Generator

[solarman216]

Hi all I am looking for a minimum 12 kva diesel generator 240 volt, would be nice to find an old one pre 1980, as modern stuff in comparison is crap, my SDMO modern rubbish has died again and will not throw any more money at it, Rick

[rustic]

:eek:Hi all I am looking for a minimum 12 kva diesel generator 240 volt, would be nice to find an old one pre 1980, as modern stuff in comparison is crap, my SDMO modern rubbish has died again and will not throw any more money at it, Rick

I would have thought that the option of say keeping the alternator part, and bolting it onto a diesel engine has been explored and rejected.:nenau

Can diesel generators also be run on bio, SVO etc?

[Banshee]

Hi all I am looking for a minimum 12 kva diesel generator 240 volt, would be nice to find an old one pre 1980, as modern stuff in comparison is crap, my SDMO modern rubbish has died again and will not throw any more money at it, Rick

What's happened to it? You want to sell it?

:eek:

I would have thought that the option of say keeping the alternator part, and bolting it onto a diesel engine has been explored and rejected.:nenau

Can diesel generators also be run on bio, SVO etc?

I asked exactly the same here and was surprised by some of the setups :D
http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/mybbforum/showthread.php?tid=35273

[solarman216]

:eek:

I would have thought that the option of say keeping the alternator part, and bolting it onto a diesel engine has been explored and rejected.:nenau

Can diesel generators also be run on bio, SVO etc?

Hi Rustic, no it is the alternator that has failed, 2nd one in the 6 years I have owned it, something has shorted and it will not even allow the engine to start I have not disconnected the windings yet to prove it is the alternator but it is exactly the same symptoms as last time, and as alternators are well over £1k I have just bought an old Lister ST3 set for £950 plus carriage, was very surprised to find one so quick, it was a standby unit for a hotel so I am well pleased, oh and re bio the SDMO did not like it, but the ST3 will run on absolutely anything, Rick

[Banshee]

Hi Rustic, no it is the alternator that has failed, 2nd one in the 6 years I have owned it, something has shorted and it will not even allow the engine to start I have not disconnected the windings yet to prove it is the alternator but it is exactly the same symptoms as last time, and as alternators are well over £1k I have just bought an old Lister ST3 set for £950 plus carriage, was very surprised to find one so quick, it was a standby unit for a hotel so I am well pleased, oh and re bio the SDMO did not like it, but the ST3 will run on absolutely anything, Rick

Yeah I've been recommended to grab an old Lister if I want to run one on Veg :thumbs

[solarman216]

What's happened to it? You want to sell it?



I asked exactly the same here and was surprised by some of the setups :D
http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/mybbforum/showthread.php?tid=35273

Do not think it is worth a lot, 3 cyl Mitsubishi engine water cooled and the box it is in but may want to use the sound deadening box for the ST3, Rick

[Fez_uk]

Why run it on SVO? Red diesel is cheaper.

[rustic]

Wow a lister, hope you have written a will, that should see the next millennium out.:lol:lol:thumbs

You could make smoke rings with that one, :lol similar ones are sought after on the canal boats.

[solarman216]

Why run it on SVO? Red diesel is cheaper.

you are correct, but my old SR twin in the barn runs on old engine oil that has been cleaned up and added to, Rick

[Banshee]

Do not think it is worth a lot, 3 cyl Mitsubishi engine water cooled and the box it is in but may want to use the sound deadening box for the ST3, Rick

How much you after for it?

[TONUP]

Wow a lister, hope you have written a will, that should see the next millennium out.:lol:lol:thumbs

You could make smoke rings with that one, :lol similar ones are sought after on the canal boats.

I used to work in the factory that made them... now all gone, but for a few spares stores. Very sad!

Regards

Alan

[solarman216]

How much you after for it?

too early to say, depends on what if anything I need to rob off it in order to fit the Lister, from the pics the Lister does not have any mounts, but "in the barn" is a ST2w and a petter and an SR1 plus odd spares, but have not seen them for a long time so not sure if any mounts etc, and the Mitsubishi mounts may not be suitable anyway, so time will tell, do not expect to get the Lister till the new year, Rick

[briggie]

hows this rick mate ? :naughty:naughty

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20kVA-Used-Perkins-Diesel-Generator-/151188365912?pt=UK_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL&hash=item2333876258

[solarman216]

No modern rubbish mate, I got a 1980's 3 cyl Lister for a grand, delivery in the new year, Rick

[spiderpig37]

No modern rubbish mate, I got a 1980's 3 cyl Lister for a grand, delivery in the new year, Rick
This should do you rick same sissons engines used on the titanic to generate electric so no modern rubbish you just need 120lb of steam

[solarman216]

This should do you rick same sissons engines used on the titanic to generate electric so no modern rubbish you just need 120lb of steam

Oh I would love that, might have a problem with the steam, but it is bewtifull, Rick

[solarman216]

This is what I have bought, Rick

[spiderpig37]

This is what I have bought, Rick

looks tidy we used to run lister driven water pumps when i worked in the quarrys very reliable

[solarman216]

looks tidy we used to run lister driven water pumps when i worked in the quarrys very reliable

Still have a 1975 SR2 running a 24 volt bus alternator to recharge batteries it will still be running after I have gone, Rick

[solarman216]

