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Re: Generator comparison question
MEXICOWANDERER wrote: Wanna know HOW HOT things get? With a dead stock engine, towing the cast iron exhaust manifolds glowed BRIGHT RED; enough to burn rubber a foot and a half distant. Glowing exhaust manifolds doesn't prove anything. Load a lean gasoline engine pulling Grapevine on a 100 degree day and you'll experience similar results. Sorry... but the ONLY meaningful EGT readings are with calibrated K-probes mounted at the exhaust ports. LPG Stoichiometric is 15.5, on gasoline it's closer to 14.7. Ignition timing is critical, meaning that the static, dynamic and total advance curves are completely different between the fuels. Get it wrong and you risk losing an engine... with ANY fuel. Among a few other LPG rigs I own, I have a pet Honda GX240 coupled to a Leece Neville 24V/140A alternator. It was built specifically to charge a rack of FLA batteries, but doubles nicely as a backwoods welder. When first built, I ran it for about 100 hours on gasoline before converting it to strictly propane. In preparation for LPG conversion the head was shaved .050" and a GX270 stamped steel head gasket installed. This combo netted approx. 11 to 1 CR. Next, I installed the vastly improved, 2nd gen ignition coil, altered the advanced curve, then screwed-in Iridium BPR7EiX spark plug. Prior to the mods on 87 pump regular at 50% load, EGT hovered consistently around 1080-1105f. After the mods, on propane and pulling the exact same load, the EGT dropped 55-65f degrees. All measurements were taken with a permanently installed k-probe (piped into the exhaust port) and fed to a Fluke 179. MEXICOWANDERER wrote: LPG powered engines leak lube oil a lot more than gasoline powered engine. Work around them enough and you also learn this point. Nonsense. In well over 40 years of wrenching, I never experienced such. So what was your 'experienced' assessment of the root cause? My hands-on LPG began in 1973 at Arnold Machinery in SLC, Utah under the guidance of a veteran Impco training instructor. My forte from that day forward with AM, was LPG installs on industrial equipment... primarily Hyster & Clark forklifts. With the 70's oil embargo, LPG business was brisk, so I started my own business doing nothing but gaseous installs on any and all privately owned vehicles. Some years later I landed in French Camp, California with training emphasis on Honda portable generators. Not in person, but I too have had a few lengthy discussions with Mr. Miller - specifically regarding his turbo/LPG Pinto. Informative gent. That said, I guess we'll just politely disagree.509Views0likes0CommentsRe: Harbor Freight Tools... Inverter Generator
MEXICOWANDERER wrote: I don't care if Dack & Blecker is a subsidiary of Rolls Royce, the stuff is GARBAGE. DeWalt wants to make as much money as it can so it has a "low quality" level. I wasn't disagreeing with you. I'm guessing both you and I were likely trolling high school halls when there was only 3 lines of tools from USA soil... Small Medium Large Today, it's... Trash Semi-trash Unafffordable My first cordless was in Aug of '94 - a shinny 12v DeWalt model DW972. For 6 months I pampered that drill - then one day when I pulled it from the case, I noticed a hairline crack in the housing between the trigger opening and the F/R switch opening. It was never dropped or abused - go figure. Working on a remote site, I was in no position to warranty it, so I bought another 972 (drill only) - same problem occurred less than 2 months later. My vacation started in spring of '95, and was asked to help renovate my daughter's kitchen. So I packed both drills and headed for Twin Falls, ID. While there, I noticed a DeWalt Rep setting up a tool display at Anderson Lumber, so I high-tailed it back to the house and grabbed the drills. The DeWalt Rep just glanced at the drills and said, "Yup... common problem". "I can warranty them, but you'll be without for at least 6 weeks... with no guaranty they'll replace them under warranty". Without a word, I turned around and disappeared into the store... and returned with a sealed-in-the-box Milwaukee 14v Power-Plus. The Dewalts eventually landed on ebay. Since then, I've fondled a number of Milwaukees (relatively trouble free and I really liked the smaller grip, but the ni-cad batteries were short lived). I then moved straight to Panasonic's 14.4 lithium some years later. Lightweight, superb grip, and the batteries.... now 7 years later, still maintain 4.15V per/cell. And unlike a fresh dewalt pulled from the display case, it doesn't sound like it has gravel in the gears. Undoubtedly, the finest cordless I've ever owned. -kenny-384Views0likes0CommentsRe: Generator comparison question
robert@honda wrote: In addition to starting/choke issues, propane and natural gas burn hotter than gasoline. This can cause the exhaust valve and exhaust value guide to overheat and possibly fail sooner. With all due respect, propane actually runs cooler than gasoline when properly set up and adjusted. Why?... because it contains lower BTU's. The reason valves burn on dry fuels is because of the lack of lubrication & cushioning on the valve's face & seat. The constant metal-to-metal contact of the valve face & seat, disrupts the seal and eventually causes exhaust leakage. The continued exhaust leakage eventually burns the valve, not because of direct overheating. This isn't an issue when Stellite valves & seats are used. -kenny-510Views0likes0CommentsRe: Harbor Freight Tools... Inverter Generator
MEXICOWANDERER wrote: I purchased a DACK & BLECKER (this is my official name for them) half-inch drill. It was not nearly as powerful as their cheaper 3/8" drill. I turned it in for warranty. They refused. Their answer. "This drill is not intended for heavy-duty service". B&D has lost a customer for life. What do they think I am? Stupid? You are aware that DeWalt is a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker.... yes? 9 1/2, maybe ten years ago I was a CWI at the local Community College welding shop. A new student bought a Dewalt 4-1/2" angle grinder (paid $69). I picked it up and closely examined it... thinking, "odd, I've seen a grinder almost identical to this one somewhere". At lunch, I swung by the local HF and low-&-behold, there it was... boldly dressed in a bright, florescent orange case - Out of shear curiosity, I forked over the $19 and headed back to the shop. When closely compared, the ONLY difference between the two was the motor vents (vertical vs. horizontal), the black plastic handle, and the color. To be sure, we popped the covers and discovered identical parts,... with matching part numbers. Even the HF owner's manual was a direct copy... but with obvious deletions of the "DeWalt" label.384Views0likes0CommentsRe: 12 Volt PWM Type Panel THE MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK?
