Very good batteries and starter motor(s) allright. Amazing to have so much cranking power on such a big engine without flattening batteries or burning out starters.
@@rolomaticz5009 Sorry, but I have to call BS on that. This is an electric starter, running on batteries. If it were air starter, you'd hear a tremendous turbine whine. Air start is a popular option though, for this engine, but in this case, no... it's electric start.
The idea is, it will never run out of fuel. There's enough on site to run this (and the three others in another room) for a minimum 72 hours, and there's a contract with a local fuel supplier to keep refueling trucks rolling 24/7 until utility power is restored.
@sniper50cal2 Correct. This is a backup for a trio of 1.75MW gens. If one of those has a problem, this one kicks on, but I think this one was only set up to handle the most critical of emergency branches (this building has 7 of them). I don't exactly remember anymore, as I haven't worked there in over 2 and a half years.
I love how someone (not sure if it was you or not) yelled "Come on!" while she was attempting to start, then she just bursts into life and we get to hear that wonderful thunderous roar from the engine. Music to my ears, just with the audio was slightly better, but its better than nothing ;)
When the generator on the roof of a Western Electric facility in Seattle was tested back in the 1980's, there was an issue. Turns out there was a slight misalignment between the gas-turbine engine and the planetary gears! As the turbine RPM went from about 60% to 75%, the entire building would start to shake, moan and vibrate, like an earthquake! At around 80% or better of operating RPM, it smoothed right out. Spooky. Not a bit of shaking when the RPM went back down. Odd.
Nice and neat installation. We used the ladder rack too for organizing the wiring (350 MCM for our gen set) and it really tidys things up. By the way, the guy at the end hovering over the running engine is either deaf, or will be if he doesn't wear some ear protection. These things are LOUD!
@MF11283 Umm, no. It's not the main backup generator. It's a backup to a set of 3 x 1.75MW generators that serve as the backup to the hospital. This was the first start after it's first annual PM on this engine. Did you even bother reading the description?
I have overhauled many of these engines and have found the best way to prime them is to remove the pressure regulating valve and spring from the fuel pump on the left side bottom of engine and I use an electric fuel pump with the filter bleeders open,it only takes about 10 mins replace valve and spring(it can be messy unless your quick) works way better than pumping for 30 mins.
@cooey84 Actually, this one is electric start, from battery. @h0354y That's why we tested them regularly. This unit doesn't do this every time, only after a teardown PM. Did you read the description?
The company that owns these generators doesn't want to spend any more money than they have to. To reconfigure the fuel filter would cost them more money. I'm glad I don't work there anymore. Thank you, BTW, for reading the description! :)
I was classified as a student Temp, which was great while going to school, but after I was finished, my position and title never officially changed which led me to get the hell out of there. It was an interesting and sometimes exciting job while it lasted! I got to dabble in almost every trade in the Facilities Maintenance department.
Yes, it is, at 480VAC. It runs parallel to a 3 x 1.75MW genset in the next room. It powers the emergency lighting/outlets and critical equipment an 18 story building.
This problem only occured during the test fire after the engine was serviced. The problem is with the housing for the fuel filter. It is mounted sideways on top of the engine, so that when the filter is replaced, there is no way to prime the housing with fuel. The only way to purge the air out is to force it all the way through the injectors - kind of a crapp-assed design, if you ask me. Once the lines are purged of air, the generator fires right off, every time.
They're generally electric start with full time floating battery chargers so they don't run the risk of flattening the batteries. A good battery should be able to crank for a good 3-5 minutes before showing signs of going flat.
No. This was the first start after draining the fuel line to replace the fuel filter, so the fuel lines were not primed. Please read the description for more details.
It's a good thing this engine wasn't needed in any kind of an emergency. Things would have been pretty crazy if that power was needed. Things like this should always be looked over by the hands on maintenance techs , the guys with practical experience in how stuff should work.
Thank you - finally, someone who was paying attention. I was getting tired of repeating myself. If others would read the description, they too would have also figured that out.
Man, it's so satisfying to hear that big Cat start up after all that trying. :D I'd pay attention to cobus20 though, something doesn't sound right. I'd check to see if the fuel is getting to the cylinders as fast as it should be.
