Vulcan Gasifier

I wanted to take a moment to thank Matt for his generous contributions to the DOW community. His insight is very valuable.

Thanks Matt! :thumbsup:

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Hey all I picked up this genny today from Harbor Freight for a customer. We are going to fit our system on this guy with our electronic mixer controller. Im very impressed so far this thing is very well made HF did a great job. If the engine runs as well as they say they do, looks like we have a winner. We are planning to add this to our product line next year instead of building our own. I just can not compete with this and just makes more sense. This will greatly help us produce this portion much faster than building the entire system. All around this seems like such a great machine for wood gas, these engines are ranking as top notch contenders and if they do go bad not a big deal, they won’t break your bank. I have a ton of work to get done this week and am itching to dig into this thing. Hope to start tearing stuff apart this weekend :fire:

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Spin on filter?..

No its actually kinda complicated they are using the cooling fan as sort of like a turbo. Its pretty cool, but when we are done it wont have that no more.

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Looks like a nice welder/plasma cutting generator,are you wood gasing it.

Yes this will be added to our product line. This will come as an option for our Flex Series Gasifier making it a turnkey system ready to run off the delivery truck!

I have three of their engines. I hope to look at their durability to get a rough MTBF figure. Also looking at rebuild cost and ways to enhance durability. Might be cheaper just to buy another.

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Exactly! that is one the criteria. Durability should be the same any other engine in this class. This is made by Lifan, they also make parts for Honda this is why early engines shared parts.

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I suspect that they’ll last as long as any engine in its class… keep us posted though just the same. If believe lifan makes engines for bmw…

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Loncin builds bmw engines… just the same, China can build decent stuff too if you’re willing to pay for it.

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Nice looking drums,getting rid of the barrow look,Those V8 generators look real nice,all though not on my budgit,what would the v8 set up cost,they look like about 50 k w for powering big buildings.

Hi Kevin, this is a 2016 pre release of the new Flex Series - I gasifier system. We are rolling back the product line to just two machines for next year. The new Flex machine and our ES-IV 25 kW and 50 kW version. Our core development has matured for both of these machines, so we are thinning back the product line to focus primarily on manufacturing and process. The Flex Series will take the place of our earlier offerings, this generator packaged with the FX-1 makes this a turnkey system and we are going to offer our big hopper we produce for the big machine for the FX-I as a stand alone add on as well. This big hopper will extend run times out to min of 8 hrs. Later on advance electronics will come to the FX-I that will have a self lighting system. This will be completely automated so lighting things with a torch, taking off caps and turning valves will all be things of the past. To run the newer versions you will simply turn them on with a start button. Cell phone apps will then come later. All this is in preparation for retail markets, for retail the machines must be this advanced in order for them to be marketed.

Thanks Matt,what size motor will the one in pic be best suited for.I agree on the automation,A lot of the folks with the interest in this stuff need it simple as possible as there memerys are slideing with age.Or they are the other way,they want it push button,with automatic shut down when low on wood.What is the ss in the middle of hopper,Thanks///

This machine will run 5 to 30 hp engines. The SS band is a service cover, there is a cavity behind that gets packed with ceramic insulation and also exposes the jetting system on models with the externally removable jet system.

my thoughts on automation tend to go this way… I think it’s wonderful if it makes it easier for you to run your system as long as the automation isn’t necessary for the system to actually run. If it can break, sooner or later it will… more likely sooner with me… as long as the gasser still works well with out it, awesome… if you have to have the automation to make your gasser work, it’s time for a redesign… and hence why my systems have been built the way they have been built.

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That keeps it adjustable for differnt size motors, i am thinking,how long wood this machine run with full hopper and 5 horses motor pulling 800 watts about.

2 hours min.

Yeah Arvid this has been echoed many times and is part of the build criteria. All valves are built out of ordinary ball valves with our servo attached. So they can simply be replace with stock valves if need be. The lighting systems if these go bad nothing needs to be done here just simply go back to using a torch. As far as electronics go, they are very reliable and bullet proof these days, not like back in the day. You can drop a cell phone out of an airplane now and it will still work. The servos we use have zero loading on them and we are now putting them inside our enclosures. These things are very tough, I was into the RC game for a while and my 50+ mph truck took a beating with me behind the controls :fire:

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I hear ya on the modern electronic etc… And, i already knew that’s how you built Matt… but thought it wouldn’t hurt sayin it again… build it properly first and then automate it if you like. Too many people build with the I’ll add stuff to make it work because of poor design… just my 2 cents :slight_smile:

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No prob Arvid, I think once a user operates the machine with electronics and if they run into a situation where something needs replacement; they will very quickly figure out a way to get that part fixed. After running a machine with self ignition and the autoflare ignitor you really do not want to go back. It is so nice to just push a button and the automixer is something I will now never go without. You never have to worry about anything with this thing running and it will only get better. :fire:

Thanks Matt R ,is any body building a auto matic hopper refill for driveing down the road,or on the full size barrow hoppers.an air tight hatch door and a few bags too trolly intoo the hopper.as long as the bags and trolly drive systom a 50 60 # of wood were in aluminum shell, and put too a slite vacuem,it wood be not much chance of additional puff backs,after the hatch at the hopper shut automaticly, it would be nice too drive 200 too 300 miles before refueling the automation systom.Back too the shop i am gabbing long enough.