best way to auto-start your generator

Re: best way to auto-start your generator

Jon,

What is it you are looking for? A highly automated generator backed system with optimized charging/fuel usage?

Or just something that will do the job of keeping the batteries from accidentally being killed by others in the family/visitors/etc.

For example, you probably want to run the genset during the morning/daytime and have quiet time at night (so a timer in conjunction with state of charge). However, if the battery gets too low, you probably want the genset to light off right away--or at least set an alarm (light, buzzer, etc.) for people to make some decisions (turn off loads, look for something accidentally left on, or go ahead and run the genset for a couple hours, etc.).

Or even time it so that it runs from 7am-10am and 4pm-9pm to supply the major loads (cooking, washing, cleaning, shop work, pumping, lighting, entertainment, etc. -- And charge too). Let the batteries just handle the off-peak loads.

Have you monitored the loads on the genset (and fuel usage) so you get a profile of when the generator is heavily loaded and fuel efficient (40-50% minimum?) and when it is lightly loaded where loads would be best handled by the battery bank?

Is there some reason not to use solar panels to finish off the "lower rate" charging during the daytime (absorb)? If this is a 1-2 season operation, or shaded, then I can certainly understand that solar panels may not be helpful.

I can make suggestion some other suggestions--but there are others here with much more experience than I regarding battery care.

-Bill

Re: best way to auto-start your generator

You might, for example, setup the main genset to auto cycle from 50% to 85% or so... And put a timer on it (maybe only operate from 8am to 2pm as an example).

And once or twice a week, have the genset extend the charging cycle by 2-4 hours to take the battery over 90% state of charge (approaching 100%).

And, you should run a bulk/absorb cycle afer the last group leaves so you don't let the battery bank set at less than nearly full charge (I suggest less than 75%, others suggest that the batteries should be stored at nearly full charge to reduce sulfation).

And even with no loads, the bank should be recharged at least once a month (or reprogram the controller to charge 80% to 95% state of charge).

You have a very large battery bank and even a 5% rate of charge is not insignificant:

• 1,040 AH * 58 volts charging * 0.05 rate of charge = 3,016 watts

By the time you add efficiency and poor power factor for most battery chargers, you are looking at a minimum of 6,000 watts for active charging.

Perhaps, you could use a eu2000i once a week or four with a 1kW battery charger for "trickle charging" during the off season (if you have one).

Is that battery bank "too large" for your daily loads perhaps? A battery bank that size will handle a 10-20 kWH per day loads pretty easily (assuming recharging every 1-2 days). Is there electrical heating/cooking/air conditioning going on?

-Bill

Re: best way to auto-start your generator

I forgot to add a thread that talks about Power Factor and smaller generators (per Mikes comment before my post):

Question about battery charger selection with EU2000 generator

Does a pretty good job of describing the issues and why getting good PF corrected chargers/devices can be worth the effort.

-Bill