Micro Diesel Generator

[Freddyflatfoot]

The thread on fuel cells reminded me of something I saw a while back.
Its a small micro generator, using what looks like an RC model diesel engine, coupled to a small gennie.
The output is something like 700 watts at 24 volts.
Could be a good option for a backup up power unit!
Should even be fairly lightweight for the weight concious!
With a bit of ingenuity, I reckon you could almost build one of these up yourself.

http://proceedings.ndia.org/5670/Logstics-Fueled_Manportable-Dev.ppt

 

[monster]

what about using the motor from a light weight petrol strimmer/mower/hedgetrimmer/chainsaw and connecting it to an electric motor to recharge the batteries?

it is dead easy to put a bridge rectifier in there to make it DC.

i'm keen on this. does any one know the best light weight low noise motor to use? i would like 4-stroke idealy.

 

[vanilla ice]

Not really micro but here's something 4stroke.

http://www.staton-inc.com/Details.asp?ProductID=2820

They carry subaru also.

 

[magudaman]

These are pretty cool but you should definitely get the supercharged version:
http://www.conleyprecision.com/609.htm

 

[monster]

how much does the honda weigh?

i have just the right electric motor for this too! i'm hoping it will all fit in my rear cycle box which would provide sound proofing and hide it.

 

[vanilla ice]

At these smaller sizes there's got to be something other than ICE that can turn fuel into motion?.. for hook up to a generator. Turbines are simpler but I'm guessing the those would be even more expensive to setup than the supercharged v8? Anything both simple and cheap out there?

 

[fechter]

What about a thermoelectric generator? Get some Peltier effect devices and heat one side with burning fuel (or plutonium), cool the other side with air. Instant electricity. No moving parts. They are not very efficient, but they are reliable. Large versions are used as backup generators for remote telecommunications equiment.

Here are specs for a 4-stroke Honda GX-35:
http://www.honda-engines.com/engines/gx35.htm

I have a GX-31, which they apparently no longer make.
Below is a pic of it with a generator (mockup).

They make a smaller GX-25.

 

[Jozzer]

Oh wow, thats small enough for an ebike! Is it really a "Quiet - pleasing "low" tone"? :lol:

 

[fechter]

Oh wow, thats small enough for an ebike! Is it really a "Quiet - pleasing "low" tone"? :lol:

No. It sounds like a weed whacker. Quite annoying.

I suppose you could make a much larger muffler for one.

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

So, for a small gennie for an e-bike, how small could we go?
I suppose if we could generate between 300 and 500 watts, we certainly get some usable power, either to supplement the batteries, and/or charge the battery pack? Then we would have a 3 way hybrid!!
I think the little Honda is probably a little too big, and by the sounds of it, noisy!

 

[vanilla ice]

My bro has a really quiet weed wacker. I mean the cutting line spinning is louder than the engine. I'm going to ask him what kind it is. I guess ICE is the thing to have even in this size category.

 

[monster]

at 3.5kg for 1kw this seems the way to go. its a small size too.

i was thinking about putting it inside my rear cycle box and sound proofing it, maybe with egg boxes. the hollow of the cycle box should muffel the sound a bit and make only the deeper pitches come through. i would connect it to a brushed motor for the genset so i could even rig an electric start by using the electric motor to drive the petrol motor. i could have a kill switch on the bars along with a throttle and electric start.

however... it would need ventilation and cooling, the connection would be difficult (welding required?)

its a lot of work!

 

[Beagle123]

I was thinking of a hybrid cycle too. I'd prefer powering the engine with propane. Propane it totally superior to petrolium because it is a gas. There is no carberator. The only downsides are that is has about 20% less energy density than gas and it doesn't start well in very cold weather. Neither of those issues effect us much.

I was thinking these camping tanks would be perfect:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=91313-717-TX9&lpage=none

If your scooter gets 80mpg, a one quart cycliner would get you an extra 20 miles.

 

[monster]

there is another problem with the hybrid engine bike.

