Another generator situation

As a matter of fact, since Katrina and Rita, I have been toying with the
idea
of cobbling an emergency generator together. A good generator head can
be had for about $400, maybe cheaper someplace.

But what engine? Gasoline engines work well, but tend to get hard to feed
and expensive over several days power outage.

My son in Norway owns a Ford with a four cylinder diesel engine. Plenty
peppy (believe it or not) and very very economical. So I got the idea to
use
a small diesel engine from the junkyard... Then I started looking for one..

I havent found a 4 cylinder automotive engine yet. Maybe old Mercedes,
but I haven't researched this very carefully.

So, to the point:
Are there production small automotive diesel engines that I have overlooked?

I would be looking at a 5-7.5 kw generator head, so horsepower is well
within
the reach of most little 4 cylinders.

I'd forget looking at automotive engines and look at small TRACTOR
engines. In fact, I'd avoid "cobbling" altogether, and look into an Onan
generator package. They're pretty affordable, really. A few thousand
bucks for a complete back-up generator system, including approved
switchgear that prevents you from frying some poor electric company
lineman by accidentally backfeeding power from your generator into the
main grid....

As for fuel- natural gas if you've got it in your home already, diesel
if not or if you want to cover the (small) possibility that the NG
infrastructure might be knocked out.




wrote:

> As a matter of fact, since Katrina and Rita, I have been toying with the
> idea
> of cobbling an emergency generator together. A good generator head can
> be had for about $400, maybe cheaper someplace.
>
> But what engine? Gasoline engines work well, but tend to get hard to feed
> and expensive over several days power outage.
>
> My son in Norway owns a Ford with a four cylinder diesel engine. Plenty
> peppy (believe it or not) and very very economical. So I got the idea to
> use
> a small diesel engine from the junkyard... Then I started looking for one..
>
> I havent found a 4 cylinder automotive engine yet. Maybe old Mercedes,
> but I haven't researched this very carefully.
>
> So, to the point:
> Are there production small automotive diesel engines that I have overlooked?
>
> I would be looking at a 5-7.5 kw generator head, so horsepower is well
> within
> the reach of most little 4 cylinders.
>
>

"Steve" > wrote in message
...
>
> I'd forget looking at automotive engines and look at small TRACTOR
> engines. In fact, I'd avoid "cobbling" altogether, and look into an Onan
> generator package. They're pretty affordable, really. A few thousand
> bucks for a complete back-up generator system, including approved
> switchgear that prevents you from frying some poor electric company
> lineman by accidentally backfeeding power from your generator into the
> main grid....
>
> As for fuel- natural gas if you've got it in your home already, diesel
> if not or if you want to cover the (small) possibility that the NG
> infrastructure might be knocked out.


Tractor engines could be a possibility, if I can find one.

Popular Mechanics, years ago, designed a high mileage car based
on a Kubota engine.

There were a ton of generators sold here during the storms for $600-$1800.
Some may come on the market soon. My friend was burning about $30 of
gasoline per 10 hour operating day on one he picked up. And that can be
okay so long as gasoline is available. (It wasnt easily available, and
there
were near riots, approaching violence. Same for food)

Some towns here STILL dont have electrical power, at least as of yesterday.
We, fortunately, were only out of power for a few days.

I may never see another storm season like this one. I hope the next time,
if
there is one, I will have enough power to run the AC and TV or radio.

wrote:

>
> I may never see another storm season like this one. I hope the next time,
> if
> there is one, I will have enough power to run the AC and TV or radio.
>
>

Glad you're OK. I've got a cousin who still can't live in his house
(power/water/gas all still out) a few blocks south of Lake Ponchartrain.
At least the house was only lightly damaged, so there's hope he can get
back into it eventually.

I still think the automatic safety switchgear is a good reason to
consider a "packaged" generator, though. As much as I like to tinker
myself, that's one area where its nice to have that UL seal on the
equipment.

In article >,
> wrote:

> As a matter of fact, since Katrina and Rita, I have been toying with the
> idea
> of cobbling an emergency generator together. A good generator head can
> be had for about $400, maybe cheaper someplace.
>
> But what engine? Gasoline engines work well, but tend to get hard to feed
> and expensive over several days power outage.
>
> My son in Norway owns a Ford with a four cylinder diesel engine. Plenty
> peppy (believe it or not) and very very economical. So I got the idea to
> use
> a small diesel engine from the junkyard... Then I started looking for one..
>
> I havent found a 4 cylinder automotive engine yet. Maybe old Mercedes,
> but I haven't researched this very carefully.
>
> So, to the point:
> Are there production small automotive diesel engines that I have overlooked?
>
> I would be looking at a 5-7.5 kw generator head, so horsepower is well
> within
> the reach of most little 4 cylinders.

