Decided to go off grid.....

[Serpo]

Already have enough solar power to meet our needs if calculated over a year but am grid connected with a hybrid inverter, meaning it can charge batteries also.

Due to problems of owning solar panels and not having a smart meter I have decided to go off the grid completely and not have some external power authority breathing down my neck.

By chance I was able to buy some excellent batteries for a really good price , 24, 2v 960 amp hours that have barely been used .

Couple of days ago came across a American brand (generic) back by generator ,6.5kw to charge the batteries when necessary during the winter.This is a good size generator and was on sale as it was a discontinued line.

Our roof is at a 30 degree angle which is good for winter sun as summer sun isnt as important as there is so much of it.

So things are looking good for this and have already told the power authority and power company that if I have to get a smart meter that we will be going off grid and they will not make a cent. They charge about a dollar a day as a connection fee as well.

Batteries arrive end of Oct so getting things organised until then,it feels good and looking forward to it.



https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.willowcourttasmania.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F02%2Felectric.jpg&f=1

[Dogman]

Good for you!

Keep an eye and ear to the ground for forklift
/pallet lift battery's even the used ones can have amazing storage ability for personal use but not good enough for commercial use so they are replaced!

Big honking battery's that also are heavy as hell! Three men + one boy may not be able to move them!

;)

But have amp hours capacity out of the ying yang !

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Serpo]

Good for you!

Keep an eye and ear to the ground for forklift
/pallet lift battery's even the used ones can have amazing storage ability for personal use but not good enough for commercial use so they are replaced!

Big honking battery's that also are heavy as hell!

But have amp hours capacity out of the ying yang !

Sent from my Nexus 7

Sonnenshein batteries , hardly been used and looking up on internet they have been called the rolls royce of batteries

sounds like they invented gel batteries

[Hitch]

Sonnenshein batteries , hardly been used and looking up on internet they have been called the rolls royce of batteries

Yup, I've heard of them and heard the same thing, rolls royce of batteries. So, are you going to have a 24 volt system? That would be bank of 1800 hours, correct? Heck of a bank.

Good for you Serpo. Enjoy telling the power company to piss off. :)

[Dogman]

Sonnenshein batteries , hardly been used and looking up on internet they have been called the rolls royce of batteries

sounds like they invented gel batteries

The kind I was thinking abt are old school have to maintain types that run pallet/fork lifts all day long or shift long and then recharged!

In my mind gel cells are touchy abt overcharge and not as forgiving as old school ones!

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Neuro]

I would do the same here in Sweden if I could... However wintertime here is usually overcast, and November, December and January has very few sun hours, and these are the months you need most electricity. The charges to just have electricity delivered are exhorbitant. Something around $150/month. Unfortunately there is very little wind in the wintermonths too, you can't have a combination. My other house that I have restored last month, only has solar panel electricity on the top floor for lights (LED), and charging of phones/Ipad. I use only a small motorcycle battery to keep it running, which is enough to keep all lamps going in the night for 4-5 hours, or longer if only a few are on. However the solar cells are oversized at 45 W, which should charge the batteries in 2 hours at full midday sunlight in the summer...

[Serpo]

Yup, I've heard of them and heard the same thing, rolls royce of batteries. So, are you going to have a 24 volt system? That would be bank of 1800 hours, correct? Heck of a bank.

Good for you Serpo. Enjoy telling the power company to piss off. :)

No its 24 2 volt batteries making it 48volt system..............and yes I did enjoy telling those meat heads to basically take a hike.

In the mean time they will be charging me for power that I have already given back to the grid...........

[Serpo]

I would do the same here in Sweden if I could... However wintertime here is usually overcast, and November, December and January has very few sun hours, and these are the months you need most electricity. The charges to just have electricity delivered are exhorbitant. Something around $150/month. Unfortunately there is very little wind in the wintermonths too, you can't have a combination. My other house that I have restored last month, only has solar panel electricity on the top floor for lights (LED), and charging of phones/Ipad. I use only a small motorcycle battery to keep it running, which is enough to keep all lamps going in the night for 4-5 hours, or longer if only a few are on. However the solar cells are oversized at 45 W, which should charge the batteries in 2 hours at full midday sunlight in the summer...


Yea thats a tough one Neuro

[Serpo]

The kind I was thinking abt are old school have to maintain types that run pallet/fork lifts all day long or shift long and then recharged!

