power generators for the home

Nron_9

Dan are there some smaller generator systems that you have heard of the smallest i have seen would do a 40 suite building and they have it running at SAIT which is our tec school

Constantin

Arguably,

> Dan are there some smaller generator systems that

> you have heard of the smallest i have seen would

> do a 40 suite building and they have it running

> at SAIT which is our tec school

Constantin

Arguably,

Small PV systems with storage batteries are about as small as it gets. The only truely reliable solution in remote locations besides passive solar heating perhaps.

From what I could see, the Australian Outback pretty much runs on Diesel gensets fed by road trains. Incidentally, I know of a air traffic control tower that uses multiple diesel gensets to provide its primary power - the grid is its backup. Ditto for the critical electrical circuits in CA Kaiser Permanente hospitals (which use SOFC fuel cells).

In the US, a number of players are trying to get into the distributed generation market. They range from residential fuel cells (PlugPower, etc.), PV systems, to microturbines (Alliant, Capstone, etc.) None of these technologies has made much of an impact, except PV in the residential market. Even there, the percentage of power generated is pretty tiny.

Of the whole lot, I find the solar systems to be the most convincing ones since they offer reliable, proven technology for a reasonable cost. Even without the subsidies, remote locations have relied on passive solar and PV systems for heat and electricity for years. Showing off its green ambitions, the entire exterior of the Kyocera office tower in Japan is clad with PV panels!

Harold

Generator sources

http://www.backuppowersystems.com/24-7powersystem.html

http://www.usdieselengines.com/Natural_Gas_Generators.htm#RS20000

http://powerpony.com/

http://www.sharelynx.com/misc/alternative2.php

http://www.norwall.com/generac.htm

http://www.southwestfastener.com/products-natural-gas-propane-diesel-generators.htm

http://www.norwall.com/standby.htm

Allied

generator and heat

As an aside...

Generators are being used to provide hydronic heat. DCHP - Domestic Combined Heat and Power. Also goes by Micro CHP.

Two links to potential products using Stirling engines - www.microgen.com and www.whispergen.com.

Note these water cooled gensets are primarily being used for heat not electricity.

hr

Looking for power or power and heat?

Small basic generators and switch gear are abundant. Kohler and Onan make top notch ones in small sizes. Caterpiller makes larger sizes

LP or natural gas fire easiest in cold weather gasoline or diesel need more fuel maintenance.

Marathon Power Systems "ecopower" makes small co-gen units in the 2.2- 4.7 KW range with 6.6- 13.8 kW of thermal (heat)
www.propanecouncil.org is another lead.

hot rod



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Uni R

Small Gen-sets

http://www.getoffthegrid.com/6kwc.html

I've heard good things about Chinese diesel generators (new and used). They are kind of like Harleys. They aren't the most efficient, quiet or technologically advanced, but they are easy to keep running and you can fix them with a hammer.

DaveGateway

power

I have a Kohler 12,000 watt LP, it has water cooled Ford 4-cyl. Low RPM, Works great, we had to run it all day yesterday. 18" snow caused power outage.
BP

jw

Marathon!!

Have seen their equipment at the Power-gen show in Las Vegas and met Mike Duhamel the managing engineer. Make a fully automated CoGen system that will give an overall efficiency of 90+% using the engine heat for space and potable water. Will run on demand for heat or electricity and is capable of utility intertie and independent battery operation. I believe they said noise levels were in the 68db range, which is quiet.

Check it out at: http://www.marathonengine.com/cogeneration.html

Allied

Marathon and Triathlon

Marathon and Triathlon

I believe this is the same single cylinder engine that was used in the York Triathlon Heat Pump. Introduced in 1994 and no longer made, they were noisy, had starters chewing up flywheels, defective valves, and vibration leading to cracked lines. Not cheap either.

It would be interesting to hear some long term usage reports on the Marathon.