New Lister Project

[Derb]

Hi Fellas. Just aquired a Lister SR2 # 5471 (256 hrs) attached to a Brush generator (6kw) # 2/57635. This was a standby generator for New Zealand Railway signals. I would like to correspond with a forum member with a similar set up. The engine would have to be between 1967 and 1976 I would guess but I havent the resources to track engine no. to a year of manufacture. The set-up came straight out of service last week and came complete with all switchgear/batteries/control board etc. I proposed to fit it up to its own trailer as a mobile unit for ease of moving around my garage but another member of the forum suggests the only way to mount these is to a block of concrete to prevent winding degradation. Any help much appreciated. Cheers, Derb.

[TimSR2]

No not concrete,   don't do it!  The vibration will produce stress cracks in manifolds, mounts  and other castings  in short order, and will telegraph through the earth no matter how many tons of rock you try to bolt it to.   You have to let her shake a little.   Use rubber engine mounts, or put it on a little trailer on pneumatic tyres.  Solid mounting is bad news.  Great little engine BTW. I have one here as my standby set. Mine is a 1976; it has 1500 hours on it. 

[LowGear]

So I like the ask the obvious question.  How did the folks that just got 30+ years out of this system do it?

Casey

[Derb]

Hi Tim. Thanks for reply. I had thought of knocking up a small chassis of 51mm x 102mm x 5mm "U" section steel and fitting a set of old Toyota Corolla rear hubs (in stock) to some space saver wheels. I have just this avo fabbed up a frame out of 25mm x 50mm x 5mm box which bolts onto the spare 4 bolt mounts and straddles the fan housing.  This is to support a short muffler running across the rear of and above the engine and will give me a good lifting point for my car engine lifting jig. The original wall mounted fuel tank holds around 60 litres so I intend using a 9kg LPG bottle to fab up a tank mounted above and to the front of the engine to gravity feed the filter. I have also just finished re-configuring a Fisher and Paykel Smartdrve motor to convert it to a permanent magnet generator to fit to my old 1932 2 HP Anderson engine. Check out eco-inovations site - all you need to build a generator for free using old washing machines. Ya gotta love google! Cheers.

[SHIPCHIEF]

Derb;
If it came directly out of service, then I hope you have the original mount frame, or at least know what it was?
I have an SR2 with a LIMA 12Kw 12 wire alternator, from a US government procurement. It's still on the original base, which includes a 10 gallon oil sump. The engine/alternator are mounted on resiliant bushings, like a car engine and transmission. I'd reccomend you mount with something like that.
That frame could sit on a concrete floor, or on a trailer. The engine and generator shouldn't care. Just remember to start it up every now and then, and put a load on it until the oil is nice and warm.
I should talk. Mine is overdue for a run....

[Tom T]

Do you have the wiering prints for the SR2 and gen setif so could I get a copy of them my SR2 did not come with them. Tom T

[Jedon]

I have an SR2 with a 5.6K Lima, it came with a 800lb concrete block that it bolts to with aluminum and hard rubber bushings. 

[LowGear]

Derb,

I'm still curious how it was setup the thirty odd years before you got it?  Got any photos?

Casey

[Derb]

Hi Lowgear. Sorry about slow reply. This unit was in a trackside shed mounted on a steel chassis which was imbedded in a solid block of concrete which formed the floor of the shed. When I recovered the unit, it was sat out side of the hut in a railway yard and the hut was still mounted on it's concrete base minus the heavy oblong mounting block which I can only assume is till trackside somewhere in the North Island of New Zealand. My nephew is rounding up the original drawings for me and when they turn up I will foward them to you. The unit is still grazing on the deck of my car trailer at present. I have started fabbing up the chassis for it but a large tree in my back yard was threatening to fall on my workshop so I had to deal to that 1st (now four bloody good trailer loads of firewood). when I have the unit sat on the floor on it's new chassis and running, I will post some photo's. Cheers.

[TimSR2]

See mine here . Bolted to a steel frame, under which are resilient mounts ...   it  is sitting on a couple of wooden 2x8's, and not even bolted to the ground. It doesn't move at all. They are pretty tame;SR2's don't try to walk or hop around like most single cylinder engines so like to do. I don't think you'll need any concrete to keep it under control.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbJdzW5bb1Q

And I got the exhaust running clear now...  spill timing :-)

[LowGear]

Thanks Derb,

Thanks, no need to send me a drawing.  I used to build water features and have clients call me back because the "new" guy couldn't get it to work properly.  As often as not they had a better idea to design and functionality except it just didn't work.  I was not sympathetic.  That's why I nagged you about the original working system.

Casey

[Derb]

Hi Lowgear - misunderstanding, I was meaning wiring diagrams (around hear at the mill we call them drawings). Cheers.

[rcavictim]

Hi Lowgear - misunderstanding, I was meaning wiring diagrams (around hear at the mill we call them drawings). Cheers.

Nowadaze I'm apt to refer to one of those as a 'screwmatic diaphragm'.  Does it show?   

[Derb]

Hi Fellas. Whoohoo - cranked up the engine last night on the floor of the garage. Motor mower fuel tank, free to air exhaust, home made crank handle, Japanese safety boots (jandels) you can get the picture. Me cranking like a windmill whilst the father in law is working the valve lifter and fiddling with the rack control. Smoke, rattles, noise - I was like a pig in shit. I didn't have to tie it down like I do the old Anderson single I have. Nice to have an engine which doesn't try to walk away when it is running. Next job - wiring it up to self start and generate. Cheers.

[Derb]

Hi Fellas. Fitted up a small car muffler and pipe to quieten down the engine only to discover most of the noise on these air cooled engines resonates through the block and heads. Accoustic covers next after fabbing up a decent fuel tank. Gotta love the way these things start 1st pop every time. cheers.