In my mind gel cells are touchy abt overcharge and not as forgiving as old school ones!

Sent from my Nexus 7

Yes need a good regulator (2 in my case) to not over charge

yes I know about those batteries also.

[Neuro]

Yea thats a tough one Neuro
Solar off grid works fine year round in my house in Turkey though... ;) Next project will be to have a chest freezer installed to run as a fridge, as soon as temperature gets below 4° C in the chest freezer, I'll have a thermostat turn off electricity to it, and it comes back on as it goes above 7°C. From what I have read it should consume around 100 Wh/day. I will also put a timer on it so that electricity is only used for the chest freezer in the day time, when there is plenty of charge in the batteries

[Dogman]

Solar off grid works fine year round in my house in Turkey though... ;) In some ways it does suck to live in high northern latitudes, besides freezing your ass off.

Said from one that does not think he has ever seen more than 9" of snow on the ground, and most winter days a light coat or t-shirt works.

;)

[Neuro]

In some ways it does suck to live in high northern latitudes, besides freezing your ass off.

Said from one that does not think he has ever seen more than 9" of snow on the ground, and most winter days a light coat or t-shirt works.

;)
Funny thing is that the snow record for Istanbul is greater than Swedens. As I've heard there was more than 7 feet of it in the 80's one winter. The most I've seen in Sweden was less than 2 feet, and I think the record for northernmost of Sweden was 7 feet, east of Turkey (Erzerum), typically sees up to 20 feet in the winter...

[Dogman]

Funny thing is that the snow record for Istanbul is greater than Swedens. As I've heard there was more than 7 feet of it in the 80's one winter. The most I've seen in Sweden was less than 2 feet, and I think the record for northernmost of Sweden was 7 feet, east of Turkey (Erzerum), typically sees up to 20 feet in the winter...

Now that is strange!

Humidity probably has something to do with it .

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Shami-Amourae]

Is it even legal to go "Off the Grid" in your country, Serpo?

It isn't in the United States.

[Neuro]

Now that is strange!

Humidity probably has something to do with it .

Sent from my Nexus 7
Yes! It's when the North winds from Russia comes down to Istanbul in the winters, as it passes over the relatively warmer black sea, it collects moisture as it hits Istanbul, with its hills, the moist cold air has to rise, boom, I've seen 2 feet of Snow falling in 2 hours, usually all of it melts within 2 days though. But some rare years the Northerly wind persist, like I was told in the 80's schools were closed for a month and around 2 meters of snow accumulated. The kids at that time still have good memories of it, now being in their 40's and 50's... :)

[Neuro]

In some ways it does suck to live in high northern latitudes, besides freezing your ass off.

Said from one that does not think he has ever seen more than 9" of snow on the ground, and most winter days a light coat or t-shirt works.

;)
Btw, do you use any solar power?

[Dogman]

Yes! It's when the North winds from Russia comes down to Istanbul in the winters, as it passes over the relatively warmer black sea, it collects moisture as it hits Istanbul, with its hills, the moist cold air has to rise, boom, I've seen 2 feet of Snow falling in 2 hours, usually all of it melts within 2 days though. But some rare years the Northerly wind persist, like I was told in the 80's schools were closed for a month and around 2 meters of snow accumulated. The kids at that time still have good memories of it, now being in their 40's and 50's... :)

Dam it Neuro !

Quit making some of us here feel older than we want to be or feel !

Despite the facts !

;)


Have a few small panels and components that could be quickly setup.

But the temps and humidity are a bitch so I do rely on shore power mostly, for air conditioning which is a must here ! A off grid system to handle those kind of amps would be huge compared to my 1/8th or acre or so! So I keep my solar stuff and gen set for emergency's only!

To be dragged out as needed depending on temp/weather !


Sent from my Nexus 7

[Cebu_4_2]

I would do the same here in Sweden if I could... However wintertime here is usually overcast, and November, December and January has very few sun hours

Regarding the overcast conditions, Ximmy made a post about getting more electricity in overcast than clear sun because of the way the panels absorb. The angle might be an issue but according to the post overcast has the reverse effect. I forget the term.

[Hitch]

Is it even legal to go "Off the Grid" in your country, Serpo?

It isn't in the United States.

Sure it's legal in the US. Live on a boat. You can easily go off the grid if you want. In fact, there's no building codes to deal with either. You can do and build whatever you want on your boat. You don't even need a license to drive the "said" boat. Any asshole can buy a 100 foot beast of a boat, and take it out on the water without any knowledge whatsoever. A little scary, if you ask me, but freedom has it's price and that's one of them.

