Running Harman PB105 with Generator?

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boilerwhisperer

New Member
Jun 1, 2011
7
Central ME
I installed a Harman PB105 a few months ago and with winter quickly approaching I am wondering if it is safe to run with a generator. I just purchased a Generac XG6500 and it's THD is supposed to be around 20%. Has anyone on here run their PB105 with a generator? If so, did you have any problems with the circuit board?
 
Boilerwhisperer
Can't give you an answer today, but Monday my Harmon dealer will deliver my PB 105. He's also a Honda dealer and I'll ask him your question about running the PB on gen power, because now you've got me super interested.
 
I've run my PB105 with a 8500 watt generator many times with no issues.
 
It's a generic brand generator I picked up from Grainger. It has a 10 HP Briggs and Stratton engine.
 
Spoke with my Harmon dealer today- who also sells Honda brand generators, and he says that get the generator warmed up and running smoothly, then connect the PB105. Also if the gen's engine is running roughly and/or surging, do not attempt to run the PB105. He mentioned that the surging power could harm the electronics. Sounds like it can work and good luck on it.
 
Andrew Churchill said:
It's a generic brand generator I picked up from Grainger. It has a 10 HP Briggs and Stratton engine.
Do you know what the Harmonic Distortion spec and standalone (no load) output voltage are for your generator? I have a 8550 B&S genset, and I'm guessing it's probably the same unit as yours, just with a different name on it. I'm asking because my wood boiler doesn't like this genset output - specifically, the temp sensor jumps around through random values, +-15 higher and lower than actual, which in turn causes the fan to also bounce around. And this is with essentially no other load on the genset. As a result, I don't use the WB during power outs, but am still poking around to see if there's a fix anywhere. Probably your PB just has a less sensitive controller than my WB.
 
I don't know. I actually have two of these generators. The 2nd one I picked up at Sears under the Craftsman brand but it is identical to the one I picked up from Grainger.

willworkforwood said:
Andrew Churchill said:
It's a generic brand generator I picked up from Grainger. It has a 10 HP Briggs and Stratton engine.
Do you know what the Harmonic Distortion spec and standalone (no load) output voltage are for your generator? I have a 8550 B&S genset, and I'm guessing it's probably the same unit as yours, just with a different name on it. I'm asking because my wood boiler doesn't like this genset output - specifically, the temp sensor jumps around through random values, +-15 higher and lower than actual, which in turn causes the fan to also bounce around. And this is with essentially no other load on the genset. As a result, I don't use the WB during power outs, but am still poking around to see if there's a fix anywhere. Probably your PB just has a less sensitive controller than my WB.
 
SmokeEater said:
Spoke with my Harmon dealer today- who also sells Honda brand generators, and he says that get the generator warmed up and running smoothly, then connect the PB105. Also if the gen's engine is running roughly and/or surging, do not attempt to run the PB105. He mentioned that the surging power could harm the electronics. Sounds like it can work and good luck on it.

Thanks for the info.
 
willworkforwood said:
Andrew Churchill said:
It's a generic brand generator I picked up from Grainger. It has a 10 HP Briggs and Stratton engine.
Do you know what the Harmonic Distortion spec and standalone (no load) output voltage are for your generator? I have a 8550 B&S genset, and I'm guessing it's probably the same unit as yours, just with a different name on it. I'm asking because my wood boiler doesn't like this genset output - specifically, the temp sensor jumps around through random values, +-15 higher and lower than actual, which in turn causes the fan to also bounce around. And this is with essentially no other load on the genset. As a result, I don't use the WB during power outs, but am still poking around to see if there's a fix anywhere. Probably your PB just has a less sensitive controller than my WB.
I've experienced that phenomenon several times when using a generator. I don't technically know the reason for it but I call it "dirty power". It tends to want to burn up anything with a coil in it. There are alot of Chinese made units out there that just meet the minimum standard that allows them to be called a generator. I wouldn't hook one up to my boiler.
Google "INVERTER GENERATORS" if you want clean power. They're not cheap but they are safe for electronics.
 
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