Thirteen Rental Power units were needed to supply power for a newly constructed cement plant near the town of Palmar for testing equipment in a newly constructed cement plant near the town of Palmar de Mexico. Cementos Cruz Azul, a producer of portland cement, faced restrictions testing its equipment and production was stalled when the local electric utility company experienced delays building a power transmission line to the plant. According to Ignacio Cruz, plant manager, large electrical motors are required to operate the crushers, rotate the massive kilns, and power the induced draft fans. By using Generators, the company avoided delays in commissioning the plant and was able to begin production six to eight months earlier.
Month: February 2011
Generator in Emergency
I bought my A first class motor home two weeks ago and never dreamed it would be such a must have in an emergency. Living in Eastern Ontario in a small farming village, as you can guess, private wells need hydro power to propel the water pumps. No hydro, no water. I hooked up an extension to my Winco generator and bingo, water! And, what a great thing to be able to just move into your home for the night, while the whole village is still in complete darkness.
Yamaha Generators
Yamaha Generators come in a wide variety for most any power generation need. Their two most popular model lines would definitely be their EF and YG series. The EF is the best selling for home, camping and general use. For more heavy duty industrial or contractor applications, the YG series is the most sought after power generator.
The EF family offers a range of power generation capabilities from 1000 to 6600 watts. They have great appeal to the general public, the run very quiet characteristics and have great versatility. Their low noise qualities make them an excellent choice for campers keeping neighboring campsites at ease. This also attracts many buyers who need a quiet unit for home use.
Generator Blackout
The power went out about 4 p.m. and my first concern was all of the food in our freezer. Our Class C motor home was sitting in the driveway, so we turned on the propane then the refrigerator. As soon as it was cold, we brought over all the contents of our refrigerator in our house to the one in the motor home. We powered up our Generac generator and ran a cord to our chest freezer in the house, keeping the refrigerator in the motor home running as well. After that, we put the TV antenna up and watched the news. We could have prepared supper in our motor home as well, but cooked hamburgers out on our gas grill. I’m definitely spoiled with modern conveniences and thanks to our RV and awesome generator; I can continue to enjoy those conveniences even when the outside world can’t.
RV Generator
Our motor home has been sitting idle for most or almost all of the winter. I went out last week to take a look and make sure the cold hadn’t gotten to it and that there were no obvious problems. I started the generator to exercise it for a while, and get it used to running again. I sat there mesmerized by the quiet purring sound of the generator, when suddenly the steady purr was interrupted by a surging sound. I immediately turned the appliances off that I had on, and listened closely to the generators RPM’s increasing and decreasing. After a few seconds of the generator sputtering up and down it smoothed back out to a nice, steady purr again.
When I worked at an RV dealership, our service department was always booked with appointments for generators that either wouldn’t start, or if they did, they had that all too familiar surging sound. This was a result of letting the generator sit for periods of time without starting and exercising it. Lack of use is one of the biggest problems with generators and can severely damage your equipment. In gasoline generators the fuel breaks down and thickens causing hard starting and surging problems. This can happen in as short a period of time as one month.
Marine Generators
For the avid boater there aren’t many things quite like getting out on the water and feeling the salt spray on your face and smelling that sea air. But as any boater knows, it is always best to be prepared for any and all circumstances, both good and bad. Because of this reason and because of their convenience, marine generators are definitely an essential piece of equipment that no serious boater should be without. Learning about all the various types of generators out there and knowing and understanding your particular specific needs will help you decide which one will be right for you.
One important thing to think about is your need for power. It is very important to find a generator that is big enough to handle your electrical needs and the workload of all the appliances that might be run while on the boat. As an informed consumer you need to research the differences between small marine diesel generators and a dc marine generator, for example. Also, there is the question of what sort of fuel you want your small marine generator to run on. You need to weigh the pros and cons of diesel or propane or gas. As the generator fuel consumption varies with each, this will be an important factor in your choice as well.
Safety Tips
Plug appliances directly into generator
Don’t attempt to connect your generator directly to your homes circuits or wiring. You should have an electrician install a transfer switch, and plug the generator into this switch. This will keep your generator from feeding power back into the lines, which could put power company crews working on the lines at risk. This will also protect your generator and home wiring from any damage that could occur when power is restored.
Use heavy-duty extension cords from the generator to avoid overloaded cords that can cause fires and equipment damage. Make sure all cords are placed properly to avoid tripping hazards, but don’t put underneath carpets or anywhere where heat may build up.
Never run a generator indoors, and make sure there is proper ventilation all around unit.
Never re-fuel your generator while it is running. Avoid spilling fuel on hot components, and put out all flames or cigarettes when handling fuel.
Consider tri-fuel generators to avoid multiple trips to the gas station and downtime.
Always have a fully charged and approved fire extinguisher close by to your generator.
Don’t overload the generator; only use it when necessary to power essential equipment.
Be cautious handling electrical cords in wet conditions.
Diesel Generators
A diesel generator has a much longer life span than other types of fuel (natural gas, propane or gasoline). A diesel generator will have a much lower start up and run cost as compared to natural gas. Also, maintenance for a diesel generator is substantially less than gasoline or natural gas. The safety aspect of gas generators is also a huge factor to consider. The diesel used in a diesel generator set is not flammable as it must be compressed in order to ignite. A natural gas, propane, or gasoline generator all use fuel that is flammable and explosive. Diesel Generators are much more reliable since they operate by using compression ignition and natural gas generators require spark ignition.
Generator Considerations
If you plan on moving your generator around regularly, you should consider the weight, dimensions, wheel type and handle style to determine the ease of mobility. If you need your generator to run for extended periods without refueling, like overnight or through full work days, then run time is an important consideration. Portable generators operate on gasoline, and some models have a fuel or hour gauge to help you keep track of remaining run time.
Food For thought
I run a catering business. And I pride myself on maintaining the freshest food and ingredients. On the eve of a big wedding reception the power in the building went out. No explanation, it just went out. Now if I wasn’t as savvy and calm I might have lost my cool. Fresh seafood. Chilled desserts. 3 hours until the reception. No problem. You see as soon as the power in the building went out our back up standby generator kicked in and kept my the food cool and this let me kept my cool.