[Neuro]

Dam it Neuro !

Quit making some of us here feel older than we want to be or feel !

Despite the facts !

;)


Have a few small panels and components that could be quickly setup.

But the temps and humidity are a bitch so I do rely on shore power mostly, for air conditioning which is a must here ! A off grid system to handle those kind of amps would be huge compared to my 1/8th or acre or so! So I keep my solar stuff and gen set for emergency's only!

To be dragged out as needed depending on temp/weather !


Sent from my Nexus 7
Set up a panel and a battery for 12 v led-lights in the house. It's a good exercise for you old man, keeps your mind active, and when emergency hits you thank me for it! The investment is minimal, especially if you have the material (panel, battery, cable, led-lights, electric tape and switches. I had my first system in Turkey built for less than $150. It lit up the entire house, and I had to invest in all of them!

[Dogman]

Already have all of that! Also most all house lighting is led or compact! The only heavy amp suckers are my entertainment and a/c in summer plus a freezer and reefer!

I live in the middle of a oil patch with gas for most heat and cooking when I do not use my induction stove top!


Old man?

Keeping up with some of the numb nuts here helps with the young part!

Lmao !


Sent from my Nexus 7

[Neuro]

Regarding the overcast conditions, Ximmy made a post about getting more electricity in overcast than clear sun because of the way the panels absorb. The angle might be an issue but according to the post overcast has the reverse effect. I forget the term.
You get more amperehours on a sunny day than on a cloudy day. Period. Besides during midwinter solstice, in Sweden where I live. Sun goes up at 9.20 and sets at 14.50, the maximum angle at noon is 9° over horizon, and it isn't that much better 2 months before or after either. However because of the gulf stream, even though we don't get any particular heat from the sun. Sweden don't get THAT cold in the winter. The coldest I've seen was -23° C, which is what? 0°F?, and average temp for January and February is around -2° C, which isnt bad considering we are at the latitudes of alaska...

[Neuro]

Already have all of that! Also most all house lighting is led or compact! The only heavy amp suckers are my entertainment and a/c in summer plus a freezer and reefer!

I live in the middle of a oil patch with gas for most heat and cooking when I do not use my induction stove top!


Old man?

Keeping up with some of the numb nuts here helps with the young part!

Lmao !


Sent from my Nexus 7
Having led-lights is not the same as a 12 v battery bank system solar charged, if you still run them on AC...

... If that is what you're doing?!?

[Hitch]

I live in the middle of a oil patch with gas ....
Old man?

You live in the middle of an oil patch?

Don't light a match old man!!

:)

[Dogman]

Sun goes up at 9.20 and sets at 14.50, the maximum angle at noon is 9° over horizon, and it isn't that much better 2 months before or after either. However because of the gulf stream, even though we don't get any particular heat from the sun. Sweden don't get THAT cold in the winter. The coldest I've seen was -23° C, which is what? 0°F?, and average temp for January and February is around -2° C, which isnt bad considering we are at the latitudes of alaska...

For the unwashed 14:50 is 2:50 pm

Abt 5 hours of sun but at very low angles because he lives ass bumping close to the arctic circle!

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Dogman]

You live in the middle of an oil patch?

Don't light a match old man!!

:)

Bite me !

Whippersnapper !

;)

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Hitch]

Bite me !

Whippersnapper !

;)

Sent from my Nexus 7

This is your 11,000 th post. Just HOW old are you?

[Cebu_4_2]

[QUOTE=Hitch;789636]Sure it's legal in the US. Live on a boat. You can easily go off the grid if you want. In fact, there's no building codes to deal with either. You can do and build whatever you want on your boat. You don't even need a license to drive the "said" boat. Any asshole can buy a 100 foot beast of a boat, and take it out on the water without any knowledge whatsoever. A little scary, if you ask me, but freedom has it's price and that's one of them.[/QUO

******* this forums fucking ******* bullshit issues. fuck it.

And now we have f uc king cen sor ship... NICE. why waste the time here. F uck ing useless.

[Dogman]

This is your 11,000 th post. Just HOW old are you?

;)

Younger than a very small handful here!


Sent from my Nexus 7

[Cebu_4_2]

Was going to add to Petes issue of permits but fuck it I can't.

