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Using a light tower as a generator

Started by Big_eddy, April 09, 2025, 06:21:54 PM

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Big_eddy

After our recent ice storm and my frozen generator fiasco I'm reconsidering my solution. I have a Miller Bobcat welder generator that has been our solution for years. I no longer weld mobile ever, so I don't need a gas welder. It only runs very occasionally when our power is out for more than a few hours. Looking at current values for used welder/generators,  I'm considering selling it and replacing it with a dedicated generator. However, I'd still have the same problem of limited use and therefore stale gas. I don't have natural gas or propane on site. I looked for a diesel generator and the only ones out there seem too large for my needs. 
On my favourite auction site, I see some used light towers with either Mitsubishi or Kubota diesels and 6KW Marathon generators, going for less than a grand with 3-5k hours on them. At 1800rpm, they should be a lot quieter than the Onan on my Bobcat, and I have lots of diesel on site. I don't really have a need to light up 5 acres, but it might be cool.

My need is to power the sump pump, freezer, fridge and the circulation fans on our wood fired central furnace.  Maybe a kettle or microwave for a bowl of soup.  Not the whole house. 

Anyone have any experience or thoughts? 

GRANITEstateMP

Big_eddy,

We rent Wanco light towers at my work.  Had to get 4 up and running this winter in an emergency.  They live outside and were COLD.  Them things were cold blooded to get going (they hadn't been run in at least a month).  They put out a ton of light.  The guys in the shop tell me the generator side can be temperamental and have a tendency to "burn out".  I never asked if its the genset or what that goes bad. Also, I'm pretty sure there is only 1, 120v outlet.  For the couple times a year I'd like extra light, if I find one at the right price, its coming home! Bonus if the genset works
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trimguy

I have never used one, but wouldnt the genset have to work to power the light ? Maybe I misunderstood.

GRANITEstateMP

good point trimguy, maybe they were saying that it was the accessory power that was always the problem and not the actual genset.  Most of the units we rent have 5 switches on them. 1 for each light "pod" and another for the accessory outlet
Hakki Pilke 1x37
Kubota M6040
Load Trail 12ft Dump Trailer
2015 GMC 3500HD SRW
2016 Polaris 450HO
2016 Polaris 570
SureTrac 12ft Dump Trailer

Big_eddy

The ones I'm looking at are Generac-Magnums and have a 20amp duplex 120v plug and a 30a 240v twist lock plug. The lights use about 4KW when on, when off 25a is available to the twist lock.  
Being cold blooded is something I hadn't considered. Food for thought.  

aigheadish

I don't know anything about the question at hand but lighting 5 acres would be amazing! Probably just as a lark, but still...
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BargeMonkey

I have a 6KW kubota light plant to power my house, 30A twist plug, does just fine. Low hour for them is 8-10k hrs, I've seen some with 30k. Buddy of mine is a mechanic for a large rental company in Albany and routinely buys the older units to peddle himself, they go for 1500-3k, occasionally gets the large ones in, the 20kw models and they bring 5-8k. 

Big_eddy

Quote from: BargeMonkey on April 10, 2025, 07:25:25 AMI have a 6KW kubota light plant to power my house, 30A twist plug, does just fine. Low hour for them is 8-10k hrs, I've seen some with 30k. Buddy of mine is a mechanic for a large rental company in Albany and routinely buys the older units to peddle himself, they go for 1500-3k, occasionally gets the large ones in, the 20kw models and they bring 5-8k.
Perfect Barge. There are 3 closing today. I'll put a bid in and see what happens. 4K, 6k and 7k hours iirc. Per the data sheet, they will run 60hrs on a tank of fuel. I likely wouldn't put that on one in a decade. 

NE Woodburner

We do this at the construction company I work for. We have an old light tower that gets more use as a generator than light tower. Just watch the receptacles on the genset as previously mentioned. One of ours only has one 120v outlet. If you have a 240v, 30 amp twist lock that should serve you well.

And yes, they do sip the fuel...

BargeMonkey

Power up is fancy and nice if your moving it all the time. The cable to pick the mast up will break after a while and on mine I used the F word ALOT trying to run the new cable. They all vary by manufacturer but I think mine holds 40gal ? They don't use much fuel.

