Homebrew 1.8kW Inverter-Generator

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Homebrew 1.8kW Inverter-Generator

Рет қаралды 357,546

Күн бұрын

I built this a Generator a couple of years ago, because we used to have alot of power outages, and I didn't like what I saw at Home-less Depot and Lowe's. Used it several times for power outages, Field Day, and places where there is no AC. Although it puts out only 1800W, its battery-Inverter arrangement allows the gen-set to run in silent-mode (engine shut down). I have about 600Ah extra capacity I can add, so at 900W load, I can run on batteries for about 6 hours (conservatively), and about 10 hrs at 500W load, before the engine need to be restarted to charge the batteries.
The engine, alternator, inverter, and generator frame were all found new on eBay. The Alternator, in case you didn't hear in the video (lots of noise) is a 140A OEM unit, and the engine is a Briggs & Stratton 6.0hp vertical-shaft, electric start. Xantrex makes the inverter (a Pro-Sine 1800 with 12V input, hard-wired 120VAC output), and the frame was from a Coleman 6500 generator. Wheels are pneumatic, and the steering mechanism turns via custom-made brass fitting.
The engine drives the alternator by a K-6, 6-rib serpentine belt. Engine pulley is 7.00" dia., and the alternator pulley is 5.00" dia., from an old Ford smog-pump.
I am no longer seeking suggestions for a its name- I've decided to just call it my 1.8kW Inverter-Gen-set.
I promise I will be doing an update to this video very soon.

Пікірлер: 375

@HHOhybridBuilder 12 жыл бұрын

Honda did manufactured the INVERTER i series electric generator but I liked your set up much better because of it's SIMPLICITY and another thing you are a talented person, thanks for posting.

@Hermanvogel 12 жыл бұрын

I have seen a LOT of these (attempts at builting one) but this guys has his act together,,,Great Job...he should build them for others.

@bodybuildingking 14 жыл бұрын

You've got a $1000+ inverter on this thing. What a beast. I'm currently working on an 8hp honda, 240 amp g4 alternator setup.

@thomhong1 14 жыл бұрын

Absolutely beautiful work !! Its a shame the commercial manufacturer's don't make generators with quality and features your generator has. Keep up the great work !!

@Dqalex 11 жыл бұрын

Very nice job. You sir are part of what makes Americia great. A guy in his garage with a great idea and puts to good use.

@ps2hacker 12 жыл бұрын

I lived in a cabin out in the woods for a couple of years, that was off the grid. I had a little genny, that I ran at night, to charge a bank of four 8G batteries, and watch tv in the evenings and such. I also had an inverter, but did most electricity consumtion from the genny. One day the generator part of genny died, and I used the motor to run a 12v alternator, instead, about the same setup. This reduced my gasoline use by 75%, surprisingly.

@Blaze1024 11 жыл бұрын

Very nice.. I like the frame and wheels. I built something very similar, Mine is also electric start and it's remote controllable via a 2.4 Ghz spread spectrum RF link (Yes I'm a Ham). The remote control RF link includes 2 way telemetry data. This means I can start it and monitor various parameters such as Motor temp, Alt-temp, RPM, Voltage and Current all from inside the house on a nice little 4 inch LCD screen located at my ham shack desk. For reliability I converted the motor to propane

@backyardsounds 12 жыл бұрын

Probably the nicest generator I've seen in KZfaq so far... very good!

@SSD99 10 жыл бұрын

@ Anthony Gillian: The alternator doesn't power the house directly- it supplies power to the Inverter (w/batteries acting as a cushion). I have connected it to the whole house before, and it powered: 2 refrigerators (3-7A), One 40-inch TV &Cable Box (1.5-2A), three 60W lights (1.5A) and our furnace (6A running). Right up at the limit, but I'm sure it wouldn't power the house if the washer and/or dryer (and anything else of substance) were being used. It WAS pretty cool that I was able to demonstrate it, though.

@harrothepilot 10 жыл бұрын

A very nice build, sir. As others have commented, you could buy a cheap, ready built genset for a fraction of the price yours has cost, but i'll bet in years to come, your set will still be going strong!!! Especially with that nice Xantrex Inverter. Best regards.