[Dogman]

Lmfao !

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Ponce]

Pluto is running like hell trying to bite me.......11,000 posts....hummmmmmmmmm.

I can go of the grid if I want to but for my hot tub that I use at least three times a week, for the enjoyment of it and to take a bath LOL, however........my power bill is only $32.00, the lowest, to $42.00......so that is ok to keep it......I do have solar.

V

[Dogman]

Pluto is running like hell trying to bite me.......11,000 posts....hummmmmmmmmm.

I can go of the grid if I want to but for my hot tub that I use at least three times a week, for the enjoyment of it and to take a bath LOL, however........my power bill is only $32.00, the lowest, to $42.00......so that is ok to keep it......I do have solar.

V

Yea the head old fart in or just out of training here speaking out here!

Get your ass in gear amigo!

Horn already is leaving your ass eating dust !


Hoot !

;)

Sent from my Nexus 7

[hoarder]

I would do the same here in Sweden if I could... However wintertime here is usually overcast, and November, December and January has very few sun hours, and these are the months you need most electricity. The charges to just have electricity delivered are exhorbitant. Something around $150/month.We don't have much sunshine in Western Montana in Dec, Jan, and Feb either so I run my generator to charge batteries. Since it really only amounts to 50 gallons or so per winter, it's not an issue. $150 a month would buy a whole lot of gas. I don't spend that much all winter.

[Hitch]

Pluto is running like hell trying to bite me.......11,000 posts....hummmmmmmmmm.

How old are you? How old is Horn?

Man, this forum is a retirement home for the completely insane. :)

[Neuro]

How old are you? How old is Horn?

Man, this forum is a retirement home for the completely insane. :)
They didn't divide their posts in 5 sock-puppets! ;D

[Dogman]

How old are you? How old is Horn?

Man, this forum is a retirement home for the completely insane. :)

We (The collective order of old farts in and out of training)

Thank you!

Lmfao !

As far as Horn goes age is not part of it but post count is, he is top poster by total number!

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Hitch]

They didn't divide their posts in 5 sock-puppets! ;D

Oh oh oh! Low blow. :)

You guys are awesome, btw.

[Dogman]

Oh oh oh! Low blow. :)

You guys are awesome, btw.

He is forgiven, he freezes his nuts off and also bakes them several times a year!

No telling what that does to the brain that rules them all!

Depending on what head he is using at the moment !


;)

Lol !

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Serpo]

Solar off grid works fine year round in my house in Turkey though... ;) Next project will be to have a chest freezer installed to run as a fridge, as soon as temperature gets below 4° C in the chest freezer, I'll have a thermostat turn off electricity to it, and it comes back on as it goes above 7°C. From what I have read it should consume around 100 Wh/day. I will also put a timer on it so that electricity is only used for the chest freezer in the day time, when there is plenty of charge in the batteries


I want to make one of those but havnt yet.....https://johnlvs2run.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/chest-fridge-conversion/

[Serpo]

Is it even legal to go "Off the Grid" in your country, Serpo?

It isn't in the United States.
Well I can if I want to , many isolated places in OZ so it can be normal in parts of the country , unusual to do it though if the power runs past your place though.

I read where it will be a trend in OZ around 2018 on wards......

America has many ridiculous laws, is it like that all over the whole country or just certain areas such as Florida and Cal.

[Dogman]

I want to make one of those but havnt yet.....https://johnlvs2run.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/chest-fridge-conversion/

Have always liked chest types because there is not a flood/loss of cold every time the lid/door is opened!!

And I highly suspect the insulation is better!

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Serpo]

Regarding the overcast conditions, Ximmy made a post about getting more electricity in overcast than clear sun because of the way the panels absorb. The angle might be an issue but according to the post overcast has the reverse effect. I forget the term.

Its not possible to get more power on over cast days , I think what she means is that solar panels work best at 25 Celsius and so can work extremely well on sunny days in the winter and just because it is very hot in the summer dosnt mean solar panels are working any better in fact they start losing efficiency the hotter it gets.

On overcast days days my panels work at about 10% of fine weather.

Main thing is that during the summer there are more daylight hours.

[Serpo]

How old are you? How old is Horn?

Man, this forum is a retirement home for the completely insane. :)

Horn is approximately 103....................

[Dogman]

Horn is approximately 103....................

Metric or imperial?


Hoot !

;)

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Dogman]

This is your 11,000 th post. Just HOW old are you?
A few here are very well into the old as dirt category!