Messenger_creation_0B0B4D4C-C9A4-4573-BAA5-3AD31E779257.jpeg
 All my iron has lights, then I turn the tower on to slash wood most nights. We went without power for 4x days this winter, 2nd morning I left NYC, got the tower off my job, hooked the tower to my tacoma, tacoma to 440D and up we went. 25' 30A RV cord, screw driver, ran the house fine. 
Messenger_creation_0BBB0706-F7DE-4AFA-AA4A-2924A3A5EA9F.jpegMessenger_creation_6E7B7BBC-639C-420A-A6E1-DCF740CD8794.jpeg
 img_3_1744293268637.jpg
 The 20KW ones aren't common but if your doing alot they are worth it, 50A, another buddy of mine got this one for 5k, about 12k hrs, Hitachi engine. img_4_1744293359469.jpg

Big_eddy

I won my bid. Gave $1050 CAD ($750USD) for it. The one I won has 6147hrs on it.

Magnum MLT3060.
 3 cylinder Mitsubishi diesel (0.95l), 12hp
Marathon 6KW Brushless Generator.
30gal tank, consumes 0,5gph at 4KW load, so ~60hr run time.

Once I drag it home and give it a once over, will run a test and report back.

GRANITEstateMP

At that price you can't hardly go wrong!
Hakki Pilke 1x37
Kubota M6040
Load Trail 12ft Dump Trailer
2015 GMC 3500HD SRW
2016 Polaris 450HO
2016 Polaris 570
SureTrac 12ft Dump Trailer

thecfarm

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Big_eddy

Update on the light tower. I picked it up this week and towed it home on my flatbed.

When I got it home, checked the oil and coolant levels, then turned the key. Nothing. Grabbed my meter and checked the battery voltage. It was a bit low, so put the charger on it. Still, with 12v, I was expecting more than "nothing". Started wondering if I'd bought a piece of junk.

The next day, I had a few minutes between jobs, so took the charger off and gave it another try. Turned the key and the fuel pump started clicking. Great. Heated up the glow plugs, then turned to Start, and nothing. No more fuel pump clicking, nothing.  Grabbed the booster cables and hooked it up. Fuel pump clicking was back. Yay. But hit Start again and again nothing.  Wait a few minutes, and then the fuel pump is back. Start - nothing.  Now I'm really scratching my head and feeling like I might have made a mistake. But I know there is a 30 second fault timer circuit for oil pressure or overheat so must be related to that.  Ran out of time again, so on to the next day.

Over the day, I printed out the 12v wiring diagram, and highlighted it. Always 12v in red. 12v when On, yellow. Start circuit - blue.  Fault circuits in green.

Next day, I tried again. This time I opened up the control box and tested with my meter handy. As soon as I hit start, 12v disappeared to the switch. Around to the other side.  Still have 12v at the battery, but not at the starter. Huh. It's a single heavy gauge wire! I'd already removed and replaced the lead from the starter, cleaned it up, and I  knew the connection was solid. So I removed the lead from the battery. FOUND IT! The main positive wire was 100% loose inside the connector. Looked perfect from the outside, but had corroded inside.  Just enough connectivity to show 12v, but not to carry any load. Put a new end on the battery lead, hooked it back up, and the engine started up immediately and purred away.

Hooked up an extension and ran my big grinder and circular, and a few other larger loads. No issues.
 3 of the 4 lights work. I expect the fourth is likely a bulb, but not that concerned. The 3 working bulbs put out a crap ton of light.

Still need to do an oil change etc.,  and get a twist lock extension cord. Then find a home to park it.

Bonus. The 30 gallon diesel tank is full.

aigheadish

100 bucks worth of diesel is sweet! 
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Ljohnsaw

Sadly, that's $165 worth out here! 😔
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

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aigheadish

If I'm doing the math it's probably that here too... 3.60 or so? 
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Ljohnsaw

John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038
Ford 545D FEL
Genie S45
Davis Little Monster backhoe
Case 16+4 Trencher
Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

GRANITEstateMP

John, I couldn't find the "dis-like" button for under your diesel price smiley_thumbsdown
Hakki Pilke 1x37
Kubota M6040
Load Trail 12ft Dump Trailer
2015 GMC 3500HD SRW
2016 Polaris 450HO
2016 Polaris 570
SureTrac 12ft Dump Trailer

Al_Smith

Just a suggestion as another option .A gen set from a motor coach could be another option .Onan made some nice ones diesel powered that were  very conservative on fuel and with proper care could probabley run forever .Fact the 40 footer my parents had used a 7.5 KV Onan that had all the bells and whistle ,transfer switch ,glow plugs ,warm up and shut down functions .

As far as stale gasoline try a little Sta-bil in the gas .It will light right off the next time you need it .

aigheadish

I've had a top-of-line but cheap gasoline Harbor Freight generator, for a couple years now, that calls for a run of 20-30 minutes every 3 months (today is the day!) and Sta-bil in the tank. I've had basically the same gas in there the entire time I've had it, never had to actually use it for electricity, and it fires right up every time. I think I've got mid-grade gas in it too, maybe that helps.
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