I'd like to see that! I'd imagine that would be startling if you weren't expecting it. Data centers are one thing, but to hear any sort of anomaly at a Hospital - it might make my heart skip a beat!
This problem arose after the annual PM service - the tech took down the fuel system to replace the filter, and because of the way this engine was designed - with the filter housing on top of the unit & mounted sideways - there's no good way to prime the system. He said he had to push the air all the way through the injectors. I can't imagine that would be good for the injectors or the starter! Once it fired enough to maintain a good burn, it re-started and ran just fine.
I was fortunate enough to start one of these V16 Quad Turbo phase match generators for a waste water treatment plant in SC. Everyone else wore ear protection, I wanted to hear the engine! Note, exhaust was vented to exterior. Still a beautiful sound though!
Diesel 101? Diesel 101 would tell you that this engine doesn't have glow plugs, just like most large gensets don't have glowplugs. They utilize a block heater to keep everything up to temperature and provide quick, reliable starts.
The muppet of a technician hasn't used the hand primer or bled the fuel system properly! Usually those things start very easily, whether they are running on diesel or landfill methane gas. Obviously on gas they need an ignition system. That tech is a lunatic!! No ear defenders!!! Those engines are F_LOUD!!! Especially inside a 20ft shipping container as it echoes!
LairdScooby best thing about the Internet- you can always find an expert... how do you know if they really didn't prime it or bleed it??? maybe they did? maybe the fuel system was just maintained? maybe there were ongoing starting issues with this particular motor? everyone's the expert till you get there.
Alastair Waters You are correct. Apparently you have dealt with these before. We had two V12 Cats in one of our gensets. The quickest and easiest way to bleed these was the adjustable wrench and someone at the start panel. No way I would consider the hand pump.
@gaggotgaggot Umm... yeah. This is an auxiliary unit for a set of 3 in another room. This was the unit's first annual PM. First time anythings rarely go smoothly.
We have 3512 1500KW as prime power for our 200 acre sand/gravel and blacktop yard. Sounds just like home! Ours is the same as to difficult to start with air in the system. Our unit runs 8-12 hours a day during yearly production. This unit run 2 starters, and are very inexpensive compared to what whole does in yearly output.
Then open ET ( caterpillars electronic technician computer software) then you run the "injector solenoid test" about ten times. Then still with the returnvalve closed, start the engine, while monitoring the fuelpressure. Someone MUST be ready to open the returnvalve. Never let the fuelpressure rise above 650KpA. The engine will start. Every time. This is very helpful especially when the fuel injectors have been replaced. And yes. I am a Cat service tech with 11 yrs experience.
When it wouldn't start after the second try? AIR IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. Why would anyone crank on a piece of equipment like this? Short memory if you ask me.
In my former company we used to put a secondary fuel line with a manual pump for priming engines either if not built-in by the manufacturer. Just because if you have a 4-gallons fuel filter complex you seriously risk to blow starting motors and batteries
No no, 6.5MW = 6,500KW = 6,500,000 Watts. This system powers emergency panels for lighting circuits, power outlets and critical life safety and mechanical equipment throughout the entire building complex ~ roughly 1.5 million square feet. The ER is a very small portion of this. But yes, this facility is massive.
Clearly it's not too much cranking because the cranking speed is the same at the beginning of the video as it is at the end. Usually when things are over cranked, the batteries tend to go flat
Man you cant tell me that this engine had no bleed capability. I look after two eight cyl versions of these with Duplex filter systems and have never had a problem with the bleed. Try clamping the return next time and when it fires remove the clamp quickly. Those injectors need fuel for lube also so you need to keep fuel in the heads for start up.
I used to manufacture and Assemble these at Global Manufacturing in Ladson, SC but the ones we worked on were the ones inside of a tractor trailer box I used to get a big ass smile on my face when we would test one and it would run oh so perfect
Haha, yeah, I think that was me yelling. I forgot about that! It's funny, at one point you can hear my electrician buddy and the service contractor discussing "...air in the injectors ...(has to go)... all the way through." and still people ask what's wrong or come up with an irrelevant solution.
Guy needs to give the batteries a rest and let the Starter cool down. Important to take your time to bleed the engine properly and will light straight away.
