a poll of the membership

[mobile_bob]

for reasons i won't get into just now, lets just say i am curious
and would like some input from the membership

lets do a poll of sorts

if you guys can copy/paste the following questions along with your answers to your response
i would appreciated it.

it is assumed that most here have at least a genset they are using, planning on building so.

1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use?

2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover?

3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both?

4. how long have you had the unit? 

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year?

6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or?

7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water
production, space heating or both?

8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so?

9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart?

10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price?

11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important.

now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs?

13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design?

14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find?

15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for offgrid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book?

16. please feel free to add other comments that you might have an interest in sharing.

thanks guys

bob g

[highwater]

1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use? 
3cyl kubota 1005, 2 cyl baby cat, 4cyl Allis gas: diesels will be experimenting with NG fog, if Allis is rebuilt will be converted to NG

2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover?
kubota is 18kw, baby cat is about 12kw: on diesel fuel that is

3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both?
Marathon AC pancake on the kubota. would like to have some DC battery charging at some point

4. how long have you had the unit?
still building the kubota, always gathering parts for the other units

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year?
unknown at this time, no more than needed

6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or?
kubota will be used for grid down emergency up front
others for co-gen

7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water
production, space heating or both?
no

8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so?
yes

9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart?
no, kubota will be manual start intentionally
other projects maybe

10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price?
no interest on the grid down backup automation, but on co-gen I think some automation will be necessary

11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important.
most important

now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs?
diy web forums, books, spec sheets, white papers, manufacturers tech pages

13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design?
too much information?

14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find?
still watching for diy chiller stuff

15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for offgrid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book?
I am always looking for the information where the author has done some experimenting, with hardware that would be available to me if I were to duplicate the set-up.
Of value would also be the identification of his failures and/or processes to achieve what he was after.

16. please feel free to add other comments that you might have an interest in sharing.
I'll by the book.

[uber39]

1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use?
     
2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover?
      4hp@3000 rpm

3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both?
      DC only

4. how long have you had the unit?
      This one- still under construction-6 months

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year?
      8 ish hours a day( heating season only ) I hope

6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or?
     Setting up as heater with benefits

7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water
production, space heating or both?
     All heat to be harvested- space and domestic

8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so?
     
9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart?
     As simple as possable, check oil & water then hit the big green button

10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price?
       YES, all that stuff is beyond me

11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important.
       For me I would say fairly important

now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs?
         Mostly here- Thank you all

13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design?
         !00 diff engines = almost 100 diff designs. What I think will be simple takes me forever,

14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find?
          All of it , but in simple english

15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for offgrid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book?
       As above
16. please feel free to add other comments that you might have an interest in sharing.
       When you write the book, please use similar style to your white paper, and let me know where to bye it 

[playdiesel]

1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use? 1115 Changfa clone

2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover? 23 HP

3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both? ST15 AC only

4. how long have you had the unit? 3 years

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year?  around 20 hours a month

6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or? It is dual purpose, emergency back up power and we use it for primary power to burn up what ever WMO we generate ourselves.

7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water
production, space heating or both? No

8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so? Since our primary heating is with with an outdoor wood boiler that sits right beside it there are plans to put it in the boiler  loop so we can use the waste heat. It also would keep the engine hot for instant starts in the wnter. One reason we have not done this is I have not figured out how to eliminate heat loss from the engine when not running which is the great magority of the time.

9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart? No

10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price? Maybe

11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important. Important

now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs? On this forum, Lister page,  A couple of good vendors that post here and there.

13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design? Yes

14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find?

15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for offgrid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book.  That's a tall order Bob,  In my experiance lots of new seekers are looking for a magic box of sorts that is going to pull KWs out of thin air. The laws that guide power generation should be spelled out in an easy to read manner in order to dispell thoughts of free power, or perhaps better put power generated with little or no energy inputs. Those considering off grid life also need to carefully consider life styles and the energy required to maintain them. Joe average is totaly clueless as to how much power they consume and the reality of how cheaply it is provided by the grid as compared to any home brewed fossil fueled equipment. Even with waste fuel long hours of operation is going to mean big hits of equipment maintanance repair or replacement costs at regular intervals. This has been the ruin of many dreams from what I read?

