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RBM[_3_]

On 7/13/2011 3:54 PM, wrote:
On Jul 13, 3:24 pm, "D.A. wrote:
Our cabin recently was subjected to multiple days of no electricity during
to a bad storm taking out trees and power lines
I would like to set up a generator to run the following
1) well water pump 3/4 hp (120v)
2) refrigerator (120v)
3) freezer (120v)
4) hot water heater (240v)
5) stove (240v)

I would like to set it up so that is one appliance is drawing power,
everything else waits.
It would also be nice to set up the chain in the order listed above

It should also be noted that:
a) the stove is optional since there is a great fire pit where food can be
cooked and hot water heated in large enough quantities for hand and
dishwashing and sponge baths.
b) the hot water heater is big enough to hold enough water from one
heating cycle for all daily hand and dishwashing needs + couple of showers.
Which means that unless there are more than 2 people using the cabin, it
would only need to run once - possibly in the morning to start the day
c) the freezer only needs to run once every 2 days
d) the refrigerator only needs to run once a day if access is controlled,
otherwise twice a day will keep it cold enough
e) the well water pump only needs to run if water pressure has dropped
low enough to trigger it.

I already have an electric start generator to run everything at the same
time.
But I would prefer not to load it to the gills at the same time,

So I'm looking at
1) a box that will make sure that when the generator is going, it will
sequentially feed the 5 devices and then shut off by itself when there is no
demand...
2) If the generator is going, then IF a higher priority device wants
power it can bump of a lower priority one. After which the bumped device
gets serviced.

Any help and suggestions are appreciated

I think you're making a simple problem into a very complicated one.
The "box" you're seeking would need current/sensing, relays
on the various loads and a microprocessor to enforce your
rules. I know of no commercially available product,
but if it was availbable, I suspect no one would pay the price
for it for the above application.

You say the generator you have could run everything on the
list, but you don't want to fully load it. So, take the stove
which is a huge load out of the equation, since you say it's
optional. Now you can run everything else at far less than
the generator capacity. Or you can just work the breakers
manually on the loads like the rest of the world does.

Or are you a troll?

It's pretty simple. If he already has a generator that can handle the
entire load, but doesn't want to "load it to the gills at the same
time", just turn something off. The generator is only going to work as
hard as it has to, to keep up with the load. This is why the generator
specs tell how much fuel consumption @ full load, half load, etc.