Caterpillar put a theoretically high end battery charger in the gen set, but it only lasted about a year. The generator turns the charger off when it’s running, and the internal inrush protection on the charger was undersized. After a year of weekly start/stop self tests the inrush limiter melts itself off the circuit board. I put a better charger on it that lasted a few years before going back to the original that I modified with a much larger inrush limiter.
Mark > On Dec 11, 2024, at 11:17 PM, ch...@go-mtc.com wrote: > > Dead generator start batteries used to be the bane of my existence. I > started routing them indoors where they were in a temperature controlled > environment. Never had a failure after doing that. Also, the built in > chargers were crap too. I got some more expensive trickle chargers for them. > And telemetry on them. Through just the start battery telemetry alone I > could see the weekly start and run cycle. Check how long it ran. Could see > it running as the voltage would come up on the battery pretty quickly. You > could see the cranking etc. > > From: AF <af-boun...@af.afmug.com> on behalf of Mark Radabaugh > <m...@amplex.net> > Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2024 6:00 PM > To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <af@af.afmug.com> > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps > > As long as there isn’t water in the diesel tank it doesn’t grow algae, and > the algicide itself isn’t expensive. The generator has a jacket heater to > keep it at about 120F, and it sits on a dual wall tank. The heat from the > engine keeps the diesel liquid. Once it’s running the fuel lift pump > circulates warm fuel in the tanks. In the 10 years it’s been here it’s > never failed to complete its 30 minute weekly test runs due to fuel issues. > It’s had other issues - coolant leaks, dead heaters, dead batteries, dead > chargers, but no fuel issues. > > Mark > > >> On Dec 9, 2024, at 2:46 PM, Josh Luthman <j...@imaginenetworksllc.com> wrote: >> >> That's my point :) >> >> On Mon, Dec 9, 2024 at 2:46 PM <ch...@go-mtc.com <mailto:ch...@go-mtc.com>> >> wrote: >> You have to heat it too, it will gel. >> >> >> >> From: Josh Luthman >> Sent: Monday, December 9, 2024 12:34 PM >> To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group >> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps >> >> Because when it's -10F diesel doesn't have issues? >> >> On Mon, Dec 9, 2024 at 11:42 AM Mark Radabaugh <m...@amplex.net> wrote: >> Looked at Propane as a backup for our data center and its 125KVA generator. >> >> >> I believe I calculated needing three 1000 gallon tanks as -10F or something >> goofy like that to get enough vapor flow. Other option was a propane >> vaporizer that burned propane to vaporize liquid. >> >> Yeah, just went with a diesel base tank. >> >> Mark >> >>> On Dec 7, 2024, at 12:03 AM, Chuck <ch...@go-mtc.com> wrote: >>> >>> It is the lack of sufficient vapor, and it is a thermal runaway situation >>> with small tanks. >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>>> On Dec 6, 2024, at 8:13 PM, Ken Hohhof <khoh...@kwom.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> So is the problem ice or liquified propane in the hose and regulator? >>>> >>>> Or insuffient vapor pressure in the cold tank? Noting that vaporization >>>> will make the tank contents even colder. >>>> >>>> ---- Original Message ---- >>>> From: "Robert" >>>> Sent: 12/6/2024 8:46:32 PM >>>> To: af@af.afmug.com >>>> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps >>>> >>>> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XG9DN74/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 >>>> >>>> On 12/6/24 6:03 PM, TJ Trout wrote: >>>>> What about those wires that you wrap around a pipe and it kicks in a bit >>>>> of heat when it gets below 32 or whatever, wrap the regulator and feed >>>>> line >>>>> >>>>> On Fri, Dec 6, 2024, 5:27?PM Robert <i...@avantwireless.com> wrote: >>>>> One of my customers built a solar concentrator to break water down by >>>>> high temps. They could do it but separating the gasses was the bugger >>>>> that kept them from making a successful process... >>>>> >>>>> On 12/6/24 2:39 PM, ch...@go-mtc.com wrote: >>>>>> So if you had a hydrolyzer and compressor, you could make and store your >>>>>> own hydrogen. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> From: Carl Peterson >>>>>> Sent: Friday, December 6, 2024 3:28 PM >>>>>> To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group >>>>>> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps >>>>>> >>>>>> "For reference, this past year I’ve been charged $4.90/gal and $1.15/lb >>>>>> at two different local places to refill 20 and 30 lb portable tanks." >>>>>> >>>>>> That is like quoting the cost of electricity based on what it costs at a >>>>>> DC fast charger. Has more to do with delivery costs to move it into >>>>>> your tank than it has to do with the cost of propane which is like sub >>>>>> $2 a gal in MN right now. >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> AF mailing list >>>>>> AF@af.afmug.com >>>>>> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> AF mailing list >>>>> AF@af.afmug.com >>>>> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> AF mailing list >>>> AF@af.afmug.com >>>> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >>> -- >>> AF mailing list >>> AF@af.afmug.com >>> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >> >> >> -- >> AF mailing list >> AF@af.afmug.com >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >> >> -- >> AF mailing list >> AF@af.afmug.com <mailto:AF@af.afmug.com> >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >> >> -- >> AF mailing list >> AF@af.afmug.com <mailto:AF@af.afmug.com> >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >> -- >> AF mailing list >> AF@af.afmug.com >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > -- > AF mailing list > AF@af.afmug.com > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
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