Micro CoGen.

Prime movers, diesel and gas engines => Lister, Petter, Blackstone diesel engines => Topic started by: potter on May 14, 2010, 08:17:34 PM

Title: luckey find
Post by: potter on May 14, 2010, 08:17:34 PM
Here are a few pics of my latest find. I was told if I could move it I could have it.One hour later it had been moved 250 ft by hand by myself and two helpers to the fence line.Pickup in the am by backhoe. ;D
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Curbie on May 14, 2010, 09:38:16 PM
Potter,

Nice score, I was just talking (on-line) with a guy that just got a 18 HP (@1800 rpm) SR3 built in 1972, with a 10 KW Lima generator from a metal scrap-yard for scrap metal price. It seems like good deals can still be had on these if you keep your eyes open.

How do you go about remove the rust on something like this electrolysis, chemical remove, mechanical, or ???

Curbie
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: rcavictim on May 14, 2010, 10:02:13 PM
Egg selente!  For rust removal I'd use my sandblaster to clean that before I tore it apart.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: AdeV on May 15, 2010, 04:22:37 AM
To quote Brian's cell mate from Life of Brian: "You lucky, lucky bastard!" (link NSFW) (http://www.intriguing.com/mp/_sounds/lb/lucky.wav)

A complete Lister VA air-cooled SOM, free for the taking....

Have you done the lottery this weekend? Hmm, can you pick me 6 numbers between 1 & 49 please? Ta  ;D
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: potter on May 15, 2010, 05:14:53 AM
It looks a lot better than it shows in the pictures (they seem to show twice the rust). Flywheels would not move at first but by the time I had moved it it was rolling completely over seems only the ip and oil pump are stuck should be an easy rebuild compared to my CS. No fancy tools here steel brush and elbow grease for rust removal  ;D.

   potter
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on May 15, 2010, 06:21:42 AM
another VA gets a new home. Potter where did you find it? Mine is still working.

Chris
Schooner Bay
Abaco
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Bottleveg on May 15, 2010, 08:04:32 AM
Well done. A 7.5HP VA. I've got one up for sale at the moment. If you need any pics of 'what should be where' then let me know.
                                          Mark.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Rom on May 15, 2010, 10:12:54 AM
Fantastic!

Another saved from the Chinese Smelting Pot!! I got one from Marsh Harbour on Wednesday, no generator head and frozen, but it will run again. Nice cast generator mount aswell.

Still need a gib puller Potter? I can run it over anytime you like.

Rom
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on May 15, 2010, 10:51:23 AM
Potter, Rom well done.
Rom did you ever place an India parts order?

Any luck with VA cylinder liners?

Still wanting crank and sleave bearings

Chris
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Rom on May 15, 2010, 11:03:10 AM
Hey Chris,

Just sent you a PM.

I have not placed the order while I was figuring out the deal on the Barrels. Seems at this time we can have them put liners in the barrels in the States cheaper from the research I have done.

I will be placing the order for the new shipment of parts in the next few days. Just need to make a LARGE order to offset the thousand bucks they want for shipping this time. After reading about Jens' failure with his twin, I thing I shall be getting a spare twin TRB crank for myself for a start!

Rom
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: potter on May 15, 2010, 03:21:57 PM
Thanks ROM I will take you up on your offer when Iget it home and reddy to strip.A few shots of my CS before and after.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: potter on May 15, 2010, 03:31:52 PM
After
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Bottleveg on May 15, 2010, 05:29:56 PM
I have an observation. All the 8/1's, I have seen, drive the genny from the right hand side where as the VA's drive from the left. Are the windings wired differently due to the genny spinning the opposite way?
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on May 15, 2010, 05:55:49 PM
Bottleveg,

The original generators that I worked on VA, 8/1 had what I called the fat boy model and the skinny type. The internals between the two were differt but the parts lists and operator's manuals (Generators)for the two (VA, 8/1)where the same I am reasonably sure that the generators could be run in either direction. Come to think of it, in one set up there where two 8/1's side by side with a 3ft or so space between them. Both engines exhausting out the back. One engine had the flywheels switched so that the fan belt would not be faceing the space between and the operator.

