Alternety
Like an engineer
I am trying to do a backup system for the house. My initial direction was a 15KW propane generator. It used an automobile engine running at 1800 rpm. The problem is propane consumption when it has little load (3600 rpm are even worse as I recollect).
Looking at the newer inverter based portable generators, they don't have the capacity (but they sure do have a high price).
I have been trying to find a DC generator whose speed/fuel consumption can be controlled by the DC load, feeding one or more inverters designed to operate from a battery backed solar system. I found one that uses an automobile engine, but it is a step control; full power or low power. The specs did not fully enlighten me. My email was returned with a message that they were busy and may get back to me in a few months. And it is pretty expensive on a $/KW basis.
Have any of you considered this approach? Any idea of a source of a DC generator like this. Full load capacity in the range of 12 KW. I can use a set of batteries to absorb short term demands, but they are very expensive for meaningful capacity. The target DC voltage is 48 V. This is based on wire size and inverter performance. It, of course, raises the cost of batteries.
Any thoughts?
Looking at the newer inverter based portable generators, they don't have the capacity (but they sure do have a high price).
I have been trying to find a DC generator whose speed/fuel consumption can be controlled by the DC load, feeding one or more inverters designed to operate from a battery backed solar system. I found one that uses an automobile engine, but it is a step control; full power or low power. The specs did not fully enlighten me. My email was returned with a message that they were busy and may get back to me in a few months. And it is pretty expensive on a $/KW basis.
Have any of you considered this approach? Any idea of a source of a DC generator like this. Full load capacity in the range of 12 KW. I can use a set of batteries to absorb short term demands, but they are very expensive for meaningful capacity. The target DC voltage is 48 V. This is based on wire size and inverter performance. It, of course, raises the cost of batteries.
Any thoughts?