andys

Good Day All:

New forum user today! I am looking for a small 1/2 to 3/4 HP diesel engine. It must run on regular diesel fuel. I'm trying to construct a miniature electric generator but finding an engine has been a real problem.

Any thoughts?

Thank You.

Andy

av8tor1977

My Feedback: (6)

Hi, and welcome,

Try this website: http://www.justengines.unseen.org/Davis.htm

Might be just what you are looking for. They have been in business many years. I've never done a diesel conversion, but many have.

Good Luck,

AV8TOR

andys

Thanks. I'll contact them and see where it leads.

Andy

ANeat

My Feedback: (15)

The Davis Diesel stuff doesnt run on regular diesel fuel. They are a "compression ignition" engine and run on a special mix. Ive seen some small 3 to 4 HP diesels but I dont know if anyone has made anything under 1 hp.
If you want something small and efficient look at one of the newer 4 stroke gas weedeater engines. They will run on straight gasoline with no mixing and at the power you need would be very efficient.

Im a Diesel believer and drive a diesel car but I dont know if anything that small is out there. The Davis Diesel stuff is nice but the fuel is supposed to be a bit of a pain to deal with.

Adam

gvs

I have a similar project going.. what kind of generator are you using? I think a cooling fan for a car engine should be good, but they are quite small, only 150 w...

andys

I havn't paid too much attention to the alternator part since the engine has been such an issue. Small alternators are easy to come by. My project is to build a very small but constant running source of power for marine uses. At times it would be running for days on end. For safety and fuel economy I have my heart set on diesel......

Andy

Demon-Leather

My Feedback: (10)

Andy,.. I think you are going to be broken-hearted.... I don't know anyone who makes a "True" diesel that size. I think You'd be better off converting a Ryobi 4-stroke gas engine weed eater.
No gad/oil mix,overhead valves,and would probably run for days on a 5-gallon tank. And...they are $79.95 plus shipping at harbor frieght! If You could increase the compression of it to around 22:1 and build a timed injecter system for it,You MAY be able to convert it to a true diesel! Bob

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

How is true diesel any safer for marine applications? Don't you have a gasoline engine already on your boat? Even diesel fuel is flammable - it just has a relatively higher flashpoint.

If you must have an oil-burner for some reason, do a quick search for Bio-diesel. There was a report some months back about a guy converting glow engines to run on this stuff - supposedly no ether required. I'm somewhat skeptical of that claim, but you never know.

Check out this source for Bio-diesel:

http://www.hiperfuels.com

He is actually local here in Houston, and I've been buying methanol and nitromethane from him - very nice guy to deal with. Never did ask him about Bio-diesel, though.

I agree with everybody else that the Ryobi 4stroke engines are your best bet. I have two in my garage for actual weedwacking duty, and they really do sip gas ultra miserly.

Demon-Leather

My Feedback: (10)

Here's the biggest "diesel" I have,.. 25cc's and still,not a "true" diesel,but a compression ignition SuperTigre 2000. Still needs ether in the mix to run,but swings a 20" prop with no effort at all with the Davis conversion head. Bob

ANeat

My Feedback: (15)

Here is the smallest one I could dig up. http://www.bsa-india.com/diesel-engine.html

They list a 2.5 hp water cooled engine. I know 2.5hp is way overkill but it is water cooled

Adam

andys

Thanks all for your ideas and info!

The reason for diesel was fuel economy, and safety regarding fumes and fire. I think you are right I am going to have to look at 4 cycle gas. I wonder about converting to water cooling? Do you guys find the weed wacker units stable as far as holding a set rpm? Do they have a governor of some type?

I plan some electronic controls in any case, mostly for rpm and auto shutdown in case of high temp or low oil pressure.

My thought by the way is to experiment with a continuous running small source of power to maintain a battery bank on a boat. It needs to be small and silent so it will be in a sound proof box.

Andy

av8tor1977

My Feedback: (6)

Check in the boating section. Some of those guys are running these types of engines converted to water cooling. I think www.rcfaq.com also has some info on this too. I remember seeing an engine there coverted with a water cooling jacket for use in an R/C boat.

Good luck,
AV8TOR

andys

That's a good idea, off I go....
Thanks

AMB

have you considered solar panels???many highway and interstate
signs have a solar panel maybe 2x3 ft to recharge their batteries
maybe 2-3 amps over the course of a day may be enough

AMB

thats 2/amps /hr x 8 hrs a day or so

andys

Yes I've used solar. I get intrigued by certain ideas..... The concept of a small constant running source of power has me hooked..

Regards,
Andy

tkg

My Feedback: (1)

You are going to be reinventing the wheel if you end up using a small 4c gas engine.
Honda and Yamaha have done it already. They are using inverter technoligy. The generator runs at different RPM according to load. There is a AC inverter that gives 60HZ output regardless of RPM.
Under a small load the engine is almost idling.

Flypaper 2

I have a small 110 volt, 500 watt generator made by TML or Quadra, if you will. About the size of a car battery. Needless to say, the gas milleage sucks.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

Diesel fired generators are available and are specifically designed for marine applications.

Maybe a used one would fit your financial profile better?

Diesel fuel is much safer than gasoline for marine applications.