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Back-up power generator - $3.2M Leduc
- Thread starter DavidR8
- Start date
That looks like just the engine. Does the Generator come with that?
I think so. There’s a slew of photos.
I'm curious what sort of power is created by that beast. Ultimately in kilowatts or even megawatts it should be possible to find a formula that calculates the required amount of fuel to generate that power.
Here's the copy from the ad:
Professionally deconditioned by CATERPILLAR Technician - Report Available Horsepower: 5733 hp. kVA: 5500 kVA Hours: 3755
Main Components Main Engine (CAT 3616 Engine): Diesel engine Prime Rating: 4,4 Megawatt 16 cylinder Turbocharged - 2 x front-mounted Watercooled + aftercooled Four-stroke cycle Compression ignited 280mm bore x 300mm stroke 18.5 litres/cylinder
Governor System: A-III Electronic Engine Control Module w/ Electronic Unit Injector Fuel System and Rigid Wiring Harness
Cooling System: Water Pumps 2 x electric coolant pumps for after-cooler and jacket water/oil cooler circuits Aftercooler Temperature regulators Expansion tanks Jacket water heater Radiator Sutton Stromart, two-circuit, air-cooled heat dump radiator Includes 4 top-mounted draft-ducted fans (4kW/fan) Cooling fans controlled via VFD drives
Lubrication System: Designed to provide 85°C filtered lubricating oil to the bearings and 430-kPa pressure under all engine-operating conditions Oil pump Externally front-mounted for easy service Oil cooler Temperature regulators Oil pan drain valve Front and rear-mounted on oil sump Manual shut-off with 1-1/2" male pump threads at connection interface Oil filters Remote-mounted, duplex type
Crankcase ventilation Closed-loop crankcase ventilation filters complete with installation materials Upgraded to the designed used for G5 Priority valve Exclusive to CAT engines, this valve regulates oil pressure at the oil manifold, allowing continuous lubrication independent of pressure drop across the oil filters Prelubrication pump Engine prelubrication required before each start Electric, engine-mounted, continuous prelubrication pump Includes starter interlock and oil pressure detection -Includes multiple control panels and modules, a 4160V Switchgear expansion set, and a KATO AC Generator. An exhaust system is also available
Clearly there's no point in me buying it.
Simply because I learned something important from a friend who wanted to burn used cooking oil in a Lister Diesel engine and generate power for the house. The problem is that you can't just dump energy back through the meter. BC Hydro has two limitations on feeding power back. One: it has to be done with one of their inverters that can be synchronized to the power line electronically. Two: no more than 5Kw is allowed to be fed back.
So much for a 25kW Genset for for that matter up in the 4 or more Megawatt range.
Back when I was working telecom, we built a co-location facility in a former Macys store in downtown Atlanta. They put the backup generators up on the fourth floor. Three 12-cylinder Cat diesels similar to the one above. I was on site when they test fired them. The noise was astounding. We could see the windows shaking in the Hyatt hotel across the street.
It was truly awesome!
Way back in Edmonton my closest experience with a genset was the Glenmore Water Treatment plant in Calgary. They had a generator system where the coolant was always kept at engine operating temperature. If the power failed it had to be able to do 100% immediately. There was also a rule that the genset had to be run at full power once ever two weeks I think.
They found, if I remember correctly, that if they over produced, it fed back into the power line but they weren't reimbursed for the energy they supplied. They could adjust the generator system to balance what the treatment plant used against what went out. Not sure how they did that. But they wanted a display that showed when they had the generator set optimally to run the plant but not give any energy to Calgary Power for free.
Got fancy and I made a nice frame out of ash wood for it.
They found, if I remember correctly, that if they over produced, it fed back into the power line but they weren't reimbursed for the energy they supplied. They could adjust the generator system to balance what the treatment plant used against what went out. Not sure how they did that. But they wanted a display that showed when they had the generator set optimally to run the plant but not give any energy to Calgary Power for free.
Got fancy and I made a nice frame out of ash wood for it.
In 1979 I was working on mine project in the southern part of Saudi Arabia. We set these gen sets up for the electric scoop trams , trucks and the camp site. I believe each generator was 2000KW. I know they sucked a lot of fuel but it was only 2 cents a gallon back then. Water was more expensive.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Honey, I got us a new off grid generator.....
I stored a friends big 3 phase construction genny here for a few months many years ago, and I thought the size of that thing was a bit ridiculous. I'd have to build a new shop just for this one. It was pretty fun running my mill from an extension cord through the back door with a big diesel purring away lol. Not something I'd want to fill up though....
I stored a friends big 3 phase construction genny here for a few months many years ago, and I thought the size of that thing was a bit ridiculous. I'd have to build a new shop just for this one. It was pretty fun running my mill from an extension cord through the back door with a big diesel purring away lol. Not something I'd want to fill up though....
Ironman
Ultra Member
600 rpm
Doggggboy
Ultra Member
When we bought the kennel 21 years ago I promptly bought a 10000 watt portable from PA. It was important to have heat and water for the kennel in the event of an extended outage. Worked great. Kept it in the shop and had a small manual transfer switch. Never had a problem with it.