@SSD99 9 жыл бұрын

ESPECIALLY because of the Xantrex! :D Seriously though, I wanted to get two Prosine 2.0s in series for 120/240VAC output, but there were none available when I built this, and, I'd need a 28VDC alternator, because 4kW at 12V is just too inefficient.

@SSD99 9 жыл бұрын

To Harrothepilot: Thank you for those comments. It's when I look back at all that $$$ I put into it, then read comments like yours, that I feel validated in the approach I took.

@SSD99 9 жыл бұрын

To Mike Brink, that's a lot of thoughts for one post, but I think I got most of it. I gather you drive truck, based on your comments. Since it's reasonable to assume you use diesel fuel, if you WERE to build something like this, I would recommend using a small single- or twin-cylinder diesel engine. The idea is to NOT increase your burden by having to maintain a second type of fuel reserve. I DO like your ideas on auto-start and using solar as an expandable system On why you might have heard that PMAs should not be used, depending on your level of confidence/competence in designing and building these kinds of things, if you were to take the raw output of a PMA, say a converted old GM 10SI alternator, or maybe one of those variable-frequency-driven brushless washing machine tub-motors, and just PASSIVELY rectify it into DC, you'd certainly have issues, because the variable-voltage output would start to fry things. If you were to contemplate using a permanent-magnet machine, you would need to design a rather sophisticated ACTIVE rectifier scheme that would hold the voltage near constant. It's not impossible, since most hybrid-drive designs leverage the properties of one type or another of PM rotating machine, but it would be a challenge, even for the most seasoned designers. I would recommend websearching the topic and see what you get. One other thing to keep in mind is that since you'd most likely be working with power levels over 1kW, say goodbye to 12-Volt operation, since high power at low voltages means high currents and that translates to lower efficiency. 48-volts or higher is what is called for here, since higher voltages carry an inherent advantage of higher efficiency and flexibility. While this took me about 1/2 hour to type (with edits), it would have taken me only seconds to say. Good luck with whatever you decide to build, and if you DO make something, please let us know about it here.

@johndowd414 9 жыл бұрын

Ntikfuh

@DailyWalk365 13 жыл бұрын

I have to agree, that's about as spiffy as you can get it. Nice extra features you've added for external charging. Could also be used if for some reason your gen-set motor goes out or runs out of gas you can hook it up to any vehicle and continue powering your home. Awesome! This video is getting downloaded for future reference. Thanks for the upload.

@g0fvt 11 жыл бұрын

In answer to the previous poster the output of car alternators is not via the brushes, the brushes carry the magnetising current through the slip rings. The ac part is three phase from the fixed windings. Cool project, nicely done.

@SSD99 12 жыл бұрын

@SquirrelFromGradLifer: Your brush question is valid. Alternator brushes ride on slip-rings, carrying relatively low Field current (usually 2-3 amps). DC Generator brushes ride on a commutator (a segmented slip-ring that performs the AC-DC rectification) carrying the full Armature current, up to 30A or more. So for an Alternator, brush -v- brushless doesn't really affect Alternator efficiency. A Permanent-magnet unit still requires regulation, not easy to do at high current.

@TransAtlanticEV 12 жыл бұрын

I like the idea of this for the dual functionality of DC power and AC power! Can't tell you how many times the kids leave the dome lights on in the car!!! I have gone through two of those starter battery kits! Those stink as they don't last long at all! Making one this way might be more expensive then a straight gas one. Still a cool project!