Was delivered yesterday pm so started on it this morning, has some vibration damage in the control box, but not too bad, hooked it up to 24 v fed it with some fuel spun it over a few times with the de-compressors on to lube the engine, dropped de-compressors and fired straight away, and produced 240 ac on the two output wires, although no charge shown to the batteries, the start-o-matic system is complicated the stop solenoid energises to the run position, the de-compressors are held in the on position by a set of springs and I guess after a few seconds for the lump to reach speed the big solenoid operates and pulls the de-compressors to the run position, anyway it is in position in the barn ready for hook up, but Boxgrove tomorrow so will have to wait till Monday, Rick

[solarman216]

Well folks, new Lister is up and running, was a little concerned at first as it was producing lots and I mean lots of crank case pressure, but the oil level was high and it had not been run for a long time, the electric box was damaged so I know it had not been started for a very long time via this route, and as the starting handle that came with it turned the engine the wrong way:doh so it was not started by this method either, when I drained the oil it was very thin although by the glass check was not old, so guess the injectors are leaking derv into the lube oil, common problem on these but easy fix, any way new filter and new mineral oil, = sweet as a nut, this is the set as now running, Rick

[solarman216]

What a difference between this and the SDMO rubbish, stuck a 3 Kw load on it and it hardly noticed, the big test will be my electric air compressor, not been able to use it on the SDMO, this is the control box, but do not need lots of what is in there, so will sort it out when more time, Rick

[rayf3262]

Looks cool...
Are you going to scavenge some of the excess heat with a calorifier to pre-heat your DHW?

[terrano bob]

well done mate :clap :thumb2

[solarman216]

Looks cool...
Are you going to scavenge some of the excess heat with a calorimeter to pre-heat your DHW?

if it had been the water cooled version then yes it would not only provide pre heat but provided a bath full if it was running long enough, but to run the washing machine and charge the batteries it wouldnt not be running long enough nor at a high enough load, Rick

[solarman216]

you all out there need to remember you use 10 plus Kw hours a day we use around one to two, Rick

[rayf3262]

I don't know much about these old Lister lumps other than they are regarded as very reliable and not too fuel fussy.
So, it's air cooled?

[solarman216]

yes this one is air cooled, had a water cooled ST2 in the Narrow boat, pile of trouble keeping it water tight and the Jabsco water pump with rubber impellers would fail regular meant big problems, regards fuel they will run on anything including filtered old engine oil at 50% diesel mix with a bit of acetone, Rick

[rayf3262]

I do remember those Jabsco rubber impellers, had some on my boat, twin 2.5L BMC's, changed them all too often!
Shame there's not an easy way to capture that engine heat...

[solarman216]

I do remember those Jabsco rubber impellers, had some on my boat, twin 2.5L BMC's, changed them all too often!
Shame there's not an easy way to capture that engine heat...

agreed but at the end of the day I get some heat into my work space, so all is not lost, Rick

[solarman216]

Well finally got my head around the control system today, one key switch turn on and the rest is automatic, the the decompression levers are set due to the shut down procedure on last shut down, so injector pump solenoid is energised, contractor is energised to put 24v into DC side of alternator, and it spins up to a fair speed, enough to produce AC which operates a relay to power the decompresser solenoid, engine fires straight away, as full AC is produced another relay powers the main AC contactor, ... on turning key switch off injector and decompresser solenoids drop out and main AC contactor drops as well, the spring controlled de compressors revert to the start condition, engineering at its best, well pleased, and so is the Mrs as she can control it from home with only one switch, even she can get her head round that, on/off simples, Rick

[rustic]

What a difference between this and the SDMO rubbish, stuck a 3 Kw load on it and it hardly noticed, the big test will be my electric air compressor, not been able to use it on the SDMO, this is the control box, but do not need lots of what is in there, so will sort it out when more time, Rick

Wow, looking at that control panel, it looks like Faraday designed it.:nenau
Selenium plate rectifiers, I've not seen them for a long time.
They were popular in the 60's before semi conductor diodes became popular.
I also noted a replacement electrolytic capacitor, cable tied at the top.
Keep an eye on this, capacitors in warm environments have a habit of leaking, and then going short circuit as they dry out. Often splitting the case.
It was probably a later replacement for an earlier wax coated paper capacitor.

So note the details on it, operating voltage and capacitance in uf just in case it breaks down. Capacitors are usually the first item to fail in any power supply application.

This is true old fashioned engineering, I'm sure it will provide many years of service.


:thumb2
Rustic

[solarman216]

Wow, looking at that control panel, it looks like Faraday designed it.:nenau
Selenium plate rectifiers, I've not seen them for a long time.
They were popular in the 60's before semi conductor diodes became popular.
I also noted a replacement electrolytic capacitor, cable tied at the top.
Keep an eye on this, capacitors in warm environments have a habit of leaking, and then going short circuit as they dry out. Often splitting the case.
It was probably a later replacement for an earlier wax coated paper capacitor.

So note the details on it, operating voltage and capacitance in uf just in case it breaks down. Capacitors are usually the first item to fail in any power supply application.

This is true old fashioned engineering, I'm sure it will provide many years of service.


:thumb2
Rustic

points noted, the reason it is cable tied is because it had suffered vibration damage and lost one of its wires as I pulled it about the other became detached, as it is Ali both ends could not solder new wires on but found some push on type that with a bit of modification held quite well but wrapped it with cable ties to make sure, the solder ends of this are still coated with the yelowish varnish/shelack of the original so leads me to believe it is original equipment, I would have replaced it but had nothing of similar value, but yes it will out last me that is for sure, when it starts it is a dream, and rock solid, Rick