Micro CoGen.

Anyone here replaced these?  My engine recently started to make somewhat more gear clatter noise and I suspect I might have failing bearings inside.  What I want to know if this can be fixed without taking the flywheel off or any flywheel side covers?  Where the engine is mounted in the steel box frame I have access to the timing cover where the throttle control is, the rear cover under the electric starter motor, and the top cover.  I plan to look inside the rear cover first since both balance shafts are right there and can feel the bearing play at that access point.

Thanx for any suggestions.

Rob

A voluntary recall like this might see some resistance like "You can have my Yanmar clone diesel engine when you can pry it from my cold dead fingers!"

Wishing the forum and all who participate a prosperous New Year in 2014. 

2013 goes down as a really crappy year for me anyhow.  Got very little accomplished with my urgent energy projects due to health problems and I lost my only sibling to cancer.

Cheers,
Rob

This story just broke, pun intended.  .  India is reportedly about to launch a large hunk of machinery hoping to reach the Red Planet.  I wonder how many standard factory finish Rajkot Listeroid flywheels they plan to overspeed in order to obtain the necessary 'lifting force'?


http://www.gizmag.com/mom-mars-india-mission-countdown/29644/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=e131533f5a-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-e131533f5a-90082809

India Space Program, now that's a concept!

See article about   Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel,  Born March 18, 1858.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Diesel

Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of his mysterious death in the evening of September 29, 1913.

As some of you are aware, about six years ago I began a very ambitious scratch built, DIY endeavor to build a VAWT to enable me to go off-grid.  That project has been an enormous challenge in many ways but is nearly completed.  If there were blades on it today, it would be making power today.  The four large blades, each the size of a small airplane wing, sit patiently awaiting my attention at the base of the large machine in my work yard.  Most of he work on the blades has been completed but they still need to be skinned.

As we all know, as far as going off-grid goes, you have to have back up systems in place in case your main source of power breaks down or for off-time to perform preventative maintenance, etc.  In my case if the big VAWT were to misfire in January here, it would be a long cold winter before it got warm enough outside for me to get to any repairs.  It is therefore essential that I have a second wind tuirbine here in operational status as a back-up.  The bonus is that although the main reason to build a second wind turbine is to have a back up machine, I would naturally be using it also as a source of energy, even with the larger VAWT operating.  The big VAWT won't make as much power as I can put to good use if one considers electrically generated heat for the house as an example of good use.

Last year I came up with a design for a HAWT which would be in the 2+ kW class to perform my backup requirement.  I did not want to clutter my field with unsightly guy wires so a totally free standing tower was needed. Complicating the issue is that the finished system can have no foundation.  It has to be stable merely sitting on the ground.  This is to avoid permits and taxation issues.  It needed to be tiltable to provide ground access to the turbine without climbing.  It had to be a motorized tilt system that I could operate working alone.  The tower had to be high enough to get the turbine into productive, non turbulent wind.  My design will place the turbine hub at approximately 66 feet.

It has been an enormous amount of welding, especially making the prefab 20 meter long tiltable 'stick'.  I made use of the inventory of 4-1/2" x 0.125" wall steel sprinkler pipe which I lucked across and also put to good use making the larger VAWT.  A single pipe 21 feet long is very stiff, but I found when I had welded three lengths end to end that the finished pole had the rigidity of a well cooked piece of spaghetti.  To fix this I welded a 12" x 12 " box frame around the entire length, tapering the frame the last 10 feet towards each end.  The box frame consists of twelve, 1/2" diameter solid cold rolled steel rods  running the length of the 63 foot  center pipe.  The surrounding box is welded to the central pipe every five feet through angle iron standoffs.

A substantial pyramidical shaped base frame was built with a solid steel pin at it's top where the tiltable tower will pivot 1/3rd up from the bottom of the tower height.  A gin pole and 3/8" steel aircraft cable is attached to the tilting section to prevent tower sag and to assist taking the weight of the nacelle and blades during the tilt up or down operations.  This drawing shows the basics of my tower design.

