mini engines

Forget anything that small, the smallest pumps and injectors are for 1.5hp to

In IC terms, petrol are probably the most available, there may well be tiny diesels around but if you want anything with a bit of life and spares availability then a larger engine would be better.

Look on ebay at the 'mini-motors' that are being sold, they came off the little kids scooters etc.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

How about chain saw engines etc?

Regards,

Kim Siddorn. May the Fourth Be With You.

I'd steer clear of little two stroke engines. They are fine when they're being thrashed, as in a chain saw, or a kiddy bike, but won't take kindly to pottering along. They'll tend to oil up. It's perhaps a bit big, but a 4 stroke lawnmower engine will be very reliable, and is likely to come with a speed governor, so will automatically cope with change of load on your generator. Also cheap to find and easy to fix.

Wilfrid Underwood

An ex lawn mower engine is a good idea. Beware of the lousy efficiency of most small generators though. I built one some years back driving a car alternator. I very carefully worked out the electrical power then added some. The combination was all connected and started. Great I though. Then I connected a load and the motor stalled dead. Not the gradual slowing down but a sudden bump and she stopped. I now have to run the alternator at well below it's rated output to make sure it works. Even now, a flat battery makes it struggle.

Of course Kim, if you make a set like this, you can show it at steam fairs and get in for free :-)

John

Wot? He said waking with a start. Was that aimed at me? Ducks just in case............

I've a Petter AA1 attached to a 24 volt alternator - came from a nice chap on this 'ere list - two flat 12volts do make it grunt a bit & it's no lightweight, after all. The exhaust note is impressive & it's not a device one would want to run after ten in the evening.

If searching for a power unit, use a Honda OHC four stroke motorcycle based unit, now licence built in China. Not expensive, powerful, reliable & frugal.

This do ya' ?

Try a solar panel

Didn't the OP say something about a diesel?

John

Have you considered burning the diesel and using a thermoelectric generator or thermocouple from the heat?

Regards,

Bob R. Moses Lake, WA USA