Rented a Load Bank

[bosko]

Mep-803

I rented a load bank. I wanted a 30kw but they only had a 100kw so I won’t be able to get much variations in the load to test with.

I didn’t get as early of a start as I wanted. I fired the generator up and decided to let it warm up before I put some load on it. So I went the bath room and came back. Right when I walked up to the generator it shut off...

It would not start back up because it tripped the CB1 breaker. I restarted it and it ran for 20 seconds and died and it tripped cb1. To I reset cb1 and and turn it to prime run and it tripped cb1....

I took much longer than I should have to figure it out. Turned out the primary fuel pump went bad?. It was pulling 16amps not making pumping noise then tripping cb1. So I stole a fuel pump from another generator and warmed it up and played with the load bank for a little bit before it was dark. I will run it for real when it stops raining.

Running this load bank in 120/208 3phase it looks like my options of load are:

3.5 kw
7.5 kw
~11kw
~15kw

After doing a short 15 minis of warming up to 11kw I set it to 15kw and it ran for about 15 mins then the overload light came on and it dropped the load. I need to find in the TM the overload parameters so I can test to see if it’s working. If anyone can point it out to me that would be helpful!

Also, given my above options of load, will running this generator all day at 11kw be a good enough test/work out?


Pic showing 16amps on fuel pump

https://youtu.be/mmRZN671W6o

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zed254]

I run mine single phase, resistive load (electric stove): 52 amps x 240 volts = 12,480 watts.....call it 12.5Kw maximum capacity. Military derates the machines by 20% (Rated at 10Kw). The Rating ID plate (in TM and bolted to machine above fuel cap) gives you 34 amps in 3 phase. You will need to research the proper calculation to determine maximum watts the machine can pull but you might be expecting it to pull more load than it is built for.

 

[Bmxenbrett]

Its a 10k generator with a bit more. 15k is alot more. I would do 11k and if you dont see major black soot/smoke in a few minutes i could call it good. Overloading it could be dammaging to the generator. That kind of defeats the purpose of a maintence load test.

How much does it cost to rent a load bank?

 

[DieselAddict]

I think we should have a discussion about ratings. These things are rated as primary power sources. This means they can provide their rating full time without damage. That is10kw of resistive load. To do that with reliability you MUST have some overhead on the prime mover side and the electrical side for environmental conditions. The fact that we CAN load these things above the "rating" means we are dipping into the extra factors engineered into the set to achieve the 24/7 (PRIME) rating. Please don't expect one of these sets to make 15kw for any length of time.

I always "TEST" my units above nameplate because that can quickly show a problem but I don't expect one to be able to run 133% for long.

Personally I would call 15 minutes at 15kw a monster win and not do it again.

Oh, and I would never do 15kw in single phase mode.

Strictly my opinion.

 

[Farmitall]

I think we should have a discussion about ratings. These things are rated as primary power sources. This means they can provide their rating full time without damage. That is10kw of resistive load. To do that with reliability you MUST have some overhead on the prime mover side and the electrical side for environmental conditions. The fact that we CAN load these things above the "rating" means we are dipping into the extra factors engineered into the set to achieve the 24/7 (PRIME) rating. Please don't expect one of these sets to make 15kw for any length of time.

I always "TEST" my units above nameplate because that can quickly show a problem but I don't expect one to be able to run 133% for long.

Personally I would call 15 minutes at 15kw a monster win and not do it again.

Oh, and I would never do 15kw in single phase mode.

Strictly my opinion.

And your opinion is well taken here....and I agree completely. Thank you for the reminder to all.

I don't know why people try to beat these generators up repeatedly for no good reason. Used as intended, they will pretty much last a very long time and perform well.

I find it similar to guys that take out four wheelers and try to wreck them every chance they get, then have to spend unnecessary money in repairs, only to go out the next weekend and do it again.

 

[Light in the Dark]

I know the engine will handle it, as its rated for higher from Lister from the factory... but yeah, no need to whip a horse just because you can. I test to about 13.5kw and if it pulls, shes good.

http://www.lister-petter.com/p/power-water-solutions/4/lp-range/1/engines/16/lpw4

 

[DieselAddict]

Make sure you are considering apples to apples. The engine from Lister is rated for ~18kw without accessories. No fan, alternator, or generator head.

You don't have not as much overhead as you might expect looking the factory ratings.

 

[Light in the Dark]

I hadn't read the fine print on their tech document on the LPW4, but everything you said is correct. Kind of silly... but I suppose all manufacturers dabble in the grey area of "marketing facts".

 

[DieselAddict]

I love this community since we all come together to learn and share.

 

[Guyfang]

You guys are what make it great! Together we are strong.

 

[Guyfang]

Mep-803

I rented a load bank. I wanted a 30kw but they only had a 100kw so I won’t be able to get much variations in the load to test with.

I didn’t get as early of a start as I wanted. I fired the generator up and decided to let it warm up before I put some load on it. So I went the bath room and came back. Right when I walked up to the generator it shut off...

It would not start back up because it tripped the CB1 breaker. I restarted it and it ran for 20 seconds and died and it tripped cb1. To I reset cb1 and and turn it to prime run and it tripped cb1....

I took much longer than I should have to figure it out. Turned out the primary fuel pump went bad?. It was pulling 16amps not making pumping noise then tripping cb1. So I stole a fuel pump from another generator and warmed it up and played with the load bank for a little bit before it was dark. I will run it for real when it stops raining.