When we switched the kennel heat over to geothermal we needed to upgrade the genset to something bigger. If both heat pumps kicked in at the same time they pulled over 150 amps at startup.
On the recommendation of the local electrician I bought a 36 kw Generac running on propane with an automatic transfer switch.
It has been the biggest piece of crap I have ever owned. I had 7 service calls before it ever produced a usable watt of power. In the first year they replaced the coil packs, cam sensor, crank sensor, 2 control panels and finally the entire wiring harness before it would run reliably.
Warrantee expired after a year. The local Generac service company lost it's tech and never replaced him. For service I had to get someone out of Winnipeg, 5 hours away and of course he was on the clock from the minute the truck started so it would cost about 900 bucks before he got here. Only did that once to replace the transfer switch which had literally exploded. Ended up with a Saskatoon service tech who was closer but always too busy to make the trip. Generac had service guys in Regina, 25 minutes away but they only worked on the small portables, not the bigger stationarys. Local Caterpillar dealer sent a guy out once to replace another crank sensor. He ended up making 3 trips to get it running and when it died again 2 weeks later they said no thanks, we'll pass, you're own your own. Currently I am on my third transfer switch.
There is a Regina tech that will come out now which helps, sort of. He will only replace parts with genuine Generac parts. The starter failed last year and the Generac quoted price was around 2 grand. Got it rebuilt locally for a hundred.
This winter the power went out twice and both times the generator wouldn't start because it had to be installed outside and with the winter storms we got this year the enclosure would pack absolutely full with snow. I'm going to put a garden shed around the damn thing this year. Probably still won't start when the power goes out but at least I won't have to look at it.
I get worked up just thinking about this piece of crap.
They only thing worse than having your power go out on a minus 30 day is also having a generator that won't work when the power goes out.
When we switched the kennel heat over to geothermal we needed to upgrade the genset to something bigger. If both heat pumps kicked in at the same time they pulled over 150 amps at startup.
On the recommendation of the local electrician I bought a 36 kw Generac running on propane with an automatic transfer switch.
It has been the biggest piece of crap I have ever owned. I had 7 service calls before it ever produced a usable watt of power. In the first year they replaced the coil packs, cam sensor, crank sensor, 2 control panels and finally the entire wiring harness before it would run reliably.
Warrantee expired after a year. The local Generac service company lost it's tech and never replaced him. For service I had to get someone out of Winnipeg, 5 hours away and of course he was on the clock from the minute the truck started so it would cost about 900 bucks before he got here. Only did that once to replace the transfer switch which had literally exploded. Ended up with a Saskatoon service tech who was closer but always too busy to make the trip. Generac had service guys in Regina, 25 minutes away but they only worked on the small portables, not the bigger stationarys. Local Caterpillar dealer sent a guy out once to replace another crank sensor. He ended up making 3 trips to get it running and when it died again 2 weeks later they said no thanks, we'll pass, you're own your own. Currently I am on my third transfer switch.
There is a Regina tech that will come out now which helps, sort of. He will only replace parts with genuine Generac parts. The starter failed last year and the Generac quoted price was around 2 grand. Got it rebuilt locally for a hundred.
This winter the power went out twice and both times the generator wouldn't start because it had to be installed outside and with the winter storms we got this year the enclosure would pack absolutely full with snow. I'm going to put a garden shed around the damn thing this year. Probably still won't start when the power goes out but at least I won't have to look at it.
I get worked up just thinking about this piece of crap.
They only thing worse than having your power go out on a minus 30 day is also having a generator that won't work when the power goes out.
Wow, that is quite a saga! You must have an infinite amount of patience; I probably would have sold the thing or had an insurance claim by now.
Cat rates the 3616 @ 800-1000rpm, fuel use about 280gal/hr, depending on hp rating. Gen sets generly don't idle, start and nearly to full power rating rite now. That's reason all/most? of the big stuff has heated cooling systems and a pre-pressured lube system at all times, for near instant power. The bigger systems will have a least 2 backup units, 1 for if there is a failure of a unit, and one being serviced/repaired. This is often why there maybe a number of units from the same place up for sale/replacement all at the same time.
My small bit of experience is with 25 to100kw units, they were preheated at all times, on startup, started, idled maybe 2 seconds and rite to full rated rpm, done power switch over in maybe 30 seconds of full rpm. We had blower VFDs on start delay, and easy ramp up, so power demand was over a period of time. A bit easier on the whole electric system and the gen set as the pumps were not on VFDs, centerfuge was a manual restart as spool down could take nearly 10 minutes.
My small bit of experience is with 25 to100kw units, they were preheated at all times, on startup, started, idled maybe 2 seconds and rite to full rated rpm, done power switch over in maybe 30 seconds of full rpm. We had blower VFDs on start delay, and easy ramp up, so power demand was over a period of time. A bit easier on the whole electric system and the gen set as the pumps were not on VFDs, centerfuge was a manual restart as spool down could take nearly 10 minutes.