@aaronelson476 11 жыл бұрын

Same place the energy goes when the regular A/C output generator running in the yard goes when no appliances are running. Same solution too, dont let it stay running. The benefit of the battery / inverter is that you can generate the power at peak efficiency (if your engine size / alternator size are matched as well as the pulley diameters, and you can keep using the power even when the engine is not running. Voltage is more consistent, especially when a load is applied.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@kd4pba: Thanks for the compliments. I originally built this thing for Field Day (we were 16A this year), but soon realized that with the batteries we had on hand (one of our members works for the local Power utility, hence his access to LOTS of batteries), I didn't need it for FD. So we started using it for other events where we needed Silent Power. Works great, as long as we have sufficient reserve capacity. But, as venomator1970 said, I really need to work on quieting this thing down.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@thomhong1: Thanks! What would be really cool is a 5-10kW inverter-generator with battery back-up that could power the whole house. Conventional back-up gen-sets wait 30 seconds to 2 minutes before starting, leaving the house dark for that interval. My ideal setup would run the 10kW inverter on battery bank power until the gen-set starts. Once it is running, the gen-set powers the house while recharging the battery bank. All the consumer sees is a momentary flicker in the lights, at most.

@SSD99 11 жыл бұрын

Also, the electronic tach wire performs the dame function as the old AC tap on the stator. The alternator is an OEM 140A unit. The internal regulator is temperature-compensated, putting out ~14.2V in the winter, and ~14.6V in the summer. From three, it charges the 12V battery pile, and provides a 12V input to the 1800W DC-AC sinewave inverter. The batteries perform 2 functions: 1) improve load-step response; and 2) continued power for the inverter during silent-operation, or refuelings.

@georgephillips6091 11 жыл бұрын

Great work...my ONLY critique would be that it looks too professional. GREAT JOB on both the project and video. I plan to build one, I have most of the items necessary but I'm thinking it won't be as professional looking as yours... but it will work!

@IlluminatedWhiteGuy 9 жыл бұрын

GREAT UNIT! All I would add is an upgraded muffler system to quiet it down a bit. Nice work...

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@libertyss35: The terms Alternator and generator are almost interchangeable these days- both are rotating machines that produce electricity. For our purposes, the term "Alternator" (whether it produces AC or DC) refers to the rotating machine, while "Generator" refers to the whole thing: Engine, alternator head, gas tank, frame, etc. In the car world, DC Generators were replaced by Alternators in the early 1960's because of their lighter weight and higher current output than a Generator.

@jsmythib 14 жыл бұрын

That is a magnificent creation- I cant imagine being able to fabricate something that nice! Ive been using alternators for years in my generator projects..A very nice- cheap way to make your own- great job

@dechase13 9 жыл бұрын

SSD99 congrats on a great design. I have 5 of these Xantrex inverters to play with. One has the built in transfer switch so will auto switch from grid to inverter power which would be good for frig or freezer. Wanted to mention that in a power outage the inverter could use an idling beater car as a charger connected to the inverter through high amp jumper cables. No extra motor or alternator needed as is part of car. This runs quiet and not loud like a genset. Is best to have another battery local to inverter but not essential. I always use a cheap beater car for commuting so is also a 'generator motor' so don't have extra 6hp motor to maintain. It is easy to refuel cause it pulls up to the pump. The motor with alternator is smaller and more portable.

@RCvolunteer1978 14 жыл бұрын

Frankly I wish to had one of your gen back in 1992 I was at South Dade High Homestead Florida after the storm We had damaged cars unable to move but was drag to the auto shop put 1000 wat inverters on them and then drag to different parts of the shelter to power the lights and kitchen to cook 2084 meals four time per day

@SanderPool 11 жыл бұрын

This is great work! I'm toying with my next generation generator setup. I have a standard 3500W generator now and manually switch to battery back up using an inverter at night to cut the noise, just to keep the fridges cold. Works well enough but I want something better. Videos like yours are very inspirational so thanks for posting! 73s, Sander W1SOP

@aaaflooddrying 12 жыл бұрын

This is an awsome setup! It solves way more problems than you are probabley aware of. Most of the altenative energy solutions that are now out there can not handle surge or load change. They run the motor fine, they just do not handle change well. This setup would work with GEET, HHO, Wood Gasifiers, etc. and handle load fluctuations better. You might consider making them for this area as noone else is. You have a workable solution to a major stumbling block that exists at the moment. Clay

@SSD99 11 жыл бұрын

@ firstmm5: the four connections are: 1) field on/off; 2) (+) batt sense; 3) indicator light; and the big BATT terminal. The fourth small-gauge connection is an optional electronic tachometer the alternator's internal regulator uses to talk to the engine's computer. Obviously, for my purposes, the tach wire is not used.

