[Hidden-tech] Office class generator

[Robert Heller]

At Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:55:35 -0500 David Korpiewski <davidk at cs.umass.edu> wrote:

> 
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> 
> I was wondering if anyone out there could help me select a generator 
> that would run one floor of an office (about 20 computers and 4 
> servers).  I have heard that a generic generator that you'd buy from 
> Home Depot isn't optimal for computers, and from my own experience, it 
> tends to burn up my APC UPS units if I leave them turned on when the 
> generator is going.
> 
> So I was wondering if anyone had experience with computer class 
> generators, ideally ones that start themselves and are pushing probably 
> 10000 watts or more?

All I know is that probably want one of the propane fired ones.  I
unserstand that gasoline does not store well, but that propane does.

I don't know if the sort of automatic propane power generators meant for
building emergency backup power (such as the Town Of Wendell has for
the town buildings) will work for you.  I suspect yes.  It might not be
cheap though and might be overkill.

When I was working at UMass, we had this humvee that was part of an
'atomimious vehicle' project that had a diesel powered generator to
power the on-board computer systems and that seemed to work OK, but that
is probably not want you are looking for.  (I think it has a 2 cylinder
engine.) 

I would suspect that a well made very smooth running generator is what
you want.  Smooth running == 2 or 4 cylinders.  The typical little
generators 'you get a Home Depot' have just a single cylinder lawn
mower engine -- this is likely fine for power tools at a construction
site and such like situations (which is what these machines are meant
for) -- the AC/DC motors in typical power tools are very tolerant of
their power source and are generally tough little motors designed to
take all kinds of 'abuse'.

> 
> Thank you kindly
> David
> 
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933 / heller at deepsoft.com
Deepwoods Software        -- http://www.deepsoft.com/
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