I am stepping into heavy dust soon to be dirt territory!

Ponce has us all beat because he was here before dirt was created!

All of us here will someday become one with dirt....

Next question!

Lmfao!

Carry on !

[zap]

Nice !
I have been off the grid since forever (1989 ) had some surrette batteries we burned up... there are no companies keeping me on ...since they don't service me anyhow, I have crown batteries( forklift type) 1381 amp hrs, since 2005 after he died, still going strong ! 48 volt system. whoo hoo freedom.

[hoarder]

You can even go off grid without solar, wind or hydro. Just a battery bank and a generator to charge them. In most cases the generator fuel will be much less than an electric bill every month.
If you live in the South, a diesel generator is best. In the North, diesel in summer and gasoline in winter, the latter starts much easier. A fully loaded 7 KW diesel will burn about 4/10 gallon per hour, gasoline about 6 or 7/10 per hour. High RPM engines will burn more.

[EE_]

Nice !
I have been off the grid since forever (1989 ) had some surrette batteries we burned up... there are no companies keeping me on ...since they don't service me anyhow, I have crown batteries( forklift type) 1381 amp hrs, since 2005 after he died, still going strong ! 48 volt system. whoo hoo freedom.

Hello Mrs. zap...nice to see you posting again! Hope you and the little one are doing well.

[monty]

You can even go off grid without solar, wind or hydro. Just a battery bank and a generator to charge them. In most cases the generator fuel will be much less than an electric bill every month.
If you live in the South, a diesel generator is best. In the North, diesel in summer and gasoline in winter, the latter starts much easier. A fully loaded 7 KW diesel will burn about 4/10 gallon per hour, gasoline about 6 or 7/10 per hour. High RPM engines will burn more.
Your gallons per hour sound pretty high to me. I took care of a 6-71 1200 RPM Detroit Diesel pulling a 60KW generator in a gravel operation. It burned about 4 gallons an hour at a 30KW load. 3 Phase 440 Volt

I grew up with electricity generated by a 900 RPM 5 KW Witte Diesel light plant that averaged about 4 gallons in 24 hours, but it was seldom heavily loaded. It ran 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

[Dogman]

Your gallons per hour sound pretty high to me. I took care of a 6-71 1200 RPM Detroit Diesel pulling a 60KW generator in a gravel operation. It burned about 4 gallons an hour at a 30KW load. 3 Phase 440 Volt

I grew up with electricity generated by a 900 RPM 5 KW Witte Diesel light plant that averaged about 4 gallons in 24 hours, but it was seldom heavily loaded. It ran 24 hours a day 7 days a week.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtUSS2vfZ74

Also there is this..

http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/1943-witte-dieselelectric-generator-new-old-stock.304228/

Interesting

I forgot until this post of a system that a guy had out in the country back before electricity was run into his area, at the time he and his family still use an outhouse also.

This was back in the early 60's and also the day when rural you phone was a party line system and real operators were at a switch board at the local exchange.

He had a gen plant that the name witte rings a distant bell in my memory. Was fascinated by the system, that was also same time that I first learned gas engines by buying or getting giveaway lawnmowers so my bud and I could tear them apart and put them back together to get them running again by swapping parts out.

Young, dumb, but were on a learning curve that has served me well later in life.

http://www.otherpower.com/images/oct0206/Oct0306%20014.jpg

This is a Witte 5KW generator. The engine is an 8hp slow running (about 800 rpm) diesel .

Those flywheels can smooth out a bunch of crap and allow the gen to handle usage spikes nicely I would think.

http://www.otherpower.com/images/oct0206/Oct0306%20029.jpg

This is a nicer version of the same thing, a 5KW Witte diesel light plant

I bet they do not scream in your ears and are very easy to keep them quiet.

[monty]

The bottom picture is the samenone we had on the ranch with the condesor above the water jacket. The engines ran at boiling temparature. The steam condensed and ran back into the water jacket.

[Dogman]

Must be a blast from the past for you!

I know this thread has maybe stirred some old memory's in you.

May they be good ones of times past ........!


Edit:

There were huge (bigger) engines that looked like those that were used in the oil patch here back in the day that ran on casing gas that were connected by large (very big and very wide like close to one foot wide) flat belts to the pump jacks or what ever needed to be powered.

