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Generator rating help – Experts step inside.

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https://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/320601935/m/8590096074

May 28, 2020, 05:51 PM
ontmark
Generator rating help – Experts step inside.
I friend of mine has this generator driven by a three cylinder Perkins Diesel engine.

He sent the ID info to me. Generator is made in Italy.

If my high school electronics is still with me.

Watts (Watts = Voltage times Amps)
Tag states 16.2 KVA which I suppose equates to 16,200 Amps

So 16,200 divided by 110 = 145.454 or 14.5 KW

Or is it the bottom numbers of 133 volts at 71.9 Amps which would be Volts times Amps = Watts.

133 times 71.9 equals 9562.7 watts or 9.5 KW

Am I even close?





Beware the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it! - John Steinbeck
May 28, 2020, 06:21 PM
PowerSurge
With a power factor of .8 = 12,960 Watts.


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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1
May 28, 2020, 06:23 PM
Skins2881
Surge beat me.

KVA * PF [cos(φ)] = watts.

Watts/voltage = Amps.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
May 28, 2020, 06:24 PM
nhtagmember
nope but almost

16.2 kVA is 16,200 VA or 16,200 Watts

its also a 3-phase generator
May 28, 2020, 06:34 PM
ontmark
Thanks:

PowerSurge and Skins2881 got it.

Thanks

https://www.adeltd.co.uk/info/what-is-kva.php

Don't know why I could not find this earlier.



Beware the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it! - John Steinbeck
May 28, 2020, 07:59 PM
bubbatime
Looks like 40 amps at 230 volts.

Thats likely the most useful numbers on the plate.

Pretty cool machine.

My power just went out for 2 hours. We drove around the neighborhood to see who had whole house generators. I have portable generators but I wasn't about to set them up for a short term outage.


______________________________________________________
Often times a very small man can cast a very large shadow
May 28, 2020, 08:19 PM
hrcjon
3 phase is probably pretty useless to most, FWIW>


“So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”
May 30, 2020, 01:58 AM
ontmark
Thanks everyone.

My friend is real happy to find he has almost a 13KW generator.

I have been helping him for several weeks on getting it started.

He is getting ready to have his old house torn down and a new one built in Oregon. His current house has a few outlets that are dedicated to the generator feed. He will be looking into getting an automatic switch over to whole house when he starts the generator if line power goes out. No it currently is not self starting.

Thanks again
Roy



Beware the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it! - John Steinbeck
May 30, 2020, 05:57 AM
RC
Was the generator supplying 230 volt outlets
At his other house?

The 133 volt is pretty high for US appliances.
and could shorten the life of American equipment plugged in to it

I believe
European equipment configuration is 230 volt and the 133 is not used.


RC
May 30, 2020, 06:05 AM
Skins2881
None of those voltages are used in US.

120/208/240/277/480 are the most commonly used. With residential being 120/240, sometimes 120/208 for condos/apartments.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
May 30, 2020, 06:41 AM
PowerSurge
You can use that in the US. In Europe they use 50hz. That’s a 60hz generator.


———————————————
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1
May 30, 2020, 07:04 AM
Skins2881
quote:
Originally posted by PowerSurge:
You can use that in the US. In Europe they use 50hz. That’s a 60hz generator.


You can certainly use it, just a very odd name plate. You're TV might not work depending on what over what over voltage protection it has built into it and you're going to blow light bulbs more often.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
May 30, 2020, 07:47 AM
PowerSurge
quote:
Originally posted by Skins2881:
quote:
Originally posted by PowerSurge:
You can use that in the US. In Europe they use 50hz. That’s a 60hz generator.

You can certainly use it, just a very odd name plate. You're TV might not work depending on what over what over voltage protection it has built into it and you're going to blow light bulbs more often.

Not on 130 volts. That’s only an 8 percent increase over 120. Not to mention it’s better for anything that has an electric motor to have a slight over-voltage than under-voltage. Many, many houses in the US have 130 volts line voltage (Or close to it) that are closer to the power company’s transformer. My house even reads 126.2 to neutral and ground.


———————————————
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1
May 30, 2020, 08:14 AM
thomjb
My old eyes have a hard time reading the data plate but isn't Italy 50 cycle vs. 60 in USA?


Thom

"Tulta munille!"
NRA Benefactor Life Member
NRA Certified Instructor
NRA Range Safety Officer
SAF Life Member
May 30, 2020, 11:06 AM
RC
The nameplate says 133 volts

The voltage from that generator may run even higher lightly loaded.

Just be advised this is higher than a recommended voltage for equipment built to run in the USA

Any utility company I have delt with would be concerned at 133 volts.


RC
May 30, 2020, 12:21 PM
jimmy123x
quote:
Originally posted by thomjb:
My old eyes have a hard time reading the data plate but isn't Italy 50 cycle vs. 60 in USA?


Italy does use 50 cycle, but it's a 60 cycle generator.

You can use it here. Appears 16 kw. 240 volts is fine to use it as a 240 volt generator gives you 40 amps. I don't know anyone that would wire a house with a 16 kw 125 volt generator (133 volts on this generator which you could adjust the volts by slowing the engine down a touch from 1800 to say 1775 rpms via a governor adjustment) because any larger load that you'd normally use a 16 kw generator (hot water heater, a/c etc) will be 240 volts.
May 31, 2020, 06:25 AM
4MUL8R
How would one connect three phase output power to a single phase home?

https://www.generatorsource.co...ase_Conversions.aspx

Sounds like a job for Skins2881 and PowerSurge. Which one is Batman? Which one is Robin? The world waits with breathless anticipation.


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Trying to simplify my life...
May 31, 2020, 06:55 AM
Skins2881
No clue here, unless the manufacturer provided instructions on how to rewire it.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
May 31, 2020, 06:58 AM
PowerSurge
The voltage has to be measured from all 3 legs to neutral with the generator running to see which 2 legs he needs to use. If he has already used the generator before, he probably already knows.


———————————————
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1
May 31, 2020, 03:14 PM
jimmy123x
Also keep in mind that Perkins is a great diesel, however they were acquired by someone else many years ago and parts, while they can be found are hard to find. There's a place in Fort Lauderdale,FL that is a dealer and has a lot and knows where to get parts for them. I had a 6T354 Perkins diesel in a boat I owned, way back when.