@RayEvans 9 жыл бұрын

This may be the coolest thing I've ever seen. This is dope my man.

@Insulators 13 жыл бұрын

Very cool, and I love the silent mode, using the batteries. The only suggestion I have is to put a larger gas tank on it for longer unattended applications, like extended power loss.

@SSD99 11 жыл бұрын

I used a 7-inch, 6-groove serpentine pulley from a Ford 302 crankshaft for the engine, and a 5-inch serpentine pulley (slightly modified) from a GM smog pump for the alternator. The Engine pulley needed some adapters to fit it to the engine's 7/8" x 3" vertical shaft. I decided on these large sizes because they would allowe the alternator to be closer to the engine, giving a smaller footprint. They also allow greater torque to be transmitted from the engine to the alternator.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@GMC2500DURAMAX: Thank You for your compliments. Your Kubota will handle a LOT more than 1.8kW, for sure. In several earlier posts and in the audio portion of my video, I explain how the engine speed does not affect the 60Hz output. Since the 60Hz Sinewave is generated by the DC-AC Inverter, all it needs is a steady 12V input, which is provided by the alternator when the engine is running, or by the batteries when the engine is shut down for when silent power is needed. Hope this helps.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@ryanb788; Thanks. The other major features include the ability to charge off-board batteries, start a car, power a 12V campsite, ans power AC loads silently. The last point: battery reserve and load will determine how long you can run silent.

@SSD99 11 жыл бұрын

Thx, Jeff. Little bit cold here in the upper midwest, so I won't be doing anything on the 9kW unit until spring-summer.

@SSD99 12 жыл бұрын

@sheltiemanva: That's really a good idea. I DID cover the alternator's BAT terminal after I made this video, now I need to do it for the main terminals. As an interim safety precaution, I fitted the battery cables with quick-disconnect PowerPoles. They won't prevent a short, but they will allow very quick disconnect of the batteries if a dead short does occur.

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@Townsonbck: The alternator is a stock Delco CS-144 series. CS-144s came in 105, 124, and 140A versions. Mine is the 140A version. You might want to have your unit checked out on an alternator test stand for full output. You should be able to determine if it's the stator or the rectifier bridge. It also helps to have plenty of free air movement for cooling. My alternator is spun by a 6.0hp (~4.5kW) engine, which proves to be sufficient even with system inefficiencies taken into account.

@alexnds1 11 жыл бұрын

His Alternator, after it converts AC to DC to power the batteries. He then uses the batteries to run the inverter as a sine wave, not square wave inverter. The reason this idea works, is that most generators have voltage output proportional to engine speed, so that their voltage would fluctuate as the engine speed changes. In this case, the inverter keeps voltage constant no matter the engine speed. Also, alternator is cheap, at 12 Volts at 100 AMPS, (High AMP,low Volt), but he wants high Volt

@demofactory 13 жыл бұрын

It would be cool if you could add a load-dependent throttle control. That would increase fuel effeciency being that it would only throttle up for increased load sizes. Nice work on a very useful generator set up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@SSD99 12 жыл бұрын

That's probably the only reason I'd ever consider any kind of hybrid.

@jlhwtp1 12 жыл бұрын

call it a "MowerVerter" Very nice work. and love the key start. I am in the middle of making my own genarator with a broken honda water pump, but the engine runs well.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

APM- Thanks for the comments. I did have issues w/the serpentine pulleys, not the belt. The smog-pump pulley kept coming off the alternator, so I took it to an alternator shop, and they torqued the shaft-nut on really tight. Now no more pulley issues. Next thing I would like to improve is quieting the exhaust, and the whole thing together. not sure how I'll do that.

@BlanchProductions 14 жыл бұрын

you should name it the "Cost half as much as the one at the store and works twice as good" generator

@6footmidget214 2 жыл бұрын

Great job. This also has potential b ran other ways as well. Im working on something similar but instead of an inverter ill run everything off the alternator at 12v. Very nice 👍✌

@Mossy500A 13 жыл бұрын

I have heard generators called "Genny" or "Gennies". "Gennifer" may be a good name. Cool project!

