From: Ron (rojoha@comcast.net)
Date: Fri Jun 25 2004 - 05:49:42 PDT
Diesel generators running at little or no load are prone to "wet stacking".
Since a diesel is most efficient under high load conditions vs. a gas
engine, it works best under load (relatively steady RPM and therefore heat
generation).
Folks talk about 'slobber' when diesel truck engines idle for long
periods and are then accelerated. This is due to the large amounts of
unburned fuel being deposited on the relatively large areas of metal in the
exhaust system that are very cool at idle speeds. The same happens on a
lightly laden diesel generator, but is much more of a problem since you are
more likely to run it this way for hours or days. Carbon builds up in the
exhaust passages, muffler and in severe cases, the cylinder heads
themselves. When you finally apply a major load to the generator, it can't
'put out' due to the restricted/reduced passages until it finally warms up
and starts to burn out the accumulated crap, which can sometimes be quite
spectacular in both smoke and particles (some times flaming/glowing chunks
of carbon).
If you have highly variable loads, and only use the generator
occasionally, a gas engine generator is best. If you have a constant 3 KW
load, a 10 KW diesel will work but don't expect to pull an 8 KW load off it
occasionally or you will be surprised. Get a 5 KW diesel gen set for the
lighter loads.
There were several PS mag articles over the years as they converted to
diesel from gas (One Fuel Forward doctrine) and discovered the error of
their ways. Most of the good ones are pre internet issues, but here is an
explanation from one:
http://www.logsa.army.mil/psma/1997/537/537-38-39.pdf
According to them, they want 80% load at all times...
Regards, Ron
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Tighe" <larryradio@worldnet.att.net>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: 24 June, 2004 14:49
Subject: [MV] Mil/Non-Mil Generator
> I have a diesel generator, 100 KW, that requires a 30 % load across the
> output at all times...according to the manual.
>
> Can anyone tell me why that is? Possibly the regulator can't regulate the
> field dependably without that much load? It's consuming 5 gal./hr. just
for
> the 30 KW dummy load and that's "prohibitive".
>
> Lar
> M151A2
> M998
> M274A2
> CH-47D
>
>
> www.antiquetelephone.com
>
>
>
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