Biodiesel Battery Bank Chargers

[veggie]

This may be of interest to some....

http://www.amplepower.com/products/bdbc/index.html

http://www.thesolar.biz/diesel_battery_chargers.htm

Veggie

[BruceM]

Nice find, Veggie, thanks for posting this.

They do look well designed from a proper care of battery standpoint- temperature compensation, electronic alternator current control, smart enough to load share with other 12/24/48v loads.  Looks like someone has done their homework.  Just what Bob was suggesting, for 48V battery charging, and with the electronics done, too. 

I felt better about my DIY 'oid setup when I saw the price.

[mobile_bob]

notice the two alternators they use?

one is one based on the 110-555jho, the other is the leece neville jb style alternator

funny how we never see delco alternators used by the big boys.

hmmmm,  wonder why that is?



yes and the big boys are quite proud of their products, some of which are way north of 10 grand each.

bob g

[RogerAS]

That's the same kubota that I have, from the second site link, it's the 300 series engine. The one shown has a different radiator than mine. This is probably a heat exchanger. I have a big 140 amp LN alternator on mine. I love it! I just wish I had a dual belt, or serpentine engine pulley. I can pull 60 amps @ 12 V and the engine burns a drip over a pint an hour. I'd love to switch over to 24 volt but I need to wait until inverters die or batteries. A new 24 V LN will cost!!

RS

[veggie]

Roger,

How are the noise levels on these units?
I assume both the inlet and exhaust can be a bit loud.

Also, I don't see a flywheel. Is there a small heavy one on the other side from this picture?

Veggie

[bschwartz]

If you need a 24v LN, check this :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290331146760&viewitem=

I just ordered one to play with.  The price seemed too good to pass up.

[mike90045]

48V rigs look nice on paper, but I think the cost is the deal killer.

[Apogee]

And someone was doubting me regarding availability of 48v alternators...

Heh!   

Steve

[mobile_bob]

how many do you want?

bob g

[RogerAS]

Roger,

How are the noise levels on these units?
I assume both the inlet and exhaust can be a bit loud.

Also, I don't see a flywheel. Is there a small heavy one on the other side from this picture?

Veggie

Really the noise is not too bad. I modified the exhaust system on mine and added a big auto muffler that doesn't seem too restrictive to flow. I routed the exhaust up and out of the engine room pointing away from our house. The intake is also modified on my engine. I made an adaptor so I can use a filter for a small block carbed chevy. The whole thing lives in a small out building that's 30 yards from our house. There is no insulation in the walls yet, but that's on the to-do list for spring. Actually the diesel "knock" is just as loud as the intake and exhaust.

Yes there is a rather large and heavy flywheel on the other side of the engine than shown in the pict. This has a ring of gear teeth on it and the started engages at this point. In the image below you can see the flywheel.



I love my Kubota. In the first image one can see the hand crank fitting. It's that round tube sticking out with a cavity on the crank line. I have never had to use that feature on my engine, but it's nice having it there. Withe the compression release I imagine it would spin up pretty easy.

RS

[miket]

That little Kubota IS a gem!

with Roger and Bob's counsel and encouragement.  I built one up several years ago and it has been very faithful.  My fuel consumption is just as Roger's... about a pint an hour.

Oddly, the on board battery charging alternator on mine never charged until I recently refitted the unit for 24 volts.  I n the process I built up a fancy  frame for it from 8020 extruded aluminum  and put all the controls in a NEMA 3 style box.

I the process I found a proper schematic and  it had been wired iincorrectly for the entile time I owned it.  All fixed now and runs like a top charging the starting battery. 

During my recent conversion to 24 volt my Balmar charge controller died for some reason  and I ended up with a 95 series 24 volt Balmar  alternator and 624 charge controller.  I was all setup according to Bob's White Paper adn the controller died.  I ended up getting the Balmar setup for a VERY good price that I couldn't resist.

I use a 6 rib J section serpentine belt and it holds the load just fine all the way up  past 100 amps at 12 volts.

Biggest load I have seen on the new revised system is about 30 amps.

Sure wish I had bought two or three more of those little kubotas when the chance was there!!!!

My buddy, Todd and I built a similar charger using a little 430 cc Yanmar twin out of a Thermo king refrigeration unit. We used a LN 110 JHO on that one and now Todd has my old 2500 JB as a spare.

I don't usually have to rely on backup power much (only a couple times a year cuz  I can't bring myself to cut these 3 large and beautiful red cedars by my pumphouse).  Mostly, I use "Putt Putt" for equalization.

The  exhaust has a pretty prominent note to it  (I think being a single  contributes  to that, but as Roger says, the diesel rattle and induction noise is actually as prominent as anything else. Suites me fine to hear it as my hearing is "notsogoodnomore" (too much time around heavy jets).

I don't have a crank for mine though. I'm all busted up about that!

Sorry, my pix are at home.  I'll take some and post.

I found a single cylinder deutz to play with.  I don't have any need  for another charger, but I know those who do so I keep making stuff! they will all find a home in my neighborhood as we are all off the grid up here.

regards

mike

[veggie]

Hi MikeT,

Sounds like a neat setup.
It would be great to see some pictures of your unit.
Please post a few when you get a moment.

Cheers,
veggie

[WGB]

The Kubota looks a lot like a ChangFa.
I have a Kubota tractor, they have their ducks in a row!

[miket]

Hey

Sorry it took so long, and Merry Grinchmas to everyone.

This is Putt Putt".  Runs real fine. Notice my high teck workshop? Mmostly I have been using the 5 gallon bucket for  a place to sit while last minute tinkering.

Figured out the problem with the LN installation! Going over my notes  and sketches, I hooked the  sense line  (the red fused wire) to the starting battery 12 volts and the brown ARS power wire to the battery bank 12 volts. My bad,  Bob's schematic shows otherwise. Should be no harm no foul.  The ARS was seeing only 12 volts sense line and commanding the field to charge like the devil.  We're gonna swap the controller into Todd's machine verify it's health.

I am charging my 420 amp hour battery bank from 84 percent to 99 percent to "Float" at 26.2 volts in about 2.5 hours.

Charge rate ramps up to 29.2 volts at maybe 40 amp to 47 amps in  the first 45 minutes or so.

It's absorbing in another hour of so. It's not working Real hard at all!!  

My Tri-metric is out of cal a bit and won't regster 100 percent since the changover to 24 volts. I need to adjust the "charging amps to satisfy full" criteria. My sg is hitting 1.280"1 at 55 degrees, after 45 minutes of rest, so I'm getting a full charge.

I haven't run the numbers yet, but I only have to use it 3 or 4 times a winter. I usually get a charge from the solar panels at least one day in three. I ain't hurtin! It's about a perfect solution for my needs!

Anyways, thanks Bob,  That was my error in my setup. I just may have gotten away "scott free" this time! HEH!

Thank goodness Festivus is over!  Now I can get the garage finished out and make some "geetar" parts.

Times a wastin!!!

mike

[mobile_bob]

MikeT

thanks for the followup, sorry to hear of the problem, but looks like you have found a good solution to your needs

bob g