@kengine7 13 жыл бұрын

The average US household uses just under 1.8KW continuous. The real beauty is the separation of engine speed and frequency: this is where ALL power generation must improve. Great work, how about powermaker 2000?

@SSD99 11 жыл бұрын

Hi Leon, No, I never did a video of the Load-Step or Transient testing. It wouldn't be hard to do, though. Just have everything running, then switch on a 1500W hair dryer and see what happens, or just connect 12-15 100W light bulbs in Parallel & hit the switch.

@ps2hacker 12 жыл бұрын

One of my next projects will be a turbocharger to gas turbine conversion, I'm thinking that this would be perfect for that power plant. Plus, the turbine will probably use natural gas, at least as the primer fuel. Then, it'll have a secondary, liquid fuel injection, that will burn about anything that will burn. Even old french fry grease, old motor oil, whatever. Biodiesel, it'll love that. I still want to integrate an afterburner, if nothing else, I can power roast weenies with it.

@SSD99 11 жыл бұрын

Hey dpos89, from the Alt to the Binding posts, I use #4 AWG, and from the binding posts to each battery, I use #6 AWG to each battery. Heavier wires are always better because they can handle more current w/o all the voltage drop. It's like rush-hour traffic- It flows much better on an 8-lane superhighway than it does down a two-lane country load. Tempers heat up on thast narrow road, much line too much current on too thin a wire will cause it to heat up. I just love the humor! LOL!

@johnnywalker4401 4 жыл бұрын

Very nice system I've only left for 5 reviews in myattention and it would be nice to talk on the phone whenever you get a chance excellent job keep it up

@airbournepickle 13 жыл бұрын

Very nice! I wish I had one like that with all the features you've put in. Well done!

@syncmaster710n14 14 жыл бұрын

In siries (I live in the UK so 240V) and the inverter is a 10KW AC converter I got from a yard sale. Think it was originaly used as part of a home wind turbine kit, but runs my batteries just fine. Also to charge the batteries I have 10 24v truck battery charges so I can chage them all at once. It takes alot of juice though.

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@RCvolunteer1978: That's exactly how I powered my few appliances during the great Midwest power Outage of 2003. I used a 600W Portawattz inverter running off my car's engine for about three hours b4 we realized the power wasn't coming back on anytime soon, so we bugged out of town. Went up north where the power has islanded itself from the rest of the National grid quick enough to stay on.

@junkman6261 12 жыл бұрын

I have got to get this off my chest! First of all, great job! It's one thing to buy a welder or generator then there's another thing when you build your own and use it and it works. It may not work perfect but it works and it's yours from the ground up and you not only know how to use it but you know what makes it tick. I am tired of seeing the smart ass coments when you should congratulate the person who made the video. Therefore I would like to congratulate ssd99 on a job well done!!!

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@kymopar: The engine is running a 7" serpentine pulley from a Ford 302 main crankshaft with a custom-made pulley-to-shaft adapter, and the 5" serpentine pulley on the alternator is from an old Ford smog pump. Two reasons: larger-diameter, and serpentine setup helped get maximum torque from engine to alternator. So, at 3600 engine RPM, I top out at 5,040 alternator RPM, which, according to Delco's chart, puts out 130+ Amps.

@ps2hacker 12 жыл бұрын

If I had it to do over, or if I was going to build something like what you have, I would want to go with lithium batteries, now. They make internally self regulated LiFePo4 batteries that are drop in replacements for SLA batteries, but weigh about 1/3 or less, and have 2000 charge cycles, rather than SLA's 200, or so. They also have higher discharge capacity, it's the way of the future, for sure. If you take into consideration that they have 10 times the life, they are actually a lot cheaper.

@richiesixsix 12 жыл бұрын

I was thinking of building something like this. Very nice compact design. wel done.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@ukorganist: Thank You for your kind compliments. I want to do 8kW driven by a Briggs & Stratton 20hp I/C Opposed-Twin. I like the Opposed twins because, unlike the V-Twins, they are balanced, producing smoother power and more torque. 1 sec ago

@SSD99 12 жыл бұрын

@Peewee0413 It does. The CS-144 alternator, like all current Delco units, is internally regulated. I believe there may be a provision gor trimming up/down the voltahe, but I'll have tk verify this, because there were several voltage regulators available.