This particular machine used 4 8D lead-acid batteries in series-parallel. See: watch?v=h1CjhWwb7u8 We changed the batteries on that machine ~1 year later per the scheduled rotation. This generator comes in at 3:34 in that video.
Some companies in the past used decompressors, manual priming pumps, cooling water preheaters for easier starts. the outdated Soviet made KAMAZ diesel had no glow plugs, yet did not require long cranking to start.
That sounds like fun! I really enjoyed the time I spent working up there, I got to see all sorts of interesting things. This was at a major hospital in Portland, OR. This generator is one in a set of 4, for a combined total of 6.5 MegaWatts for one building, and it still doesn't run the whole building, just the emergency branches, which equal about 60% of the building's power.
I feel like I have to comment. Earlier someone said that this happened after servicing the engine. All well and good. This beeing a 3500B series(electronic injection) it's a very tricky engine to purge. 1. open the bleed plug from the top of the filter. then pump the hand pump until the fuel comes out. 2. close the fuel return valve. (if there's not a valve fitted, fit one.) pump the hand pump until you can't pump anymore ( will generate some 450KpA of fuelpress) cont...
I used to be a maintenance electrician at a hospital - if our gensets weren't online within 15 sec of a power outage, we were in big trouble. Usually they were up in less than half of that time - of course we had block heaters that kept the temps up.
@idontcare80 I think there's something wrong with your calculation. This is a ~2500hp Cat 3516 diesel engine driving an electric generator motor rated at 2000KW at 480VAC 3-phase, 60Hz. Check your numbers again.
@gaggotgaggot Seriously? Wow... thanks! I worked a this place for over 10 years, and I closely observed the installation of this generator from start to finish. The only reason why I pulled out my camera was because we knew there were going to be starting issues, as this was the first time this machine had been serviced. I'm unclear on what part of my story you don't believe. I suggest you try reading the description. Oh, and nice touch, playing that 'American' card. Real classy!
@amit79ful That's why we do annual PMs on these machines, start/run them once a month, and load test them once per year. Apparently, they don't do that at nuke plants? o_O
The guys who know far more than me can answer you if you need a more detailed answer or to correct me if I'm wrong; but when a diesel is run dry, or when it is new, there is air that can develop in the fuel system and not allow it to flow properly so it must be bled. One of the other posters mentioned the possible additional problem of the fuel needing to travel great distances before being able to be used. In some cases you might be able to splice the line or use a temp fuel source, but idk.
fail to start/over crank alarm can be heard in the back ground. if you read the movie description it states that the fuel system was not ideal to cat gen sets
@W7ENK Yeah, I read your description. The ones I worked on never had issues starting when properly serviced, you just have to pump the priming pump till your arm's about to fall off, then it should fire up without much trouble. Wasn't trying to cause you any anxiety.
that is a certain problem that cause engine not start, fuel not in line, air lock, or maybe some of electronic problem maybe in this case fuel not well priming yet on this fuel piping system.
@TeslaMe2 there s a hand operated pump to get the pressure back and the air out after opening an outlet ... if it s covered with oil/fuel (and closed again) you will first try to start ... for a backup system which is normally not running you have to check daily that there´s no air or dust in the systems fuel lines ... I don t think the crew is bad - they re just showing a weak system!
Another thing that comes by the fuelfilters is that the secondary(emergency) filters are exactly the same except the capacity of the filters is 3 (or two if i remember) the main filters have 5. So if you have to switch because of a dirty fuel filter while running, you switch to the secondary and then you have to try and replace the main filters withrunning engine. Good luck with that out on sea as it is your main engine...that is my experience atleast.
@castirondude I believe that's what the tech is doing when he's climbing all over the side of the machine. Thank you for reading the description, first! ;)
I find the comments on this video amazing. It seems to me they had just finished doing maintenance on the engine. You know .... they replaced the fuel filter. This allowed air into the lines. The engine will not run with air in the lines. They said there was no way to bleed the lines. I bet they know what they are talking about. After this start there would be fuel in the lines. On the next and following starts the engine would start normally. Think People!!!
