Running an HP 360 on a generator?

[derekw13029]

Can't you combine SOMETHING from 2 breakers to 1?

If you have someone (a handy man?) who is comfortable with this sort of thing maybe some outlets can be stacked differently? Or 2 breakers for ceiling lights?

Did you try (on the other topic) powering the hp WITHOUT the heaters?
Obviously not to run it, but see if it starts up without error

i wasn't aware that was an option. so if i only plug in the printer, it should still start up and at least do a printhead installation?

 

[jimmmi]

So long story short I have an HP l26500, called electrician out, it was going to cost a lot of money to install a new panel as we didn't have enough space at the house for two 240v's.

i got the printer used very cheap and decided that mad maxing a solution be would better suited. thus, enter a champion 6250 inverter generator. it's got a single 240v 30 amp l14-30r receptacle, and with a little searching i was able to find a y splitter. then just using two adapters to the 6-20 t blade on the printer and bam. generator has 5000 running watts, 6250 starting. there is the 30 amp breaker on the generator itself, and the two on the printer. it seems to work perfectly fine, the generator does definitely rev up with the curing module kicks in, but other than a printhead reseating issue i'm still trying to resolve the printer operations fine.

I know that some of the 300 series pull less amps thru the printer circuit, but the 360 seems to be almost identical in power requirements as the 26500/260. i know the mention a dedicated line for each plug, but i know that some people and the electrician i kinda ran this all by mentioned splitting one line as acceptable. this made this think that running the two cords into a y splitter going to one 30 amp l14-30 would be just fine. i have no reason to believe it's not. i know these printers are "designed" to be plugged in all the time for auto cleaning cycles and whatnot, but i have no reason to believe that simply turning the printer off completely when i'm not printing is okay. i certainly do not print every day, at this point i need to use the printer maybe once a week.

i'm looking to purchase a 300 series because finding printheads and inks for the now discontinued 26500 just isn't worth it.

i guess i'm just asking if anyone thinks this is a horrible idea, or if i could continue to use my generator set up for a possible 360. if nothing else, i could always get two generators and run each plug from the printer into one genny each.

First of all the 300 series doesn't make cleaning circles. When its off its off. Not like solvents. I unplug mine every time i finish working with it. Two times had been unplugged for 30 days and printed straight away.
Second i was working mine with just one 25A breaker for over 2 years without a problem. Both plugs bridged. The 2*16A is suggested for safety's mainly. For example if you have some sort of short-circuit in heating element, that breaker will cut. So you know where is the problem. Of course 2*16 is the recommended. Now i changed it. But 2 years never had a problem.

 

[netsol]

i wasn't aware that was an option. so if i only plug in the printer, it should still start up and at least do a printhead installation?

Full disclosure, I have never touched one of these machine, but I have serviced older hp's, epsons, Roland, gerbers & oce's for the better part of 40 years. I have experience troubleshooting the power problems that come from running equipment on generator power, going back to the 1970's...

I would think, the machine would start up, until IT DOESN'T. it should get past current issues and be informative, at least.

I wish I had more current experience with these machines. But I am familiar with the power induced problems with the newer hp's.

 

[netsol]

First of all the 300 series doesn't make cleaning circles. When its off its off. Not like solvents. I unplug mine every time i finish working with it. Two times had been unplugged for 30 days and printed straight away.
Second i was working mine with just one 25A breaker for over 2 years without a problem. Both plugs bridged. The 2*16A is suggested for safety's mainly. For example if you have some sort of short-circuit in heating element, that breaker will cut. So you know where is the problem. Of course 2*16 is the recommended. Now i changed it. But 2 years never had a problem.

Good suggestion. We can manually use "staged loading" turn on the main unit first, let it do it's dance, finish cycling the motors THEN turn on the heaters. (I may be wrong,hp may just throw some sort of error...)