Making my own 20 KW Genset

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Ha! A man after my own heart.... here's mine:

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Edit - that one was before the controls were hooked up. Here they are, positioned between the heaters and the tubing:

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Yeah I like this stuff too.

I tried to take some HVAC training, but it never worked with my schedule, so instead I am taking college classes now for my High Pressure Steam Boiler License.

I got a job at the local hospital if I want it, but another job came up, so I took that instead. It is as a welding instructor instead of High Pressure Steam, or HVAC, but I was a welder for 23 years, so I took it. I will still get my High Pressure Steam License that way I always have it. But boilers are boilers. My little hang-on-the-wall condensing boiler that is the size of a microwave is no different in operation than a 13 story, cogenerating boiler at the papermill that has a condensing superheater. Pressure, steam and size is the only difference.

 

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A few years ago I did get to play around with steam though...well sort of: I got to steer the ole gal. And old is the truth. I think it is 100 years old, but the State of Maine rebuilt this Lombard Log Hauler, and said since taxpayers paid to rebuild it, taxpayers could enjoy it, so when they dig it out, they give rides, and let the public steer it if they want to. I jumped at the chance.

I have driven a lot of tractors, but never a steam powered bulldozer!

 

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It is amazing the stuff a person can find if they just go looking for it. The engine itself was a barn-find, so I figured in the spirit of things I minds well find as much as I can to make the engine go.

I went looking for some parts for the coolant system and managed to find the radiator and hoses for it. So I cut a hole through the wall for the radiator and mounted that, then cut a hole for the air intake. I then bolted the radiator to the wall figuring it was easier to plumb the radiator lines to the radiator, then it was to duct the expelled heat through a plenum out the wall. It will mean I will need (2) 12 inch electric fans instead of and engine driven one, but with it being a generator, I always have 120 volts available to me.

I even managed to find the right size belt, it having to be super tight since there is no alternator on this thing, but rather a battery-tender to help keep the battery charged. If nothing else, it removes as many parasitic loads on the engine. The only "load" being the belt running from the crankshaft to the water pump. It just had to be stretched super tight over the pulleys since there is no way to tension the belt via alternator. But I actually found a belt I had kicking around. Wonders never cease.

Surprisingly, I thought a longer air intake hose would be easy enough to find, but I struck out. But in looking up at the old sawmill, I did find a pile of exhaust pipe. One piece was only bent to about 45 degrees, and I needed 90 degrees, so I made a makeshift wood bender, and bent the pipe to 90 degrees using my barn posts, and a lining bar. Now I just need a muffler clamp to make the connection leakproof.

But I am currently without a license (medical reasons) so I cannot just run to the autoparts store and pick things up otherwise I would get a lot more done!

 

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My orginal intent was to put a cow stall mat under this engine to isolate it from vibration. Tractor Supply has them for $46, but the other Day we were at Home Depot, and they had these really thick door mats on sale for half price. So I bought them instead. They were $12 for (2) mats and plenty big enough to sit the generator/engine on top of. So I used my trusty lining bar, some wedges, and managed to lift the engine up to slide the rubber mats underneath it.

Now I have to get some anchor bolts and bolt this unit to the concrete floor and walls of the generator shed so it does not move.

 

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Well I finally went out and got some photos of the Cogenerating Unit I am building.

It bothers me to show pictures of it in a way because I always think, "I should do this before I post a picture of it, or I should do that", but then I end up having no start and finish pictures. In that sense, it is always good to show where you started, and the build along the way; no matter how bad it may look!

The only thing I think I will change is the tank arrangement. Right now it is inside the generator shed, which is good, but if it was outside it would give me more room, AND allow me to fuel up my tractor as well. It would also help me align the fuel lines a little better, and be easier for the fuel delivery man to get too. So a lot of benefit, except, fuel can gel when it gets really cold. But I guess there is ways to prevent that.

So this is what I got so far...

 

[Industrial Toys]

GREAT pictures!

Love the old frankenstein gauges! That oil tank should keep the Beer Fridge cold a long time.

That tracked beast is one of the coolest things I have seen on here. There does ned to be a plexiglass sheild between the two guys though.

 

[defranks]

That's quite a project! And good for you for conserving the wasted heat, too.
Years ago I built a generator using an old Isuzu P'up 2L diesel engine that a friend had sitting around and a Chinese generator head. The trickiest part was finding a coupling that would work, and then rigging up a system to keep the frequency (rpm) correct as load varied. I put the whole thing on a Harbor Freight trailer so I could move it around. I got it running and generating, but never used it. Finally sold it to another tinkerer for the price I paid for the generator head. He got a great deal, but it was still a project.

PS- Nice boiler!

 

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GREAT pictures!

Love the old frankenstein gauges! That oil tank should keep the Beer Fridge cold a long time.

That tracked beast is one of the coolest things I have seen on here. There does ned to be a plexiglass sheild between the two guys though.

I used to think the Lombard Log Hauler was the first "track-laying" tractor, but I think the Miller Tractor, built in the mid 1880's beat Lombard out by about twenty years. I know a lot of people give Benjamin Holt credit for that, but he actually saw one of Lombard tractors at work in Wisconsin two years before. Lombard sued Holt over patent infringement and WON! (Holt later went on to start Caterpillar Tractor Company with (first name escapes me) Best).

But a lot of people do not know that the first all-wheel drive tractor was back in the steam days of tractors, and was not four-wheel drive...it was actually a Tricycle Design. Yes, no joke, a tricycle, but all three wheels were powered, even the one that steered on the front. I believe it was a Roberts and Doak Steam Tractor, but I would have to check.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Just noticed the freq meter. I think I have his little brother!

I was given a book on the History of tractors but feel it is very British oriented and missing a lot. Interesting though to see how the large driven rear wheels and small front steering wheels lasted for so long.

 

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Well I had a major set-back yesterday on this project.

I could roll the engine over by hand, but not fully, and it bugged me. I thought it was because of the high compression engine, but it just did not seem right, so I ended up finally just removing the head. It was apparent after doing that as to why: #3 cylinder had an inch of sludge on it, and #4 cylinder had a mouse nest in it: it is pretty hard to compress any of THAT!

So I got a new top end set of gaskets coming for it...and where else...but Walmart! Who would have thought that they would have parts for a 42 year old engine just a few years ago?

So while I am waiting for that to come in, I think I will pull the oil pan and swab out the oil/sludge that is in there, and get that all cleaned up.

I am also going to rebuild the injectors and the fuel injection pump while I am at it. This engine only has 2607 hours on it, but it has been sitting idle for 32 years. Diesels are super simple as they operate under the principal of the squish-bang theory, so I know it has plenty of compression, and can get air, so if I can spend my time and money on getting fuel to it, she will run for sure.

In the end it is a set-back of sorts, but it will be a lot better engine once I get past this, and getting squishing, banging and making smoke.