I'm a Cat EPG tech. Sounds like the fuel system needed to be primed. These electronic engines need a certain min. fuel pressure to even attempt to fire an injector. Ever see the newer 2.5MW 3516 with air to air aftercooler? Those things are bad ass especially when block loading 2.5 meg in 1 shot. When you dump all load, you can hear the turbos burp because the ECM cuts the fuel so fast. I'm doing a start up soon on 5 of them at a data center and will try to post some video of the testing.
I have started many reconditioned 3500 series engines in a dyno room, they always took some effort to make them start, always using the built in hand priming pump or the priming system contained in the daytank of the dyno room. It has been my experience that engines with unit injectors were hard to start because there is so much air in the fuel passages to displace. The unit injectors have very high opening pressure, cannot deal with anything less than good solid fuel with no air entrained,
I worked for the company that makes the hand primer for this engine. It is SUPPOSED to have one. It is about 1.5" in diameter and is about 8" long and is made of aluminum (but then is painted Cat yellow).
You shouldn't speak in such definite terms, esp considering you've never been to this plant and have never seen this unit. I'm not an idiot, I do know what I'm talking about. Trust me when I say, there is no priming pump installed on this unit. If I still worked there, I would climb atop the thing and snap some photos. Maybe it was just a cost savings measure on the part of this company when they purchased it? That wouldn't surprise me in the least.
I feel your pain. We've got a Perkins 1006-6TA driving a 150KW Marathon generator end that is nearly as big a pain in the ass to get primed after filter change or running out of fuel.
I found a cat generator at an abandoned hospital. We tried to start it, but couldn't figure it out due to time constraints, and not really knowing what we were doing. I'm in love with this thing and want to give it one last hurrah before it gets sold for scrap or parts. The batteries seem a bit low (30v IIRC), but we couldn't get anything to happen. It is 8 cylinders, has two turbos, and I didn't see a radiator near it. Any advice for starting it?
@dylan8495 That's a smaller version of the compressor engine we use to push natural gas down a pipeline and ours runs on natural gas so ether will not work. This one sounds like its a diesel so maybe ours sounds like a drill trying to start and the starter also runs on natural gas. Its like a impact ratchet but for starting the engine.
Very good batteries and starter motor(s) allright. Amazing to have so much cranking power on such a big engine without flattening batteries or burning out starters.
These are air starters, run off compressed air tanks.
@@rolomaticz5009 Sorry, but I have to call BS on that. This is an electric starter, running on batteries. If it were air starter, you'd hear a tremendous turbine whine. Air start is a popular option though, for this engine, but in this case, no... it's electric start.
No, these are electric starters. Air starters sound completely different.@@rolomaticz5009
@@stanpatterson5033 sure does sound like electric to me
The idea is, it will never run out of fuel. There's enough on site to run this (and the three others in another room) for a minimum 72 hours, and there's a contract with a local fuel supplier to keep refueling trucks rolling 24/7 until utility power is restored.
@sniper50cal2 Correct. This is a backup for a trio of 1.75MW gens. If one of those has a problem, this one kicks on, but I think this one was only set up to handle the most critical of emergency branches (this building has 7 of them). I don't exactly remember anymore, as I haven't worked there in over 2 and a half years.
I love how someone (not sure if it was you or not) yelled "Come on!" while she was attempting to start, then she just bursts into life and we get to hear that wonderful thunderous roar from the engine. Music to my ears, just with the audio was slightly better, but its better than nothing ;)
When the generator on the roof of a Western Electric facility in Seattle was tested back in the 1980's, there was an issue.
Turns out there was a slight misalignment between the gas-turbine engine and the planetary gears!
As the turbine RPM went from about 60% to 75%, the entire building would start to shake, moan and vibrate, like an earthquake!
At around 80% or better of operating RPM, it smoothed right out.
Spooky.
Not a bit of shaking when the RPM went back down. Odd.
+Greg Gallacci all our steam turbines do it from 2200 to 2700 rpms. Not a fan of it. lol
Nice and neat installation. We used the ladder rack too for organizing the wiring (350 MCM for our gen set) and it really tidys things up. By the way, the guy at the end hovering over the running engine is either deaf, or will be if he doesn't wear some ear protection. These things are LOUD!