[SteveU.]

Hi MB
I'd like to respond. Problem is I had to give up on cutting and posting a few years ago. As I gained more woodgassing experience and Internet exposure I became a target for the "All Internet Information Should be Free TO All!" hacker new age clan. So instead of endless dig into pocket up-jump out-tech'ing them I just went back to old and leave no trail slow ways. Ha! Ha! Seems to baffle them.

I'll try to answer these questions in text.
You 'all known me for a while know that I promote not just simple back up but triple redundancy. Don't just promote this - actually live it. Vehicles, dogs, hats, boots, working knifes, phillips screw drivers, chain saws, axes, the works for needed capabilities. Having just only  one option on critical needs puts a fellow one step away from sheeple having NO capability. Simple backup and then when the primary in-use fails, you are on the backup as primary and you now ain't got NO backup anymore and are then, again, just one step away from having sheeplelike no self-capability at all.
Ha! Ha! Only one wife though. Personal medical bills be too expensive any other way. And she has her own triple layered lifesyle. So does yours! Check her kitchen, shoe and clothes closet, and make-up assorment.

My latest engine generator, the Miller Trailblazer welder, gives me a turn key HD continous duty 10,000 watts AC anytime that I want it. Expensive, PITA gasoline fueled. One reason why I went with the electronic fuel injected version for the 17-28% better fuel economy. Two five gallon cans of gasoline here always, plus a couple of cans of two cycle mixed. Three fueled up gasoline vehicles here always. Given this, all in all, 40 to 120 hours (10 to 30 days) of two -2 hours a day of cycled running generating time depending on the seasonal load demand. Before that I would have this Dino fueled engine-gen system heats woodfuel drying and be switched over to running on woodgas fuel at half power potential. NEED to eventually set up a front of engine driven DC alternator like the Miller Trailblazer AIr Pacs systems do this at a nice quieter 2400 RPM idled down speed. Need to now first set up a forklift battery bank in the off-grid shop. This set up could also be easily propane fueled for for near full AC output and full DC if I was willing to commit to adding the 300-500 gallon propane storage tank to get the delivered price down. Only way I can match the delivered on location BTU cost of the bought out gasoline even with paying the state and federal road tax on it.
Bob you've lived here PNW wet side. This system going to need ALL the engine and genrator waste heats to bring down the 50-60% moisture 10 months of the year picked up woodfuel to a gasifier usable >30% moisture.
No speculation on all of this. I Helped full system wire in a five controller motor woodgas system in three different voltages and then convert a trailer mounted 17.5 kW/el (on gasoline) Generac V-twin aircooled gen-set to woodgas for a system that could do all of this. Solid, stable, electronically stepper motor controlled 5,000 watts AC when woodgas fueled. I did NOT like the open system Generac noise; and did not want to depend on their cheapest bidder layered electronics systems. The Miller welder generator system obviously already a very highly electronic dependent automated system, but this by a company built and depending on their commercial durability reputation, with good service info, a service/dealer network, and parts availability.
This will now become the first use grid-off option for the house. 100% power for the off-grid shop.
My diesel John Deere/Yanmar three cylinder 27hp/20kWme 105cid/1.7L tractor at 1800 RPM, PTO spinning my 8.5 four pole MeccAlta AC genhead now be option #2. This engine package is all mechanical except for engine starting and glow plug. System won fuel economy plowing contests back in it's new day of 1980. Medium speed IDI system able to use ANY reasonable new or 1-4 year stored diesel or furnace fuel oils; or yes, spec bio=diesel.  I do not want to add any more automation or electronically complicate to this at all. Let my transformer field controlled MeccAlta brushless gen head handle it as well as possible then the load users will have to be the ones to adapt. Be me and the wife. Maybe, the Town water supply for one of their well pumps in a true long term grid-off situation if they supply the fuel and an armed system guard/monitor for my tractor.
Plenty happy with our two quiet, no electricity, needed bulk wood stoves for space heat and more likely to set up for domestic hot water off of one of these than the tractor engine. Ha! Ha! This tractor under moderate load really doesn't have much wasted heat left to farm. Again, for me better to use the engine fan blown coolant and exhaust wastes heats for wet picked up winter fuelwood drying.
My #3 option is my fuel sipper water cooled single cylinder Changfa'zoid R185. 7.5 hp - 4xx CC's. IDI it could burn almost any heavy oil based fuel. Once I get a shop battery bank set up it will  be DC alternator  set it up and then just let the load RPM's float around a mechanical governor set point, say ~2200 RPM. Hopper cooled, manual system with NO further complication going to be added by me except to match the ready fuel tank supply to the hopper water consumption needed resupply. That manual pour in resupplied from soft rain water roof collection. This system is small, inoffensive and with electric starting the only multi fuel capable engine my wife actually likes and will go near enough to operate. She, the dogs and chickens Hated the big scary open flywheel stump hopping Listeriod. I can easily winter hand crank start the R185. The 12/1 was an all 'ya got, herkin' huff'n puff propane torch process in the winter.

