Part II: What are the Factors Affecting the Power of Cummins Diesel Genset

The previous article has introduced small part of the reasons for the insufficient power of Cummins diesel generator set. Now Dingbo Power continues to introduce the reasons for the insufficient power of Cummins diesel genset and the factors affecting its power.

7. Faulty cylinder head assembly

(1) Due to exhaust leakage, insufficient intake or mixture of exhaust gases can lead to insufficient fuel combustion and a decrease in power. The mating surface between the valve and valve seat should be polished to improve its sealing performance, and replaced if necessary.

(2) The leakage of the joint surface between the cylinder head and the engine body can cause air in the cylinder body to enter the water or oil channels, causing coolant to enter the engine body. If not detected in a timely manner, it can cause "sliding shoes" or black smoke, resulting in insufficient engine power. Due to damage to the cylinder head gasket, a stream of air will rush out of the gasket during transmission, and water bubbles will appear at the gasket during engine operation. At this time, the cylinder head nut should be tightened according to the specified torque or the cylinder head gasket should be replaced.

(3) Incorrect valve clearance can cause air leakage, resulting in a decrease in engine power and even difficulty in ignition. The valve clearance should be readjusted.

(4) Damaged valve springs can cause difficulty in valve return, valve leakage, reduced gas compression ratio, and thus insufficient engine power. Damaged valve springs should be replaced promptly.

(5) Air leakage from the installation hole of the fuel injector or damage to the copper gasket can cause cylinder shortage, resulting in insufficient engine power. It should be removed for maintenance and replaced with damaged parts. If the inlet temperature is too low, it will cause an increase in heat dissipation loss. At this time, the inlet temperature should be adjusted to meet the specified value.

8. Scratches on the surface of connecting rod bearing shells and crankshaft connecting rod journals.

The occurrence of this situation may be accompanied by abnormal sounds and a decrease in oil pressure, which is caused by blocked oil passages, damaged oil pumps, blocked oil filter elements, or low or even no oil hydraulic pressure. At this point, the diesel engine side cover can be removed to check the side clearance of the connecting rod big end and see if the connecting rod big end can move back and forth. If it cannot move, it indicates that it has been bitten, and the connecting rod bearing shells should be repaired or replaced.

At this point, for turbocharged diesel engines, in addition to the above reasons, if the turbocharger bearings are worn, the intake pipes of the press and turbine are blocked by dirt or air leakage, the power of the diesel engine can also be reduced. When the turbocharger encounters the above situations, the bearings should be repaired or replaced separately, the intake pipeline and casing should be cleaned, the impeller should be wiped clean, and the joint nuts and clamps should be tightened.

Factors affecting the power of diesel generator set

1. Altitude

Generally, diesel generator is used at an altitude of no more than 1000 meters. For example, when the altitude rises by 100 meters, the power decreases by 5%. Because the higher the altitude is, the lower the oxygen content will be due to the influence of air pressure, which will lead to insufficient air intake and combustion in the combustion chamber, leading to a decrease in power.

2. Environmental temperature

The normal operating temperature is -15 degrees below zero to -40 degrees above zero. Most low temperatures require the installation of an anti-condensation system for easy start-up.

3. Silencer

When installing underground, it is necessary to extend the distance of the muffler. If there is a need for a right angle bend, a large arc should be used instead of a direct right angle. The bend should not exceed 3 places, and the pipe diameter of the muffler should be increased.

4. Heat dissipation

The diesel generator set normally dissipates heat through the surrounding environment and water tank. If the surrounding heat dissipation is not good, it will lead to high temperature of the diesel generator set, which is very easy to damage various parts inside the diesel engine. Therefore, under normal circumstances, the power needs to be increased by 5% to 10%.

Dingbo Power hopes that the above content will be helpful to everyone. If you are interested in diesel generator sets, please contact us by email dingbo@dieselgeneratortech.com.