Micro CoGen.

Xantrex no longer makes the generator start module for the SW5548+ but I found the pinout here: http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/showthread.php?13831-Generator-Start-Module-for-SW-Plus-4024
I have already installed automotive relays on the start and stop signals to the generator so I can start/stop it from the house manually which has been working fine, I provide +12v from the house with a transformer and send it down to the generator through some CAT5.
I've managed to get the generator to start but can't figure out the the stop relay ( RY8 )

Quote
Pin 1 and pin 2 are 12V Power supply to the GSM
Pin 3: RY7 signal
Pin 4: RY8 signal
Pin 5: RY11 signal
Pin 6: not used

RY7 is used for ignition enable/disable, or glow/stop with a diesel. This is set in Menu Heading 25 under 25A, depending on whether you select the GS, RN1 or RN2. GS (Glow/Stop) provides a momentary glow plug and stop signal to RY7, RN1 provides a continuous RY7 signal for engines that require ignition "on".

Cranking is provided by RY8.

RY11 is an alarm relay.

All three relays in the GSM have a common, NO and NC terminal.

What are common, NO and NC? Common is the negative terminal?
It says common but there is no common on the pinout?
Since I don't seem to need pins 1 and 6 I can just use a RJ11 instead of a full RJ25 jack?
The RJ11 jack I have hooked up has:
Black
Red
Green
Yellow
Can some one help me figure out what to hook where?
Thanks!!
-Jedon

My neighbor has a multiquip dca-15spx3 generator and the AVR harness fried, can he just connect the two wires going from the generator to the AVR together to bypass it for now or does it need that for the field regulation?
Thanks!
-Jedon

Has been sitting since at least 2008, wouldn't start until I bled the fuel system both via manually running the fuel pump as well as all the fuel line connectors. After that ran smooth and quiet but I didn't have the chance to test it under load.
Comes with an APC transfer switch which I don't need, me being off-grid. Also comes with remote start and gauges and manuals.
It's powered by a Kubota model D1305, 4 cylinder, 18.6 HP, diesel fueled, liquid cooled engine with electric start.
Hour meter says 60 hours, oil looks like it just came out of the can.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S14gzUTVcdk
They are asking $2200
Thanks!

Okay I got my hydro going and the numbers for the raw hydro output look good, 5.26A at 108V DC but I don't think I'm getting all that power into my batteries.
I got an IOTA 13A 55.4V DC battery charger and feed the DC right into that even though it's an AC input charger, I was told it would work and it seems to do something.
I want to measure how much current I'm getting out of the charger. My multimeter can read 20A DC so I tried that but it went blank so it must surge about that?
It seems like the voltage and current when the charger is connected to the battery bank, becomes that of the battery bank?
I think I can just put the shunt on the + side of the charger and measure the voltage drop across that to calculate the outgoing amps, right?
I know I shouldn't be using AC rated breakers but it's what I have for right now so my setup looks like this:
hydro->20A breaker->120V AC socket->battery charger->20A breaker->Batteries ( 8 x 6V golf cart )->inverters
Since I'm getting 12KWh+ per day raw out of the hydro that seems like it should be enough power so I don't have to ever run the generator but I still do so I'm trying to figure out where the issue is, maybe I'm just a power hog?! I have an AC power meter to install that will help with that side.
Thanks!

If I didn't already have an SR2 this would be tempting.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/grd/2154366281.html

1956 LISTER SR1 UK BUILT 6HP - $1100 (QUINCY, CA.)

Date: 2011-01-10, 8:47PM PST
Reply to: sale-av68x-2154366281@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

1956 LISTER 1 CYL DIESEL ENGINE, 6 HP, 1800 RPM. STARTER HAS BEEN REWOUND TO RUN ON 12 VOLTS.
RUNS GOOD.
$1100.00 OR BEST OFFER LET ME KNOW IF PRICE IS OUT OF LINE.
530-----604****0943

Location: QUINCY, CA.
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 2154366281

http://www.virtualvillage.com/12v-dc-1-4-solenoid-valve-for-train-water-air-pipeline-001540-022.html
Getting annoying trudging through the snow late at night to turn it off!
Thanks!
-Jedon

I got 6 boxes full of circuit boards for inverters from a company called PV Powered at a garage sale.
There are many large capacitors on there as well as other beefy looking components.
There were also a couple small transformers, a few small torroidal inducer transformers and a serial to ethernet converter.
The transformers looked to be custom made, couldn't find specs on them.
So basically I have many multiples of everything in the attached picture except that large torroidal transformer ( bummer! )
Oh and not the case.

