[MarinTeams] Generators

[Bill Smith]

 ----- 
From: <rosenbergfam at juno.com>
To: <hbco2 at sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 10:48 AM
Subject: generator


> Bill,
>  
>     As a follow-up to our discussion Tuesday on the desire to get backup
> power for the HWA, I thought I would pass along some information that
> might be helpful.  First, getting a generator that would be sufficient,
> is fairly straight forward.  There are lots of places to buy them new and
> used.  Electric start is available.  I have attached a PDF on the least
> expensive 50 amp automatic transfer switch which sells for $225.  Also
> here is the link for the place I found that has it. 
> http://www.coloradostandby.com/catalog/index.php
>  
> My experience is that I have little confidence that a stand alone remote
> generator will start on its own all the time.  I have purchased new top
> of the line generators and found that even with the electric start you
> have to choke them from time to time depending on the temperature.   I
> always have handy a can of "ether" to start most of my gas or diesel
> engines.  Also gas that stands around loses its ability to start easy. 
> That is the exact situation with standby generators.  Unless you change
> to fresh fuel every so often, you have to crank and choke etc to start
> them.  Hospitals and others that rely on automatic back ups usually have
> someone around to make sure the engines start or they do it manually.  
> On my hill, when Nextel had their races, they had their automatic standby
> generator ready to go for their cell site... but they still had a
> technician sitting in his car next to the unit just in case the power
> went out and the generator did not kick in automatically.
>  
> On the other hand, next door, Sprint has a battery backup system that
> lasts a few days, enough for them to send up a technician with a
> generator. Most of the time the power goes out for a short time and no
> one has ever come around during one of the few black outs we have had.
> Personally, I think that a UPS with an extra battery hooked in parallel
> with the existing battery can be purchased very cheaply.  Enough power to
> last a day or so, and since it is a 12v system, a solar panel could also
> be used to extend the time.  This would allow for someone to get to the
> site, even by foot, to start a small generator that we could keep on
> site.  
>  
> Also from what I hear, HWA also has a UPS on site that is just lacking
> some batteries.  I purchased a couple of UPS' for about $40. each and put
> them on my routers that will keep my internet up for days. (as long as
> the tel. co keeps up theirs)  I also have a generator that can power my
> house, so all my electric uses could continue as long as I have fuel.  I
> have several cars with fresh fuel, so I could keep going for a long time.
> Bottom line:  We could put together an automatic system for less than 1k
> with a electric start generator and an automatic transfer switch.
> (although I am not sure how you would turn off the starting crank time by
> knowing if the unit starts or not).  I also notice that there is a 15
> second delay on the starting units that without another UPS in the mix,
> you would have no power.  Some electric equipment turns automatically off
> or needs to be reset when the power changes.    In the end, the simpler
> the system, the more reliable it becomes.  That is why I would not
> recommend the remote automatic generator system.
>  
> 
> ken