[monty]

Yes. Many memories. I believe Witte was a Texas company. They also made refrigeration units for boxcars and boats. I believe the pump engines you refer to may have been Witte. They may have beenFairbanks Morse.

[monty]

Funny think about the sound, ours wasn't muffled. It was a hundred yards or so from the house. Running constantly you never heard it. Your mind tuned out the noise. One winter the temperature dropped way below zero. The fuel jelled. The engine quite. My entire family was instantly awake. It was deadly silent. We cranked on the bitch for 3 days before it got warm enough to fire. We didn't have starting fluid in that part of the world in those days.

[Dogman]

Yes. Many memories. I believe Witte was a Texas company. They also made refrigeration units for boxcars and boats. I believe the pump engines you refer to may have been Witte. They may have beenFairbanks Morse.

Down town there is a complete engine, pump jack with belts and Derick on display that came off the Texas co. lease (Texaco) in the Cole bottoms, that I think could still run!

That my grandfather used to start as schedules , depending how the storage tanks nearby gauged and and took me with him on his round's as a pumper/mechanic for Texaco when I was a kid in the 50's.

That is the same lease that he taught me how to fish and shoot turtles in the lease ponds that got flooded every year by the Sabine river that was less than 100 yards away!

I will never forget how he would step on the flywheel and pull it to get it going, need to go downtown and measure it but they are at least 5 feet in diameter. But I think are much bigger than that!

And the sound of it running was more felt than heard and the sound carried for miles with its low deep sounding thumping!

This thread is dragging up my own memories!

Please excuse my rumblings!

;)

Here is a pic of the derick and jack less the engine and belts that are kept near the engine.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4m_jq_DlNc/UE9W_h555YI/AAAAAAAABgs/CXsMywJURUs/s1600/gw3.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B4m_jq_DlNc/UE9W_h555YI/AAAAAAAABgs/CXsMywJURUs/s1600/gw3.jpg

This is a mock setup, never was a producing well. The pulley/flywheel is frigging huge close to 10 foot in dia.

[Spectrism]

Getting off grid is the plan. One reason is to reduce dependency. Where I live we can lose power at times. Using a generator requires fuel. If there is a longterm problem, fuel will not be available. Cost. It makes no economic sense right now to go solar. At least not with a battery system. A typical house with minimalist needs could easily pop you over $10,000.

At some point I expect them to require a registration for everything you do, eat, consume, use, buy, sell. I won't be signing up for that. I will sign off and be off.

[hoarder]

Your gallons per hour sound pretty high to me. I took care of a 6-71 1200 RPM Detroit Diesel pulling a 60KW generator in a gravel operation. It burned about 4 gallons an hour at a 30KW load. 3 Phase 440 Volt 4 gallons an hour at 30KW = 1 gallon an hour at 7.5 KW. Seems like yours was less efficient, even at 1200 RPM. Mine run 1800.


I grew up with electricity generated by a 900 RPM 5 KW Witte Diesel light plant that averaged about 4 gallons in 24 hours, but it was seldom heavily loaded. It ran 24 hours a day 7 days a week.I would love to own a unit like that!

Here's a pic of my Lister ST2 with LIMA MAC 7.5 KW:

[Hitch]

4 gallons an hour at 30KW = 1 gallon an hour at 7.5 KW. Seems like yours was less efficient, even at 1200 RPM. Mine run 1800.I would love to own a unit like that!

Here's a pic of my Lister ST2 with LIMA MAC 7.5 KW:

Oh wow!! I love Listers! They will run forever and could run on just about anything. You could probably run it with coconut oil . I've always thought Listers would be ideal for a bug out boat to the islands.

I do wonder if your 1 gallon per hour might be high. On my boat, I have an old Perkins 4107 rated for 48 hp. I burn maybe a gallon an hour at 1200 rpms pushing a 25,000 lb boat.

[hoarder]

Oh wow!! I love Listers! They will run forever and could run on just about anything. You could probably run it with coconut oil . I've always thought Listers would be ideal for a bug out boat to the islands.

I do wonder if your 1 gallon per hour might be high. On my boat, I have an old Perkins 4107 rated for 48 hp. I burn maybe a gallon an hour at 1200 rpms pushing a 25,000 lb boat.Mine burns 0.4 gallons per hour at 1800 RPM. It's rated at 14 HP.

The ST series was made in the 70's and 80's. They originally lasted 40,000 before the first overhaul. The older single cylinder Listers were slower and better. Those were the ones to run on exotic fuels.
One gallon per hour is great for 48 HP.

