Heating controls v generator

ltz400

The problem is that the esb power was out last nite so I use a generator few a few hours no problem so far as there is a change over switch on the fuse board
We'll after maybe 10-20 mins there was a buzzin noise coming from heating programmer then a small bang and it went off it. Looks like electronic device don't like to run off generators I did check what voltage the gen was putting out and it was 260 so I guess that the over voltage killed the programmer now is there a way I can regulate the generator so that it won't happen again
Thanks

tomdempsey200

dunno

some of the better Gennys have it

I wouldn't ever hook up a site genny to a house

doesn't stop people doing it all the time

Tuco88

Maybe a surge protection device might help, most Generators have a voltage regulator in them AVR? hope your gen has an earth rod ha.

Irish Steve

Depends on the size of the generator, and how well the speed of the prime mover is regulated.

The biggest problem is with relatively small output generators, with petrol engines, they are notoriously badly regulated speed wise, and if the speed is too high, the voltage goes high, as well as the frequency being high as well. The smaller units don't have an AVR card as such, they rely on the speed and windings sizes to regulate things.

The other issue is that it pays to have a load like a light or similar always active, so that there's some load that's more than an electronic device to give the generator something to do.

260V is asking a lot of things like a timeclock, most of those sorts of device are designed for 230, so 30 over is right on the top end of tolerances, and it could well have surged higher if a device like a fridge compressor was running and then switched out, again, especially on a small petrol engine that uses a centrifugal governor, they can be very slow to respond to a change in output load, so can surge quite high for a few moments.

A lot of the small generators don't have a voltage regulator control as such, they are designed around a single voltage and current, the regulation is effectively the speed of the motor, if it goes low the voltage drops, if it goes high, the voltage goes high, it's only on much larger units that you will find a separate control board that monitors the output and varies the field voltage to control it, and those cards are large and expensive in comparison to the total cost of a smaller unit.

2011

ltz400 wrote: »

Looks like electronic device don't like to run off generators

Remember your normal supply is from a type generator.

I did check what voltage the gen was putting out and it was 260 so I guess that the over voltage killed the programmer now is there a way I can regulate the generator so that it won't happen again

I think that you are suffering from the effects of a low quality generator.
Typically larger generators give a more stable output.
I connected up a high quality 10kVA generator to a friends house a number of years ago and it is working 100%, I think it is a Honda.

I told him that I would be nervous of using expensive electronic devices with it, but he has ignored my advice and never had an issue.