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Started By
Message
Any of you knuckle draggers ever built your own generator?
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:04 pm
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:04 pm
Generator heads are relatively inexpensive considering.
Lovejoy coupling to connect to an engine, throw in a transfer switch and there you go.
No?
Lovejoy coupling to connect to an engine, throw in a transfer switch and there you go.
No?
6
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:06 pm to bamarep
Yea, some really really big ones.
How electrically smart are you?
How electrically smart are you?
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:11 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
Fairly proficient. Been in industrial maintenance most of my life.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:16 pm to bamarep
It is a basic concept, but doesn't seem that easy to me.
Shaft
Shaft connections
Adapter plates
Proper engine speed
Balancing
Wiring
I'd be most concerned about vibrations and frequency output
Shaft
Shaft connections
Adapter plates
Proper engine speed
Balancing
Wiring
I'd be most concerned about vibrations and frequency output
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:22 pm to bamarep
You shouldn't have too bad of a time with it then if the engine already has a governor. There aint shite to em.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:24 pm to bamarep
I have been thinking about building a waterwheel at the waterfall behind my house,and try to set up 2 or 3, 200 amp alternators,hooked to batteries and an inverter,just to see what it could produce.
Somebody said I might have to have the alternators rewound to produce at lower speeds. I don't know,and any help/suggestions would be appreciated.
Somebody said I might have to have the alternators rewound to produce at lower speeds. I don't know,and any help/suggestions would be appreciated.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:31 pm to auggie
You should just be able to change the sheaves to get the drive speed up. Don't know if you could get it high enough though from a waterwheel though since it'll probably only turn at a few RPM and alternators are made to run several hundred.
3x 200 amp 12v alternators is 7.2kW, it'll take a pretty good bit of water flow to make that much power and those alternators won't be really cheap.
It'd be a fun experiment for sure, but I'd start with one and see if you have enough flow to make the power.
3x 200 amp 12v alternators is 7.2kW, it'll take a pretty good bit of water flow to make that much power and those alternators won't be really cheap.
It'd be a fun experiment for sure, but I'd start with one and see if you have enough flow to make the power.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:43 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
Thanks for answering, it's a nice sized little spring branch, with a pretty good flow all the time. I think it would turn a good sized wheel,with a large sized pulley to an alternator pulley, I might be able to get a couple hurdred RPM maybe more.That's going to be the big question.
You are definitely right about starting out with 1 alternator at first.
I think it will be fun to try. Maybe use a wire spools to make the wheel. If 1 works,then possibly make a series of them.
You are definitely right about starting out with 1 alternator at first.
I think it will be fun to try. Maybe use a wire spools to make the wheel. If 1 works,then possibly make a series of them.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 8:46 pm to auggie
Shitchyea do it. Do some research on figuring out roughly how much theoretical power the stream can make. I think it's just elevation and flow rate that really matter but one of those civil guys could answer that better than me.
If you actually could get 7.2kW out of it that'd be enough to run the damn house other than starting the AC and shite, and you could make that work if you wanted to bad enough. I think that much power is ambitious but even if it's only 1kW that's enough to run a bunch of shite.
If you actually could get 7.2kW out of it that'd be enough to run the damn house other than starting the AC and shite, and you could make that work if you wanted to bad enough. I think that much power is ambitious but even if it's only 1kW that's enough to run a bunch of shite.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:01 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
I have been to where the spring comes out of the ground,but it's not on my property( I wish it is). Its about 12 inches in diameter and comes out with enough force to knock a man off of his feet.
If I could build it there, I think I could run several houses,but the flow slows down a lot before it gets to my place,but there is still a pretty good drop at the falls,maybe 5 feet.
I thought if I can funnel down the flow into a narrow area, I can concentrate the flow and energy.
Probably build something simple using telephone poles to mount the wheel in position,and 2 inch pipe for the shaft.
Hell, If I could get it to run a fridge, I would consider it a success.
If I could build it there, I think I could run several houses,but the flow slows down a lot before it gets to my place,but there is still a pretty good drop at the falls,maybe 5 feet.
I thought if I can funnel down the flow into a narrow area, I can concentrate the flow and energy.
Probably build something simple using telephone poles to mount the wheel in position,and 2 inch pipe for the shaft.
Hell, If I could get it to run a fridge, I would consider it a success.
This post was edited on 9/21/17 at 9:04 pm
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:06 pm to auggie
That's awesome. Definitely do it.
I'm no expert on this stuff by any stretch but pressure and flowrate = power when it's flow in a pipe. I wouldn't think this is much if any different except pressure would be replaced by how much higher the source is than where the wheel is. Kinda the same thing but not exactly.
Definitely do it and make a thread about it with pictures.
I'm no expert on this stuff by any stretch but pressure and flowrate = power when it's flow in a pipe. I wouldn't think this is much if any different except pressure would be replaced by how much higher the source is than where the wheel is. Kinda the same thing but not exactly.
