Micro CoGen.

Quote from: TimSR2 on October 01, 2009, 10:45:09 PM
NA natural gas market is tube- ing even as we speak..Long term outlook is for ultra cheap methane.   Fuel cost for a standby set will be negligible. Gas engines are quieter by far. Parts for gas engines are cheaper and more plentiful. The fuel does not go bad. Pipeline interruptions haven't occurred in decades. With the right kit propane is a good backup source. Just why are we all still fixated on diesels? Remind me.

I am thinking of a 2500 rpm vee belt drive vtwin spark ignition, dual or   tri fuel Briggs /Honda or kawasaki air cooled, with ST  head  for heavy standby use. Stacked vertically of course.  A  long extension fuel hose from your barbecue will power it with natural gas; with some replacement jets propane can take over in a pinch. Built properly it would be dead quiet, and the soft acceleration of the gas engine would produce flicker free light.

Anybody?

I have a conversion on a briggs & stratton 3600rpm emergency generator.  Just be careful how far away from the meter the genny is when hooking it up with a bbq hose.  bbq grill hose is very small, mine is about 3/8ths.  My 50 foot hose for the genny is 1 inch.  The father away from the meter you get, the larger the hose has to be.  My understanding is that it's due to the low pressure NG is under.

The hose does come in handy to hook up the NG patio heater, and it's nice to never have to fill up a 20lb tank of propane anymore.

Dave

That thing is cool!!!
Two questions maybe you guys can answer.

1.) What is he pulling that makes it "clank" and throw smoke rings?  (what does it do...)

2.) What is the little engine?  It looks like it may be connected to an air compressor?  really hard for me to tell what it is and used for.

Thanks
Dave

Quote from: AdeV on November 05, 2010, 05:45:36 PM
....by buying this Fairbanks-Morse  :

Could be the start of a really impressive CHP system...? 

Well I ran the generator under load today for a bit longer test.  Seems I didn't have the replacement "studs" screwed in good enough.  After about 45 minutes and while I was testing our stove they managed to rattle out and the generator shut down.  I put some lock tight on the studs and screwed them back in.  Hopefully better this time.  I will run the test again in the next few weeks and see how it does.

I have a few general questions about these generators.

• Volts: Utility tends to run around 120-122, but the gen runs at about 127-128, is this normal and okay for my electronics?
• HZ: utility runs dead on at 60, generator can bounce between 58 - 62, again is this acceptable?
• Seems when it was run under load with about 12 amps on each segment (convection stove running) the HZ was able to hold 60hz pretty steady, and the volts dropped to about 118.
  

Also, does anyone know where to get 3/4 inch quick connect sets for less than $80 or so?  I can't seem to find any cheap ones.

Thanks
Dave

Thanks Mobile_Bob and Veggie.

I will put it under load and see.   It did not do this before.  I ran it about a month ago and it did not hunt, even while not under load.  It may be the gas, the gas is about 10 months old but it was treated.

I think the hose is going from the Air Filter to the OHV area and not the carb.  The carb would be where I adjust the choke right?  So  I think it's the crank case vent like Mobile_Bob mentioned.  If not and the engine dies a horrible death, then I just have an excuse to get a slow speed diesel.   

Thanks
Dave

Hello
This is my first post.  Decided to post as I can't find much information on these conversion and this part of the forum doesn't see much action. 
I have a Briggs & Stratton (screamer, 3600rpm) generator 5500w bought about a year ago.  Before I came to learn about the slow speed diesels.  (Lister/Changfa clones etc).  Since I'm working with what I have, I decided that I didn't want store all that much gas.  So I got a propane conversion kit from US carb.  (I'm Not connected to them in any way.)

I was surprised how easy the install was since I'm not the most "handy" person in the world.
   Remove the choke
   Remove air filter and housing.
   Add the venturi (Circle piece where the NG/LPG is added to the airstream).
   Splice and extend the line that goes between the air filter housing and the OHV housing... (I'm not sure what this line does but I'm sure most on here do).
   Screw the regulator to the frame.
   Connect the regulator to the venturi.
   Put the airfilter and housing back on.
   Done...

I then set out to test this modification with the 55 foot 3/4 inch hose I also bought.

Connected everything up, and started the generator on Gasoline.  Everything started fine.  However when I try to move the choke to the "Run" position it seems to hunt for the speed.  I have settled on moving the choke to a middle position.

I proceeded to shut off the gasoline and and turn on my NG line.  I primed the regulator a few times and figured that the remaining gasoline would pull the NG through the long 55ft hose.  It did, and the system sputtered for a second.  The regulator has a small screw on the top that appears to control the amount of NG that makes it into the system.  I opened this a bit further and the system came right back to normal.  With the gasoline gone and running on NG I moved the choke to the "Run" position and it did not hunt anymore.

Now all I need is a power outage to test it out with!!! 

Does anyone know why the system seems to hunt when the choke is put into the run position?  Could there be an air gab between the carb, mod, and/or filter housing?

Thanks
Dave