3000W Chinese Gensets Info.

jlaustin wrote:

Professor,
Just to be sure I've got this right - you put the probe in the exit air "away from the exhaust" - I'm assuming you mean away from the engine exhaust, of course, but the probe is in the "exhaust"/exit air coming from the generator, correct?

I do happen to have an adjustable temp switch that I eventually intended to wire-in as an emergency overtemp shut-down. Can you be a little more specific where to put it "over the cylinder" (i.e., location and distance from fin, etc?)

Regards,

John

John,

I have a regular wireless indoor/outdoor thermometer sensor mounted in the "Cave" near the generator that monitors ambient air temperature, mostly radiant, with a receiver inside the camper. I use this for visually monitoring the compartment temperature. It is cheap, handy and effective.

Under the generator in the pathway for air moving after the overall cooling (before the exhaust fan) is an adjustable sensor that will sound a piezo alarm if the exit air exceeds 160 degrees F.

Directly over the engine cylinder, approximately 1" removed, is a 180 degree automotive fan switch that will shut down the generator if it should close. It is connected to the low oil cut-off switch.

All of these positions are "relative" to my install. As Floyd suggested, perhaps putting a sensor directly on the alternator shell may be appropriate. In any event, we need to keep the alternator under 190 degrees - preferably well under. Exhaust pipe temperatures will naturally be high and can give erroneous readings. Therefore, I prefer to keep any sensors well away from the exhaust pipe (or muffler).

Changing gears for a moment......

My comment on our toys not being adequate for running a 15K BTU rooftop RV air conditioner on an upper 90 degree day was not intended to be exclusive to Chinese 3,000 watt class generators. Any 3,000 watt class generator will be overtaxed when called upon to run such an A/C unit when the compressor is locked in continuously while trying to keep a RV cool on a super hot day. This includes Honda, Yamaha, etc. that are in the 3,000 to 3,500 watt class - inverter or synchronous. It would take a 5,000 watt or larger unit to operate in extreme temperatures at a 100% loaded duty cycle. I have discussed this before, many pages back, but with summer heat approaching I just don't want anyone expecting more to be disappointed.