generator trailer burnt to the ground

[OPCOM]

Oh the humanity! Or the generatoranity, or something.

I let some friends use it on the condition, that no matter what happens, they must do preventice maintenance and regular maintenance, etc. and are responsible for it. They have been using it 2-4 times a week for a few months. The one guy already said he would be responsible for it, but what an awful waste.

It was still running fine and making power, while engulfed in flames. No one noticed till the smoke appeared, then it was too late to put it out, despite wasting 2 fire extinguishers and using a water hose into it.

The fire department put it out with foam and said they thought the fuel line might have leaked on the hot engine.

The death of a 8800W diesel genset trailer. May it rest in piece. The trailer might be salvagable for use as a 1-ton trailer (ATV's or?), it's very well made. The rest is scrap.

I'm very sad about this because I put alot of time and work into that set, even had a 12/24V tail light system so it could be pulled by my M35A2 or a civillian vehicle. Now I got to go find another genset trailer. A "quiet diesel" one if possible, Definitely no Chinese engines or alternators, 8800W or better, 1800RPM. need not be military.

 

[m109guy]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Though I am glad to hear that no one got hurt.

I hope the guys you lent it to keep their word and pay for a replacement.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Outch!!

The worst thing about a fire, is that usually nothing is ever salvageable

 

[nk14zp]

Bummer

 

[coyotegray]

This is why I do not borrow things from people...

C.g.

 

[littlebob]

This is why I do not borrow things from people...

C.g.

Same here, I've learned to borrow and lend less over the years. I did borrow a generator and window unit from a friend after gustov and returned it with a fresh oil change and cleaned up better than when I borrowed it. If only everyone would do the same. Sorry for your loss and hope they make good and replace it, they took the risk by borrowing and promising to good for any damage. If Something happened while I was borrowing, I would feel the responsibility to replace it.

 

[DaveKamp]

Or...

yep- sad. There MAY be some salvageable componentry in there, but it is pretty bad.

I look at it from this perspective: I loan my things out to people I know and trust, and keep in mind that if I can't afford to lose it, I can't afford it. The other concept is that, no matter HOW bad something gets, there's no need for tears as long as everyone gets to go home and be with their family again.

What sort of Phoenix D'ya s'pose can arise from this?

 

[frodobaggins]

See if the gen head is salvageable for sure.

 

[Firefighter294]

D*mn Patrick ... that was a sweet genny ... hope the replacement goes well and everyone remains friends.

 

[stampy]

If the head is salvagable I may be able to use it to replace the 400HZ genset I have. If you'd be willing to part with it. Sorry for your loss though.

 

[KaiserM109]

This is why I do not borrow things from people...

C.g.

Ditto

When I was first married my father-in-law had a '65 VW that he loved and was always working on. When my POS would break down he would proudly offer it for a loan. Everytime I borrowed it something broke down from age, miles or just Murphy's Law. Years later my #1 daughter borrowed it and a UPS truck had to put the fire out.

Cudos to Bushman500 who borrowed trailer lights from me (cheap ones) to fetch an M105 from Ft. Riley. Doing exactly what I would have done, he wound up breaking one. He returned a brand new set.

 

[Stretch44875]

Once loaned a generator(10hp tecumseh, 5500watt) out to a friend during a ice storm... told him to check the oil. Not entirely his fault, it would run out of oil before it ran out of gas(7 gallon tank). So yes, he ran it out of oil and locked up the motor. Paid half the cost of a new kohler pro motor, and now I have a much better generator.

 

[atankersdad]

Bet you lost a gen unit and a friend when they find out how hard that one is to replace.

 

[swbradley1]

Sorry for your loss.

The problem with a fire is that sometimes there is damage you can't see due to heat stress on the materials.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be. Yeah, it applies to money but it could apply to anything.

My philosophy, if I borrow it and something happens I replace it. It isn't negotiable.

 

[OPCOM]

I would not trust the head, as it being air cooled no doubt was sucking the flames through the unit. The unit was not shut down, no one could approach it. It stopped when the engine melted sufficiently for the fuel pump to fall off. The thing will probably get stripped, and then the head can be inspected, but - all the wires coming from it were burned off so I can imagine the insides are toast.

What i am finding is that the 8-10KW size is hard to find on a trailer today. In 1986 when it was new, that was common enough. Now the quality ones are more like 15-20KW and prices have increased. In the used market, 8-15KW is the most popular and hardest to find. Anything smaller is almost always a worthless failing China product, anything larger is quite costly. I hope I do not have to 'splain to my buddy why a Chinese engine or dynamo is unaceptable. The used rentals makrket might be a solution. Maybe I can find an 8-10KW one in a lighting trailer. This one was at one time a lighting trailer. I found the list of PMCS and upgrades I did to it after I bought it:

Diesel Generator Trailerchanged the oil and filter
replaced the grease cup on the axle
replaced the oil sump plug with a pipe and ball valve for easy and clean oil changes
repaired a circuit breaker and wire in the field circuit of the regulator
added heavy duty safety chains
gave the outside a coat of flat OD green paint.
installed a new exhaust and quiet muffler
replaced the air cleaner
repaired the alternator belt housing
repaired the starting battery alternator wiring
replaced missing bolts
replaced the stop/turn signals
upgraded the signals to use 12 or 24V and added an M35-type pigtail
installed all new AC output circuit breakers
added 4 exterior weatherproof 120VAC outlets
added front and rear stabilizer jacks. The front one has a wheel.
added additional inline fuel filter

I had also prepared a panel with amp meters and voltmeters and had found a spare wheel to put a tire on, but had not installed any of that. Good thing.

I will post what happens later. I am renting space for storage from one of the gentlemen, and someone started to mention 'rent', but I threw down the flag on that, it would take 6 years. At this point it has to be the $ or a genset of my approval.

I am going to contact my home owners insurance Monday. It might cover something like this. "property away from home", or some such clause is in there.

 

[emmado22]

One thing to consider... The genset didnt know who was using it, and perhaps it was going to burn anyway, no matter if the owner or a borrower was using it at the time... Regardless, I dont lend my stuff out unless I am RIGHT THERE with it.

 

[rmgill]

Sheesh, I hate it when that happens.


You could always put it on E-bay...."ran when parked".

 

[rockman]

Sorry to hear that event. Hope they replace it...

 

[G-Force]

Sorry for your loss OPCOM.
I was just on the GSA auction website (http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/gsaauctions/)
They have a few 10 kw generators up for auction in South Carolina that are trailer mounted.
Maybe you can pick one up at a fair price and let your friend pay for it.
Also he should be the one putting a claim in on his homeowners not you.
Maybe you can get someone from SS that lives close to where these gens are to go and LQQK at them and give their opinion on which is the best. Just a suggestion.
Again, sorry for your loss...

 

[OPCOM]

Here is the replacement. 7.5KW so skightly less power, but it has lights and is pretty darn quiet. Kubota 3-cyl water cooled engine, 4500 hours, does not smoke or otherwise misbehave. should have 4500 more hours left in it. It needs cleaning, paining, and some work on the tower as the wire rope is the plastic covered kind and the plastic is coming off. I will have to add 120/240V outlets and metering.