A few years ago I was fortunate to acquire a Launtop 6 HP air cooled diesel brand new from Princess Auto for a super deal.  This was equipped with electric start but is missing the hand pull start assembly.  It has been a back burner project for the past three years.  A year ago I acquired a 6 kW gasoline driven generator for the frame and flat fuel tank to incorporate into this project.  The frame received extensive modification and a 12 inch stretch to what you see here.  The four pneumatic tires (Princess Auto), will allow this unit to be moved around the yard wherever I might need a 120 VAC outlet down the road where a cable won't reach.  I have modified a 3000 watt, 3600 RPM gen head also acquired from Princess using the portion of the engine crankcase and crankshaft necessary to furnish the second bearing so as to make it a belt driven head.  The single "B" belt pulleys are sized so that the engine runs at a more lesurely 2700 RPM, right on the peak of the torque band and where fuel economy is best. The engine runs smoother at this reduced speed and will live longer. This de-rates the available  power to about 4 HP, so that the finished genset makes only 2 kW continuously.

The engine and alternator head are mounted on a steel platform that is sprung on eight small car valve springs to reduce vibration transferred to the main frame and starting battery.

I was able to incorporate two fuel tanks and a changeover valve.  As chance would have it the flat tank I acquired had a hole through it which I have positioned so I can access the fuel filler cap on the Launtop original small fuel tank.  Worked out perfectly!

I intend to fabricate a new control panel which will incorporate a frequency meter and hour meter as well as more output receptacle options such as two higher quality duplex receptacles and a twist lock.

This genset was built with intended use as a backup battery charger for the 48 volt battery bank when wind is not blowing in mind.  My prime plant for this purpose will be my R175A Jiang Dong.

Now I can get back to building my two wind turbines.

Computer tower cabinets have gotten pretty 'artsy' in recent years but this one is starting to resemble the Roger Ramjet Space Patrol Chinese diesel recently discovered on ebay.  I think it needs a headlight!

Present price of US $885.76 is WAYYY below scrap metal value.  This beast is HUGE.:   Greenland, New Hampshire, United States


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fairbannks-Morse-diesel-generator-185-kva-/280804838845?pt=BI_Generators&hash=item416145cdbd

Have any of you ever run across any instructions as to rewinding a burnt out Chinese ST head like an ST-10? In my search of so called 'industry experts' at Ontario motor rewinding shops I have come to the conclusion that, not unlike most other service industries today, these 'experts' know absolutely shit unless they have instructions in front of them on a computer screen.  They wouldn't have the inclination, or likely the know-how, to install a few known turns in a stripped out core, spin it up and do voltage measurements achieved in order to determine the volts-per-turn of a particular unknown core if it was required to save their sorry ass.  I figure I will likely have to do this myself but GEEZE, there HAS TO BE someone out there who has this info already!

I'm planning to dispense entirely with the harmonic exciter winding and obtain the power for the spinning field (which is still good on my machine) from one of the output windings through a step down xfmer and bridge rectifier.  Experience shows this to give superior output waveforms.  If you pass the output AC through a winding on this xfmer it can act as a boost-buck and provide output regulation as well.  Getting that xfmer configured correctly will take a bit of trial and error.

Thank you for any help.

Wow this is a B E A S T .  Much more massive and considerably heavier than my mighty Changfa 1115.  I think this weighs 625 lbs.  Seems heavier.  It was all I could do today to get it safely into my shop.  I want to take some pictures after I rest my back.  I probably won't be able to walk tomorrow.  I was able to get this engine and a VW Rabbit diesel 1.6 L which I bought over the weekend from the trunk of my car to the cement pad outside my shop roll up door with my bucket loader.  From there I had to slide the two engines on cement into the shop.  It was all I could do to zig zag move the Chinese beast.  In comparison the complete VW engine was so light I could almost pick it up and carry it.  No access to use my engine lifting hoist today.  Too much 'treasure' in the way.  The shop is a mess.

I'll post some pics soon.  I am really eager to test fire this beast! 

I recently obtained a 6.5 HP, Petter BA1 air cooled engine direct coupled to an 1800 RPM head in a small plant.  Got it fired up and load testing for the first time today and find the unit is running a bit shy of 1800 and I need to bump up the speed about 5 Hz.  I have no info or experience with this engine and cannot identify the speed screw.  Anyone know these machines?

Anyone have a pdf or other file of the service manual for this engine they might care to share?

Thanx!

I'm really having a tough time these daze. Five years ago, when I was still partially young, I began the erection of a very ambitious scratch built DIY wind turbine.  Working as hard as my aging body while plagued with disability and chronic fatigue will allow I have managed to come close to project completion but as the years progress I am getting less and less done each year.  I really had hopes of getting the four massive airfoils completed this year but between bad rainy weather and health problems I don't see it happening.  On top of this I have started to make a second green energy producing backup wind turbine because when you are relying on a system you gotta have a backup for security. Hence the so called "CoVert" operation.  In case you weren't born in France or Canada, Vert is French for green.

