Generator Cooling Systems

[Boonies]

Years ago I read somewhere that running a water cooled generator at 10-15% load for extended periods of time was harmful to the engine. I can't remember where I read this and I can't remember the reasoning for it. Now I can't seem to find anything at all about the topic. Has anybody else ever heard this? Do you know why it might be? Is there a difference between air cooled and water cooled in terms of any restrictions on percent load for extended run times? I have an application where there are higher power requirements for short periods of time, but the generator might run at low load for long periods of time.

 

[Ray70]

Wet Stacking! Absolutely.... you will find that issue all over the place on here mainly with 802/803's.
Running at light loads lowers the EGT which causes carbon / unburned fuel buildup in the exhaust system, choking off the exhaust and eventually causing the valves to not seal.... among other issues.
It doesn't really cause any irrepairable damage to the motor but Wet stacking is a known problem, you just need to keep on top of it and run the machine at a heavy load once in a while to burn off any excess buildup.... before it gets too bad!

 

[Scoobyshep]

Run it hard, Run it hot, watch the ash and soot fall alot.

I have a 004 and i made a load bank out of 3 dryer element arrays, it can deliver 16500 watts of load (plus motor) and after every significant outage i run the bank for a bit (usually 1 to 2 hours) to blow the gunk out.

 

[Chainbreaker]

Years ago I read somewhere that running a water cooled generator at 10-15% load for extended periods of time was harmful to the engine. I can't remember where I read this and I can't remember the reasoning for it. Now I can't seem to find anything at all about the topic. Has anybody else ever heard this? Do you know why it might be? Is there a difference between air cooled and water cooled in terms of any restrictions on percent load for extended run times? I have an application where there are higher power requirements for short periods of time, but the generator might run at low load for long periods of time.

If your also wondering if this can impact your MEP-002a, an air cooled engine, yes it could but only if left to idle or run small sustained loads for a long time. I would consider a small load on the -002a to be under ~25%.

Its best to occasionally put a balanced electrical load on it and run it at >75% or more for a good hour+ now and then. The best thing I have found to use as a load bank for my gensets is a 240V Garage Heater. Either a selectable 5000/4000/3000 watt or the selectable 7000 watt model would work very well. I found a Comfort Zone 5000 watt heater on sale a couple years ago for about $100. Its light and easy to move around and can be used as a supplemental heater (garage, shop or wherever needed) when on regular Utility Power during the winter.

 

[Boonies]

If your also wondering if this can impact your MEP-002a, an air cooled engine, yes it could but only if left to idle or run small sustained loads for a long time. I would consider a small load on the -002a to be under ~25%.

Its best to occasionally put a balanced electrical load on it and run it at >75% or more for a good hour+ now and then. The best thing I have found to use as a load bank for my gensets is a 240V Garage Heater. Either a selectable 5000/4000/3000 watt or the selectable 7000 watt model would work very well. I found a Comfort Zone 5000 watt heater on sale a couple years ago for about $100. Its light and easy to move around and can be used as a supplemental heater (garage, shop or wherever needed) when on regular Utility Power during the winter.

Thanks to everyone. Very helpful!

 

[nextalcupfan]

If your also wondering if this can impact your MEP-002a, an air cooled engine, yes it could but only if left to idle or run small sustained loads for a long time. I would consider a small load on the -002a to be under ~25%.

Its best to occasionally put a balanced electrical load on it and run it at >75% or more for a good hour+ now and then. The best thing I have found to use as a load bank for my gensets is a 240V Garage Heater. Either a selectable 5000/4000/3000 watt or the selectable 7000 watt model would work very well. I found a Comfort Zone 5000 watt heater on sale a couple years ago for about $100. Its light and easy to move around and can be used as a supplemental heater (garage, shop or wherever needed) when on regular Utility Power during the winter.

I second the Comfort Zone 5000 Watt heaters. I use 3 of them to load bank my 803a, then in the winter I use 1 to heat my attached 2 car garage.

I got 1 off Amazon for $86, and 2 at my local Tractor Supply for $130 each.

 

[Triton]

Don't know much about these heaters, would a Comfort Zone 7,500 watt be enough to load a 803?

 

[nextalcupfan]

Don't know much about these heaters, would a Comfort Zone 7,500 watt be enough to load a 803?

One 7,500 watt heater would be 60% load on an 803a, so by itself no.

 

[loosegravel]

I still think the brine tank is the simplest, cheapest, most effective way to load these puppies up to max load capacity. No heating elements , no large resistors and no load banks of any kind are needed. Just plain old water with some salt and a little common sense is needed.

 

[loosegravel]

I still think the brine tank is the simplest, cheapest, most effective way to load these puppies up to max load capacity. No heating elements , no large resistors and no load banks of any kind are needed. Just plain old water with some salt and a little common sense is needed.

I'm at work now, but when I get home later tonight I'll post some pictures of me using this method of loading up my MEP-803A. Simply by lowering the metal rods (one for each leg of power) into the brine tank it loads up the generator as high as I want. The end result is warm water in the 30 gallon plastic garbage can that I'm using and a happy generator with no wet-stacking..

 

[Chainbreaker]

Don't know much about these heaters, would a Comfort Zone 7,500 watt be enough to load a 803?

No, but the next model up 10,000 watt Comfort Zone unit would do it. Very easy to move around no fuss/no muss. As a plus, its a handy heater to have on hand for garage, shop or wherever you can supply 220 VAC.

 

[Chainbreaker]

I second the Comfort Zone 5000 Watt heaters. I use 3 of them to load bank my 803a, then in the winter I use 1 to heat my attached 2 car garage.

I got 1 off Amazon for $86, and 2 at my local Tractor Supply for $130 each.

The nice thing about using multiple 5 kw heater units ganged together is the stepping of loads you can do from low-to-high then high-to-low for cool down. Great for troubleshooting or just working up loads to burn off wet stacking.

 

[nextalcupfan]

No, but the next model up 10,000 watt Comfort Zone unit would do it. Very easy to move around no fuss/no muss. As a plus, its a handy heater to have on hand for garage, shop or wherever you can supply 220 VAC.

The 10k watt heater should be around 80% load, that should be enough to burn off any wetstacking but personally I would like it closer to 100%.

Also for me that 10k heater is $255, while one of the 5k's is $97.
That's why I got 3 5k's, more flexibility in load's (What Chainbreaker said), and more total load for only a little more money.