Now IF I lived ~350 miles farther South like friend Marcus and others; or ~100 miles farther East over the Cascade Crest on the dry side like most others here in the actual usable Solar potential country I would have started with PV solar and already have the battery bank and inverter/controller components. And yet STILL make up two engine system genration supplement systems. One based around a spark ignition woodgas/gasoline/propane engine: a Miller/Lincoln engine driven welder generator. And the other based around a heavy oil liquid fuel capable non-electronic CI diesel engine. Probably the JD/Yanmar tractor. Really do need to get back to using it at least once a day through a full thorough warm up.

Solar and wind forums, groups and books too light on real years in-use proven info and often optimistically inaccurate on the realities needed to set up an always needed supplemental engine-gen side.
Gasoline engine gen info sources very inadequate for long term durability and the actual overall cost of long term useage. Lots of "I'm OK now" package gen set owners over heat burning-up and fuel-out downing themselves with every, days in use needed emergency. Lots of shallow DYI and youtube lawnmower crap out there.
Diesel engine gen forum, groups and info sources like the ListerEngineForum are too grams fuel per hp/h myopic. Too slow speed is King myopic. Others, too damn surplus cheap system Big and fuel demanding to ever be personable supportable. I apologize if I offend. Not my intention. My opinions now. I've actually paid out of pocket to learn this.

I like and use this Group, the knowledge and experience base of it's members the most of anywhere now and use it for everything personal generated energy wise now except for woodgassing info. And woodgassing info is actually still the worst of alt energies as too scattered, fragmented and filled with it's own over-hyped, speculative, over-optimistic misinformation. Lots and lots of "whoo-hoo!" youtube videos up now. 99% trash. Problem is you have have experienced actual woodgas know-how to be able to sort out the good from the mis-, and disinformation. Then you don't need the videos. Give me a GOOD book any day.

Regards
Steve Unruh

[Frank S]

Hi Bob. well I'll start off with as much as I can



1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use?
(A) in my home basically none in my factory I currently have 2 I recently changed out a 500 KW older Cat unit  for a smaller 350KW Perkins Powered one as the primary my secondary is a 300KW Volvo Penta

2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover?
Perkins
3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both?
AC only this is  the only sourse of power to run my factory
4. how long have you had the unit? 

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year?
16 hours per day 5 days per week
6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or?
the Volvo Penta is used as the back up and auxiliary
7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water
production, space heating or both?
NO, However am investigating total off grid usage for remote areas of another country
8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so?
This would be predicated on my relocating to a semi remote area in Europe in the near future
9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart?
Not at this time again see #8
10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price?
Yes See #8
11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important.
They use what they use so only somewhat important , Second part to the answer Should I relocate in the future as planned then fuel will be a very high priority.
now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs?
Every since the advent of Google and Bling useful information from the internet is next to impossible
13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design?
NO
14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find?
I would like to find better information on winding
15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for offgrid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book?
not sure
16. please feel free to add other comments that you might have an interest in sharing.
Currently working on a gen head design for a wind turbine in the 25 to 30 KW  range it will be active & passively controlled 3 Ph @ 415 v 50 HZ with a back up engine driven gen of similar size I am thinking it will need a 60 ft diameter turbine set and be mounted on a 120 to 150 ft tower
thanks guys