I know that I cannot have the big turbine making power for me this winter but I may have a chance at getting a simple 2 kW class HAWT fabricated and erected in the few weeks I have left before the snow flies come again.

I'm not fully engaged in the construction phase of this smaller HAWT yet but have the pieces pretty much all gathered together.  It will be a mobile, sit on the ground freestanding 63 foot steel tower that tilts down for turbine maintenance.  Oh crap, just the description sounds like too much work to do in the next few weeks.

Because of the tilt down feature all I absolutely have to get built while the weather is warm enough is the tower.  The head can be fabricated in winter time in the comfort of the shop.

Prepare to be impressed.  This is quite a collection of big machinery.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&v=0hbG9C6bhZE&NR=1

I recently chanced into a unique position I could not pass up.  I was offered a super deal on an antique Case Model "S" farm tractor in pretty good shape considering the age.  I believe it to be a 1952, the last year of this model that ran from 1941 to 1952 IMIIC. The PO was using it only as a driveway ornament. It had not been started in several years.  When I pull started it, it started cleanly and as though it had been run recently, exhaust was clean from the get go BUT I got showered with rust particles out of the muffler!  That provided useful information about the condition of the engine. Has both a belt pulley PTO as well as the more modern rear output shaft PTO.  Both work. No 3 point hitch.  All the transmission functions are AOK and the engine runs like a top.  Only rust repair needed is on the fenders.  I got a new unused and supple spare tire for the front to replace the one that is badly weather cracked.  I was able to drive it home about 20 miles last Sunday on backroads in high gear.  I had to repair the 6 volt starter motor and the generator needs service as it is not charging.  That's not so bad because the engine has magneto ignition.  Not a wisp of oil smoke in the exhaust and oil pressure is a healthy 35 PSI hot. No nasty sounds coming out of the engine block.  Sounds tight.  Tires are good enough to go on the road.  Needs a minor front axle repair and a paint job and it will look great.

I desperately need a bush-hog and snowblower around here so this will be very useful for me.  Now I'm actively looking for these accessories.  I may rig a push blade for the front as well.

It would have been nicer if the engine was a diesel but I can't really complain at all.

Here she is.  

Really!  I need help identifying this propeller.     It appears that I just cannot predict anymore what kind of unique treasure that I will stumble across in my daily travels.  I was at the recycling depot the other week and my eagle eye caught sight of this baby tucked away in the shadows.  It's pretty heavy. Has numbers on it "M9562" and "82".  Length is 8 feet.  Well this is such a unique find that could also potentially enable some very, very unique hobby projects that it just HAD to follow me home.

I'd sure like to find out what airplane this was off of and what RPM and HP it needs to work.

I was thinking WW-2 fighter trainer until I saw the number "82" which may be the year of manufacture.

Not sure what I am going to do with it but one idea comes to mind.  I have a solid aluminum 12 foot diameter P-P microwave dish from Andrew.  If I were to cut it out in the middle and install open mesh, placing this propeller just below the hole I could possibly build a homebrew hovercraft.  I'd need quite a powerful gas powered, air cooled engine though.

How about an alternate wind source to power my wind turbine when the natural wind isn't blowing!  Maybe the government would give me a grant to do that.

Man I have way too many project aspirations for one lifetime! 

Next month, New York State will have a completed 20 megawatt flywheel energy storage system connected to its electrical grid to provide frequency regulation and help maintain the stability of the electrical grid.  Oh oh, theres that twinge from flywheel envy kicking in again. 

http://www.ecogeek.org/power-storage/3531

I really like this! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnZUkl0NC5A&NR=1

There was a slower version of this which bolted to the wheel studs of a car with the drive axle lifted off the ground in another video called a "Unicorn Log Splitter". 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1HZztie5ac&feature=related

I think this electric one is much more appropriate for my garage.  I wonder if I could make one of these.  I have some 4" solid hot rolled steel rod and a big enough lathe.

I've been trying to take advantage of the winter months, unable to do outdoor work on the wind turbine, so I figured I'd better get busy and install the electrical equipment that I will need to make everything come together once the turbine is making watts.  I have been busy installing metallic waterproof 1-1/2" conduit in the basement ceiling, two 19" equipment racks, my 10 kVA 48 volt inverter and the battery bank.  Today I finally finished wiring between the batteries, bussbars and inverter.