@MF11283 Umm, no. It's not the main backup generator. It's a backup to a set of 3 x 1.75MW generators that serve as the backup to the hospital. This was the first start after it's first annual PM on this engine. Did you even bother reading the description?
What a beautiful sound!! A Cat coming to life, love it!!
I have overhauled many of these engines and have found the best way to prime them is to remove the pressure regulating valve and spring from the fuel pump on the left side bottom of engine and I use an electric fuel pump with the filter bleeders open,it only takes about 10 mins replace valve and spring(it can be messy unless your quick) works way better than pumping for 30 mins.
@nodmessenger It's a medical university in Portland, OR. And, this is one of 4 - the other three are in a separate room across the plant.
@cooey84 Actually, this one is electric start, from battery.
@h0354y That's why we tested them regularly. This unit doesn't do this every time, only after a teardown PM. Did you read the description?
No, there are 3 x 1.75MW gen sets in another room across the basement from this one. This one is there as a backup to that system.
I love the sound of starters. So sweet.
The company that owns these generators doesn't want to spend any more money than they have to. To reconfigure the fuel filter would cost them more money. I'm glad I don't work there anymore. Thank you, BTW, for reading the description! :)
I was classified as a student Temp, which was great while going to school, but after I was finished, my position and title never officially changed which led me to get the hell out of there. It was an interesting and sometimes exciting job while it lasted! I got to dabble in almost every trade in the Facilities Maintenance department.
Yes, it is, at 480VAC. It runs parallel to a 3 x 1.75MW genset in the next room. It powers the emergency lighting/outlets and critical equipment an 18 story building.
This problem only occured during the test fire after the engine was serviced. The problem is with the housing for the fuel filter. It is mounted sideways on top of the engine, so that when the filter is replaced, there is no way to prime the housing with fuel. The only way to purge the air out is to force it all the way through the injectors - kind of a crapp-assed design, if you ask me. Once the lines are purged of air, the generator fires right off, every time.
They're generally electric start with full time floating battery chargers so they don't run the risk of flattening the batteries. A good battery should be able to crank for a good 3-5 minutes before showing signs of going flat.
The gen set was in the hands of a contract service tech at the time. He was performing the unit's first annual PM.
No. This was the first start after draining the fuel line to replace the fuel filter, so the fuel lines were not primed. Please read the description for more details.
lift pump ?????
It's a good thing this engine wasn't needed in any kind of an emergency. Things would have been pretty crazy if that power was needed. Things like this should always be looked over by the hands on maintenance techs , the guys with practical experience in how stuff should work.
Seems like fuel problem of some kind , love the long cranks and the sound of that starter . Glad it started in the end .
Thank you - finally, someone who was paying attention. I was getting tired of repeating myself.
If others would read the description, they too would have also figured that out.
Man, it's so satisfying to hear that big Cat start up after all that trying. :D I'd pay attention to cobus20 though, something doesn't sound right. I'd check to see if the fuel is getting to the cylinders as fast as it should be.
I'd like to see that! I'd imagine that would be startling if you weren't expecting it. Data centers are one thing, but to hear any sort of anomaly at a Hospital - it might make my heart skip a beat!
This problem arose after the annual PM service - the tech took down the fuel system to replace the filter, and because of the way this engine was designed - with the filter housing on top of the unit & mounted sideways - there's no good way to prime the system. He said he had to push the air all the way through the injectors.
I can't imagine that would be good for the injectors or the starter! Once it fired enough to maintain a good burn, it re-started and ran just fine.
I was fortunate enough to start one of these V16 Quad Turbo phase match generators for a waste water treatment plant in SC. Everyone else wore ear protection, I wanted to hear the engine! Note, exhaust was vented to exterior. Still a beautiful sound though!
Good batteries
These engines use air starters not batteries.
Diesel 101? Diesel 101 would tell you that this engine doesn't have glow plugs, just like most large gensets don't have glowplugs. They utilize a block heater to keep everything up to temperature and provide quick, reliable starts.
The muppet of a technician hasn't used the hand primer or bled the fuel system properly! Usually those things start very easily, whether they are running on diesel or landfill methane gas. Obviously on gas they need an ignition system.
That tech is a lunatic!! No ear defenders!!! Those engines are F_LOUD!!! Especially inside a 20ft shipping container as it echoes!