Tractor as the drummer! Someone needs to do this with a 6/1 

http://www.bibri.net/2009/08/31/kapela-hraje-tak-dobre-jak-hraje-bubenik/

I found one of these at the Habitat Re-Store for $20. It looks old but spins freely and is nice and heavy
Could I hook it to my 6/1? Could it be used for hydro? RPM looks a bit high for hydro 2666rpm.
It can make 12V DC, maybe I could hook it to my 6/1 and put the output through a charge controller to get it to charge my 48V bank?

http://www.gizmag.com/go/5960/

I keep forgetting to turn my well off when I turn the generator off. My batteries don't last long with the 240V 8A pump going ( I'm off-grid ). The pump is turned off and on with a breaker at my house panel. It pumps into a 2600g tank that we gravity feed off of. I was thinking of using one of those simple 120V timers for watering etc but I figure they couldn't handle the amps. I'd like to be able to just set it for an hour or two and have it turn off automatically. Eventually I'll have a level sensor on the tank and have the pump turn on and off  according to set of automation rules but I'd like a simple stopgap measure. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Is the seller a member?
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/1681024587.html

I was browsing Ebay for DC Generators and found this, would it work for either a 48V battery charger for the 6/1 or to get power from a pelton wheel?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2000-WATT-LOW-WIND-TURBINE-GENERATOR-HEAD-PMA_W0QQitemZ180480064058QQcategoryZ121837QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m8QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DMW%26its%3DC%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D20%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8588128166209140839#ht_6140wt_1165

So I'm trying to get my hydro setup all planned out and have some choices. There are two potential sites:
1. Spring - A spring starts on our property and flows downhill a total of about 400ft elevation over 2200ft and empties in site 2. Flow is 30gpm at the end of summer and 130gpm now in winter. Most convenient location for the turbine ( Pelton ) would be 600ft from the top of the spring so 600ft of 2-3" pipe for the penstock, and then it is 800ft to run wire to the batteries.
2. Creek - Bloody Run Creek runs through a corner of our property and is big, maybe 1000gpm or more. There is a 25ft waterfall so we could get probably 40ft of head with a 60ft penstock. The low head indicates this might not a be a good match for a pelton or turgo  but there does not seem to be an affordable off the shelf crossflow/Banki-Mitchell setup that I could find on the web. The site is also 2500ft from the batteries and it not easily accessible, no vehicles etc it's very steep.
So do I go for the higher power capacity site further from the house that has a nice short penstock but a really long wire run or choose the easier smaller closer site with less capacity?
the pic of the waterfall is from a few years ago in summer and that's not me in the pic. Spring creek pictures are from Sunday.

I take it that's bad? I immediately cut power and disconnected that battery from the bank as soon as I saw it.
I checked the voltage this morning on that battery and it was 6.38V so perhaps it was just bad wires?
I had used 4 smaller wires since I ran out of big cables, I guess that was a bad idea.

What are peoples opinions of these? I'm planning out my microhydro ( 100ft head, 20gpm, pelton ) and units powered by these are cheaper than the PM alternatives.
EcoInnovations in NZ sells a full setup for $1200 shipped + $500  for 48V
https://www.powerspout.com
I could put a system together out of parts, $100 off Ebay for the pelton wheel, $100 for a Smartdrive motor, $10 for water jets, ? for bearings etc, ? for time and effort.
I'll start off doing the weir and penstock anyway so I have some time to really work out the power generation part.
Distance from generator to shed with batteries etc is probably going to be around 600ft. Bank is 48V.

Thanks much to Tom at Georgia Generator, I got his AVR hooked up and running.
Good price, fast shipping, great support, can't say enough good things.
The AVR has fixed the issue with my ST-5 where load on one side would drop the voltage on the other causing the first side to stop drawing load and then the over voltage on the other leg would turn that side off also, rinse, repeat. The input was to my inverters which seem to do as they please when it comes to drawing power. I have each one set to draw 8A @ 120V, right now it's locked in at 125V, 60Hz and working like a charm. Flicker seems to be reduced.
I'll report back with more info as I get it, it's only been running a couple hours now.

Okay I have 16 Trojan L16H 6V 420AH batteries, 2 strings of 8 for 48V. 420Ah @ 6V = 210AH @ 12V, 105AH @ 24V , 52.5AH @ 48V, 21AH @ 120V * 16 = 336AH for the whole bank at 120V optimally. They are probably 6 years old and might have been abused. So maybe 200AH?
I charge them with two Xantrex SW+ 5548 inverter/chargers fed from a 5400W Lima head on a Lister SR2 12HP.
The chargers are 3 stage, bulk, float and silent. They bulk charge at 57V and float at 55V and equalize at 60.2V.
So right now I run the setup around 10 hours per day, 5 in the morning and 5 in the evening.
In the morning the bank is usually around 46.4V to 47.6V which I am not too happy with.
My main draws at night are the fridge ( 1.2KWh/day so 8 hours at night should be 400W/Hr , maybe 4AH) then the freezer, about the same, another 4AH. A few other drains like routers etc call it another 4AH. So 12AH used and I should have 200AH but the batteries are nearly dead in the morning?
I let the inverters take 22A each to charge so 100+A DC total
When I go to turn off the generator after 5 hours the batteries are floating at 55V or so.
The batteries do bubble and use water.
Am I doing something wrong? Not running the generator long enough to really charge them up? Battery/ies bad?
Thanks!
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wqxtpBns72ddelW3WtSHJA?feat=directlink

I guess a cracked fuel line or leaky injector? Help! Off-Grid, that's my source of power, 3ft of snow.
Thanks!

*******Lister Peter Diesel Engine**** - $900 (Pollock Pines)

Date: 2010-01-11, 12:09PM PST
Reply to: sale-ubapk-1547820777@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

I have two diesel engines, one is a lister peter and the other is just a lister. I don't know much about these engines, but somebody who does will appreciate them. I have pictures of both of them if you would like me to send them to you. They are $900.00 a piece. Thank you.

Location: Pollock Pines
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 1547820777