That's excellent! Wood gas. I have read about its use in WWII due to austerity measures and rationing. Vast numbers of vehicles were converted to run on it. So now you've sown the seed of an idea in my head...
I have a couple of Wolseley WD2 engines that are just sitting there, one of them has a leaky main bearing and I was going to strip it for parts. Once I've finished a couple of current projects, I think I'll try a wood gas based experiment using that engine.
They don't look like that now mind, they have been restored.
One of my friends is a Lister Head and has his running to pump water, I did suggest to him he should set it up as a Gen Set as it would be useful.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” ― Edward R. Murrow
"Remember Politicians are like babies diapers they both need changing often for the very same reason" - Mark Twain
If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.
I still don't know how big a Lister D is, after googling "Small steam engine" I did a search for "1HP Lister" and thats what I got (the only pics I found have nothing to scale them by)
I hadn't noticed that that steamer was just the power plant not the whole beast
This is a great thread, I hadn't though of Gasification..... Weird when you think that Diesel designed his engine to run on coal-dust
jennyjj01 wrote:"I'm not in the least bit worried because I'm prepared: Are you?"
Londonpreppy wrote: At its core all prepping is, is making sure you're not down to your last sheet of loo roll when you really need a poo.
Ok I am completely lost I wish I understood half of what you where all talking about but it sounded interesting and fun. And I have to say in my own defence that I am very good at passing the screw driver or hammer if anyone wants a helper
AREA's 5-6 and 4 Feet the original All Terrain Vehicle
The picture you posted earlier in the thread of a steam engine is just the flywheel, cylinder, and piston. You still need to feed it with steam from something. As an idea, you could run it on compressed air for silent (undetectable by the hoards) running. Sounds odd? Well, a British Rail Standard Class 5 steam locomotive will can move on just 50psi!
Fascinating post my prepping for power shortages consist of two petrol generators and a invertor
Am now thinking on steam powered engine to run my needs and I suppose heating
Thank you newtonweir for sharing your ideas and skills with us, especially the youtube clips which were both interesting and instructional.
When it comes to engineering I'm sadly in a similar boat to junmist; it's one of those things I wish I'd learned about when I was younger but never quite got into.
I reckon once a few other preppers look at those clips and see what you're able to build in the way of DIY generators you'll be getting enquiries and potential orders !! You could have quite a business going in no time!!
I think that with steam, you have to take into account the fact that power is not immediately available, it takes time to warm a boiler (and yes, the bigger the boiler the longer it takes, but also the more gently it should be warmed). To raise steam may take hours for an engine of any notable size.
But an interesting issue was raised by Rearfang - heating. And why not add to that hot water supply too! I think with prepping, and surviving a loss of all services (comms, water, gas, electric) there is a concern regarding hygiene. Who whats to acquire Hep C or through poor hand hygiene in a time of crisis?
Hot water could be created from the by-products of electricity generation ie waste heat from internal combustion, and it is the very means of recovering this waste heat that will also allow vegetable oil to be used in the place of diesel.... I'll explain...
So, I have this single-pop 5.5hp diesel that I found in a barn. I have acquired a 200l diesel tank (neighbour had it in his van for driving to Spain off veg oil), and hot water cylinder (replace heating system and got a combi), and a cheap 2.2kVa alternator Fleabay purchase). So, here is the kit :
Diesel tank on left, Lister SR1 in the middle, and hot water cylinder on the right.
That's the fuel and heat part of it, and this next photo is the alternator to provide the electricity. The shaft protruding from it was machined to fit by a friend of a friend, who also machined some pulleys for me. The engine and alternator will be mounted on the trolley in the next ten days or so.
The plan...
1)The engine has its own 10 or 15l diesel tank which will be filled with diesel. The engine will be hand cranked to start it running on this diesel. After about five minutes a threeway tap in the fuel line will be turned to switch off the diesel supply, and will simultaneously switch in the veg oil feed from the 200l tank. The veg oil will flow from the tank and through some 10mm microbore copper tubing bent around the exhuast silencer - this will warm the oil and reduce its viscosity ready to hit the engine.
2)Electricity can now be generated from veg oil by running the alternator with a vee belt drive from the engine.
3) The hot water cylinder is filled with water, and a tap controls the outflow.
4) A central heating pump is powered from the alternator to pump water through the water cylinder heating coil and into some more 10mm microbore coppoer tubing which has been bent into a spiral around the exhaust pipe (this exhaust stubb could be extended to reclaim yet more heat).
5) the central heating pump wont use much juice, there will be plenty left for running lights and oil/fan heaters.
That's the salient points anyway. The alternative was to sell the hot water cylinder which would've only yielded £20-25 anyway.
