SDMO Generators Gas, Petrol or Dual Fuel?
I admit that generators had not featured in my consciousness until I visited SDMO in Middlewich, Cheshire a couple of years ago. I was guided through the range of power generating products (from massive to portable in the case of SDMO) and given some very clear notions of just how important power generation can be. For example, I now notice the generator trailers in the background of TV news reports from army bases in Afghanistan. Outdoor events and shows rely heavily on portable power and even the rather dodgy kebab van that parks on the common in my village on a Friday night boasts a portable generator to keep the lights on. SDMO sent a couple of
portable kits down to me to check out and to keep me up to date on current power generation. Essentially these two kits are
the same but with some important and unique differences that may intrigue some potential customers. The more conventional SDMO Perform 3000 is powered by ordinary unleaded, while its sibling can be run on either propane gas or petrol with a few minor adjustments that take literally a few minutes to do. In other respects, these generators look quite
conventional. The motors, alternators and switchgear are mounted within a solidly bolted together tubular steel frame that provides good protection and easy portability by two people. They weigh 43Kgs or so each, so I wouldn’t recommend trying to lug them about on your own, but wheel kits are available to fit to the frames. The motors are made by the American company
Kohler, and they are renowned for reliability and longevity – indeed, they come with a three year warranty. They have a capacity of 208cc and are air- cooled. From what I could see of the motors, they were simply but robustly made, with all the key maintenance areas like spark plugs, oil fillers and filters easily reachable and for easy owner maintenance. For example, the air filter can be clipped on and off using two small clips. Inside, the filter has a washable foam outer filter and a paper filter. This can be replaced in a matter of seconds and requires no special expertise other than recognizing a dirty filter when you see it. The filter also has a summer and winter setting on it. In winter it can be turned to face the well-out-of-stray-hands-way exhaust silencer to take in warmed air that aids engine efficiency. In summer, it just fits the other way around to draw in fresher air. The motors have a low oil shutdown mechanism and a thermal trip switch on the switch breakers.
24 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE
These should ensure that even careless users don’t blow their generators up through casual use. As you would expect, the motors are mounted
on flexible rubber mountings that cut vibration and noise.
Independent Review by Peter Brett
periods of time on gas than many other conventional dual fuel motors. It is, however, necessary to run the motors on petrol every now and then to ensure their continued health, as gas has no natural lubricants in it like petrol does.
SDMO has calculated that
the LPG portable set can be up to 60% cheaper to run than on petrol. For example, a company or mobile caterer running the generators 45 weeks a year for 40 hours a week would face the following cost comparison. The petrol version uses 1.3 ltrs an hour, while, depending on the level of account you have with your LPG supplier, there could be a £1600-£1900 saving per annum using the gas version. Considerable indeed. The switchgear is
remarkably simple since each version of the SDMO Perform 3000 has two 115v outlets and one 230v outlet. A simple switch controls the move from one to the other. These outlets have standard industrial pin plug sockets on them, but it is possible to either buy or have made up, a standard three pin 230v double socket adaptor into
The petrol Perform 3000 started with the first pull
on the cord, and soon settled into a low four-stroke hum. With a noise level of about 83dB A at 1 metre it is by no means over loud and the vibration levels are well controlled. Getting the gas-powered version going entailed
connecting it to a propane gas supply (a gas bottle) and giving it a bit of a prime so the gas can get through to the cylinder. After a few pulls on the cord this motor came to life, and although it seemed to be slightly noisier than the petrol version at first, it settled
which you can plug your standard 230v power tools. I was told that you can even plug your charger for cordless tools into it if you want to. The instruction book is clear and has simple
photographs to illustrate key points and features. This may be quite a key feature when you think about the likely destination of a portable generator. Most of us have access to a reliable 230v power supply to our homes, garages and gardens. But in a discussion with my brother-in-law who runs an irrigation business in Johannesburg, he confessed that he had recently bought a generator for business and domestic use. Apparently, the erratic power supply sometimes leaves the freezers defrosting and the lights off for extended periods of time, and it is worse in rural areas of South Africa. We also know from news
reports that places like Baghdad and Kabul have unreliable power supplies and how this affects the lives and businesses of ordinary people – we have come to rely on electricity for so many aspects of our lives. So, companies like SDMO that provide the wherewithal to keep the lights on, the hospitals running etc etc are really quite important in the overall energy supply picture. These two SDMO Perform 3000 generators are but a small
into a lower hum when current was drawn from the alternator. Gas is sometimes chosen by users because of cheapness, pollution regulations and freer availability of gas fuel. Because the Kohler engines have hardened valves they are able to run for longer
part of the picture but they do show the flexibility and portability that is available for a relatively small cost. Whether they are on a building site or powering the lights in my local kebab van they are good examples of helpful human technology.
www.toolbusiness.co.uk
Reply No. 207
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32