Author Topic: What does this mean?  (Read 3141 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

2dumb2kwit

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 32
What does this mean?
« on: October 26, 2007, 06:36:59 PM »
 I just thought I would introduce myself, before I ask a question. I found this site while looking for ideas for a little cabin(shack) in the woods. I've enjoyed reading this site enough that is a regular place for me to check, almost daily. I'm not out to save the world, but I love the DIY way of thinking. I'm going to try to post a picture,(a bad picture) and ask a question; Am I showing the early signs of the illness that y'all have? If so, I guess you can be expecting questions from me before to long.( I promise to do searches first) Thanks for the hours of good reading so far.  

« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 06:36:59 PM by (unknown) »

DanB

  • Global Moderator
  • SuperHero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2151
  • Country: us
    • otherpower.com
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2007, 01:09:17 PM »
I fixed your picture - not sure what you did wrong actually.  It may have something to do with the all the '_' lines in your picture title.  In the future - if you hit 'preveiw' before you post the story you'll find out how it looks/if the picture works etc before anyone has to see it.


Welcome to the board!  Good luck...

« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 01:09:17 PM by DanB »
If I ever figure out what's in the box then maybe I can think outside of it.

kurt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 925
  • Country: us
    • website
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2007, 01:16:56 PM »
when upoading pictures onto this server always change the file names to something without spaces like thisismypicture.jpg becouse the server changes the space to a _ and then when you go to post your picture scoop thinks _ is a format code and messes your picture all up also when you rename your pictures be sure that the name has .jpg or .gif on the end or it won't work properly

« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 01:16:56 PM by kurt »

2dumb2kwit

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2007, 01:20:31 PM »
 Wow, it didn't take long for me to need, and get, help. Thanks guys!
« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 01:20:31 PM by 2dumb2kwit »

snuffy

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 58
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2007, 01:22:42 PM »
Welcome to the board.  I like it.  A clever use of a vertical shaft engine and wheels too!  See a lot of those go in the metal recycler with working engines.

Yep, I think your catching it.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 01:22:42 PM by snuffy »

Ponderance

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 26
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2007, 06:09:20 PM »
agreed, that is a pretty nifty design for a portable gen!
« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 06:09:20 PM by Ponderance »

elvin1949

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 645
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2007, 06:17:00 PM »
 Na he ain't catching it.

Done got it,aint no cure either.

later

Elvin
« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 06:17:00 PM by elvin1949 »

spinningmagnets

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 600
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2007, 09:11:15 PM »
Many mowers/edgers are thrown out after just a few years. The air filter is often rarely cleaned or replaced so it ends up clogged which leads to a rich mix and fouling of the plug. That, of course, leads to difficult starting, and finally purchasing a new one. New foam in the filter and cleaning the plug tip is often all thats needed. (Leaving the filter off may cause it to run too lean)


The weight of the stock blade also performs as the flywheel, so if you remove the blade it may start easier with a heavy metal pulley. Do you have the cabin yet? (I'm researching RE for a retirement home, so I havent actually built anything yet)

« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 09:11:15 PM by spinningmagnets »

Dave B

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1014
  • Country: 00
    • DCB Energy Systems
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2007, 09:18:43 PM »
What a creative idea and great representation of what this board is all about. Build it, show it and share your information about it. I'm afraid you are hooked and welcome to the board. Dave B.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 09:18:43 PM by Dave B »
DCB Energy Systems
http://dcbenergy.com/

2dumb2kwit

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2007, 09:43:33 PM »
 I didn't knock myself out on this. I took the blade off, made an adapter, and bolted an old chevy water pump pully in it's place. If I had known it was gonna work this good, I would have spent a little time making it look better. It's not in the picture, but I've got a tray to go on the handle that holds a cheap 500w inverter. With the inverter, new spark plug, new air filter and new muffler, I have a total of 39 bucks invested.(29 of that was the inverter)

 I haven't done anything on my cabin yet. (I'm thinking a shack, like Mick's place on croc dundee II) I've been waiting for it to cool off. The weather sure is taking it's time, around here this year. (VA/NC)  
« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 09:43:33 PM by 2dumb2kwit »

Ungrounded Lightning Rod

  • SuperHero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2865
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2007, 10:20:10 PM »
Cute.


You should be aware that mower engines, being one cylinder and high RPM, have a somewhat limited life - especially in relatively long cycle duty.  They get a lot of power from a small piston by moving it around very fast, so they put more wear on bearings than a slower engine with bigger pistons and more of them.