[hoarder]

I've also got an old Italian Slanzi 2 cylinder diesel generator with a Winco 8 KW generator. Parts can't be had for the engine so I have to make my own or niggerrig it.

[Hitch]

Mine burns 0.4 gallons per hour at 1800 RPM. It's rated at 14 HP.

The ST series was made in the 70's and 80's. They originally lasted 40,000 before the first overhaul. The older single cylinder Listers were slower and better. Those were the ones to run on exotic fuels.
One gallon per hour is great for 48 HP.

The older single cylinder Listers are the ones I've seen, the hand cranked models. We had a molasses barge with one on the bow for an anchor winch. We never anchored that old barge, but would run her up to keep her going.

They actually still use those Listers on the big ships, in their lifeboats. They are tanks. I'm not sure what hp they are rated for, but they seem to move the lifeboats around just fine during sea trials.

That's a real nice setup you have there, Hoarder.

[monty]

When the old Witte units began to fail and parts were hard to come by many ranches in our area switched to Listers. I personally have no experience with them but have heard much good.

[hoarder]

The older single cylinder Listers are the ones I've seen, the hand cranked models. Most of those were only 6 HP but weighed 30 times as much as any modern 6 HP and lasted 30 times longer between overhauls. They ran around 500 to 700 RPM.

[Dogman]

The more heavy (mass) they had the less anything would warp or twist under running conditions and also dampen vibrations which can be a engine killer over the long run. Plus the fact of lower rpm's and linear feet per a given time in stroke and rotation ,the pistons and other parts travel over a given time period is lower. Compared to higher rpm engines, slow and steady trumps fast and furious.

I'm thinking!

Hum?

Sounds like a movie title !

Lol !

[hoarder]

The more heavy (mass) they had the less anything would warp or twist under running conditions and also dampen vibrations which can be a engine killer over the long run. Plus the fact of lower rpm's and linear feet per a given time in stroke and rotation ,the pistons and other parts travel over a given time period is lower. Compared to higher rpm engines, slow and steady trumps fast and furious.

I'm thinking!

Hum?

Sounds like a movie title !

Lol !What contributed to engine life is the amount of surface area on rod and main bearings and wristpins. The size of the flywheel dampened vibrations and made it easier to govern speed. Also factor in low RPM.

[Dogman]

Very good points..

[Hitch]

Most of those were only 6 HP but weighed 30 times as much as any modern 6 HP and lasted 30 times longer between overhauls. They ran around 500 to 700 RPM.

I believe those Lister's were bigger than my 48 hp Perkins. Are you sure they are only 6 hp? Those lifeboats on the ships, the big plastic bubbles, that have them, they actually move pretty good. Maybe 4-5 knots. Perhaps since there is low rpms, not much reduction is needed to get the prop to grab.

I will have to research this to learn more. You can hear a lister a block away, they are so distinct in their sound. Love to hear them run, there's just confidence in that sound.

[Dogman]

Torque is everything!

[monty]

The more heavy (mass) they had the less anything would warp or twist under running conditions and also dampen vibrations which can be a engine killer over the long run. Plus the fact of lower rpm's and linear feet per a given time in stroke and rotation ,the pistons and other parts travel over a given time period is lower. Compared to higher rpm engines, slow and steady trumps fast and furious.

I'm thinking!

Hum?

Sounds like a movie title !

Lol !


The old single cylinder horizontal Wittes would literally walk of the floor. The proper way to install one was on a concrete footing that at least equaled the mass of the unit. The floor was poured separate from the concrete engine base with expansion joints separating them.

[Dogman]

The old single cylinder horizontal Wittes would literally walk of the floor. The proper way to install one was on a concrete footing that at least equaled the mass of the unit. The floor was poured separate from the concrete engine base with expansion joints separating them.

Back in the day here before most of the oil patch went electric motor drives. Everything was driven by single lung piston engines. And even today one can see the separate engine mounts/foundation's, all of them ran on casing gas from nearby wells!


Used to hear them at night from miles away those engines run, most were interrupted firing types!

They had a sound unique from any others!

I do some times miss hearing them at night, you could never predict their firing pattern between their freewheeling times!

A side note: Many a home here back in the day was heated in winter using free casing gas. But there was a danger because it did not have the stink or smell that processed natural gas has..

