I also found this book. Pages 183-187 has dimension information for cyclones:
I thought this was very helpful.
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This is my cyclone built to the dimensions in the handbook. The first attempt I did the math wrong the second attempt worked. tomorrow i am going to build the trash tank
This is Jesse. I started a thread for this. Maybe Chris can move this over there.
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I am preparing to start a wood project to make an electric generator. Does anyone know how the timing advance on wood compares to an engine already set up for propane.? Are the burn rates the same or similar enough for it to work without adjustment?
Don’t remember anyone talking about it before.
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You can ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ as they say. Just get it running first, then vary the timing to give max power.
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Lifts are good for more than cars this make trailer lights very easy.
If any one is looking to buy rubber fittings I found a cheap place compared to any else I have found, with free shipping on orders over $100.00. It is called SUPPLY.COM It comes out of Atlanta Ga I ordered a box of them yesterday at about noon and they arrived here today. I also have ordered other fitting there for cheaper than Lowe’s and most defiantly Home Depot.
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Today dad and I got the generator out and got it going sort-of. The Generator is setup to run on natural gas and we are using propane so it does not run the best. The thing only has 110 hrs on it. It will run for a little over a minute then die out and when it is running the battery will charge at least the gauge says so but there is no power coming out of the leads. Here are a few pictures. Does anyone have any Ideas what it might be that is keeping it from producing power? I need help I don’t know anything about generators.
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I understand Jacob you have a problem with the electricity, or with the electrical part of the generator, if it is synchronous, then it acts much like an alternator, only has no diodes, so it checks the rotor winding, brushes and measures the excitation voltage that is supposed to come from regulator, …
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Two people have told me know that I need to excite it. To do that do I just hook up an electric motor to pull on it or do I have to connect it to power? How does that usually work? If I do Have to connect it to power Is it safe to connect it to the power grid to do so?
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They are referring to exciting the field windings in the generator. This is done with DC. It sounds like there is an issue with the circuit that provides the voltage-excitation.
Do you see a schematic anywhere? If this unit has an AVR (automatic voltage regulator) I would look carefully at that. Could be as simple as a broken/chewed/corroded wire.
Might be worthwhile to go over all the electrical connections and make sure all are clean.
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Here’s an article that goes deeper into the subject. Beware it is specific to the Chinese ST generator heads, but the principles are the same.
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I helped put together a generator that used a 1/3 hp motor. It wouldn’t do anything until we stuck a magnet on the side of the motor/ generator. Then it started making current. You could then take the magnet off and it would keep making current. Someone told me we had “excited the windings”. Hope this helps.
Rindert
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Ran across a Miller welder/generator that had a bad bridge rectifier that wouldn’t allow it to make power you might want to check the schematic to see if the unit has one. Also propane is richer than natural gas don’t remember the ratio though
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Jacob, for the principle of operation, search under a synchronous generator, say:
the difference between propane and methane in the mixing ratio
the difference between propane and natural gas, …
if the engine is running on a rod, the nozzle must be reduced by 2.5x
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Do you have any Idea what that might look like?
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Thanks for sharing your nice cyclone work. The cyclone is a rather amazing technology for dust removal. Search “cyclone” on this site and you will find a hundred references.
Some may be challenged by fabricating a cone shape. Cyclones work just as well with straight sides. See post #28 under “Charcoal gasifier prototype…” for a discussion and pictures of an air ramp approach that also simplifies construction.
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The ones I’ve seen have been boxes with everything potted in epoxy and a few wires or connectors sticking out.
You probably won’t be able to tell much from a visual inspection… you would need to test it electrically. That’s where a schematic would come in handy as you could determine how this genny excites the field windings.
Might be worthwhile to just go through the wiring and make sure there aren’t any bad connections. I’ve spent more time that I care to admit chasing electrical gremlins that ended up being a corroded connection.
Wouldn’t hurt to try slapping a magnet on it either as Rindert suggests. I believe some generators rely on a small amount of residual magnetism to get the whole process started, and that can go away after sitting for long enough.
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How many times have I been there? Just got the turn signals working on my 1991 Ranger. It seemed to work on foggy days, go figure. People told me I had a bad chassis ground somewhere. Actually crawled up under and loosened and put antiseize on all the grounds I could find. Finally took the switch itself off the steering column. Checked out fine, so I put it back in. THEN turn signals started working. I suppose one of the connectors became oxidized over 29 years and just wouldn’t conduct anymore. PITA! 
Rindert
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That thingy, I think. This is why a wiring diagram would help. If you cut the wire bundle ties, it will be easier to trace where the wires go. I have to ask, did it work before, and not now? or as obtainium, would explain why it was available. Is there a brand name? looks like an industrial / commercial unit to me.
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