8/1 marathon run

[ChrisOlson]

EPA can go take a flyin Fing leap as far as their tier system is concerned.

That may be.  What's the regs on importing those engines?
--
Chris

[fabricator]

It's illegal to import new engines, they don't meet the regs for stationary engines, they can still import them into Canada for now, if you want one now you buy a "kit" and assemble it.
It's total gummint BS, my engine running bio or veg oil will meet or beat ant EPA regs out there.

[ChrisOlson]

It's illegal to import new engines, they don't meet the regs for stationary engines

Yes, that's what I was getting at.  If the manufacturer does not provide a certification for EPA then you can't import it unless you, yourself, want to go thru the certification process.  The certification process will involve certifying the engine to meet Tier 4 specs burning a specific fuel (ULSD).  In some cases, some manufacturers have gone thru certification with blends up to B20 below 15 ppm sulfur, such as the Cummins B-series, ISX, etc..  But at present with Tier 4 interim Stage IIIB for 2012, I know of no manufacturer that has certified an engine with B100.

biodiesel fuel typically causes high NOx emission, so I think it would be hard to do.

While it may not matter in your application, eventually it will determine whether or not the engines will continue to be available even in "kit" form as new manufacture.  I know where I can get a air cooled 5 kW SL2 for little of nothing in Canada, but I can't get it thru Customs because of this.
--
Chris

[fabricator]

There is a LOT of unsecured border up there in the great frigid north land.

[ChrisOlson]

Ever tried to haul a 2,000 lb engine across The Lake of the Woods in a 14 foot boat in the middle of the night?   
--
Chris

[fabricator]

No, But I can't wait to hear the story.

[vdubnut62]

Me neither, sounds like a good 'un!     Maybe you could cover it in cow poop and junk & tell 'em it's a load of scrap iron.
Ron

[fabricator]

Well I annealed the copper washers today and it apparently worked like a charm, everything over there is dry as a bone.

[ChrisOlson]

How many amps can you get out of your alternator if the bank is down to say 24 volts?
--
Chris

[fabricator]

I believe it's a 100 amp alternator, but right now I have it set at 27.3 volts, if I set it higher it over volts the inverter and it shuts down, so I'm not really sure what the amps do when my loads are high, but when they go off it comes back to 27.3 pretty fast, I need to get another doc watson to put on the alternator input.
But running continuously the bank never gets below around 26 volts, with all the loads on.

[BruceM]

Something's fishy if an inverter designed for a 24V system is having trouble with even 30V input.
A normal cold temperature charge should take the batteries near that. (29.2V)

I wonder if you could take a look with an oscilliscope and see if you're getting some spikes on the alternator output that are causing the problem.  You may have to add some filtering on the alternator output to solve the problem.

[ChrisOlson]

The inverter fab has does indeed have problems with much over 29 volts.  I had the identical inverter at one point, and IIRC, at 30.0 it was already kicked out.
--
Chris

[BruceM]

What make and model of inverter is it?

[ChrisOlson]

I believe he is using a AIMS:
http://www.aimscorp.net/5000-watt-24-volt-power-inverter-by-aims/

They have changed these inverters.  I blew two up, I believe Fab has blown a couple.  It says they will take 34 volts, but they don't.  They measure the voltage bogus and the volt meter on the inverter will show it higher than what it really is.

Edit: Let me put this a different way.  There's Chinese volts and kilowatts and American volts and kilowatts.  The two are not the same.  These "5,000 watt" inverters weigh about 30 lbs.  My Xantrex SW Plus units are only 4,000 but they will put out 4x the power and they weigh 300+.
--
Chris

[fabricator]

Yeah that's the one, I only smoked one and that was my fault, it'll run up to 32.5 before it kicks out, I've got my dump set at 29.5.
Most 24V inverters of any make have a high V kick out somewhere between 32-34.