Genset load issues?

Caver Dave

Caver Dave

Just holdin' it down here in BFV
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Mar 10, 2005
Location
Hooterville (24171)
Powers been out since 0900 yesterday, so connected the genset up and life was good!

Genset - 3000W(3KW)/peak of 4200W(4.2KW) with 30A breaker on the 240V side, and is back-feeding the panel thru a 40A breaker (was existing oven breaker, no longer used)... and yes, the main is open/broken so as not to back-feed the powerco's lines :flipoff2:

The only things on right now are 2 fullsize refrigerators, and handful of *LED* lights... but it will *NOT* pull the pump (on a 20A breaker) or even support a vacuum cleaner! :rolleyes:
All other 240V breakers (AC, water heater, etc.) are off...

As best I can tell the fridges are pulling 1200W each STARTING, but should be <1000W mark, combined, after that... leaving 2000W for the pump. I know that motor loads are higher, but... The previous owner ran his pump (150' deeper), 2 fridges, 1 freezer, and likely more lights off the same genset.

Is this just a case of not enough balls (watts) to run everything?
 
pumps, vacuum motors =inductive non linear loads.
breakers are time vs current dependent. So for example a 20A breaker will pass 100A for maybe half a second before it trips. But 200A may only take .20 seconds.
But the generator has a fixed output potential

The question is was old owner's pump the same size as yours, regardles sof how deep it is?
In essence the old owner might have carried more rock in his wheel barow than you carry in your tri axle dump truck...but its still easier to push the wheel barrow
 
@Ron
I believe their both 1/2HP submersible.
Guesstimates on age of pumps is about the same...
As is the wire length to top of casing...
So, the only obvious variable I came up with was the addition wire down the bore and mines still shorter :rolleyes:
 
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