Compact DIY generator (Honda)

[Paul H (admin)]

Here is an example of an under ground exhaust for a Lister diesel engine, used by eco-warriors that run the engine on waste vegetable oil to generate electricity. The builder claims it is virtually silent:

http://www.navitron.org.uk/forum/index.php/topic,9775.msg106645.html#msg106645

The principle is the same for boats and cars - the exhaust gases expand (losing energy and pressure) and the long twisty path slows down the waves of gas.

Here is a typical marine exhaust:
http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/plumbing-hose/vetus/-mp-plastic-mufflers-for-exhaust-7666-766901.bhtml

I know someone that charges batteries with a Lister using waste vegetable oil from chip shops. A copper coil around the cylinder head takes waste heat to a hot water cylinder for free hot water - Ken runs it for several hours a day with no complaints from wife or neighbours!

-Paul

[Anders]

Good. Show the world how to do things well.

[simplesimon]

adminHBBR wrote

Here is a typical marine exhaust:
http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/plumbing-hose/vetus/-mp-plastic-mufflers-for-exhaust-7666-766901.bhtml

Remember that is a wet exhaust - it relies on cooling water from the engine being discharged into the exhaust manifold. We've got one on the small launch at Barton - it's not very effective! (but better than nothing)

Simon

[BrianP]

Can I check just how this great little micro gen set is planned to be used.

At first it was for an hours running to charge batteries. Then run during the day on just batteries.

Then seems more like running slowly and as quietly as possible during the day, keeping batteries topped up constantly.

Is that the same generator? I am really interested in this concept and could see two uses for my own needs.

Boat wise, using battery power in the river, then added gen set power on the Solent stretch to Cowes or across Christchurch Bay to Poole,knowing that I have no worries about flat batteries. Then back to just electric in the harbour or say around the beautiful Newton or Beaulieu Rivers.

Similarly on my electric bike. You would not want to use a gen set in camp, but along the road the noise would be of little concern. Perhaps during the last hour of riding one would fire up the micro genset to re-charge the batteries? My charger which came with the bike states a 6 hour charge time so that's basically overnight. Could this charger do the job in an hour or does it need to run for 6 hours?

Thanks for your help, I do find electronics baffling. ( and most other things these days)

Brian

[Jeremy]

My plan is to use it as a battery charger back-up, so I've designed it to run at a modest power level that will charge up either the boat or bike battery pack in a few hours.  I'm aiming at getting around 250 to 300 watts from mine, which should mean that the engine won't be revving away making a lot of noise (the noise level does rise markedly with revs I've found).  

It should also be possible to run it at a lower (and quieter) power level for longer periods of time.  My electric bike tends to average around 100 watts or so long term, so a generator running at that power level would comfortably maintain charge state all day long.  The electric boat should use about the same average power, so if the solar panels aren't doing enough the generator would provide a fairly quiet backup.

The charger that came with your bike, Brian, will probably need 6 hours to charge the battery from flat to full charge, but if you could find a way to run the charger from a low voltage generator like this, it would probably keep the battery topped up as you go along.  I know that the mains charger for one of my early electric bike batteries (a commercial one I bought couple of years ago before I went fully DIY) charges a 36V battery at 3 A, so near enough 100 W and just about enough to match average power use when riding.

[BrianP]

Any news on this project? Came across this video of a motorised bicycle using the same Honda engine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Vm3_B5IV8

Brian

[Jeremy]

Nothing much to report, I'm afraid, Brian.  The combination of cold weather and dealing with the machinations of the planners have been keeping me out of the workshop lately!