And Hi Panther, thank you for your kind words. Im no natural engineer, and everything Im talking about here has been learnt in the last couple of years. Skills and knowledge can easily be acquired.
Just to give you a chuckle, here is my very first experience with these sorts of engines. This was a couple of years ago and it really makes me cringe when I see this again. All I had done was learn how to fix the magneto so I could get a good spark, and the think ran! It ran way too fast due to a stuck governor, but I fixed that later. These engines were destined for the scrappy, but I got them both for £100!
Here you go, don't laugh too much at the man in the white coat!
I think that with steam, you have to take into account the fact that power is not immediately available, it takes time to warm a boiler (and yes, the bigger the boiler the longer it takes, but also the more gently it should be warmed). To raise steam may take hours for an engine of any notable size.
But an interesting issue was raised by Rearfang - heating. And why not add to that hot water supply too! I think with prepping, and surviving a loss of all services (comms, water, gas, electric) there is a concern regarding hygiene. Who whats to acquire Hep C or through poor hand hygiene in a time of crisis?
Hot water could be created from the by-products of electricity generation ie waste heat from internal combustion, and it is the very means of recovering this waste heat that will also allow vegetable oil to be used in the place of diesel.... I'll explain...
So, I have this single-pop 5.5hp diesel that I found in a barn. I have acquired a 200l diesel tank (neighbour had it in his van for driving to Spain off veg oil), and hot water cylinder (replace heating system and got a combi), and a cheap 2.2kVa alternator Fleabay purchase). So, here is the kit :
Diesel tank on left, Lister SR1 in the middle, and hot water cylinder on the right.
That's the fuel and heat part of it, and this next photo is the alternator to provide the electricity. The shaft protruding from it was machined to fit by a friend of a friend, who also machined some pulleys for me. The engine and alternator will be mounted on the trolley in the next ten days or so.
The plan...
1)The engine has its own 10 or 15l diesel tank which will be filled with diesel. The engine will be hand cranked to start it running on this diesel. After about five minutes a threeway tap in the fuel line will be turned to switch off the diesel supply, and will simultaneously switch in the veg oil feed from the 200l tank. The veg oil will flow from the tank and through some 10mm microbore copper tubing bent around the exhuast silencer - this will warm the oil and reduce its viscosity ready to hit the engine.
2)Electricity can now be generated from veg oil by running the alternator with a vee belt drive from the engine.
3) The hot water cylinder is filled with water, and a tap controls the outflow.
4) A central heating pump is powered from the alternator to pump water through the water cylinder heating coil and into some more 10mm microbore coppoer tubing which has been bent into a spiral around the exhaust pipe (this exhaust stubb could be extended to reclaim yet more heat).
5) the central heating pump wont use much juice, there will be plenty left for running lights and oil/fan heaters.
That's the salient points anyway. The alternative was to sell the hot water cylinder which would've only yielded £20-25 anyway.
And Hi Panther, thank you for your kind words. Im no natural engineer, and everything Im talking about here has been learnt in the last couple of years. Skills and knowledge can easily be acquired.
Just to give you a chuckle, here is my very first experience with these sorts of engines. This was a couple of years ago and it really makes me cringe when I see this again. All I had done was learn how to fix the magneto so I could get a good spark, and the think ran! It ran way too fast due to a stuck governor, but I fixed that later. These engines were destined for the scrappy, but I got them both for £100!
Here you go, don't laugh too much at the man in the white coat!
I was going to send you a private message but apparently I'm still considered a newcomer so I have to use the forum threads for now. I am hoping you can offer me some general advice on what to look for when I go to purchase a stationary engine. I'm looking at the Lister D1 but I have to admit I'm a noob on this make and model. First check is to make sure it starts and keeps running but anything past this and I'm out of my depth. With your experience, what should I be checking and where should I be looking for leaks and missing parts? Any sounds I should be listening for? PTO parts?
I'm watching one on eBay at the moment. It's lacking in shiny paint but it is advertised as running well, and I can see it running before the auction ends. I'm not looking for show-quality perfect paitwork, I just want a basic workhorse than can hopefully run on red diesel, I plan to either mount the engine on a bench and use the PTO with a direct cone type log splitter or keep the engine at floor level and use a belt and pulley to a remote bench with a log splitter fitted. (Having described that set up I feel I may need body armour as well as safety goggles!).
Anyway, if you wouldn't mind parting with some general tips and advice I'd be most grateful, perhaps grateful enough to send you a beer voucher in the post if I manage to buy a decent one!
Briggs
I recently experienced Plymouth City centre so that's why I prep.
I wish I understood half of what you where all talking about but it sounded interesting and fun. And I have to say in my own defence that I am very good at passing the screw driver or hammer if anyone wants a helper 