@SSD99 12 жыл бұрын

Thank You very Much, Clay. If only there were a way to mass-produce this, or at least, ake it's manufacture easy, I'd seriously consider it. I'm thinking about putting out a DVD on how this was done.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@ShutterbugW: That would be a great idea. Some of the best ,most innovative projects came from scrapped, or otherwise discarded parts.

@jvkew 7 жыл бұрын

Such a well thought out arrangement.

@ps2hacker 12 жыл бұрын

Eventually, I added enough solar panels to run my house, and good old (new) d/c genny was mounted on the back of an old golf cart I used for getting around out there, and built my own hybrid vehicle out of it, I just found a 36v dynamo, and it was good to go.

@SSD99 12 жыл бұрын

Oh, the PRESSURE!!!! Things a little busy now, but I WILL make one, I PROMISE. BTW, for all you tracking this thread, I just picked up the first component of the 10kW system- a vertical-shaft 18hp B&S Opposed Twin with full-pressure lube system. Runs like a champ (not bad for a 1994 engine)! Trying to swap flywheel for one with BIG magnets & 16A stator (starter battery recharging & house-keeping functions only). Maybe I'll do a video for that engine soon. Stay tuned.....

@akretowicz 12 жыл бұрын

All I have to say is I am impressed.

@SSD99 11 жыл бұрын

I've had a 12V light for about a year, but never actually installed it. That's the next thing. I'll post a quick video when I get it done. As for the engine speed, the throttle isn't too loose, so it's not difficult getting it to stay at any speed I choose. Yes, I know I need to have some sort of feedback to automatically change engine speed dependent on load drawn, but I'm no control systems expert. I've startedd onm my 9kW unit, and feedback will be a MUST for that one.

@aaaflooddrying 12 жыл бұрын

That would be very helpful to many people. Thank You Clay

@jose102974 12 жыл бұрын

I need something like this in my truck so ever time I go to a truck stop I can use my 3000 watt inverter .

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@Chocapiceater: This will do that with no problem. 1.8kW should be more than enough for your computer, and since the AC output is pure Sine wave, higher-order harmonics (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, -order miltiples, all added up to make the square-wave or modified-sine wave of your cheaper inverters) should not be a noise issue.

@alec4672 3 жыл бұрын

I've been looking into a system called the "power mite 110" in order to use the vehicle engine on my international ambulance as a generator. Doing this would be like a 1/4 of the cost. Originally I looked passed inverters cause I don't wanna mess with the charging system. I guess I now just realized if I'm adding a generator to the engine I could just add another alternator 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

@MrWhoaru99 11 жыл бұрын

You don't need feedback, per se, in a system like you've created. The governor on the engine increases fueling to maintain the engine speed as load increases. Spinning an alternator like that produces DC output so the engine RPM isn't critical to the process (assuming sufficient to support the load).. The inverter is what's producing the proper 60Hz frequency, unlike a straight AC alternator where the engine speed must be tightly governed to ensure the AC frequency is correct (~60Hz).

@SSD99 11 жыл бұрын

Solo- Throttle regulation depends on how good you can make a good control system. It would need to sense either DC current drawn by inverter, AC current drawn by load, or some other parameter that changes with load (assuming you don't use a straight AC generator head). For an Alternator-Battery-Inverter arrangement, your control system will be similar to what's on those nice Honda Inverter-gensets. Constant speed no longer the desired output, rather constant voltage, either AC or DC.

@syncmaster710n14 14 жыл бұрын

Cool. I baught a honda a couple of years back and Its bean good for back up (live in the countryside lots of power cuts) but it was no good to leave runing all night so what I did was got 20 car batteries riged them up to an AC converter and I can now run all my house for 2-3 days off them with no generator at all.

