believe you’ll have a cost effective solution.

 

[charlesmann]

Well then… if you don’t own the motors yet you can consider going 3-phase. They’re cheaper to operate, robust, and relieve subtle power requirements that come along with big 1P motors. The used market is attractive too. Couple them with a 3P generator and I believe you’ll have a cost effective solution.

Huh? im not understanding what you are saying.

 

[Evvy Fesler]

Well then… if you don’t own the motors yet you can consider going 3-phase. They’re cheaper to operate, robust, and relieve subtle power requirements that come along with big 1P motors. The used market is attractive too. Couple them with a 3P generator and I believe you’ll have a cost effective solution.

Used moulders may be attractive, but they seldom come with less than 4-heads.

Huh? im not understanding what you are saying.

You don’t want to build a heavy machine around single phase (1p) motors if you can avoid it. Ideally you’d build it with 480v 3p motors. Then you’d have the power that you need to drive the big planer head and wiring will be much smaller gauge. Your 15kW 3P generator will supply this nicely - naturally. Match made in heaven. Woodworker/finishing mill/big motors/480 3-phase/generator. Very reliable.

 

[charlesmann]

@Evvy
Please read post #1 and post #3

I dont know where you got i have or looking at getting a 15k.

 

[Evvy Fesler]

@Evvy
Please read post #1 and post #3

I dont know where you got i have or looking at getting a 15k.

You’re right… I meant 30kW (see post 2). I have a 15kW so that’s what’s on my mind. Anyway… if you can go 3p motors you’ll be happier.