Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
(OP)
It's not uncommon to see trucks boosting (jump-starting) 12V generator sets out in the field if they have trouble starting due to cold weather, etc.
Any idea how this could be done if the generator set is 24V? I'm not interested in a scenario that would have me charging the genet's batteries individually. I want to be able to simply jump-start the genset, then move on down the road to the next one.
Thoughts?
Any idea how this could be done if the generator set is 24V? I'm not interested in a scenario that would have me charging the genet's batteries individually. I want to be able to simply jump-start the genset, then move on down the road to the next one.
Thoughts?





RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
If you're serious about this, there are some charging issues to consider, but it could be done - if you don't blow yourself up when switching. Or just buy a 24 V battery set and a charger and carry it in the truck. You can plug it in at night to re-charge.
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
thanks for the prompt reply.
I've been asked to provide something that's "neat and unobtrusive" (my client's words). They lease the 12V trucks and vans (standard 1/2 ton and 3/4 tone domestic vehicles) and are hesitant to perform work like you suggested.
I guess I was hoping for a "magic box" solution -- one that could be clamped to the vehicle's 12V battery and also to the genset's 24V system for a quick jump-start.
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
But, I bet the "client" expects this device to be hand portable, weigh 5 lbs, and cost $100. Good luck.
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
You really need a big 24 V battery to be able to crank the engine. You could outfit the truck with a 12 V to 120 V inverter and use the 120 V ac output to run a small battery charger to recharge the 24 V battery between stops. This would all be basically off-the-shelf magic boxes.
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
Buy a series parallel switch such as is used on many older transport trucks with 12 Volt electrical systems and 24 Volt starters.
Put them all in a box and wire them up.
Buy a battery isolator such as motor homes use to charge their auxiliary batteries.
Now you can charge your battery bank from the truck electrical system.
Tip. You will need a button to activate the series parallel switch. Put it on a long cable so you can trigger the series parallel switch from the control panel of the engine that you are starting.
Bill
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"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
If you could find any of the old wiring diagrams, maybe you could cobble up the parts individually and make a system. Check with Crusty. If I had a scanner here at home, I could upload some versions, but I think you can find them at a shop that has been around for a while.
Good luck.
rmw
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
Out of time tonight.
I may be able to find a source for you tomorrow night.
Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
Gonna be ugly....
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
http://www.texasindustrialelectric.com/relays_1119...
Most of the gas masher and field mechanics I knew in the patch had a series parallel switch and two batteries, especially since most of the Ford diesel service trucks had two batteries anyway, wired to a connector on the front of the truck. The really slick arrangements were setup to control 12 or 24 VDC at the connector with a single switch near by.
Mike L.
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servle...
They are made to have cables coming out of them. Get some jumper cables and cut them in half. Install battery clamps on the remaining ends and then bolt them onto the battery. You now have a 12VDC jumper battery with the cables already affixed to the battery.
When you need to jump 12V use it as-is. If you need 24VDC clamp the minus side of the jumper bat to the plus side of your vehicle battery. Hook the jumper battery's plus side to the 24V vehicle and use another half of a jumper cable to jump from your vehicle's negative side to the 24V vehicle's negative side. You're set.
Of course it takes about twice as long to read this than to actually carry out a jump-start.
To keep the jumper battery up, Occasionally just clamp it across your vehicle battery and let your vehicle idle for 10 minutes. Include some safety glasses with the battery box. You do need to bolt or strap down the jumper battery so a collision doesn't launch it somewhere bad.
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
Thanks for that link to the series/parallel switch - I didn't know those existed as a manufactured item.
dpc
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
Many thanks to all that offered input.
RE: Boosting a 24V diesel (or natural gas) generator set from 12V truck
I'll dig around and see if I can a copy of the parts list and schematic we used for our trucks, I've been away from the dealer a few years now so I'm not sure if the builder we used is even still around. I think a few of the body builders in Houston offer is a common option, at least they used too.
Hope that helps, Mike L.