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@clflyguy: Thank You for the suggestion. I haven't experienced any difficulties with the inverter's rigid mounting, but, per your recommendation, if I do experience any vibration-related issues with the inverter, I will investigatew the practicality of rubber-mount shock-isolation for the inverter. It's a pretty tight fit under there now as it is, but I'll keep this in mind. Cheers, Steve

@ScruffyMug 13 жыл бұрын

Name Suggestion ...SSD 1,8 GenKing ...You could Make it tighter with some air Bags and spinners and Crome Plate it to the max.. NOTE Safety the terminals need rubber covers and belts need belt guards for kids and some warning stickers.. The sound would be an issue at night ...Possibly ..GREAT JOB MAN

@UpcomingJedi 14 жыл бұрын

Man, thats a really sweet, neat setup you have there.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@honda4x4esjoseph: You don't want to know (UGH!!) Seriously, It came in at just under USD $950.00, or about 53 cents per watt. Considering a good model from Homeless Despot or Lowe's runs about 10-15 cents per watt, this is not bad for a specialty version. @ukorganist: Thank You for your kind compliments. I want to do 8kW driven by a Briggs & Stratton 20hp I/C Opposed-Twin. I like the Opposed twins because, unlike the V-Twins, they are balanced, producing smoother power and more torque.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@ThePauperPrepper, weedman420xxx, and gchenley: Thanks for your comments. I'd really like to do a whole house gen-set next. Something in the 8-12kW range. Of course this means a much bigger engine, and scrounging up at least a 300A 28V alternator. Oh yeah, and one really BIG-ass inverter with a 120/240VAC output.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@PaFirePhoto: Thank You for your kind words. Seriously looking forward to scaling it up to more than 5kW. Perhaps within the year.......

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

Just the stock OEM starter. I got lucky- it was the 12V version. There were several 6V versions, which would have made charging a bit difficult from a 12V source w/o over-charging.

@Touched_by_a_12_gauge 13 жыл бұрын

The TrykaWatt, You'll never be in a state of loss with this unique-durable and dependable power generator. It can simplify all your energy needs in any event- such as, Camping, Power outage, Portable power at the park, Grill parties, Block parties, Nuclear Winter, Zombie Apocalypse, In-Laws over for the week? Simply take this to the garage and tell your honey you'll be back in a week. Simply put YOU need a TrykaWatt. Warning "Keep away from Doc Brown"

@jsmythib 14 жыл бұрын

@SSD99 ops, sorry- I was thinking of my free used fiero alternator and a 79$ 750watt inverter...your setup is a work of art, mine is- MM :)

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@N4ANE: Thanks- that's what we did. We've (K8UO) been running QRP-battery every year and got 15K points this year (I think). I have north of 500Ah total battery capacity, and that helps for loooooong periods (like 24hrs).

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@ShutterbugW That was the original idea. I started out with this just to verify that I could do it. Ideally, I want to get an inverter that puts out 120/240VAC in the 8-12kW range, so I can run both halves of the CB panel (& the whole house). Of course, I'll need a bigger everything (engine, alternator and battery bank). I already have the generator & Inverter, but still need an engine. The Generator (Aura-Gen) doesn't need much of a battery because it is an integrated system.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@tmd004: The Epicenter is where i got the original idea from. Though I wanted to have a more "integrated" look, I wanted all components to be strong enough to stand on their own. As for me, I got very lucky as the the engine, alternator, inverter, and generator frame all came N.I.B. from eBay. If you want to start out basic, I recommend a vertical-shaft B&S 3.5Hp engine and a Delco 10SI 63A alternator. Both can be had for a song. I actually did a 3.5Hp/63A combo, but never finished it.

@marksalot2116 12 жыл бұрын

Very cool. Gives me ideas to use a variable speed electric motor and a few more alternators then I wouldn't need to worry about gas. Or maybe a magnet motor that would not use any power source. Thanks for the ideas...

@vegasfordguy 11 жыл бұрын

It's a neat and clean set up, Only down fall is that it's very large and noisy compared to a Honda or Yamaha unit.

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@Pierre5484: D you mean for the Altenator's field? If so, then No. The Alternator's Field is controlled directly by the key-switch. Its battery-sense lead is connected to the battery at all times, as is the alternator's output (BATT) terminal, just like on a conventional automotive set-up.

