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Offline rcampbell

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DIY Diesel Generator?
« on: January 25, 2016, 08:18:54 AM »
So, I may soon find myself the lucky recipient of a 15kW PTO driven generator and also a 3 cylinder kubota diesel engine. I have visions of using the generator head and engine to make a genset that I can mount and use it both stationary and mobile if required.

Anyone ever tackle a little project like this before?

Offline stlaser

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Re: DIY Diesel Generator?
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2016, 10:33:17 AM »
We've had pto driven gensets, just make sure the output speed is set to 540 & not 1000 :o my FIL nearly blew up all the electric devices in his house......
Living in the remote north hoping Ken doesn’t bring H up here any time soon…..

Offline rcampbell

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Re: DIY Diesel Generator?
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2016, 10:53:11 AM »
Haha yes that could be a problem. But I won't be using PTO at all. I want to hook it direct drive to the engine and have the engine turn it at 1800 rpm. It would be great in my garage to provide power to the house when we have an outage, and also handy to use farming to run grain cleaners or the like.

Offline Bear9350

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Re: DIY Diesel Generator?
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2016, 01:10:40 PM »
Haha yes that could be a problem. But I won't be using PTO at all. I want to hook it direct drive to the engine and have the engine turn it at 1800 rpm. It would be great in my garage to provide power to the house when we have an outage, and also handy to use farming to run grain cleaners or the like.

Maybe I am missing something but wouldn't that be an even bigger problem.  540 pto spins at approximately 540 rpm at full throttle.  Hooking direct to the generator and spinning at 1800 rpm would be more than 3x faster.  You would need some type of reduction to couple the generator to the engine.

Offline JR

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Re: DIY Diesel Generator?
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2016, 03:12:30 PM »
Just run like a compressor with a belt drive and adjust RPM with the pulley's. 
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Offline rcampbell

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Re: DIY Diesel Generator?
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2016, 04:25:32 PM »
Yeah the PTO generators have a gearbox between the PTO shaft and the generator itself. AFAIK a 4 pole generator needs to turn at 1800 rpm. So you either need no gears and turn the motor at 1800, or turn the motor however fast you want, but gear it accordingly.

Offline stlaser

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Re: DIY Diesel Generator?
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2016, 04:26:42 PM »
X2 reduce with belt drive & pulleys only other thought would be to run it direct if the gen set can handle those Rpm's & then do something on electric output side to regulate power before going into breaker panel......
Living in the remote north hoping Ken doesn’t bring H up here any time soon…..

Offline Sammconn

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Re: DIY Diesel Generator?
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2016, 05:55:51 PM »
You're right on the 1800. With the gearbox gone direct coupled should be good.
Not entirely sure if that would be the 'sweet spot' of that motor, but should be well in its operating range.

I'd build and mount it to a skid of some form with lifting provisions to place on a trailer.
Semi permanent, stationary, but able to trailer or pickup mount. It's going to be a bit chunky to lift, but would be too small for a dedicated trailer IMO.
I just don't want to wind up missing a digit or limb.  I can sometimes get in a hurry to get results.
Sam

Offline rcampbell

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Re: DIY Diesel Generator?
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2016, 08:06:21 AM »
Does anyone here have any experience with Central Georgia Generator? I am looking at their generator heads. Seems a lot of DIY'ers use them...

http://cgg1.com/products.htm

 

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