Generator Auto Start and Auto Stop

[shaz385]

Hi, guys I am new to this Forum but not with Electronics no experience in designing.
I had this Project in my mind from a long time so i thought this is the time to start and this might be the best place to get some experience.

I am trying to build a circuit for Gen-set auto start and auto stop for Diesel Engine Generator.

I found 1 circuit on net but no information about it could you guys please take a look and help me understand
Like, what is T1 Transistor? could some one please explain it to me if it will work or not.

Thank you in Advance

[shaz385]

wow no reply

[SgtWookie]

We've been busy.

There seems to be a lot of people with questions, and not many people with answers.

The trouble with your post is that you give no real requirements up front (other than auto-start, auto-stop of some genset), and expect us to perform an analysis of some circuit you found on the Internet without knowing anything more than that.

[retched]

If you didn't have this circuit, what would you want? When to start? stop?
Specs on the gen-set.

That kinda thing. The circuit posted may work, but it may no do what YOU want it to.

And its very hard to read. It would be easier if you said what you wanted and we could go from there.

[umar fida]

I require the same thing witch shaz385 wants. but i may explain it in detail.
i have 2.2 kv generator (output 210~240 v AC) with self start option. All i want is to make it a standby power source (witch require a electric circuit to do things). now this circuit will have couple of functions. when main power supply fails (220 v AC) it will start generator (2 to 3 tries) and when the generator stabilizes (approximately 10 sec) shift the load to generator and when the main supply restores it shut off the generator and put back the load to main supply.
i am not an electronics professional but i think circuit diagram posted above is not a good one as it uses relays which will produce sparks and eventually dies.

i hope every one understand what shaz385 and i wants.

Regards,

Umar

[JoeJester]

Your description is of an ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch). The ATS monitors the incoming power and when it is out of a monitored specification (voltage, cycles), it will start the engine (generator) and automatically switch the load to the generator when the generator is up to speed. After the normal power has returned for x minutes, it will switch the load back to the commercial source. Then there is a cool down period of x minutes for the generator.

As far as using relays ... they are still used in ATS. The load switch is more of a knife type switch on a rotated shaft.

What you use to switch from commercial power to generator power depends on your load (the house).

[Audioguru]

The schematic is from a website in India so of course it uses the very old SL100 metal can transistor that is available only in India.
Most projects on that website do not work.

[whatsthatsmell]

Originally Posted by umar fida

i have 2.2 kv generator (output 210~240 v AC) with self start option. All i want is to make it a standby power source (witch require a electric circuit to do things). now this circuit will have couple of functions. when main power supply fails (220 v AC) it will start generator (2 to 3 tries) and when the generator stabilizes (approximately 10 sec) shift the load to generator and when the main supply restores it shut off the generator and put back the load to main supply.

I think you mean 2.2KW (kilowatts) instead of 2.2KV (kilovolts).

JoeJester is right on about the automatic transfer switch.

Your main problem about switching the load is that your 2.2KW generator only puts out a max of 10 amps at 220 volts. Barely enough to power 1 circuit let alone an entire house.

In addition, depending on the generator and how it is regulated, small generators are much better handling resistive loads than they are at inductive loads. So if you are trying to run a refrigerator and/or well pump with some other stuff, it is probably going to give you trouble.

In any event, you will have to be very selective on what you are trying to power at any one time, so a transfer switch seems out of the question.

[eblc1388]

Originally Posted by JoeJester

After the normal power has returned for x minutes, it will switch the load back to the commercial source.

Expensive ATS does this transfer step without power interruption. That's why it is so expensive in the first place.

An ATS is definitely not a project for hobbyist.

[JoeJester]

An ATS is definitely not a project for hobbyist.

I concur.

I didn't know if the OP realized how deep the pool is that they are about to step into.