I think my explaination above is as clear as mud or the Gulf. Boy what a mess that is.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Rom on May 15, 2010, 07:20:54 PM
Yea,

I must say its rather amusing to have it recommended to have the belts away from the operator, yet the VA was designed to have the belts on the operator side.

Musta been a victim of the Labour government of Great Britain. Do nothing and get paid for it. The real engineering from before the Great Wars was washed away, so they must have just bodged that engine together over a weekend.

Rom
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Bottleveg on May 16, 2010, 03:03:38 AM
Hi Chris,
           I'm very new to Listers so still learning. I notice that the early 4.5 genny's didn't have the transformer in the end and I guess this is what you call the 'fat boy'.
I understand that the 'skinny type' came in around 1960.
My 8/1 and VA both have the 'skinny type'. Both look identical but the VA's is plated 4.25KVA. Is suspect the 4.25 are a 4.5 but plated to suit the VA, but I'm not sure?
It's interesting you think they could generate from either direction, My 4.5 has a direction arrow but I can't see one on the 4.25.
I originally bought the VA as a spare parts donor but it's like new so seems a shame to break it. Having said that, it would probably cost me more to buy the spare parts than the VA is worth. Here's a pic of the control box-
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj81/prawntrawler/100_0612.jpg)
I guess if the gennys are the same then I could swap them whilst I rebuild the old one.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Rom on May 16, 2010, 05:44:41 AM
Thats a pretty unit you have there Bottleveg.
I have never seen the inside of a box in that kinda shape, normally they are rotted out around here.
What is the problem with the head on your system?

Rom
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Apogee on May 16, 2010, 06:15:24 AM
Bottleveg,

Since the control boxes are often rotted out, it would be great if you'd be willing to take several really good closeups of the schematic and the guts of the control box so others on here have it for reference.

Just an idea....

Thanks,

Steve
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on May 16, 2010, 06:17:43 AM
You should be able to run the generator backwards. Check the brushes esp. on the DC side,they may need to be reseated. Also the starter side of the gen will probably need to be changes around some how or it will try to start the engine in the wrong direction. I don't know what or how to make the changes. Will this effect the control panel wiring? Nice control panel WITH wiring diagram a big plus.

Good luck

Chris
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on May 16, 2010, 06:18:50 AM
Ditto on photos of the diagram.
Chris
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on May 16, 2010, 06:19:47 AM
You should be able to run the generator backwards. Check the brushes esp. on the DC side,they may need to be reseated. Also the starter side of the gen will probably need to be changes around some how or it will try to start the engine in the wrong direction. I don't know what or how to make the changes. Will this effect the control panel wiring? Nice control panel WITH wiring diagram a big plus.

Good luck

Chris
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Bottleveg on May 16, 2010, 08:08:09 AM
I am happy to post up pics of the diagram but it's all here-
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Lister_CSOG/
If you join and go into files you will find the 4.5 manuals.
If anyone wants pics of anything else on the engine then let me know, I'm happy to help.
Ron, there's nothing wrong with the gen head I have, it works well, but it was made in 1962 and has been used as an off grid power source where as my VA is a 1970 and only used for emergency back up power, that's why it still looks new. It makes sense, to me anyway, to use all the 'new' electrics on my 8/1 and sell off the VA parts that I don't need. I guess it would cost me £300 if I needed a rewind on my old unit at some point and god knows how much the other parts would cost now, if they are still available.
Chris, I will take the covers off both gennys, when I get chance, and see if I can spot the wiring changes.
Here's a couple more pics-
                           Mark.
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj81/prawntrawler/100_0617.jpg)
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj81/prawntrawler/100_0611.jpg)
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on May 16, 2010, 08:57:03 AM
Mark, The arrow may be to show you which way the starter portion turns when energised.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: LowGear on May 16, 2010, 10:56:29 AM
Oops!  Wrong Thread.