Grape Solar GS-S-250-Fab5 250-Watt It is 37 Voc but many 12v PWM controllers will handle the higher Voc. Personally, I prefer MPPT. Thru Amazon w/free shipping, it equates to $1.50/watt. Specs: http://www.grapesolar.com/files/3113/3789/6931/GS-S-250-Fab5_Rev-2.pdf109Views0likes0CommentsRe: Major Battery Charging Configuration Via Vehicle Alternator
MrWizard wrote: just becomes he suggests that "you could have some fun" by modifying your charging system with the field control POT does not mean he was wrong about using heavy wire ... (snip) Nowhere in my previous post did I mention cabling or criticize his cable sizing recommendations. MrWizard wrote: ... and making the house batteries primary and the chassis battery secondary for the RV/motorhome as the house batteries see far more use and abuse than the chassis battery Unfortunately, the loads imposed on the typical MH engine starting battery(s) and the charging profiles required, are different than loads and charging profiles on the house battery(s), as stated above. Sure, you can use the house batteries to start and run the MH engine, but you'll dramatically shorten their life by imposing repeated, high amp loads (upwards of 400 amps and more) on them. MrWizard wrote: BTW .. his feild mod will work and give you total manual control Again, I never implied tapping the feild wouldn't work... sure it will work. But how many forum members do you think are savvy enough to successfully pull-off such destructive & irreversible mod on their $300 alternator? Not to mention the meticulous babysitting required to prevent destroying your batteries. You need only visit ANY starter & alternator rebuilder and they'll be happily explain why it's not only a foolish modification, but nearly impossible given the compactness and complexity of the current designed units.333Views0likes0CommentsRe: Major Battery Charging Configuration Via Vehicle Alternator
ktmrfs wrote: In my case the easier solution is to install the second alternator option in my truck. everything is there except the alternator and the different serpentine belt. then I'd have a dedicated alternator I could hook up to the house batteries, put the truck in park, set the brake and engage the "high idle" circuit and let if charge away. Agreed, that's the best approach.332Views0likes0CommentsRe: Major Battery Charging Configuration Via Vehicle Alternator
First, let me say that charging deep cycle batteries via vehicle charging system is very inefficient. And if you are using true deep cycle batteries (as opposed to vehicle starting batteries), you'll dramatically shorten their useful life. 1. Unlike vehicle starting batteries, RV deep cycle batteries are not designed to tolerate high amps - both charging and discharging. Trojan's T-105 (225Ah), for example, is rated @ 75A. 2. The vehicle's charging system is designed to briefly output high amps when it detects low voltage (discharged) conditions. As the battery voltage rises during charging, the output amperage proportionally decreases. Problem is, the vehicle charging amperage is much too high initially (typically 80-140A), then quickly drops well below the the most efficient charging amps for deep cycle batteries which is typically 25-30A continuous, but depends of course, on the battery's AH rating and ambient temperature. MEXICOWANDERER wrote: Wanna get exotic? Dig up a THIRTY OHM EIGHTY WATT RHEOSTAT, and wire that into the negative field shunt that you made to chassis ground. Now you are the boss, not a 29 cent chip. And NO it will not "hurt" the ECU unless you forget what you're doing and pass out in a hammock. This is FULL MANUAL CONTROL of your alternator. With all due respect, I think this a very bad suggestion. You'd need to control both the engine RPM and field voltage. And if you inadvertently failed to closely and continuously monitor both battery voltage and amperage, you risk, at a minimum, of destroying the battery(s). 'Exotic' to me, is reliable multi-stage regulation, specifically designed for charging storage batteries from vehicle alternators. http://www.charlesindustries.com/main/ma_alternre.html Most vehicle alternators have integrated regulators, so tapping the field is well beyond the abilities of your typical back-yard-wrench. And of those that have tried, the vast majority end up destroying an expensive alternator. If that's your goal, then spring for a 555 series Leece Neville with an external regulator - easy to by-pass or remove, without dissecting the alternator. Since I rely on few 120Vac appliances I don't typically pack around an AC generator. I do, however, pack a portable DC generator. A 7 HP Honda coupled to a Leece Neville 24V alternator. But with solar, I usually don't need it on a regular basis.332Views0likes0CommentsRe: Honda EU3000is will not start
PaulJ2 wrote: I still think you will find that the ICM ignition module is the problem. Diagram shows that there are two ways to kill the spark--by the ignition key switch grounding the spark, or the yellow wire from the low oil device grounding the spark. Both cause the coil black wire to go to O ohms stopping the engine. The diagram also shows that if you disconnect the ignition coil's primary side black wire (at the coil), it will completely isolate the ignition coil from the rest of the circuit... including the ICM. If the ignition coil is fully functioning, properly installed and the spark plug is equally functional, HV spark will be produced whenever the ignition coil's black wire is disconnected... and the flywheel is spun fast enough. This does NOT imply that the engine will run, it does however, validate the functionality of the ignition system.2.4KViews0likes0Comments
