Greetings:

I found an informative website that some of you may find interesting.

Its an online tutorial on how to easily build your own portable power generator from an old lawn mower and other used parts.

The guy who developed this tutorial is an ex-Maytag repairman (no kidding). He teaches you how to build the generator right on the lawn mower deck using the wheels, handles, everything, so you can transport the whole unit around. Its really slick.

He explains everything in a non-technical way and includes pictures and easy to follow wiring diagrams too. This would make a great Y2K back up system. Check it out if you have a few minutes. http://www.ezprojects.com

Tom

-- Thomas Reynolds (thomasrey@zdnetmail.com), October 26, 1999

Answers

I've seen similar setups before, although this is one of the safer designs I've seen, since the pulleys are under the deck and for the most part our of harms way. The thing I do have to question is the true cost. If you start comparing inverter output vs. inverter cost, it seems to me that you can probably buy a little camping type generator for about the same or less $$ than an inverter of the same output, and it might a little safer - big inverters pull big current, and even little inverters put out a lot of heat. But it wouldn't be nearly as fun as building one yourself, and you can't convert your Coleman generator to mow your lawn... :-)

e.m.

-- Eyell Makedo (make_do@hotmail.com), October 27, 1999.

One of the big draws for this method versus Coleman and other low- cost generators from the store is that the lawnmower generator doesn't use a plastic coupling between the motor and generator, it uses those belts.

There are lots of sad stories of what happens when Colemans are run for extended periods. The Coleman's plastic couplings get hot and soften. The short story is that the motor runs but the generator isn't turned and you have no power. Usually the cost of repair is more than the trouble to get a replacement part. And the reported delay periods for Colemans sent in for repair are said to be around six weeks.

Meanwhile a generator that uses a metal pulley bolted to a lawnmower engine output shaft, an automobile alternator and automotive drive belts is a pretty rugged affair. And anyone with a mechanical aptitude could keep one going.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), October 27, 1999.

"The thing I do have to question is the true cost. If you start comparing inverter output vs. inverter cost, it seems to me that you can probably buy a little camping type generator for about the same or less $$ than an inverter of the same output, and it might a little safer - big inverters pull big current, and even little inverters put out a lot of heat."

Apples and oranges guy....

Part of the reason for wanting to drive an alternator is so you can charge a 12 volt battery (even if you might ultimatly want 117vac). This way you have power even when the genny isn't running (so the noise and smell doesn't attract unwanted guests and so you don't have to start the genny to have power). Also it saves a lot of fuel; you aren't running the 1000watt genny to get 50 watts of power (an inefficient 5% load). The inverter should be sized to power the max load at least; they generally are most efficient when loaded 50% or more (so don't buy too large a inverter). If an inverter gets real hot it's either too small or a real cheapie (for cheap inverters get a Statpower at least, no Whistlers, Power-To-Go or Tripplites).

It was cloudy here yesterday and my Solar panels weren't going to get me back to full so I ran my genny about an 45min (used about a cup of fuel) to put 35ah back into the batts. I have a Honda 5hp (GCH 160) turning (via belt) a 100 amp Chrysler alternator with a custom field controller. There is a good article on our website on these set-ups named MARK8.PDF at www.homepower.com. That 35ah let me watch a movie on the TV/VCR setup ("Enemy of the State"), grind coffee beans, listen to Art Bell for 3 hours and run a 15w Osram Compact Fluorescent light 6 hours with 10ah to spare. Lots of wonderful warm sunshine today....

DCK, Home Power Magazine

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), October 29, 1999.