Casey

Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Bottleveg on May 16, 2010, 11:09:00 AM
Hi Chris, I think you are right, I have also found a direction arrow on the 4.25. (My eye-sight is not what it used to be!). So yes, the direction for starting is probably the important factor that the arrow is indicating.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Apogee on May 16, 2010, 01:03:28 PM
Thanks Mark for the link and the additional pics.

What a score!!!

Regards,

Steve
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Bottleveg on May 16, 2010, 01:52:26 PM
Quote from: Apogee on May 16, 2010, 01:03:28 PM
Thanks Mark for the link and the additional pics.

What a score!!!

Regards,

Steve
No problem Steve, I'm happy to help! Let me know if you (or any other member) would like any other shots.
I know what it's like having parts missing and trying to work out whats what.
                                         Mark.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: potter on May 28, 2010, 02:43:41 PM
Well it seams tomorrow only takes two weeks to come  ;D, the favor of the lift with the backhoe finally happened late afternoon yesterday. At 8 am this morning I had a look and at 9:30 she was running on the first power stroke. I only had to free up the governor linkage and remove the ip to free up the pump bled the lines and off she went.You can see my hose gas tank full of MMO I ran it on this for the first 10 min what a wonderful product.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on May 28, 2010, 06:11:42 PM
Hey Potter you lucky SOB. Good find. Any idea how long that VA sat before you got it and started it up? From my experience it can be years which is amazing in this salty environment.
You me and Rom need to get together for lunch sometime.

Chris
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Bottleveg on May 28, 2010, 06:19:45 PM
That's brilliant! I'm glad you got it going so quick. It looks in much better shape on that photo. Does the salt environment rot everything over there? How is the genny looking?
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: potter on May 29, 2010, 03:03:10 AM
I now have the genny in pieces all of the brush springs have rotted away but nothing that is not fixable by the look of it.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: potter on May 29, 2010, 03:24:30 AM
Hi Chris it would not run after Floyd (1999) I do not know how long before this, and if you noticed from the first pics the roof of the shed it was in had collapsed and it was fully open to the weather, yeah a lunch sounds good.

   Potter                                              
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: potter on July 13, 2010, 06:59:13 PM
Well slow progress gen head done time for engine.
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: LowGear on July 13, 2010, 09:16:51 PM
Will you be my brain surgeon?  Wow!  Talk about a successful return from the jowls of Satan.

Casey
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on July 16, 2010, 04:57:22 PM
Potter,
Nice job, but does it work? I may have some spares, brushes, various resisters etc. Just have to find the right junk box.

FYI Standard Hardware has an assortment of brushes in one of the drawers where they keep the bolts.

Chris
Title: Re: lucky find
Post by: potter on July 17, 2010, 04:51:05 AM
Hi Chris thanks for the info, I have not tried it under load yet but it puts out fine not loaded and I have my hopes up.
 
  Potter
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on July 18, 2010, 05:54:12 AM
Hey Potter, Do the start windings work?
Chris
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: potter on July 18, 2010, 06:12:41 AM
Yes the start windings are fine it all tests good charge side to just not tested with load yet :D

      Potter
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on July 18, 2010, 06:18:03 AM
Lucky SOB

Chris
Title: Re: luckey find
Post by: Chris on July 20, 2010, 04:50:09 PM
Hey potter,

I just had a call from Shawn Roberts in Cherokee. He has a Lister VA SOM that Rom helped him get some parts for to get it going. His problem now is that the transformer in the generator housing just got smoked!!. we are trying to figure out what the specs are for the transformer. Any ideas? or do you know of a spare somehere?


Chris
Title: Re: lucky find
Post by: potter on July 24, 2010, 11:16:42 AM
No sorry Chris I have never seen specs on the transformer other than it is a currant transformer.I went digging in my many hiding places I thought I had a spare but could not locate it ill let you know if I locate one.

          Potter