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@Chocapiceater: Don't take what I say here as advice, I don't want to be responsible for someone else's equipment being damaged due to "bad" advice. If your computer's power requirements are, say, 120VAC, 60Hz, then it doesn't matter where it comes from: Wall socket or 120VAC 60Hz Sinewave Inverter. Power available depends on the inverter size, and running time depends on battery capacity. The alternator extends running time by amount of fuel you have and alternator/engine efficiency.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

I have a smaller un-finushed gen-set using an electric-start 3.5 B&S driving a Delco 140A Alternator, electrically identical to the one in this video. I shot a crude video of it with my camera-phone, but plan to re-shoot it with my digi-cam. I seriously doubt the 3.5'er could handle the 140A at full-load. Doing the math and taking into account the inefficiencies of the standard Lundell alternator (~60-70%) for a maximum output of 1960W (14V x 140A), I would need 4kW, or over 6hp.

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@dollywarrior: Don't know- I've never let them discharge. I would guess that if they were needing a fast charge, perhaps 30-60 mins with the generator, and ~18-24 hours using an external charger. I'll admit, most of the batteries I have are deep-cycle ones, so I really should a current regulator in addition to the voltage regulation, but I try to limit the charge rate by charging them by AC Charger. This setup is not intended as a dedicated battery charger, but more for powering things.

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

@halohalohalocam1: Thank You for asking. I would love to, but I have neither time nor the inclination for now, as I want to start spending more time with my family. As for the co$t, ~USD$950. Batteries were free, so that's a BIG expense chopped off.

@SSD99 12 жыл бұрын

I'm not surprised! With a standard 2-pole AC generator, your engine needs to run at a very steady 3600prm (1800rpm for a 4-pole generator), regardless of load. With an alternator, your loads (AC or DC) don't care what speed it spins at (as long as it's above minimum cut-in speed), because the inverter takes care of the 60Hz part. Enjoy your savings! maybe get more 8G batteries, granola bars, or gasoline. (LOL!)

@professorfidelcat 11 жыл бұрын

nice 4 stroke engine it sounds like...cool unit..maybe you could also add some foldable solar panels to make it more versatile and reliable if the gas runs out.. next step I suggest is to work on an electric motor-generator loop set..im still trying hard to figure out how some have made such generators run itself feeding back on attached electric motors..good luck and best wishes!!

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@4micaman: THX, man. Already thinking about upgrading it (maybe larger engine & Alternator). We'll see how things go.....

@TheDD563 11 жыл бұрын

73 from Texas...

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@Insulators: All good ideas, and all being considered for next-gen unit (if I get around to doing it).

@SSD99 12 жыл бұрын

If you hurry, there's a Delco 200A Alternator on eBay going for only $61.61. Didn't see when auction ends, but hurry!

@SSD99 14 жыл бұрын

Thanks for viewing. I got the engine brand new from eBay. I don't think it has the heavy flywheel, but that doesn't matter- the alternator serves as a physical load much like the blades on the lawnmower do.

@SSD99 13 жыл бұрын

@DengarTime: I honestly don't know. The only times I did were for battery-only power. It's cold here in the Midwest now, but this summer, I'll give it a try then post the results. Biggest challenge for now is quieting the engine down. I believe I can quiet most of the machinery noise by putting covers on the side panels, but, for the engine exhaust, per some previous comments made here, I think I'll need a bigger muffler. Another idea was to motorize the two main wheels for some mobility.

@therobb5738 5 жыл бұрын

This is the most badass DIY genny ive come across! "Coulda bought a generator" but they dont make them THIS cool! Looks very sturdy and heavy-duty. What kind of gas and oil do you use? Standard 87 and HD30?

@SSD99 2 жыл бұрын

Just standard 87 Octane pump gas, and whatever the recommended oil is on the B&S maintenance guide.

@sheltiemanva 12 жыл бұрын

I like it, VERY MUCH...but, you should cover the open lugs on the front of that thing. Having something metal touch the two poles and you have some major sparks, fire death...