LairdScooby best thing about the Internet- you can always find an expert...
how do you know if they really didn't prime it or bleed it??? maybe they did? maybe the fuel system was just maintained? maybe there were ongoing starting issues with this particular motor?
everyone's the expert till you get there.
the didnt prime it correcty..
A hand primer on a Cat is useless. Crack, bleed and patience. This is 16 cylinders not 6 or 8.
You try hand priming that pump and see how long it takes you to get it started.
Alastair Waters
You are correct. Apparently you have dealt with these before. We had two V12 Cats in one of our gensets. The quickest and easiest way to bleed these was the adjustable wrench and someone at the start panel. No way I would consider the hand pump.
@gaggotgaggot Umm... yeah. This is an auxiliary unit for a set of 3 in another room. This was the unit's first annual PM. First time anythings rarely go smoothly.
The amount of power in that room when it was running well at the end is something no video could express.
Those horizontal filters were always a pain to work with. Thank god they re-engineered later versions to have vertical filters.
We have 3512 1500KW as prime power for our 200 acre sand/gravel and blacktop yard. Sounds just like home! Ours is the same as to difficult to start with air in the system. Our unit runs 8-12 hours a day during yearly production. This unit run 2 starters, and are very inexpensive compared to what whole does in yearly output.
Then open ET ( caterpillars electronic technician computer software) then you run the "injector solenoid test" about ten times. Then still with the returnvalve closed, start the engine, while monitoring the fuelpressure. Someone MUST be ready to open the returnvalve. Never let the fuelpressure rise above 650KpA. The engine will start. Every time. This is very helpful especially when the fuel injectors have been replaced.
And yes. I am a Cat service tech with 11 yrs experience.
When it wouldn't start after the second try? AIR IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. Why would anyone crank on a piece of equipment like this? Short memory if you ask me.
In my former company we used to put a secondary fuel line with a manual pump for priming engines either if not built-in by the manufacturer. Just because if you have a 4-gallons fuel filter complex you seriously risk to blow starting motors and batteries
No no, 6.5MW = 6,500KW = 6,500,000 Watts. This system powers emergency panels for lighting circuits, power outlets and critical life safety and mechanical equipment throughout the entire building complex ~ roughly 1.5 million square feet. The ER is a very small portion of this. But yes, this facility is massive.
Clearly it's not too much cranking because the cranking speed is the same at the beginning of the video as it is at the end. Usually when things are over cranked, the batteries tend to go flat
Gremlins, maybe. More likely tadpoles living in the fuel filter.
Man you cant tell me that this engine had no bleed capability. I look after two eight cyl versions of these with Duplex filter systems and have never had a problem with the bleed. Try clamping the return next time and when it fires remove the clamp quickly. Those injectors need fuel for lube also so you need to keep fuel in the heads for start up.
I used to manufacture and Assemble these at Global Manufacturing in Ladson, SC but the ones we worked on were the ones inside of a tractor trailer box I used to get a big ass smile on my face when we would test one and it would run oh so perfect
Haha, yeah, I think that was me yelling. I forgot about that!
It's funny, at one point you can hear my electrician buddy and the service contractor discussing "...air in the injectors ...(has to go)... all the way through." and still people ask what's wrong or come up with an irrelevant solution.
Guy needs to give the batteries a rest and let the Starter cool down.
Important to take your time to bleed the engine properly and will light straight away.
This particular machine used 4 8D lead-acid batteries in series-parallel.
See: watch?v=h1CjhWwb7u8
We changed the batteries on that machine ~1 year later per the scheduled rotation. This generator comes in at 3:34 in that video.
Some companies in the past used decompressors, manual priming pumps, cooling water preheaters for easier starts.
the outdated Soviet made KAMAZ diesel had no glow plugs, yet did not require long cranking to start.
NEVER have i seen a FF mounted horizontally on any CAT ive went out to work on.they are usually mounted vertically next to the 3 or for 4 oil filters.
That sounds like fun! I really enjoyed the time I spent working up there, I got to see all sorts of interesting things.
This was at a major hospital in Portland, OR. This generator is one in a set of 4, for a combined total of 6.5 MegaWatts for one building, and it still doesn't run the whole building, just the emergency branches, which equal about 60% of the building's power.
