Educate me on backup generators

[wyliesdiesels]

Here is my battery backup system. Got to use it a few days ago for 8hrs or so. A battery starts the diesel engine and it powers the generator so it’s essentially a battery backup ….. right ?


Simple and cheap non-automatic transfer of power to generator.

I bet that setup is horribly inefficient vs using a portable or small diesel genset.

 

[jblnut]

I bet that setup is horribly inefficient vs using a portable or small diesel genset.

Inefficient how ? Fuel usage or some other metric ?

The tractor burns around a gallon an hour on the genny. My 22kw Winco gasser burns 2.5 gallons an hour under a similar load. There is a constant 15kw draw in the summer even with all the unnecessary loads shed. Two well pumps, multiple barn fans, three freezers, two refrigerators and the walk in cooler are all I keep running in the summer when the power is out. In the winter it is similar but there are cattle water heaters instead of fans as well as the wood stove and infloor circ pumps.

Keeping a standby genny hot and ready at all times just to be called upon a couple times a year max isn’t efficient either. The lawnmower and PTO genny live in the shop so they’re always warm and ready to go. Having power instantly isn’t a huge deal to me as I have a UPS on most things and they’ll last around an hour so I have plenty of time to get things powered back up. Unless it’s -20f, then I’m moving a little quicker to keep things from freezing.

A diesel genny will be coming to power my drone trailer soon and it’ll most likely be called on to power the farm as needed. It’ll likely burn a similar amount of diesel as it’ll be a 40kw unit at a minimum to power the drone setup. Two chargers pulling 13kw each and a couple pumps and a few lights at night and it’s close to 35kw at times. My 22kw Winco isn’t too small running only half that setup now.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

A diesel genny will be coming to power my drone trailer soon and it’ll most likely be called on to power the farm as needed. It’ll likely burn a similar amount of diesel as it’ll be a 40kw unit at a minimum to power the drone setup. Two chargers pulling 13kw each and a couple pumps and a few lights at night and it’s close to 35kw at times. My 22kw Winco isn’t too small running only half that setup now.

Please tell me more about your "drone set up"……… That’s a lot of power!

 

[jblnut]

Please tell me more about your "drone set up"……… That’s a lot of power!

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/lets-see-your-drones.556381/

Current setup is a single EaVision J150. 20gal tank that has enough battery to empty it out over 10 acres before the battery is drained too low. Flys and applies at 30mph with a 30’ish swath. Can go wider depending on crop height and weather conditions but 30’ is a good place to be. The charger pulls
13,000w when charging at full speed. 12,400w to the charger and 600ish to the cooling fans. I plan to purchase another complete setup this coming year to cover acres twice as fast. It’ll easily do an acre in under a minute when it’s in the air and I can average 45-50 acres/hr overall in decent fields.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/lets-see-your-drones.556381/

Current setup is a single EaVision J150. 20gal tank that has enough battery to empty it out over 10 acres before the battery is drained too low. Flys and applies at 30mph with a 30’ish swath. Can go wider depending on crop height and weather conditions but 30’ is a good place to be. The charger pulls
13,000w when charging at full speed. 12,400w to the charger and 600ish to the cooling fans. I plan to purchase another complete setup this coming year to cover acres twice as fast. It’ll easily do an acre in under a minute when it’s in the air and I can average 45-50 acres/hr overall in decent fields.

THANK YOU!……… That drone set up is amazing and very cool!