Automotive alternators, too, have issues with bearings failing after a while:  100,000 miles on a car at 50 MPH is 2000 hours run time - about 83 days continuous, and that's about where they go out.  (Of course they'd probably be running at higher RPM than they would on your mower conversion so they might last longer, since they're at the mercy of the car engine's RPM and have to generate at idle but spend a lot of time at acceleration and cruising engine speeds.)  That's a good match to the mower motor but would be horrible for a wind turbine.  B-)


Anyhoo:  If you end up running this for a couple hours a day figure on it lasting maybe a year or so.  That will give you time to arrange other power sources if this is your only power supply.  (You might want to get another junk mower and a spare alternator for a backup meanwhile.)  If this is just to have 12V available intermittently, you're done.

« Last Edit: October 26, 2007, 10:20:10 PM by Ungrounded Lightning Rod »

tecker

  • SuperHero Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2183
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #11 on: October 27, 2007, 02:45:01 AM »
You have enough power from the alternator to charge a bank of batteries and the alternator will do 110 with a few modifications . Of coarse transformers and ballasts get warm pretty fast from the high frequency .I was going to link the alternators secrects page for ya but they took it down so I saved a Pdf of the page and here's the link from saved  files .


http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/1431/Alternator_Secrets.pdf

« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 02:45:01 AM by tecker »

2dumb2kwit

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #12 on: October 27, 2007, 07:23:04 AM »
 Thanks for the info, and kind words. I don't want y'all to get the wrong idea, this is not something I would depend on. I was thinking, charge a couple golf cart batteries, to have enough power for a few lights, etc. That way I wouldn't have to listen to a bunch of noise, except for a little charge time, now and then.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 07:23:04 AM by 2dumb2kwit »

vawtman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1425
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #13 on: October 27, 2007, 08:47:37 AM »
It looks pretty just the way it is.Would be a good testbed for a small induction motor also to run lights.

Im an addict and think your showing the early signs.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 08:47:37 AM by vawtman »

3rd Charm

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 19
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #14 on: October 27, 2007, 03:52:51 PM »
I don't know about that. I've had the same old Sears lawn mower for 20 years now with a 3 hp Tecumseh motor. It isn't used lightly either with a 5 acre yard site full of tree's  to cut around, and many times the whole yard when the rider is on the fritz.


Depends on how a person maintains them I guess. Most people never bother to change the oil in a lawnmower, they just keep adding oil, not thinking that they don't have oil filters and should change the oil frequently.


My riding mower is the same age. The motor runs fine, it's just everything else that falls apart on it, belts bushings and sealed bearing failures.

« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 03:52:51 PM by 3rd Charm »

Mary B

  • Administrator
  • SuperHero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3169
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #15 on: October 27, 2007, 09:45:01 PM »
My old Sears rider is at 25 years on a brigs 18hp V-twin. Uses some oil now but keeps on running :-)the bearings in a car alternator aren't much different than what you find in some motors so life span would be quite a bit longer if they are kept out of the conditions found under a car hood. extreme cold/heat, wet, dirty, dusty, road salt in northern states.....
« Last Edit: October 27, 2007, 09:45:01 PM by MaryAlana »

asheets

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 368
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #16 on: October 28, 2007, 02:21:57 PM »
You might get a kick out of reading this site:  http://www.qsl.net/ns8o/welcome.html  You might consider swapping the alternator for an induction motor and seeing what you get out of that.
« Last Edit: October 28, 2007, 02:21:57 PM by asheets »

disaray1

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 196
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #17 on: October 29, 2007, 06:00:14 AM »
 I spy Hoosier dirt trackers. Where are you 2dumb?


 David

« Last Edit: October 29, 2007, 06:00:14 AM by disaray1 »

2dumb2kwit

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #18 on: October 29, 2007, 09:18:27 AM »
 Northeastern NC.

« Last Edit: October 29, 2007, 09:18:27 AM by 2dumb2kwit »

2dumb2kwit

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #19 on: October 29, 2007, 09:23:59 AM »
 Hey,.....if I put magnets on all four rotors.........
« Last Edit: October 29, 2007, 09:23:59 AM by 2dumb2kwit »

disaray1

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 196
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #20 on: October 29, 2007, 10:31:50 AM »
Hey, I already thought of that...bet the rules dont say anything about electric drive motors. nudge-nudge,wink-wink. ;)


 Looks like ya got plenty-o-wedge dialed in there and soft springs?


  Lotsa of tight racing in NC...ah, ya got me thinking about the good old days...


 David

« Last Edit: October 29, 2007, 10:31:50 AM by disaray1 »

2dumb2kwit

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 32
Re: What does this mean?
« Reply #21 on: October 29, 2007, 11:05:51 AM »
 The track I race at had been dryslick for months, until the night that picture was taken. The track didn't dry out like I thought it would, and yes, I had waaaaaay to much bite in it!  It's kinda funny, when I flipped the switch on my "mowgen", and the test light got brighter, it was a rush almost like driving a racecar!
« Last Edit: October 29, 2007, 11:05:51 AM by 2dumb2kwit »