| Author |
Message |
John Feld (204.184.224.28)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 1:24 am: | |
Here's my story. I went to an auction last week, they had a Kohler RV Genset I couldn't say no to, got it for $135.
This thingy is big, and heavy!
OK, I know, a 2.5K unit won't do much, but then it will run a few lights and small bedroom air to sleep in the hot weather. It only does 120V & 12V, has electric remote start, air cooled blower with bottom discharge, bottom muffler dicharge.
OK, I'll get to my point< anyone have a manual collecting dust, or remember the wireing diagram for the remote start? This thingy is old, must have been one of the first one's made! Overall it looks to have been stored well, other than dust, the sellers son indicated they wrecked the RV and removed the genset in working order years ago.
Any help gratefully accepted.
John 4104 |
Jayjay (198.81.26.108)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 9:52 am: | |
John, those units were in small class C motorhomes ,and were made to run fixed load systems. Before you install it, set up a test, since they have a vane type governor and don't do well with varying loads. OK for fixed loads though. The reason it is so big is that it's a "commutator-start", i.e. the starter windings are part of the generator system. HTH ...JJ |
John Feld (204.184.224.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 11:35 am: | |
JJ,
Thanks for the input. I figured the starter was part of the generator part. What I am wondering is: what is a "fixed load"? Does this mean that I must have a certain load at all times, or can it vary enough to run air and a few lights?
I had planned on setting it next to the rigg and doing a hook-up by wire before going to the trouble of installing it.
I'm the first to admit I have no clue when it comes to genset's, other than plug something in and turn a switch.
John 4104 |
Abajaba (12.217.206.141)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 11:47 am: | |
A fixed load is something like a heater or an air
conditioner or fan that pulls a steady current all
the time. That way the vane type governor can
settle down until the next time the load shuts off
or turns on.
Something like a stereo or television is not a
fixed load. As the volume on the stereo changes
during a song, the current it pulls changes. The
same thing happens with televisions when the picture
goes from dark to light.
A circular saw also varies as it reaches different
parts of the wood that one is cutting into. As
the wood gets more dense the current draw
increases.
It might be ok to put this in your coach and run
a battery charger with it to charge your house
battery. Then on the other side of the battery,
run an inverter to supply your variable loads. If
you do that then you don't have to run the
generator all the time. |
John Feld (204.184.224.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 1:36 pm: | |
This is what I had in mind.
Use the genset to run bedroom air/heat as well as lights (maybe 12V lights would be better), air compressor when needed, battery charger if needed for start batteries. Travel during real cold weather would be minimal at best.
The genset could keep house batteries up for 12V hook-ups, TV, radio, water pump, etc.
Thanks for explaining the "fixed load" for me, I get the general idea now.
John 4104 |
|