Definitely do it and make a thread about it with pictures.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:13 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
I am going to take some time off after Christmas,and this is a project I have been thinking about trying for a while.
I would post pictures if I can get done. I would be damn proud of it.
Thanx for the input.
I would post pictures if I can get done. I would be damn proud of it.
Thanx for the input.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:16 pm to auggie
Definitely make a thread. There's a ton of random technical knowledge around here. You'll get a bunch overcomplicated good ideas but some really good help
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:16 pm to auggie
Yes. Old 4 cylinder water cooled forklift engine, belt drive to a 20 KW ST generator head (single phase). Pulley sizes were adjusted to keep the engine at 1800 rpm. There is actually a formula for that. Used a triple belt pulley setup.
In the end, we spent more than we would have spent buying a good used 20 KW unit!!!! We did have a hell of a lot of fun fabricating everything up though.
If you are going to do it use an ST head. That is what they use in those 3rd world villages to run power 24/7. They are built like a tank and cheap to repair. Very heavy though.
Also I can't recommend an old 4 cyl forklift engine. A little lacking in power for 20 KW, but it was free. Somewhere on the internet there is a chart that pretty much tells you what HP engine you need to produce X amount of KW in a generator setup.
There is a whole group of people who have made homemade generators using the ST heads and Lister type engines. These are slow rpm diesels with heavy flywheels.
Water wheel setups are a little tougher, electronic voltage regulators can only do so much to regulate the power as far as the wheel turning faster than the designed rpm. Without some sort of governor your voltage and frequency could be all over the place based on the flow of the spring.
Here are some things I learned during our project: 2 pole generator head (like what is on the cheap Home Depot units) will need 3600 RPM for 120/240V @ 60hz. 4 pole generator head will need 1800 rpm for 120/240 volts @ 60hz. You will want the voltage / hz adjusted a little high say somewhere 120 - 125V unloaded, that way when you put a load on the generator it will settle down to 120 @ 60Hz.
Another route you could take is a decent 12V battery bank (like 4 6V golf cart batteries wired series, series, parallel) and some heavy duty truck alternators run off the water wheel to keep them charged / supply power to an inverter.
In the end, we spent more than we would have spent buying a good used 20 KW unit!!!! We did have a hell of a lot of fun fabricating everything up though.
If you are going to do it use an ST head. That is what they use in those 3rd world villages to run power 24/7. They are built like a tank and cheap to repair. Very heavy though.
Also I can't recommend an old 4 cyl forklift engine. A little lacking in power for 20 KW, but it was free. Somewhere on the internet there is a chart that pretty much tells you what HP engine you need to produce X amount of KW in a generator setup.
There is a whole group of people who have made homemade generators using the ST heads and Lister type engines. These are slow rpm diesels with heavy flywheels.
Water wheel setups are a little tougher, electronic voltage regulators can only do so much to regulate the power as far as the wheel turning faster than the designed rpm. Without some sort of governor your voltage and frequency could be all over the place based on the flow of the spring.
Here are some things I learned during our project: 2 pole generator head (like what is on the cheap Home Depot units) will need 3600 RPM for 120/240V @ 60hz. 4 pole generator head will need 1800 rpm for 120/240 volts @ 60hz. You will want the voltage / hz adjusted a little high say somewhere 120 - 125V unloaded, that way when you put a load on the generator it will settle down to 120 @ 60Hz.
Another route you could take is a decent 12V battery bank (like 4 6V golf cart batteries wired series, series, parallel) and some heavy duty truck alternators run off the water wheel to keep them charged / supply power to an inverter.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:20 pm to td1
That's cool that y'all figured all that suff out yourselves. People who really genuinely understand diesel generators get paid well to do so and y'all got the jist of it with a forklift motor and some pulleys and belts 
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:25 pm to DownshiftAndFloorIt
quote:
That's cool that y'all figured all that suff out yourselves. People who really genuinely understand diesel generators get paid well to do so and y'all got the jist of it with a forklift motor and some pulleys and belts
It is truly amazing what you can find on the internet!!! And I would seriously say the jist of it!
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:32 pm to td1
quote:
Somewhere on the internet there is a chart that pretty much tells you what HP engine you need to produce X amount of KW in a generator setup.
There are 746 watts in 1hp so for 20KW you will need roughly 27hp, I would use a 30 for a cushion
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:32 pm to td1
quote:
Another route you could take is a decent 12V battery bank (like 4 6V golf cart batteries wired series, series, parallel) and some heavy duty truck alternators run off the water wheel to keep them charged / supply power to an inverter.
This is pretty much what I had in mind,it would be about the only way to stabilize output and prevent serious surges.
Thanx for the help!
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:34 pm to bamarep
Your stream will need to go 88 mph to produce the 1.21 gigawatts needed Marty.
Posted on 9/21/17 at 9:42 pm to Barneyrb
Generators/alternators typically run around 90% efficiency, at least the ones I work with. I imagine the smaller ones are worse.
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