Should I jump on this Onan 10 KW HDKAG Diesel RV Generator. Spec C ?

[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!

[Henry W]

Can you keep it loaded to at least 60% (6-Kw)? If you can than I would say go for it. My Kubota D1005 genset needs a load dump at times when I run it. This is why I am in the works of building a 3-Kw genset.

Now if you want to use it for emergency standby jump on it right away.

Henry

[LincTex]

They are asking $2200

That is an incredible deal!!!

[Jedon]

Looks like I got the price a little wrong, $2300 without the APC transfer switch.
My normal usage is way below 60% but if I were to use it a 1/2 hour at a time to charge my battery bank as needed when the voltage drops below 48.8 I could load to the C/20 charge rate of 8 GC2 6V golf cart batteries, right?

[mike90045]

Looks like I got the price a little wrong, $2300 without the APC transfer switch.
My normal usage is way below 60% but if I were to use it a 1/2 hour at a time to charge my battery bank as needed when the voltage drops below 48.8 I could load to the C/20 charge rate of 8 GC2 6V golf cart batteries, right?

6,000 watts @ 50V = 120 amps DC
GC2 6V batteries are 225A   I think that will cook the batteries.    And if you don't load the diesel enough, it wet stacks......

[Jedon]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is wet stacks?
I currently feed the batteries a max of 40A @ 110V ( 20A from each side of 220V Lister SR2, 20A into each inverter )
I could run our well pump at the same time, another 1800W
What are the downsides of never running it hard enough? ( wet stacks? carbon build up? )
Thanks!

[Apogee]

Jedon,

I think it's a great deal if you have the money.

This is a very well built, no problems, genset.  This thing will last forever and give you rock-solid backup power.  No flickering issues or wondering if it will carry whatever load you throw at it.

No, it might not be as efficient on diesel as a smaller genset, but it will make up for it in long term reliability and no hassles.  Also, Kubota and Onan are very good on replacement parts.  Yeah, you might pay for it, but they are readily available and that is a huge plus imho.  

Then there is always the resale angle which, on this unit, should be very good because it's the perfect size for a normal household backup unit.

My $.02,

Steve

PS - If you decide not to grab it, I'd like to know about it.  Thx!

[mike90045]

but what is wet stacks? 

When a diesel is not loaded enough to get nice and hot, unburned fuel, oil, carbon and cool goo, collect in the cylinder, and slowly get pumped out the exhaust. The wet slobber dripping out the muffler looks unsightly, and indicates a nasty mess growing inside. And it's not good for the rings and cylinder walls.   Adding the well pump won't help much, it's a much larger engine than you have loads for.     You could add a couple electric space heaters, that would help.  Electric water heaters....

[Jedon]

Thanks everybody!
I am planning on adding 8 more batteries in a month or two, would that help?
My SR2 smokes like crazy and I'm sure it slobbers all over the place since even though it's smaller ( 5.7KW ) after an hour of charging the batteries we leave it on to watch TV and let the batteries go into absorption for a couple more hours so at that point it's probably idling and we've treated it like that for a couple years.
My Metro 6/1 with ST-5 would be the right power level at 3KW but it lacks a few features like remote start and stop and it flickers the lights like crazy.
Optimally I'd spend some time engineering a remote start stop for the 6/1 and run the output into a golf cart charger to remove flicker ( I do have an AVR but doesn't help much ).
Then another battery bank, 4 more PV panels and extend hydro penstock.
In the meantime however, it would be nice to have something reliable, quiet and automated that eventually would be the backup but might function as primary evening power for a year or two.

[RajunCajun]

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!

Good deal. Change the oil and filter. Run it under a load. I've found 40% or more works fine on my 2004 RV-pullout. It's a great genset.
RajunCajun

[Henry W]

Jedon,

I can keep my D1005 genset loaded enough most of the time to justify having it. It is only at nights in the spring and fall where I can get away with a 3 Kw unit. For myself it is best to have two differant size gensets.
The Kubota D1005 or D905 engine would be a better choice for your use. They would be much easier to keep them loaded and they would use less fuel. But if you can do a load dump it will do fine. I believe the D1305 will use over a gallon an hour when properly loaded.

Henry

[RajunCajun]

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!

Good deal. Change the oil and filter. Run it under a load. I've found 40% or more works fine on my 2004 RV-pullout. It's a great genset.  
RajunCajun

0.269gph NO load, 0.55gph 1/2load, 1.04gph Full load

[Henry W]

Hi Rajun Cajun,

Where did you get those fuel consumption numbers.
At half load it seems a little low.

Here are the numbers I have.
Kubota D1305 fuel use:
50% Load Gal/Hr.--.7
75% Load Gal/Hr.--.9
100% Load Gal/Hr.--1.1

These numbers are still very good for The D1305.
I still like to see diesel gensets ran at 60% or more. They are more effecent and will live a better life when loaded. (especialy in cold weather)

The numbers I quoted in my earlier post were for a Kubota V2403. Getting forgetful these day's

Henry

[LincTex]

When a diesel is not loaded enough to get nice and hot, unburned fuel, oil, carbon and cool goo, collect in the cylinder, and slowly get pumped out the exhaust. The wet slobber dripping out the muffler looks unsightly, and indicates a nasty mess growing inside.

This is not a hard, fast rule.

I have been around diesel engine-powered Aircraft GSE (Ground Support Equipment) for decades, and that stuff is NEVER run to capacity. NEVER. Shoot... we have a 70 ton Hyster forklift with 6,000 hours of IDLING TIME on it!!!!!!! (Cummins 6CT8.3 liter)

I don't understand why everything is so overbuilt... a 6BT5.9 or 6CT8.3 Cummins engine powered generator is WAAAAY overkill on a 200 passenger plane running a few fluorescent lights and a couple of fans. Seriously! Same with air compressors, air conditioner carts, tugs, forklifts, fuel trucks, etc. etc. All of these devices have engine 3-4 times larger than really needed. They do NOT wetstack, so I think some of that is a old-wive's tales. It depends on how it is set up, I suppose. In 20 years I have seen very little to pretty much none of the "wet-stack" symptoms/problems.

[Jedon]

Thanks again everybody! My neighbor runs his house off a 80KW with 14000 hours on it, changes the oil every 200 hours.
Seems like it is a good deal, when I build my barn I'll move it in there to run the shop type stuff and be a backup power location.