-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Heat treat oven ca I power it with a generator
- Thread starter cjd1980
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2007
- Messages
- 4,273
Sounds expensive. What size is your generator?
I don't know how big a generator you have or are planning on getting. I'm guessing your heat treating oven is somewhere between 3KW and 5KW. You might jot down the power ratings of all your equipment, including lights, heat, fans etc. THEN determine the maximum wattage you will ever need while working in your shop. With his information you can size your generator. With a little research you can figure out how much fuel you will need per hour. Then you can figure out whewther running a heat treating oven on a generator is going to be more expensive than having them sent out for heat treat.
Jim A.
Jim A.
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2007
- Messages
- 4,273
Or more expensive than running a service feed to your shop.
In the long run, either will likely be more cost effective (and less of a PITA) than fueling a gas generator on a daily basis.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2010
- Messages
- 1,023
If you are going to be running your whole shop off of a generator take a look a the Generac line of whole house generators.
They also have a sizing calculator to help you determine your needs. I'm not sure how accurate that will be for a shop though. So you might have to do your own calculations.
They also have a sizing calculator to help you determine your needs. I'm not sure how accurate that will be for a shop though. So you might have to do your own calculations.
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2013
- Messages
- 32,479
From working Farmers markets, for sharpening, evening lighting There & knife making demo’s Etc off of a Generator.. Get at least twice what you think you’ll need. There is always something that draws power you want to add later...
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2004
- Messages
- 38,326
If you go that route get a BIG generator and run it off a bulk propane or diesel tank. That way you can have the service company deliver the fuel and refill your tank when needed. Most all shop tools will run on a generator.
An average shop might need a 10KW (or more). The rating you see on a generator is not what it will work at. The real output is about 70% of the rating. Also, the 220 output is only a part of the rating on many generators.
Yes, you won't run everything at the same time, but you need the capacity for all the big stuff and some reserve if you want your generator to run well and last.
A short and basic calculator for a simple shop's generator capacity:
grinder 2000W
HT oven 4000W
lights and misc. things 1000W
Angle grinder 1000W
Fans and blowers 500W
Vacuum 500-1000W
Other tools and machines 1000W
A 10KW would run barely this shop.
An average shop might need a 10KW (or more). The rating you see on a generator is not what it will work at. The real output is about 70% of the rating. Also, the 220 output is only a part of the rating on many generators.
Yes, you won't run everything at the same time, but you need the capacity for all the big stuff and some reserve if you want your generator to run well and last.
A short and basic calculator for a simple shop's generator capacity:
grinder 2000W
HT oven 4000W
lights and misc. things 1000W
Angle grinder 1000W
Fans and blowers 500W
Vacuum 500-1000W
Other tools and machines 1000W
A 10KW would run barely this shop.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2009
- Messages
- 21,675
I"d be really wary of smoking the electronic controller with dirty power.
I've had it happen with good quality commercial equipment that had LOTS of power conditioning protection built in
I've had it happen with good quality commercial equipment that had LOTS of power conditioning protection built in
I've had some concern about "dirty power" from generators also. BUT, consider that generators have powered motorhomes and boats for many years with no real problems. These motorhomes and boats have used TV, microwave ovens, DVRs, all of which have "computers" inside. Look at the number of "whole house" generators that are in use - those are just plain old generators and are powering everything in the house.
As Stacy says you'll want at least a 10KW generator that's going to cost close to 50 cents/hr to run, and you do want to run on propane or natural gas. Many folks around here got a real shock after Katrina when they got hit with fuel bill for their whole house generator, and the cost was close to $100/day running (natural gas 'n Propane was more expensive then than now). A 15KW to 20KW running at full load is going to use 3/4 gal/hr, and close to 1/2 gal/hr at 50% load.
If there is no way to get power to shop at this time, you might pick up a 9K generator (actually runs about 7KW) for $650. https://tinyurl.com/y6nylpkg Do a conversion to propane for around $100 or so and this will provide power until you can get regular power ran to shop.
Ooops, I see that propane conversion kit is now $169! I think I paid around $70 or so a few yr back. It's an easy conversion.
As Stacy says you'll want at least a 10KW generator that's going to cost close to 50 cents/hr to run, and you do want to run on propane or natural gas. Many folks around here got a real shock after Katrina when they got hit with fuel bill for their whole house generator, and the cost was close to $100/day running (natural gas 'n Propane was more expensive then than now). A 15KW to 20KW running at full load is going to use 3/4 gal/hr, and close to 1/2 gal/hr at 50% load.
If there is no way to get power to shop at this time, you might pick up a 9K generator (actually runs about 7KW) for $650. https://tinyurl.com/y6nylpkg Do a conversion to propane for around $100 or so and this will provide power until you can get regular power ran to shop.
Ooops, I see that propane conversion kit is now $169! I think I paid around $70 or so a few yr back. It's an easy conversion.
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2019
- Messages
- 2,714
I have an RD with a diesel generator. Like ken said, the electronics on board have no problem with it. In fact it is much more consistent than the power I get when I plug in.