Author Topic: Basic Gen/Electric Question?  (Read 6582 times)

Bluecometk

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Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« on: September 29, 2007, 06:09:49 AM »
 I have a friend who has a Onan 13.5 kW Diesel Gen to sell me Cheap.

It is so he says, 208v 3phase/110v. MY dum question is. Can I in some way use this Gen on a house that has 230/240v single phase house current?

As you can tell I don't know anything about electric. The only thing about electric I do know is I don't know anything about it.

Some guidance from you Gentlemen would be great. Thank you in advance.

Bluecometk.



Bluecometk

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rcavictim

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2007, 09:14:11 AM »
In the spec you give  208v 3phase/110v., the number 110v indicates that this 3-phase generator is set up as Wye configuration.  This is perfect for you.  You will hook the common neutral to your house panel neutral and any two of the three, three phase power outputs, one each to your 120 volt house legs ( phases ).  The 3rd output on the generator will be left not used.  The voltage at any of your 120 volt panel brakers to neutral will be normal 110 volts but the so called 220 volt as measure between the two hot legs will be less than the sum of 110 +110 volts.  It will be closer to 208 volts.  This ought not be a problem.  In this setup the generator will only produce 2/3rds of the available 3-phase nameplate power or about 9 kW.

If you want to be clever, say you have an outbuilding or yard lighting circuits that could use 110 volts single phase only power when the genset is running, you could run from the generator common neutral and that third unused leg (110 volts to neutral) to your outbuilding.  That way any power used in the outbuilding will not reduce the 9 kW capacity of the house circuit.  The power available to the outbuilding would be a maximum of 1/3rd the nameplate or 4.5 kW.

See, easy as pi.   ;)
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Bluecometk

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2007, 07:05:59 PM »
 rcavictim Thank you for your time. You state in the second half of your reply If I was clever. Well, I'm not so I have another dum question.

I have a three hundred amp service that comes into the house as two separate boxes. One box (200 amp feeds) the general lights and utilities. The Second box (100 Amp) feeds the Geo. thermal heat unit.
Could I split the Gen power like you had suggested for the out building the same way.2/3rds house box, 1/3 heat box?

Thank you for your answers in advance.

Bluecometk.
Bluecometk

Yanmar 10 hp LA-100 DIY genset
2 MTU 2000 V12's
12 KW 4cyl Kolor Genset
35 KW  4cyl  Cumins Genset
3 cyl  Volvo  bow thruster
Onan DJB 6.0 genset
Waiting for a proven Redstone

rcavictim

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2007, 08:16:12 PM »
 I did not know you wanted to also run the house from the grid.  What you are getting into there will require approved disconnect/transfer switches. One to go with the 200 amp house box and one to go with the 100 amp heat pump box.   What you want to do is not a problem but the switch boxes will be expensive and   you need to get an electrician to assist you.  I suspect your heat pump requires 220 volts.  If so you will also have to buy a 120 to 240 volt step up transformer rated at 5 kVA or more for the heat pump circuit to run from the 120 volt 3rd phase available off the generator.

Is 4500 watts enough to power your heat pump system?  You sure don`t need a 100 amp service to power a 4500 watt load.

Please consult with an electrician for further  instruction.  I know what I would do if it were my house, but I am not authorized to instruct you how to do so.

edit to correct typo.
« Last Edit: September 29, 2007, 09:10:06 PM by rcavictim »
-DIY 1.5L NA VW diesel genset - 9 kW 3-phase. Co-gen, dual  fuel
- 1966, Petter PJ-1, 5 kW air cooled diesel standby lighting plant
-DIY JD175A, minimum fuel research genset.
-Changfa 1115
-6 HP Launtop air cooled diesel
-Want Lister 6/1
-Large DIY VAWT nearing completion

Doug

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2007, 09:04:50 PM »
Have a close look at the unit.....

Some are reconnectable for 208 three phase ( with neutral ) to 240 120 three wire.....

Even if it is just a three phase unit its still useful if the price is right.

Doug
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hotater

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2007, 12:53:03 AM »
OR he could have one of what I have....it's a 15KW Onan Diesel with three phase power, but it's 'wild leg' three phase.  I have two leads that are 110 to neutral and one that's 208 to neutral........ ???  I think. 
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Currently running PS-Kit 6-1/5Kw...and some MPs and Chanfas and diesel snowplows and trucks and stuff.

Doug

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2007, 01:00:00 AM »
?

I saw a set years ago that were American made with 240 volt 3 phase delta and one phase was split so it could provide two 120 volt legs. I thought maybe this was some odd ball but it almost sounds like the same you have Jack.

 
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hotater

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2007, 01:38:51 AM »
According to the Onan manual you can reconnect a 12 wire genset just about any way you could ever want.  There are several diagrams of different ways to do it with different outcomes.
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Currently running PS-Kit 6-1/5Kw...and some MPs and Chanfas and diesel snowplows and trucks and stuff.

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2007, 02:35:12 AM »
Yes thats a common thing in the USA I hear.

You can connect it for Eddison 3 wire single phase, and 240 and 480 3 phase I believe.

Up here we just don't use 480 and 240 3 phase. You can't do anything with 600, 208 and eddison 3 wire in a single winding so stes like yours are rare up here.

Side note I think I have only seen two industrial plants with 480 here, one a dairy, one a foundry. Both used an ungrounded delta system and were quite a bit older than me lol.

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hotater

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2007, 04:02:01 AM »
Doug--

480 3ph is standard for irrigation pumps, dairys, hay grinders and all sorts of things.  Most farm shops are wired 480 3ph.
7200 hrs on 6-1/5Kw, FuKing Listeroid,
Currently running PS-Kit 6-1/5Kw...and some MPs and Chanfas and diesel snowplows and trucks and stuff.

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Re: Basic Gen/Electric Question?
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2007, 04:12:50 AM »
Yes I gather its the standard over there.

Nothing wrong with that, I just wish we could all agree on a universal standard.

Personaly I'd like to see 50HZ 240/380 the standard for all residential comercial settings.

660 50Hz for industrial ( much higher and its not fun to wirk around any more )

The Eddison 3 wire was such a stupid idea....

I should complain, lights come on just smile and wave I guess....
It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken