Diesel Generator for battery charging

fca1
fca1 Solar Expert Posts: 124 ✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Hi i'm looking for a small/silent diesel Generator that will run a few hours a day to charge my batteries in winter...

I'm not discussing if i should add more PV or else vs the generator, taking the prerequisite that a generator will be put in place....

Taking in consideration my almost complete ignorance in generators these are my requirements based on some reading but open to discussion..

- Fuel -Diesel (a must as i have access to cheap diesel)..
- *6KVA maximum my battery charger is 60amp at 24v so this plus some machines that i will put in parallel with the charging will take me to 3K to 4K at 50% load
- Small in physical size- <1m3.
- 1500RPM for what i read this will make last longer and much more silence
- inverter type so it as a clean output...
- Efficient low fuel consumption...


* it could be litle more or litle less if it fits the other requirements.


Looking for the Gen specialists.


Thanks a million for your help.
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Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Re: Diesel Generator for battery charging

    Just to add, I believe fca1 is out of the United Kingdom. So ~230 VAC at 50 Hz.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • whitet777
    whitet777 Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭
    #3
    Re: Diesel Generator for battery charging

    Just curious, why wouldn't you want a DC generator? If you are only interested in charging batteries, just get a DC genset that already has charging algorithms built in. It'll be cheaper than an inverter based system and more efficient.
    Here is an example: http://polarpowerinc.com/products/generators/5-7kw_diesel_lomb.htm
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  • fca1
    fca1 Solar Expert Posts: 124 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: Diesel Generator for battery charging
    whitet777 wrote: »
    Just curious, why wouldn't you want a DC generator? If you are only interested in charging batteries, just get a DC genset that already has charging algorithms built in. It'll be cheaper than an inverter based system and more efficient.
    Here is an example: http://polarpowerinc.com/products/generators/5-7kw_diesel_lomb.htm

    Yes 220v 50hz

    Didn't know that existed gens with integrated battery charger ..
    But Im more after the ac "normal" output so I can used for other things or even as full backup ..
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Diesel Generator for battery charging

    If you can use manual start, the Lister Style generators made in the 30's fit your bill. There is someone in Denmark about to scrap a good working one, because there is no market for it in his area, and shipping is expensive for 2,000 lbs of cast iron.
    I don't know of any modern engines fitting what you ask. I'm using a lister clone from india. (6hp @ 650 rpm driving a 5KW gen head, using 3Kw from it)

    Mike
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Diesel Generator for battery charging

    Small, silent?, a bit oxymoronic as far as my experiience. My 1800rpm Lister is deafening.

    Tony
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: Diesel Generator for battery charging

    Well, since you did not specify "has to be cheap" as one of the parameters, Cummins builds the QD (Quiet Diesel) series of inverter generators starting at 5 kVA standby rating in both 50 and 60 Hz versions, with an entry price of around $10,000 US
    http://www.cumminsonan.com/cm/products/diesel

    --
    Chris
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  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    #8
    Re: Diesel Generator for battery charging

    You can pick up genuine listers every now and then on fleabay uk, or from these guys: http://www.realdiesels.co.uk/ No inverter output, but with those heavy flywheels I doubt you'll need it.
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  • whitet777
    whitet777 Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭
    #9
    Re: Diesel Generator for battery charging
    fca1 wrote: »
    Yes 220v 50hz

    Didn't know that existed gens with integrated battery charger ..
    But Im more after the ac "normal" output so I can used for other things or even as full backup ..

    I assumed you already had a whole house inverter as you have an existing battery bank. Use that for your AC loads and let the Polar Power DC genset be happy just charging the batteries.
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