People make mistakes and none of us know it all.CAT is one of the finest engines in the world, bar none.
I feel like I have to comment. Earlier someone said that this happened after servicing the engine. All well and good. This beeing a 3500B series(electronic injection) it's a very tricky engine to purge. 1. open the bleed plug from the top of the filter. then pump the hand pump until the fuel comes out. 2. close the fuel return valve. (if there's not a valve fitted, fit one.) pump the hand pump until you can't pump anymore ( will generate some 450KpA of fuelpress) cont...
I used to be a maintenance electrician at a hospital - if our gensets weren't online within 15 sec of a power outage, we were in big trouble. Usually they were up in less than half of that time - of course we had block heaters that kept the temps up.
@idontcare80 I think there's something wrong with your calculation. This is a ~2500hp Cat 3516 diesel engine driving an electric generator motor rated at 2000KW at 480VAC 3-phase, 60Hz. Check your numbers again.
@gaggotgaggot Seriously? Wow... thanks!
I worked a this place for over 10 years, and I closely observed the installation of this generator from start to finish. The only reason why I pulled out my camera was because we knew there were going to be starting issues, as this was the first time this machine had been serviced. I'm unclear on what part of my story you don't believe. I suggest you try reading the description.
Oh, and nice touch, playing that 'American' card. Real classy!
i want a job like this. the sounds are awesome. and the engine is a beauty
At a hospital. It's the backup to a triple genset.
@amit79ful That's why we do annual PMs on these machines, start/run them once a month, and load test them once per year. Apparently, they don't do that at nuke plants? o_O
@tomjohn38 Yeah, you'd think that, but no. This one was absent that nifty little feature, it came that way from the Cat Plant.
"Fire ya damn thing!", hahaha.
Lol
That's prObably best left unsaid. Non-disclosure is at tHe very leaSt polite, even if I don't work there anymore. I hope yoU can understand. ;)
The guys who know far more than me can answer you if you need a more detailed answer or to correct me if I'm wrong; but when a diesel is run dry, or when it is new, there is air that can develop in the fuel system and not allow it to flow properly so it must be bled. One of the other posters mentioned the possible additional problem of the fuel needing to travel great distances before being able to be used. In some cases you might be able to splice the line or use a temp fuel source, but idk.
fail to start/over crank alarm can be heard in the back ground. if you read the movie description it states that the fuel system was not ideal to cat gen sets
@W7ENK
Yeah, I read your description. The ones I worked on never had issues starting when properly serviced, you just have to pump the priming pump till your arm's about to fall off, then it should fire up without much trouble.
Wasn't trying to cause you any anxiety.
that is a certain problem that cause engine not start, fuel not in line, air lock, or maybe some of electronic problem maybe in this case fuel not well priming yet on this fuel piping system.
@TeslaMe2 there s a hand operated pump to get the pressure back and the air out after opening an outlet ... if it s covered with oil/fuel (and closed again) you will first try to start ... for a backup system which is normally not running you have to check daily that there´s no air or dust in the systems fuel lines ... I don t think the crew is bad - they re just showing a weak system!
Another thing that comes by the fuelfilters is that the secondary(emergency) filters are exactly the same except the capacity of the filters is 3 (or two if i remember) the main filters have 5. So if you have to switch because of a dirty fuel filter while running, you switch to the secondary and then you have to try and replace the main filters withrunning engine. Good luck with that out on sea as it is your main engine...that is my experience atleast.
Question.. why do Diesel's always have that lobing sound when it just about catches to start?
Reminds me of starting up a fishing boat engine (commercial). Basically the same thing only with a very large dynamo instead.
@castirondude I believe that's what the tech is doing when he's climbing all over the side of the machine. Thank you for reading the description, first! ;)
@cyrex686
On each side there is something that looks like it would be a starter motor, they have thick cables running to a battery pack.
I find the comments on this video amazing. It seems to me they had just finished doing maintenance on the engine. You know .... they replaced the fuel filter. This allowed air into the lines. The engine will not run with air in the lines. They said there was no way to bleed the lines. I bet they know what they are talking about. After this start there would be fuel in the lines. On the next and following starts the engine would start normally. Think People!!!
