| Author |
Message |
OAE Palmer (208.164.96.200)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 12:48 am: | |
I stumbled across a fellow today who has access to the gensets used for backup at telephone switching stations.
He tells me the phone company has these in service to guard aganist power outages and that they are test checked manually once a month during their 4yr. service cycle. Outside of that test check the units see very little if any actuall use during the 4yrs.
Today I took a look at one of the units coming out of service, it looks like it sat on a shelf after 1 use, slighty dusty and very lite film of oil but green as the day it was made.
It runs good right off, started quick.
Now heres the kicker....
it is an 1800rpm dual fuel unit (propane/gasoline) and it ran on propane its entire life. This is a stout little industrial unit with a rather larger alternator, larger in diameter than the simular R/V units, and it also has a splined PTO shaft.
I intended to replace the GenWreck I got for nothing with a diesel unit....until I read all of the threads on the subject here during the past 6 mos.
Until this morning I was set on either a gas OR propane unit about this size (4-5kw) backed up with a set of proper batteries and a true sinewave inverter of something over 2500 watt capacity.
NOW it looks like this almost zero hours dual fuel unit is going to seduce me..(for under a grand)
The only obvious drawbacks are the exhaust niose
(it is a tiny bit loud, but some proper silencer work will cure that) and the ambiant generator operation which will require the proper sound deadening baffle box ANYWAY.
So my question boils down to......
Unless someone has exprience with this particular type of unit and knows them to be problematic OR there is some facet of this unit I have overlooked that would have a detrimental impact on me (or my pocketbook), I have the feeling that we will be living together soon.
Low hours...
slow turning less wear...
good appearence....
great price....
dual fuel....
a man I can contact (the seller) if I have a problem, for guidence....
industrial life expectancy and construction...
parts still available....
built in battery charger....
I keep looking for the stink in this deal
and it smells like roses...
Somebody.. anybody..
warn me or cheer me on!!!
BTW...if this turns out to be a sweet setup, I was told that he pulls one a month out of service and services it and offers it up for sale.
Fred..I would appreciate your expertise here, if you;ve the time! |
FAST FRED (65.59.72.148)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 4:51 am: | |
The unit may have difficulty starting the second Air unit.
Depends on how good the capacitors are on the air unit, and if there is one or two.
OHNO has a large series of mufflers , perhaps you can get a quieter one.
Propane is about 10% less output from gasolene.
With propane & a low time engine you might think of using synthetic lube oul , and watch it run for the majic 10,000 hours.
FAST FRED |
OAE Palmer (208.164.96.93)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 12:09 pm: | |
Thanks Fred, we are a one A/C family so NP.!!
Without any further warnings or derogatory remarks I think we will stroll over today and nab it.
Fred once again you were on the same thought line as I was.....propane plus sunthetic lube = lotza service free hours of enjoyment....I have wanted to put together Corvair/propane/synLube motor for one of my Corvair vans for some time....looking for the quarter million mile service free vehicle to drag behing the 4106..! |
RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.74.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 1:57 pm: | |
OAE -
Email me off the board, re: Corvair vans
Just take the "xx"s out of the address. . .
RJ
PD4106-2784
Fresno CA |
Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (170.215.38.74)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 2:08 pm: | |
RJ,
loads of Corvairs and vans around here. Did you know that the Corvair Club (CORSA) is travelling to Flagstaff for a convention and stopping in Laughlin NV this Monday night for a show at the Colorado Belle Casino?
Peter. |
FAST FRED (63.208.80.184)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 4:30 pm: | |
IF you save enough on the set , you can go first class on the instalation.
Put it on a slide so you can service even the smallest things at once.
And put it in a box with first rate noise damper.
Best I have used is Soundown 2# sq ft lead , about 2 inches thick , washable burn proof facing.
If you can read a book sitting by , and not be bothered by the noisemaker,
You Did It Right!
FAST FRED |
OAE Palmer (208.164.96.78)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 8:01 pm: | |
Thanks to one and all for the response. We loaded it in the pick-up and brought it home this afternoon.
Thanks for the idea Fred, a 1st class slide-out is in order along with a S/D material and a blower to keep it cool and happy in its new home.
One more problem solved, one more independence gained....! |
R.C.Bishop (128.123.88.20)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2002 - 9:54 pm: | |
OAE..where are you? Would like to querry you on the possibility of snagging one of thse units down the line.
Thanx.
RCB |
Lin (65.184.0.189)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 4:34 am: | |
Had an Onan 4kw on my last motorhome and had no problems. You can get a switch that automatically alternates AC's. If there are more of the units, I would also be interested. Do they ship them? |
OAE Palmer (208.164.96.144)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 3:24 pm: | |
RC Bishop and Lin....
I will pass along the word to the fellow.
I would appreciate an email from both of you with a tiny bit more detail, please.
This is how you get to me
cantswim
(thats me, and leave this line out)
@theriver.com
(BTW the "search robots" that scan forums for email addresses to spam are now wise to the "XXX's" placed in the address to fool them)
put the 2 together...AND use this code in the subject box......4106
then you don't wind up in the circular cyber container..!!!
(webe hiding out in Tucson for a couple of weeks yet) |
Gary Carter (198.163.53.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 4:06 pm: | |
One other note on these Onans. Are they Negitive or Positive cooling. The RV Onan are Negitive in that they pull the air across the engine and exhaust it down and out. A Positive flow means the air is blown over the engine. This type is used by B&S and most other air cooled applications.
Negitive cooling works much better in a enclosed cabinet. |