Generator change to better support backup battery charging.

metalguy21 · December 2022

In light of my Sig system i have found that the Miller Bobcat 250 (hey, it's what I had) I use as the support generator for my batteries is not working out as I had hoped. I've had it in place for five years and run it so seldom it has not been an issue but now with the first very long stretch of total overcast I need to run it a lot. That reveals a number of problems. For one an 11Kw generator seems too large for my system as my XW6048 will only handle 5Kw max. I am burning a ton of fuel. Second it was never installed correctly and has a couple big issues in auto-run that make it fiddley. Third it only runs on gas which means I have to manually start it each time so I am there to apply the choke.

So ... what I think I need is a duel fuel generator that is straight forward to connect to my system and closer to a 5Kw output. Any suggestions or thoughts on my situation/

Riley · December 2022

If your batteries take 5KW to charge, don't you also need 2KW or so to run the house and do the "heavy lifting" when the generator is on? I have similar configuration and sizing but when the generator is on, we run the dishwasher (1KW when heater on) and also pump water to the storage tank. That all adds another 2KW so 7KW in total. Don't you want to be in the 80% loaded range to 9KW or slightly more?

I run a 12KW Kohler propane generator and while it's slightly oversized, I am really happy with it. But I don't live there in the cloudy winter time.

metalguy21 · December 2022

Okay that certainly addresses one point I was making about not being sure it was hooked up right. Mine does the same as yours and supplies the full 5 kW to the Batteries Plus whatever loads I put on it. I wasn't sure if this is right but apparently that's the way things are supposed to work. I ran the well while charging yesterday which put a full 10K on the system. It shows on the Conex panel it going in to the AC2 input. I guess that is how it should be. There are other issues with it though that I think would be better addressed with a separate question posting.

Riley · January 2023

My first generator was an older Onan 5KW propane genset. While it was a really engine that we super clean and mounted in my generator shed, it should have been in a museum. I ended up having to play with it often (points ect) and in the end, it blew up and thru a rod. I loved that machine but it was time to go. It struggled with my loads anyway... 10KW or better seems about right. Do look at the Kohler units, they are well built with here in North America. Well made and established work horses

Generator change to better support backup battery charging.

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