[mobile_bob]

good responses guys,

lets keep it coming! 

don't be bashful step up folks, the more that participate the better the info
and the better understanding of the needs and concerns of the group will be the result.

otherwise we are left to poke an hope, floundering around without direction.

thanks again

bob g

[mobile_bob]

i suppose it isn't fair not to address the questions myself
and expect other to do so.,,,, so here is my attempt as answering the same.

1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use?

actually i am thinking of perhaps as many as 3 or 4 prime movers, the changfa r175, the s195 (of course) and maybe the AG395 or the petteroid 28/2 i still have.

2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover? 

about 4.4kw for the 175, 9.8 for the 195, and i think about 20kw for either the AG or the petteroid.

3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both?

both, AC and DC,  ST 7.5 and STC12 for AC primarily, and probably the 110-555jho for DC

4. how long have you had the unit?

too long without getting them online, i think over 7 years for the 195's and maybe 5 for the rest.

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year?

still working on a limited scheme where the unit used will be limited to 2-3 hours per day 6 days a week, and perhaps longer on the 7th day to top off batteries if needed and power scheduled loads
such as laundry day.

6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or?

back up and emergency at first, however i am seriously considering use as primary if conversion
to the use of nat gas works out to be cost competitive with utility power, which i think it can be here
if done very carefully.

7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water
production, space heating or both?

both domestic hot water production (year round) and space heating (late fall thru late spring)
and i seriously want to develop an absorption chiller to use the waste heat for cooling, refer, ice making or something useful in the summer months.

8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so?

yes, see #7 above

9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart?

yes, starting with an autostart system, and further development of a total system control scheme.

10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price?

yes, see #9 above, always looking for  cost effective solutions to improve the system, increase efficiencies and take care of system monitoring/safety concerns.

11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important.

most important, followed by clean and reliable operation.

now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs?

anywhere i can find it, from books both very old and modern, spec sheets from the oem's, independent testing reports, web searches.  basically if i thought i could find a scrap of info under a steaming pile of dog poop i would be digging in head first.

13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design?

yes and no, yes only because i have amassed a large library of technical books and stacks of downloaded information. no, because most of this info is very hard to get these days, due to limited access to quality books and info, and nearly nothing written for the common diy'er using commonly available materials... if i lost all my books and info in a fire, lost my memory due to a hit on the head, i would find it very difficult to find quality info to make or base design info on. 

14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find?

basic system design, starting with an understanding of the loads to be serviced, how best to service them, how to control them, schedule them.  then info on various means of producing the needed power to service those loads. storage and inverter systems,  all written in such a manner that a reasonably competent diy'er could understand and apply. 

15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for offgrid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book?

more of the same as above #14,  we really haven't had near the amount of good books written on this subject as were written back in the 70's. this i feel is sad given we have so much more to work with now that we didn't have back then!  back then a worn out lawnmower engine and a used delco alternator coupled with a couple of car batteries that was used to power a few tail lights and maybe a car radio was about the epitome of a diy'er system,,, we can do much better than that now.

16. please feel free to add other comments that you might have an interest in sharing.

i could go on all night and all day tomorrow, but i am preaching to the choir!

[Tom Reed]

1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use? Listeroid 6/1, Chang-Chi n195, Kohler K301

2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover? 6, 13, 12 hp

3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both? ST5, ?/Markon, Miller

4. how long have you had the unit? 8,1,1 years

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year? 250,10,0

6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or? Off-grid Backup, ?, not running yet

7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water
production, space heating or both? yes, hydronic in floor space heating

8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so?

9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart? No

10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price? Maybe

11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important.

now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs? Here now, in past utterpower.com

13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design? Sort of

14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find? I plan to do some unusual stuff so it's hard to say.

