[Shop-talk] diesel fuel question

[Jeff Scarbrough]

Al,

You are correct - it is the engines that get exercised, not the
generator, and that's an important distinction.  Do you do validation or
commissioning, or both?

Our generators  have been reliable so far in real emergencies, but live
load testing with our current facility involves some challenges that have
consequences we don't care to risk if we can help it.

Our new facility, currently under construction (coming online at the end of
this year, pandemic notwithstanding), has two  2MW generators (3800 gallons
each) with load bank for testing.  So we will exercise the generator along
with the diesel engine.  We will probably include live load testing of the
entire system including transfer switch, tie breaker for redundant power
systems, and redundant power supply for one building, at least
semi-annually.  As this place won't be a patchwork of 50 years of
continuous improvement with all that implies, I'm planning on the whole
thing being seamless and trouble-free.

A boy can dream, right?

On Fri, Apr 24, 2020 at 10:31 AM Al Fuller via Shop-talk <
shop-talk at autox.team.net> wrote:

> Jeff [and all]:
>
>
>
> As regards the comment you made below that the generators get exercised 30
> minutes a week: Please keep in mind that its sounds like you meant to say
> the diesel engines get exercised [as opposed to the generators].
>
>
>
> The difference is the generator set also includes the transfer switch,
> wiring and other components. I had one client that fired up the diesel
> weekly, but when a wind storm blew down the power lines, the facility was
> down for a week while they tried to locate a new transfer switch. It turned
> out the building housed a lot more people and equipment than when the
> generator set was first specified and the switch set couldn’t support the
> load.  It was very frustrating to have a working diesel generator, but
> unable to power the building!
>
>
>
> As a validation person, our motto is if it needs to work, it needs to be
> tested ahead of time – in the same way you would use it.
>
>
>
> ----------------
>
> All the best,
>
>
>
> Al Fuller
>
>
>
> *From:* Shop-talk <shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net> *On Behalf Of *Jeff
> Scarbrough via Shop-talk
> *Sent:* Friday, April 24, 2020 9:15 AM
> *To:* Shop-talk at autox.team.net
> *Subject:* Re: [Shop-talk] diesel fuel question
>
>
>
>
>
> We have two 500kW generators at work.  Each has a 1400 gallon tank; we go
> through about 500-800 gallons per year.  I expect that, despite the fact
> that these generators are having their 21st birthday this year, there is
> still some portion of fuel in the tank that is 21 years old.  This bothers
> me a little bit, but it keeps working.  We did throw a jug of biocide in
> one year with the fresh fuel.
>
>
>
> Having said that, we have a service guy come in twice a year to check
> fluids and change filters, and they get exercised 30 minutes a week just to
> make sure they will run when we need them.
>
>
>
> Do like the others have said:  check filters, check a fuel sample from the
> tank, and let us know what you find.
>
>
>
> There exist people who do fuel polishing - they come to your large ship or
> tank farm and run an extra fuel cleaning and refreshing for your stored
> diesel fuel.  Might be a bit of overkill on the farm.
>
>
>
> Jeff Scarbrough
>
> Corrosion Acres, Ga.
>
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 24, 2020 at 7:46 AM eric--- via Shop-talk <
> shop-talk at autox.team.net> wrote:
>
> Does anyone know of a way to tell if diesel fuel has gone bad?
>
> Here is my situation.  I have a large diesel fuel tank for my tractors on
> my property (so I don't have to buy 'over the road' diesel.)  The fuel in
> there has been there a few years.
>
> My newest tractor (a small 25hp subcompact) started acting funny.  At full
> throttle, it seems to sputter a little.
>
> Could be a fuel problem, but I would love to test the diesel somehow. Or
> is there a way of looking at the filter on the tractor? Or another test to
> do?
>
> Related follow up, if the fuel is bad, and I have about 50 gals in a 250
> tank.  Can I just add fresh fuel to it, or do I need to drain out all the
> bad first?  What would be a good bad/good ratio to dilute the bad fuel?
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> "Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational
> being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph
> Waldo Emerson
> -Who is John Galt?_______________________________________________
>
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