Running this load bank in 120/208 3phase it looks like my options of load are:

3.5 kw
7.5 kw
~11kw
~15kw

After doing a short 15 minis of warming up to 11kw I set it to 15kw and it ran for about 15 mins then the overload light came on and it dropped the load. I need to find in the TM the overload parameters so I can test to see if it’s working. If anyone can point it out to me that would be helpful!

Also, given my above options of load, will running this generator all day at 11kw be a good enough test/work out?


Pic showing 16amps on fuel pump

https://youtu.be/mmRZN671W6o

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The set is designed to warm up faster, and run cooler with the doors closed. It's ok for short time periods, to run with open door, but if you love this thing, take good care of it. Looked like a clean set, but not enough pictures of the insides and control panel inside.

Why didn't you hook the load bank up to the distribution box? It looked like a two set PP, (Power Plant). Then you can play with the synchronization functions? Shift load back and forth.

 

[Bmxenbrett]

I hadn't read the fine print on their tech document on the LPW4, but everything you said is correct. Kind of silly... but I suppose all manufacturers dabble in the grey area of "marketing facts".

No gray area. Engines are rated that way what they produce is another story.

Have you noticed that they have started rating generator run time at 25 percent load? Whats next zero load? Lol

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy.
For all purposes, I will only go up to a 133% load for maybe 5 minutes. Then back down to 100% or 75%. Of course the whole time sitting, watching, listening, and reading gauges, reading a infrared thermometer to see where everything is at.

A good 100% load for a while is a good test, and cleanup.

Acquired a Military surplus load bank

 

[bosko]

The set is designed to warm up faster, and run cooler with the doors closed. It's ok for short time periods, to run with open door, but if you love this thing, take good care of it. Looked like a clean set, but not enough pictures of the insides and control panel inside.

Why didn't you hook the load bank up to the distribution box? It looked like a two set PP, (Power Plant). Then you can play with the synchronization functions? Shift load back and forth.

I hooked up directly to the generator because I’m not familiar the transfer box. I was going to Test each generator individually then afterwards try out the transfer box. I would like to play with it. I haven’t seen a Video of one being used yet.

 

[bosko]

Its a 10k generator with a bit more. 15k is alot more. I would do 11k and if you dont see major black soot/smoke in a few minutes i could call it good. Overloading it could be dammaging to the generator. That kind of defeats the purpose of a maintence load test.

How much does it cost to rent a load bank?

The load bank was $1,400 for 4 weeks. I only wanted it for one week and it was not much more to keep if the the month for some odd reason. I have some new to me MEP803s to test as I get them running, a a couple 002a that I will get rid of that I have had sitting for couple years and a 005 that I’m holding on to for the end times bock party . The official reason why I rented one for work is to have the plant electrician test the office natural gas backup generator. Its never been load checked since it was installed over 15 years ago. Never new about loadbanks I till I bought a mep for hobby/home emergency power.

i made a 30kw bank from scrap 18” pipe and water heater elements but it’s rusted away and I stole the load center with breakers for another project. I also wanted to take a look inside a real load bank as I want to make one out of several 5500 watt Dyer elements to go to 30kw 1ph 120/240 and 3ph 120/208. I’m not an electrician but I play one when I’m hooking up my toy mep generators.

 

[Bmxenbrett]

Not sure how a 3ph heating element would be wired but i do know dryer elements are cheap. Real cheap. I got my 5kw for $15 shipped. I got 3 so i can wire in series or parallel and everywhere inbetween.

There was a real nice load bank a guy made on here. I believe it was dryer elements and a duct fan, all enclosed and looked very nice. Mine looks more like a old box fan with a dryer element welded on.

 

[Light in the Dark]

A few folks here have put load banks together (I was one). Its nice... but I might change how I do things, and wire up a separate locking power inlet, wired up to a variable electric heater for my garage. That way I can load test my generators AND stay warm(er) when wrenching in the winter!

 

[Guyfang]

I hooked up directly to the generator because I’m not familiar the transfer box. I was going to Test each generator individually then afterwards try out the transfer box. I would like to play with it. I haven’t seen a Video of one being used yet.

The switch box is tooooooooo easy. If you need references, the proper TM's are in the forum.

 

[cjcottrill]

A few folks here have put load banks together (I was one). Its nice... but I might change how I do things, and wire up a separate locking power inlet, wired up to a variable electric heater for my garage. That way I can load test my generators AND stay warm(er) when wrenching in the winter!

Consider this: Contact one of your local HVAC guys, they often upgrade heat pump systems for customers that require new air handlers to accommodate the newer larger coils. Let them take the coil for scrap and volunteer to take the rest of the old air handler ( I have been known to drop off a couple dozen fresh donuts to the shop first thing in the morning). The old air handler usually has a set of heat coils in 5KW increments. Cut the box as short as practical, cover the open ends with hardware cloth, install toggle switches on the low voltage control circuit of each heat strip, add a double throw switch to the motor for the low and high side. You now have a 2 speed load bank with multiple resistance loads. Around here most heat pumps have 20 KW heat strips. You can turn them on 5 KW at a time. If you have a good contact you might be able to snag a 3 phase unit too.


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[Light in the Dark]

That could work. I might just do what I said, and simply change the cable termination on my load bank to a locking plug and be done with it, as I've already invested in the elements and fan, and I know it works. This way I can still use it in the garage, but instead of being ceiling mounted it would be 2-3' off the floor.