-do you think petrol stations will let you fill up a bicycle with their pumps?

i tried to fill up a 5 litre plastic container with (non flammable) diesel once because my car was out of juice. they wouldn't let me because it was not an "approved container" !

Think of the problems you would get with a bicycle!

 

[Jozzer]

As long as the generator has a proper petrol tank I think you'll be fine. The reason they are fussy is because some plastic containers melt when exposed to petrol :lol:

 

[xyster]

As long as the generator has a proper petrol tank I think you'll be fine. The reason they are fussy is because some plastic containers melt when exposed to petrol :lol:

That's also why slathering a condom with vaseline defeats its purpose.

 

[Jozzer]

Either one will end in tears

 

[TylerDurden]

^^^ ^^^

 

[xyster]

Either one will end in tears

Nice double entendre.

Sometimes I amuse myself by trying to find the highest number of multiple meanings in oral or written phrases. For instance, saying the phrase "you're in trouble" could be construed as:

"urine trouble?" -- Yes, my enlarged prostate is causing my urine trouble.
"year in trouble?" -- Yes, 2008 will be a year in trouble if we don't balance the federal budget.
"yore in trouble?" -- Yes, the internet is wrecking traditional storytelling. (not really, of course...)
"you're in trouble?" -- Yes, I'm in trouble for wrecking my scooter into the neighbor's yard gnomes.

 

[Rassy]

Off topic:
xyster wrote:

"urine trouble?" -- Yes, my enlarged prostate is causing my urine trouble

Just got my biopsy results yesterday. Good news it doesn't have to be removed , bad news it is enlarged etc. etc. . Don't laugh. If you are lucky enough to get as old as me you will get to experience these problems too

On topic:
This is my intended solution to longer range. At 30# when filled with 1/2 gallon of gas, the generator is about the same weight as the 48V 12AH SLA pack it is sitting on. It has two throttle settings, and on the low setting is about 53 decibels and will run for about 12 hours on a tank of gas. I will use my 48 Volt charger with it. Honda makes a 500 Watt version that would work even better.

In reality, if we are using a sag wagon it would just be used in camp when there was no juice available. When placed about 30 feet away behind a tree you can hardly hear it.

 

[monster]

how will the different battery chemistries react to being drained and charged at the same time?

my NiHM batteries heat up both when charging and discharging.

 

[xyster]

Off topic:
xyster wrote:

"urine trouble?" -- Yes, my enlarged prostate is causing my urine trouble

Just got my biopsy results yesterday. Good news it doesn't have to be removed , bad news it is enlarged etc. etc. . Don't laugh. If you are lucky enough to get as old as me you will get to experience these problems too

Laughing is just a way of protesting nature's cruel indifference to us all, and dreadful disrespect for the aged and infirmed....

 

[TylerDurden]

At 30# when filled with 1/2 gallon of gas, the generator is about the same weight as the 48V 12AH SLA pack it is sitting on. It has two throttle settings, and on the low setting is about 53 decibels and will run for about 12 hours on a tank of gas. I will use my 48 Volt charger with it. Honda makes a 500 Watt version that would work even better.

A diesel version that runs on WVO would be perfect. And smell good too.

 

[fechter]

how will the different battery chemistries react to being drained and charged at the same time?

my NiHM batteries heat up both when charging and discharging.

They'll basically cancel out.
When the generator is running, the batteries will only need to handle the difference between what the generator is producing and what the motor is drawing. Battery heating should be minimal.

That trailer looks like it has room for a 2 gallon gas can
You could ride till your butt hurts.
I remember somebody had one of those generators hooked up to a Etek powered Blade or something like that. Even though the generator could not come close to supplying the peak power of the cycle, the average was close, so the range was pretty much determined by the size of the gas tank.

If we want to go "green" it should be possible to make such a generator run on ethanol with minimal modification.

 

[monster]

it think i'll stick to petrol.

4-stroke is green enough for me considering this is some thing i only intend to use once every blue moon. if you need it more than that get a motor bike.

what do you think of this? 100mpg
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270182194995&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017

i'm going for my compulsory basic training test in 2 weeks.