Here's one ya missed:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Empire-150-K-W-en...-only-124-Hrs-
No-Res_W0QQitemZ7548809863QQcategoryZ106437QQcmdZView Item

I used to build these back in the early 80s (this one is kind of
mid sized)

"Steve" > wrote in message
..

> I still think the automatic safety switchgear is a good reason to
> consider a "packaged" generator, though. As much as I like to tinker
> myself, that's one area where its nice to have that UL seal on the
> equipment.

That is an important point, and I am somewhat surprised that there
were no more incidents regarding the use of generators than there
were.

We had one local death by electrocution. Man was implementing
generator application on his farm. I never heard exactly how it
happened.

Thanks for your input.

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 17:46:08 +0000, HLS wrote:

> As a matter of fact, since Katrina and Rita, I have been toying with the
> idea
> of cobbling an emergency generator together. A good generator head can
> be had for about $400, maybe cheaper someplace.
>
> But what engine? Gasoline engines work well, but tend to get hard to feed
> and expensive over several days power outage.
>
> My son in Norway owns a Ford with a four cylinder diesel engine. Plenty
> peppy (believe it or not) and very very economical. So I got the idea to
> use
> a small diesel engine from the junkyard... Then I started looking for one..

Absolutely u should go for diesel.
There are lots of people running a diesel engine on used vegetable oil
after filtering through a 10 micron filter.
How do you think to stabilise frequency and voltage?

> I havent found a 4 cylinder automotive engine yet. Maybe old Mercedes,
> but I haven't researched this very carefully.
>
> So, to the point:
> Are there production small automotive diesel engines that I have overlooked?
>
> I would be looking at a 5-7.5 kw generator head, so horsepower is well
> within
> the reach of most little 4 cylinders.

That's more or less 10 hp, should be ok.
No japanese diesels available?

shakiro

wrote:
> As a matter of fact, since Katrina and Rita, I have been toying with the
> idea
> of cobbling an emergency generator together. A good generator head can
> be had for about $400, maybe cheaper someplace.
>
> But what engine? Gasoline engines work well, but tend to get hard to feed
> and expensive over several days power outage.
>
> My son in Norway owns a Ford with a four cylinder diesel engine. Plenty
> peppy (believe it or not) and very very economical. So I got the idea to
> use
> a small diesel engine from the junkyard... Then I started looking for one..
>
> I havent found a 4 cylinder automotive engine yet. Maybe old Mercedes,
> but I haven't researched this very carefully.
>
> So, to the point:
> Are there production small automotive diesel engines that I have overlooked?
>
> I would be looking at a 5-7.5 kw generator head, so horsepower is well
> within
> the reach of most little 4 cylinders.

Won't an automotive diesel be too large and potentially inefficient for
a generator application? A small marine diesel would probably be a
better idea. By the time you build a sturdy engine frame to hold the
equivalent of a VW Golf diesel and set up the wiring and cooling and
hook it all up you might be out some serious money (and a lot of work).
And the powerplant will be used and possibly well worn out.

Consider a portable diesel powered generator like one of these instead:
http://www.gensetcentral.com/portable_diesel1.htm

Also, remember that portable generators are by definition noisy and
diesels even more so.

"John S." > wrote in message
oups.com...
>

> Consider a portable diesel powered generator like one of these instead:
> http://www.gensetcentral.com/portable_diesel1.htm
>
> Also, remember that portable generators are by definition noisy and
> diesels even more so.

Thanks a lot, John.
The feasibility would all hinge on finding a good diesel engine, not too
big,
at a reasonable price.

You can buy a gasoline generator for about $600, and that would probably
be the cheapest route. How long they hold up is another issue. Some have
Honda and similar good quality engines. That doesn't leave a lot of money
for them to come with a good generator head.

Since FEMA has financed half of the population of two states, I imagine
there will
be some good generators on EBAY 'when the cheques stop rolling in'.

wrote:
> "John S." > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> >
>
> > Consider a portable diesel powered generator like one of these instead:
> > http://www.gensetcentral.com/portable_diesel1.htm
> >
> > Also, remember that portable generators are by definition noisy and
> > diesels even more so.
>
> Thanks a lot, John.
> The feasibility would all hinge on finding a good diesel engine, not too
> big,
> at a reasonable price.
>
> You can buy a gasoline generator for about $600, and that would probably
> be the cheapest route. How long they hold up is another issue. Some have
> Honda and similar good quality engines. That doesn't leave a lot of money
> for them to come with a good generator head.
>
> Since FEMA has financed half of the population of two states, I imagine
> there will
> be some good generators on EBAY 'when the cheques stop rolling in'.

Yes, supply usually exceeds demand about 6 months after every big
storm.
How many kw do you think you will need for the house. Remember the
refrigerator will gobble a bunch and all those other appliances add up
quickly. A baby honda generator might not do much more than power up a
few lights.