DIY generator.... idle control?

[ndemge]

toying around with home brew generator idea some more....

10kw generator head can be had for about $300
18hp used lawn mowers can be had for very little as well....

Putting everything to gether is pretty strait forward, but rpm controll is what I'm having trouble finding.

How do you get small engine to stay at a set rpm ?

 

[JB]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

It's called a governor.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

It's called a governor.

And it's already attached to every lawnmower engine.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

Set the idle up high enough to achieve desired RPMs with no load. The governor will handle it from there.

 

[ndemge]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

looks like I was over complicating that one.

 

[Raysoncraft16]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

Do not use the Idle stop to adjust the rpm's. This will cause the engine to not run properly under different loads. Small engines running at a fixed rpm have a spring mounted to the governor rod. This spring is then hooked to an adjustable mount to very the tension in the spring to set the RPM. Once running the governor in the engine tries to bring the engine down to an idle, the spring is there to pull back on the governor rod, that is hooked to the throttle on the carb to allow the engine to throttle up to the desired rpm. One side note. If the genset you want to use is designed for a direct crankshaft mount i.e. the generator slides onto the crank, they usually take a tapered shaft. This means you'll need an engine with a tapered shaft with the proper taper angle to match. These types of gensets also use the engine as the support for the one end of the rotor so everything needs to be fit perfect. Or perhaps you can get lucky and find an old generator with a belt drive.

Putting everything to gether is pretty strait forward

Good luck!:devil: It may not be so easy

 

[ndemge]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

Got even luckier and found someone that was giving away a 5kw for $50.

 

[Raysoncraft16]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

sweet deal! that's the way to do it

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

Got even luckier and found someone that was giving away a 5kw for $50.

They don't have another one do they !!

 

[ndemge]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

Been off of here for a while, figure here was a good place to post.

The guy was selling this thing for $100, told me ahead of time there was a hole in the gas tank, no biggy. I drive over to check it out, and it won't start. He's poured gas in the carb, no go, just smokes.. a LOT of gas....

He says, $50, and you can have it as is....

"ok"

It's got spark, it's got compression, figure I can't go wrong. Take off the old tank before I leave, (and the gas line with the shutoff valve in the off position)

Get it back, drain it out, pour some fresh gas down it's throat and it fired up in one pull. hooked up a light, It's making power.

It was originally welding to an old WAGON. This was falling apart, so I'm going to build a new enclosure for it. Ordered a 6.5 gal tank from Northern.

 

[tommays]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

NOW thats how to DIY


Tommays

 

[ZmOz]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

My first suggestion would be to take off the head and clean out the carbon...its only like 8 bolts. Those flatheads really like their carbon...and it can really limit efficiency.

 

[ndemge]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

zmoz.... after reading the seafoam thread...

Should I take it apart or just mist it while running?... Or drop my drawers and wizz down the intake?

 

[ZmOz]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

You could do either...but you'll get it a lot cleaner if you just take it apart and scrub. I take apart my flatheads every year and clean them out...but I'm weird that way. d It's really easy to take the head off...just take off the cover...three bolts...then 8 more for the head, and you're done. That would also give you a chance to inspect the cylinder. Of course, you'll need a new head gasket...

Also, if it has points, I would definately upgrade to electronic ignition if you want your generator to be reliable. It would sound real nice with a 12" straight pipe exhaust too...8)

 

[ndemge]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

I'm all for switching to electronic ignition... where do you get the parts,,, and how do I go about identifying the engine?

I want to do something about how loud it is, so any advice, I'll take it.

I've never dug into a small engine, once I know I have the head gasket I'll pop it off and see what it looks like.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

From the pics it looks like an early 70s 13ci Briggs. If you post the model, type, and code numbers stamped into the engine cover I can help you decipher them. If it still has points, they're under the flywheel. You can either get a kit like this: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200271624_200271624, or get a newer "Magnatron" coil from ebay, the newer coil just bolts right in place of the old one and doesn't need points.

As for noise, they were never designed to be quiet. I like mine as loud as possible...but then I don't really like my neighbors. d They make extra quiet mufflers that should thread right onto it, but a lot of the noise just comes through the thin aluminum case, so you can't do much about that.

 

[Mark42]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

- - -They make extra quiet mufflers that should thread right onto it, but a lot of the noise just comes through the thin aluminum case, so you can't do much about that.

Yep, been there done that. Put large quiet muffler on my 10hp generator, and now the exhaust is quiet, but the engine still screams! You will be amazed at how much noise comes from the generator alone!

One easy solution is to put two sides (that meet at a corner) on the generator. Say 1/2 plywood. When in use, put the sides facing the house, the open sides face away. It will deflect a lot of sound away from you and not cause any overheating problems.

 

[ndemge]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

TADA... took a while, but here she is:

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: DIY generator.... idle control?

More than likely the exhuast will be 3/4 pipe thread. Run a piece out about 8" and then put a tee. On this tee attach a 4" nipple the a 90 on each side. You can then put two mufflers on it. The pancake style like you have already tend to be the quietest.