What Makes Us Different?

Fuel System

The fuel system on LitePOWER generators was designed to address the following common problems with innovative solutions:

• Fuel overflowing due to expansion
• Diesel engines running dry due to poor fuel gauges
• Tanks that can not be cleaned when filled with contaminated fuel

Diesel fuel will expand as much as 5% of its volume because of temperature changes. Typical generators will leak fuel in the summer if the tank is filled to the top. This can be prevented by not filling the tanks to the top, but then you can’t use the full capacity of the tank. We elected to add a second tank to handle the expansion. On LitePOWER generators you are instructed to fill the tank to the top, even in the summer. The filler cap is sealed (not vented). Any thermal expansion is into the expansion tank. LitePOWER generators will never leak due to expansion and you can use the full capacity of the tank.

Monitoring fuel level on most generators is best done with a wooden stick! If you are not careful you can run the tank empty and introduce air into the diesel injection system. On all LitePOWER generators the fuel level is monitored and displayed digitally on our monitor screen. Fuel level is displayed as a percentage of fuel remaining starting at 100%. When the level reaches 15% our pre-fault system is turned on. This lights up a diode on the display panel and flashes the fuel level indicator. When the fuel level reaches 0% the generator is faulted off and an English language statement is displayed on the monitor that says LOW FUEL FAULT. At this point the tank is not dry. There is still sufficient fuel in the system to prevent the fuel injection from sucking air. LitePOWER generators allow you to fill the tank to the top and then because of our digital monitoring use all of it!

Getting a load of contaminated diesel fuel is a serious problem. It will happen to you eventually. When this happens the drill is to drain the tank and start the process of changing fuel filters every 20 hours and try to capture the remaining contaminated fuel. This can last for months and it’s no fun. On LitePOWER generators over 20kw the fuel tanks have removable inspection covers that allow you to go in and clean inside surfaces of the tank if necessary. Cleaning the inside of the tank along with replacing the filters and fuel lines is all that is needed to restore the fuel tank to a useable, reliable state.

Standard equipment on LitePOWER generators over 20kw includes 3 fuel filters, a main filter plus two additional that also have water separator functions.

Computerized Operation

Monitoring, engine controls and displays on LitePOWER generators are digital and computerized. We are watching so you don’t have to. Here is what we do with the computer and why we use it.

• Ease of maintenance and trouble shooting
• Most monitoring in the industry
• Helpful information
• Diagnostics

On all LitePOWER generators the monitoring, engine control, output displays, fault and pre-fault systems and diagnostics are controlled by a micro-processor. All of this is contained on two circuit boards. In the event that service or updating should be required anyone with a screwdriver can change the boards. The same is true of the voltage regulator and engine precision speed control. We designed the LitePOWER generators so that anyone can operate and maintain them.

LitePOWER generators have more monitoring and a more complete fault and pre fault system than anyone else. And it is all standard at no additional charge! Here is what we provide:

In addition to the information above that is automatically displayed the following helpful information is available by holding the RTM switch up. This information scrolls from one item to the next continually as long as the RTM switch is held. Caution – at the start of the third repeat of information the “Time to Next Service” clock will be reset.

Helpful Information
Total Running Time
Hours to Next Service counting down from 200
Pre-set point for high coolant temperature
Pre-set point for low oil pressure
Pre-set point for over speed
LitePOWER 24 hour phone number
Status of Oil Pressure Sending Unit
Status of Coolant Temperature Sending Unit

All LitePOWER monitoring and displays are in English unless otherwise specified. We can display any language that uses Roman characters. We can also display metric readings for pressure and temperature.

Diagnostics
Oil pressure and coolant temperature sending units are the two most important monitors on the engine and they tend to fail a lot! We’re not sure why, perhaps because they are mounted to a vibrating diesel engine. With other generators, a failure of either of these sending units will cause a hot shut down. This will not only ruin your day but could cause serious damage to the turbo-charger. The prospect of this happening to one of our generators was unacceptable, so we did something about it.

On all LitePOWER generators we constantly monitor the performance of the oil pressure and coolant temperature sending units. If one should fail, we turn on the pre-fault system, display the warning “Sending Unit Failure” and log the time that this occurred. We do not shut off the engine. From this point on you have a choice, you can fix it or continue on without that protection until you have time. We think this is a pretty good thing.

Construction features on LitePOWER generators

Steel construction – how and why we use it
Trailer components – we are different
Warranty

LitePOWER generators are constructed primarily from steel. We use an aluminum extrusion for the corners of our framework but everything else is steel. In spite of this LitePOWER generators are lighter than our competition, actually, considerably lighter. We use steel because of its economy (we can afford to give you more of the good stuff), strength and, in the case of the skin for our housings, its acoustical properties.

The housings on LitePOWER generators over 20kw are made with a riveted structural frame work to which steel panels are bonded on with rubber. This looks good because there are no fasteners showing and, more importantly, the steel panels provide the final acoustical barrier to unwanted noise.

The doors on our engine compartments contain 4 specific, engineered acoustical barriers. They are available as lift off, removable doors or swing up doors supported by gas struts. The hardware used on LitePOWER doors are automotive type with positive striker pins and latches.

Our LitePOWER trailers have been designed to be rugged, dependable and light in weight. We are able to do this because we design the generators and trailers to complement each other structurally. On the LitePOWER 60kw, for example, the trailer is a kit that consists of the axle and tongue that bolts to the base of the generator. There is no compromise in strength and the entire generator/trailer package is almost a ton lighter than our competition. This means you can pull it safely with any 1/2 ton vehicle.

All of our trailers feature Dexter Torflex rubber torsion axles. These remarkable devises provide 6 inches of dampened wheel travel without the use of springs. They don’t rattle when the generator is running and the suspension requires no maintenance. They cost more but we think they are worth it.

Our LitePOWER trailers equipped with surge hydraulic brakes have an additional feature we call a “brake retarder”. This device counteracts the braking action when you don’t want braking action. For example, backing up an incline without the brake retarder would apply the brakes and prevent you from backing up.

LitePOWER products manufactured by Burrell Enterprises, Inc. are warranted to be free from defects for a period of two years. All other components are warranted by their respective manufacturers.