[Vwdiesel] Re: genset applications

[Shawn Wright]

On 19 May 2005 at 19:18, Area31 Research Facility <stephensrw at stn.net> wrote:

> BTW, 3600 RPM is like a swear word to serious genset people.  3600 RPM is good
> for the folks that sell those crappy consumer generators, not good for the
> uneducated people that buy them and have to throw them away after 30 hours use.

Rob,

I don't know much about gensets, but I do know that the VW diesel (and gas for that 
matter) is just fine at 3600rpm and a long service life. Consider that those revs are 
typical for a vehicle application at freeway speeds, and many of these vehicles 
routinely surpass 500k kms without engine problems. I've had 4 of them in my 
immediate family that have passed this mark on the original engine, 2 gas, 2 diesel, 
and probably another 6-8 that have gone over 300k. Figure on an average lifetime 
speed of 50km/h (I don't know if this is realistic?), this equals 10,000 hrs. I would 
think the relatively steady state duty of a genset would be favourable for longevity, 
compared with a vehicle, even at 3600 rpm.

Shawn Wright
http://zuiko.sls.bc.ca/~swright
'85 Jetta D 
'88 Westy 2.1L, soon to be 1.6TD 5 speed
 (see progress at http://members.shaw.ca/vwdiesels)
'82 Diesel Westy