15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for offgrid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book? Good info on direct charging 48vdc battery banks.

16. please feel free to add other comments that you might have an interest in sharing.

[AdeV]

1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use?
Genuine Lister 6/1 single. I could use a 12/2 twin one day as well

2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover?
6hp

3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both?
AC only. Currently an ST-5 1500rpm 240vac@50Hz unit, I also have a 3000rpm 3-phase unit

4. how long have you had the unit? 
About 4 years

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year?
Currently experimental use only. Eventually I'd like it to run "as required" to keep a battery bank (or some other form of stored energy) topped up.

6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or?
Experimental now, primary anticipated.

7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water
production, space heating or both?
Harvest yes; expected use would be DHW

8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so?


9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart?
Not yet, but I intend to. Would make a homebrew device

10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price?
I'll be making my own device, thanks.

11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important.
Depends on the fuel: For paid-for diesel - efficiency = very important. If its running on biomass or waste oil, less so.

now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs?
Here, and in my imagination mostly

13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design?
Yep

14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find?


15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for offgrid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book?
OK Bob, what's the book called? 

16. please feel free to add other comments that you might have an interest in sharing.

[cohippy]

1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use? Isuzu C201

2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover? I believe it is about 28 Hp @ 2200 RPM I have no idea what it is at 1800

3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both? Currently a ST-24, so AC

4. how long have you had the unit?  about 6 months

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year? currently not often, but when I move to my off grid land, mayby an average of 3-4 hours per day

6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or? it will be supplemental to solar and to run welder, air compresser, ect

7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water
production, space heating or both? i plan to use to heat my shop in the winter via coolant loop

8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so?

9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart? I will but not auto start......

10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price? possibly

11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important.

now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs? here and other sites via google

13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design? no

14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find?

15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for offgrid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book?

16. please feel free to add other comments that you might have an interest in sharing.

[JLMTECH]

Posts: 2198


     a poll of the membership
« on: August 28, 2012, 01:36:07 AM »   

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
for reasons i won't get into just now, lets just say i am curious
and would like some input from the membership

lets do a poll of sorts

if you guys can copy/paste the following questions along with your answers to your response
i would appreciated it.

it is assumed that most here have at least a genset they are using, planning on building so.

1. My prime mover is a Changfa 170B for battery charging. A Witte diesel 6hp for 220 ac (unfinished). A Coleman 5wk screamer (3600rpm).

2. 170B has max hp at 4.85hp at 3000rpm. whitte is rated at 6hp at 850 rpm,.

3. 170B is belted to a automative generator, Ford series 6 (what ever that means). The Whitte is belted to a HF 10kw(?) 3600 rpm head. The sceamer is direct coupled to an 3600 rpm 220v alternator.

4. I have had the 170B for three years. The witte for four years. The screamer for two mounths.

5. I use the 170B to charge tractor batteries. Also I attach a trolling motor battery for voltage stablization and feed a 1500 watt 120v inverter for emergency power out, less than five days an year.  This works very well, I can keep the freezer and refig. cold, run the TV and lights. I can not run the 220v water well.
I can not used the Witte because it has a leaky head gasket.
With the Screamer I can connect the 220 volt cable to the house wiring ( with the grid main switch off) and power the house (all but the clothes dryer, we have gas heat).

6. The units are used for backup or emergency only.

7.  We do not recover any engine heat.

8. We are not planning to recover engine heat.

9.  I do not use any form of automation.

10. I am not interested in automation.

11. Fuel efficiency, moderately important becaue of the amount need to be stored for emergency.

12. I find the information about genset designs from this form, the lester engine form, other internet sited and books.

13. There is rarely enough information available to make a good evaluation of a new design.

14. I find it difficult to get functional information. For example, can two 110v inverters be connected in series to aet 220 volts? Clearly the phase must be locked.
If phase locked, will it work? I want to feed 220 voltage in the the house wiring. For this to work a center tap is required to split off 110 volt circuits.
On the internet are 110 inverters than apear have a phase lock feature for parrallel connections. Can these inverters be series connected of 220 volts?
The sellers say NO. I think they will work. About $400.00 is needed to buy itwo inverters and test this "feature". Can anyone resolve this issue?