Not what i call a dream job, but I would give anything to be a genset tech and work on these mammoth machines all day!!
I like when they guy trying to start the motor gets annoyed and yells "Fire, you damn thing!"
I'm a Cat EPG tech. Sounds like the fuel system needed to be primed. These electronic engines need a certain min. fuel pressure to even attempt to fire an injector. Ever see the newer 2.5MW 3516 with air to air aftercooler? Those things are bad ass especially when block loading 2.5 meg in 1 shot. When you dump all load, you can hear the turbos burp because the ECM cuts the fuel so fast. I'm doing a start up soon on 5 of them at a data center and will try to post some video of the testing.
I currently work on the assembly line where 3500 are made. 3516's come down the line quite frequently.
Battery and starter never gave up!!!!! Fantastic!!!
I have started many reconditioned 3500 series engines in a dyno room, they always took some effort to make them start, always using the built in hand priming pump or the priming system contained in the daytank of the dyno room.
It has been my experience that engines with unit injectors were hard to start because there is so much air in the fuel passages to displace. The unit injectors have very high opening pressure, cannot deal with anything less than good solid fuel with no air entrained,
I feel sorry for the starting batteries...
3:58 You just gotta love that sound..
No hearing protection, eye ware or gloves. Nice work.
afraid of dirty hands? glasses? why??? hearing protection, okay thats a point.
Most places, (especially hospitals) can run battery for 45+ minutes. At HP our data center will run for 2 hours on battery.
Thats not true the injectors run off the cam shaft. This is not a HEUI. No 35 or 36 series engines are HEUIs.
@6str8up I believe it's a 3516, but I'm not entirely sure.
Beginning at 3:40, the last crank actually gets this beast to fire, and she runs until the end of the video.
I worked for the company that makes the hand primer for this engine. It is SUPPOSED to have one. It is about 1.5" in diameter and is about 8" long and is made of aluminum (but then is painted Cat yellow).
We have two 8Ds we bought for a travel trailer. We keep one on there and one in the truck and switch them when one runs out.
Sounds like the injectors needed bleeding and it slowly got there on its own.
Love the sound of big diesels, nothing quite like it
You shouldn't speak in such definite terms, esp considering you've never been to this plant and have never seen this unit. I'm not an idiot, I do know what I'm talking about.
Trust me when I say, there is no priming pump installed on this unit. If I still worked there, I would climb atop the thing and snap some photos. Maybe it was just a cost savings measure on the part of this company when they purchased it? That wouldn't surprise me in the least.
@milidude Need I remind yet again...
***PLEASE READ FULL DESCRIPTION BEFORE COMMENTING***
Thank you very nice.
@redreaper2020 They lowered in into the tunnel, moved it into place, and built the room around it.
I feel your pain. We've got a Perkins 1006-6TA driving a 150KW Marathon generator end that is nearly as big a pain in the ass to get primed after filter change or running out of fuel.
Mounting the fuel-filters upside down is not a problem in general. Just use the filters with anti-drainback valves
My diesel Ford Mondeo is just like this first thing on a cold morning
In 15 years this is the first one I have heard of without a priming pump.
I found a cat generator at an abandoned hospital. We tried to start it, but couldn't figure it out due to time constraints, and not really knowing what we were doing. I'm in love with this thing and want to give it one last hurrah before it gets sold for scrap or parts. The batteries seem a bit low (30v IIRC), but we couldn't get anything to happen. It is 8 cylinders, has two turbos, and I didn't see a radiator near it. Any advice for starting it?
And also most of them all start cranking faster near when it's about to run.
The beeping? Overcrank alarm.
The starter automatically times out so it doesn't burn up.
@W7ENK That's right, it's a 3516! I have a 3512 in my head at the moment... One of our client's gensets - I work for the New Zealand CAT dealer BTW.
@dylan8495 That's a smaller version of the compressor engine we use to push natural gas down a pipeline and ours runs on natural gas so ether will not work.
This one sounds like its a diesel so maybe ours sounds like a drill trying to start and the starter also runs on natural gas. Its like a impact ratchet but for starting the engine.
Wow, I would love to see one of those things in person get started.