I have 72, 12 volt AGM valve regulated batteries wired in 18 strings of four.  A 30 amp DC breaker connects each string to copper bussbars.  The bank is split to operate as two separate banks of 9 strings and each bank can be switched in with a master 400 amp DC breaker.  Both banks can be run simultaneously as one larger bank.  52 of the batteries are 90 Ah.  The last 20 are 80 Ah.  I have the storage to supply my 10kW inverter to full output for four hours and still leave a 30% SOC for battery protection.  I have just acquired an additional 24,  120 Ah batteries and will be adding them as well once I build another set of battery racks. I honestly don't know where I'll find the room though.  I still have to leave room for the mechanics of the proposed ground source heat pump, solar hot water tanks and other stuff.

Please allow me to share the philosophy I have been following for quite some time now as I saw what was coming and see we are now accelerating into big time. Distributing a post of this nature is highly unusual for me, in fact it is a first but with events occuring now as they are I felt compelled. My only purpose is that I hope it might help you in some way.  I know that in this forum I will be in large part preaching to the choir.   

If you have any money, buy the machinery and hard goods and spare parts you need now before the money is worthless and also before the countries making the stuff you need fail through social unrest/politics, war or due to natural disaster like in Japan right now.  We could wake up any day now and find that ships are no longer able to bring in spare parts for your Chinese generator engine.  Could be now already that parts for certain Japanese machinery will no longer be available...ever.  What I know for sure is that what we have always come to expect as normal, meaning we were pretty safe to procrastinate on getting parts or whatever until later or next year is no longer a safe bet.  A wise American (some still exist) recently said, "If you can't eat it, don't buy it".  I take that as good advise but extend that sage purchasing policy to include hardware that supports a private family life support system.  A new 62" plasma TV, X-box 360 or snowmobile do not resemble essential life support systems in my mind.  A used high MPG diesel powered vehicle or multi purpose farm tractor does. Anything that has a great thirst for refined gasoline is probably not a good investment going forward.  Think about this and look at your primary source of transportation right now.

Things are happening that are attacking all that we have come to take for granted.  For example I believe it is no longer safe to assume that the electricity or natural gas, even municipal water now serving your property will continue to function. Much of the country of Japan who had such expectations have just been proven wrong, with life threatening consequences!  That ought to be an eye opener!!!  Japan is the world's third largest economy, not some back woods 3rd world jerkwater.

If you buy a generator think about how you are going to get fuel for it with the gas stations all closed.  In this case avoid those gasoline powered 3600 RPM screamers that wear themselves out in 50 hours of use which are sold at all the big box stores.  Better quality units are available that run on diesel which run longer per liter of fuel because they are more efficient and in many cases can even run on home cooking oil, home heating oil, and in a real pinch even used motor oil well filtered through a sock, towel or blanket into a pail.  A diesel engine is much more versatile in a long lasting emergency situation.  In the case of a permanent generator installation get a small slow speed (1800 RPM) diesel plant.  Stockpile some fuel, lube oil and filters.  Diesel is much, much safer to store than gasoline and does not go bad quickly like gasoline.  There are additives that can extend the storage life of diesel.  There is plenty of info on this subject on the internet.

Consider solar panels and a small wind turbine if you are in a location where these could be helpful.  In fact some of the new electric assisted bicycles can be recharged from a modest home wind turbine and get you a few miles back and forth to work in the warmer months or to the store.  No outlay for fuel and no insurance or even drivers license is needed on these.  There are also health benefits from increased exercise using one of these compared to driving a car even if you don't use the pedals.  The ones I'm talking about look like enclosed motor scooters, not bicycles, and have luggage carriers and compartments for groceries, etc.  I saw a nice looking unit very economically priced under $700 recently at Princess Auto.  Similar looking models are selling elsewhere for twice that and more.

Do not ignore the fact that food is now going up in price all around the world and is becoming short in supply.  This phenomenon has finally hit us here in North America.  It will get worse.  Some types of food can be stored.  Plenty of info is available on the internet.

Buying a remote woodlot with potable water and good soil to support a private vegetable garden and room to keep a few food animals like chickens, goats, geese, etc., also makes sense if you are able.  Our environment is changing. If you live in the city when all hell breaks loose your chances of survival are guaranteed to be very grim.  Only those that can make changes in time to adapt will have the best odds on survival.

This is not meant to be a complete list of what I feel one ought to consider but it does touch on enough to stimulate thought. Do with this what you will. As with anything else YMMV.

Good luck my friends,

rca