Do you have the capability to roll sheet metal into drums there? Looks like you do…I wouldn’t mind paying ya to do that for me on my next WK project.
yeah bring it on over we’ll help you out. For a large drum we are looking around 14ga max 0.075"
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well doesn’t that just open up some new doors for me…
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We have a CNC Plasma machine too, just sayin 
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Ok next up, is the 1.5 kW continuous power DC inverter system. This is based on early ES-1 turnkey systems, those systems could produce a continuous 1500 watt AC output. I will have to test again but I think getting into the 2000 watt DC charging range is possible with this.
I plan to offer two versions of this, a premium model and an economy version using the Predator engine and inverter from Harbor Freight. All systems will get our electronic fuel mixer, HD continuous electric starting system, wheeled dolly, full enclosure, and operator’s control box.
This version Im building now, is the premium version and features a Kohler Command Pro engine and a single wire Bosch 250 amp alt with disconnect. Production models of this will get an onboard 2500 watt continuous pure sign inverter. But because we are funding this, it will get a HF inverter for testing. I am doing my best to crank this out, I want to bring this to Argos powered by our M-1 machine.
This machine may also lay the foundation for a wood powered fuel processor unit. I could get a gear reduction box and build some sort of chunker.
How Ive done the alternator is a direct couple, I been down the road of slipping a squeaking belts and will never go that route again. Early machines we ended up with larger pulleys to get rid of this slippage, while ending up close to a 1:1 ratio. The whole point of the belt system is to change your ratio so Im scrapping this for now. If I do go back gearing up the alternator I will go with a chain drive system problem solved.
So tomorrow I will start working on the enclosure cage, once I get this built I can then mount the electrical box, start wiring it and install the battery. The prototype here will have a single deep cycle battery; but I think we will have room to stack two large batteries onboard for production versions.
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Matt,
Check your power vs speed curve for that alternator. I doubt you can get 125 amps at 1800rpm due to field saturation. That is why I stayed with belts. If slippage is your issue, look at the 1" Gates polychain timing belts like Harley uses on their back tire. I have seen those things tear off steel shafts in printing press folders. They can transmit that much power.
Stephen
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You have some awesome gasifier set-ups Matt!
I know that you are interested in Listers. Take a look at an HRG-3. Less common, but perfect for woodgas. Uses the diesel bottom end (tough as nails) and a special top end. Were used primarily in oil fields. Even better longevity than a diesel Lister, since then burn cleaner.
This is a HRG-2 I believe, similar, less HP.
This is the guy to contact for them:
Gary Jones
Diesel Electric
803 West Main St. Lyons, KS 67554
748 Winch Rd., Fairbanks, AK 99712
303-720-3936, 907-978-0889
[email protected]
Hi Steve, the beauty of DC we are no longer bound by sticking with a fixed RPM. I already have six ES-1 and 2 machines out in the field three are at a lab. So this has been well tested, but you are correct 1800 rpm is too slow and even at full bore we are only using roughly 50% to 60%of the full output of the generator. With the 1:1 in this particular situation the engine can get into a higher RPM range and a higher power curve ( and sustain it under loading). The 10 HP rating the engine has is rated at its max rpm 3600. What I found is the machine actually had more power output with lower ratio.
I do like the gates belts Ive built tons of stuff with gear belts, our CNC machines drive system uses this. I will look at both options.
Yup I know Gary, he is the one that got us our Lister.
Just a couple of quick comments. I am not implying anything wrong.
Usually DC output is done with like a 3 phase AC, then run through a bridge rectifier (which are cheap) to get the dc output. Then inverted to get the phase matching, and correct output, etc. It actually works the best with some sort of buffer in DC land since you can charge batteries with high voltage dc.
Engines actually run more efficiently at a slower, steady speed then variable speeds or higher rpms. However, you do pay more money for engine per output unit, by doing it this way.
Exactly, at this caliber, the focus is on practicality, the DC systems run more stable on wood gas as the gasifier can run freely without the engine calling upon it to do more work. The smaller the system the more of a challenge it is. To get any work out of these smaller engines on wood gas you need to get into the higher power curve of the engine. This is even more so with the DC systems as we have lots of power conversions. The practical use of a woodgas DC by far outweighs the AC systems. Even though we have power losses with DC you also have losses with AC; if you are not using 100% of its output. If its running its eating fuel and if your not using it it is going to waste 
It is a shame to waste power when testing our wood gas generator contraptions! One thing I have been experimenting with is a grid tied inverter feeding into a wall plug-in through a Kill-A-Watt meter. (I have 16 solar panels feeding into the grid, so it just seem natural to add a bit from my charcoal stuff.) Several people have made YouTube videos where they feed power into the grid directly from storage batteries. (My last electric bill was $1.85.) So, test the wood gas generator by throwing power to the batteries, and then use that power to run the shop lights. Nothing will actually feed into the grid until you create more than you are using.
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You should feature a thread on this in the small engines corner. Ultimately this is something many of us would like to do
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Ok I have most of the mechanical done, didn’t get any wiring done today. So tomorrow I will start wiring, we should be pretty close to having this complete by the end of the day. My weekend welder guy will be in tomorrow morning to finish up the M-I that will run this. So hopefully we have the whole system near completion and ready to test early this week
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Wiring is now complete, all that is left is to create and cut the panels. I will probably run on gasoline tomorrow for testing. I am waiting on some quick disconnect fittings for attaching the gas hose. Those should be in on Tuesday, we will be working the little M-1 tomorrow should have the welding complete and everything ready for paint.
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Bark Bark Bark … Hope to meet you this year … I’m headed to Argos on Thursday morning but will stay in Illinois and hopefully have lunch there at Argos on Friday … The first year I stayed Sunday night but learned to leave on Sunday after lunch with our friends … I am most likely headed to Kalamazoo on Sunday to see my older daughter and then over to Holland after that if the weather makes for a beach day for Monday … Don M knows where I’m headed … hope to meet you … I’m real busy this week … Mike
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If you are going to be that close you should take a quick hike up here. We only maybe another 40 min north of holland on 31
Yes Im still planning, we have funds, we have machines and if I have to Ill rent a truck to get there
Matt, Please, just show up … If I don’t make it will due to a medical emergency or a truck wreck or major malfunction … I talked with Wayne an hour or so ago … They have a longer trip and are leaving on Wednesday but maybe they will catch family in Tenn … I’m in the middle of a storm here right now … Steve U’s old computer is one you want to smash especially after you have had polio revisited … It puts letters and characters in where none existed before … You spend twice the time typing a few sentences … LUV, Mike Hopefully Steve will get a grin …
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If You’re going to kazoo, you’ll be driving right past my door. I’m only 5 min off I-94.
Well when you get there and you see that grubby scruffy looking guy that probably be me. lol No suit and ties here hands on all the way!!
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Matt
You just described everybody that I met in Argos last year including me.Can’t wait to see them again. So how do we tell you apart just look for the new guy with the neat machines. Well that might get confusing too.
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