15.  A book with details about slow speed engines for power generaltion would be terrific. MB you seem to like to write. This would be an outlet for your energy. You should write one. Others on this form would help with topics and "error correction".  I bet you could make a few bucks.

[mobile_bob]

thanks again to those who have responded

now what about the rest of you lurkers!

the more that respond the better the poll info

this info will be used for various purposes, things like the direction of this forum, used in formation of questions used in talks with the epa, info used to prompt those that like to write to go ahead and do so, and other useful things that benefit everyone here to one degree or another.

here is your chance to be heard!

so where the hell is everyone?

step up...don't be bashful!

thanks
bob g

[fuelfarmer]

In our farming operation we have 9 generators from 2 to 55 KW. 5 are engine driven, 2 are tractor PTO driven, and 2 are electric motor driver.  2 engine driven units are automatic start with safety switches, 2 with manual start and safety systems, and a small portable. I plan to add a lister clone as a useful toy.

Fuel used........ diesel, propane, gasoline, and grid electricity.

We run 2 generators with 10 HP single phase motors to produce 3 phase high voltage power to move irrigation systems. 

All but the irrigation generators are used for emergency standby or occasional remote use.

My long term goal is to build a cogen system for my hose that will burn home grown biofuel.  There have been comments that our electricity cost will "necessarily skyrocket", so I would like to have an "emergency"  system operational IF this threat materializes. With any luck, in a few years the artificial energy crisis will just be a bad memory on the scrap heap of bad ideas. And my cogen hobby will still be just a hobby?

We had a 6 day power outage this summer. That really got me to thinking how things like the water system would need to change to live off grid.  The "need" to run a genset 24/7 would have to change.       

[EBI-WPO]

1. what prime mover are you using or planning to use?   2TNV70

2. what hp or kwatt (mechanical) output is the prime mover?     10HP+/-@2600

3. what generator are you using? AC only? DC only? or both?   AC Kato 1800 5KW

4. how long have you had the unit?  2+ years (unfinished)

5. how long does it run or are you planning to run,  per day, week, month or year?     As long as required (emergency) 2-4 hours/day when off-grid (future)

6. is the unit used for primary power, backup, emergency, or?   Multi-purpose

7. do you harvest the waste heat and use that heat?  if so for what purpose? domestic hot water production, space heating or both?  Flat plate heatX in coolant line, will probably build some sort of exhaust heatX later.    Will be used for domestic and space heating, storage etc.

8. if you are not harvesting the waste heat, are you planning to do so?  do you have any interest in doing so?      Continued improvements as time allows

9. do you use any form of automation, such as autostart?        Lots planned, heat use controlled, scheduled start/run times, etc.

10. if you do not use automation, would you do so if it were commonly available and reasonable in price?      I build my own mostly, but look at others

11. how would you rank fuel efficiency of a unit, not very important, somewhat important, moderately important, very important, or most important.     Most important

now a couple of other questions

12. where do you find the information you rely on to make decisions about your genset designs?     Usually use what I have/find, look at all projects others have built as well. Constantly look at any info, anywhere, for ideas good or bad.

13. do you feel that there is enough information available to you to make good decisions regarding design?     All new sources of info are welcome, especially in an orderly, easily searched area/format.

14. if you are frustrated or find it difficult to find information, what sorts of information would you like to find?       Anyone really looking can find almost anything.

15. if there was a book available on some facet or facets of power generation for off grid applications such as what is typical on this forum, what would you find as being a must have or rather what would you like to see in such a book?
A book might be cool, I typically catalogue my finds/info in a much more cluttered (at least to others) manner.

16. please feel free to add other comments that you might have an interest in sharing.         I will probably buy another 2TNV70 to do the DC thing (36vdc), but for now I have 2 Kato heads, one a single, the other a three phase. For Emergency use, along with the 3K UPS, AC use fills my needs. Later..Off Grid, different story. Possibly Propane or NG over diesel as well.

Thanks for the poll and making me think,
Terry