The stink/smell of natural gas we have now was mainly driven by the new London school explosion way back when that killed a whole passel of kids and adults, the explosion leveled the school.

That school is abt 20 miles from me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_London_School_explosion

Sent from my Nexus 7

[monty]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtUSS2vfZ74

Also there is this..

http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/1943-witte-dieselelectric-generator-new-old-stock.304228/

Interesting

I forgot until this post of a system that a guy had out in the country back before electricity was run into his area, at the time he and his family still use an outhouse also.

This was back in the early 60's and also the day when rural you phone was a party line system and real operators were at a switch board at the local exchange.

He had a gen plant that the name witte rings a distant bell in my memory. Was fascinated by the system, that was also same time that I first learned gas engines by buying or getting giveaway lawnmowers so my bud and I could tear them apart and put them back together to get them running again by swapping parts out.

Young, dumb, but were on a learning curve that has served me well later in life.

http://www.otherpower.com/images/oct0206/Oct0306%20014.jpg

This is a Witte 5KW generator. The engine is an 8hp slow running (about 800 rpm) diesel .

Those flywheels can smooth out a bunch of crap and allow the gen to handle usage spikes nicely I would think.

http://www.otherpower.com/images/oct0206/Oct0306%20029.jpg

This is a nicer version of the same thing, a 5KW Witte diesel light plant

I bet they do not scream in your ears and are very easy to keep them quiet.



The gen set in the middle picture is an older model than the bottom picture. We had both, but only ran the old unit on Saturdays when servicing the other engine.

[Dogman]

Very nice to have the backup!

Sent from my Nexus 7

[monty]

I was wrong about Witte being a Texas company, they were in Kansas City, Mo.
The Capurro family was still running a 7.5 KW Witte in 2000. Steve had found a place in Texas that had new old stock parts. I think that is where I got the idea they were a Texas company.

[Dogman]

I was wrong about Witte being a Texas company, they were in Kansas City, Mo.
The Capurro family was still running a 7.5 KW Witte in 2000. Steve had found a place in Texas that had new old stock parts. I think that is where I got the idea they were a Texas company.


Ahhh shucks !

;)

[hoarder]

Are you sure they are only 6 hp? I'm not sure, there were several models. I can't access the Lister Forum anymore.
There are a bunch of third world knockoffs of those old Listers, but I have never heard much good about them. The gummit finally outlawed their importation due to EPA idiocy.

[hoarder]

When I got my Lister ST2 it was a basket case. These pics show just how much went into a 14 HP engine. Nowadays you won't get this much mass in an engine with 4 times the rated HP. You would think all that bearing surface area would translate into higher internal friction, but the fuel consumption of newer EPA approved engines is not any better at all.
Sorry for the thread derail.

[monty]

4 gallons an hour at 30KW = 1 gallon an hour at 7.5 KW. Seems like yours was less efficient, even at 1200 RPM. Mine run 1800.I would love to own a unit like that!

Here's a pic of my Lister ST2 with LIMA MAC 7.5 KW:

My apologies. I read your figures completely wrong. I read 7/10 as 7 - 10 gallons per hour. The first thought had was
"holy shit, my Kenworth truck with a 400 HP Cat engine pulling 2 trailers with 35 tons of asphalt will burn 9 gallons per hour on a hard pull.

After rereading your post I immediately saw the error!

[Dogman]

My apologies. I read your figures completely wrong. I read 7/10 as 7 - 10 gallons per hour. The first thought had was
"holy shit, my Kenworth truck with a 400 HP Cat engine pulling 2 trailers with 35 tons of asphalt will burn 9 gallons per hour on a hard pull.

After rereading your post I immediately saw the error! Shit does happen at the most inappropriate time in our life's....

It is the way !

;)

[monty]

Shit does happen at the most inappropriate time in our life's....

It is the way !

;)

maybe it has something to do with age?

[Dogman]

maybe it has something to do with age?

Of that I have not a doubt, I suffer also and have to read and reread because my first pass was wrong sometimes!

Don't you love doing something and then miss a part or whatever then do a search for that whatever and not find it!

Then later find that whatever right under your nose and eyes and dam near or is in plain sight?

Thank you, seems that I have found another member of the "old or older, old farts" in or out or out of training club!

Gots to admit Monty, it does make life a tad more interesting, both for the good and the bad!

But mostly unwelcome !

But such is life !

Hoot!

Peace brother!

;)

Sent from my Nexus 7