Lister Engine Forum

How to / DIY => Generators => Topic started by: jbv41 on October 05, 2009, 09:39:25 PM

Title: How do I find a restorable unit in Arizona?
Post by: jbv41 on October 05, 2009, 09:39:25 PM
Were offgrid Nowhere N.E. Az. looking into a Lister  to overhaul /restore to run an AC head or high outpit alternator to charge batts, Saw a page about a guy in Fl. running I think a 2 cyl. and a huge 12 or 15Kw. head to power his aircraft hanger. that sounds like more than enough to run our house as well as  compressoe Etc. in the shop.
Gracious Thanks
John
Jbv41
Title: Re: How do I find a restorable unit in Arizona?
Post by: bschwartz on October 05, 2009, 11:33:41 PM
Although there are Listers out there to be found (so I've heard anyway), they are pretty rare in this part of the world.  I think your best bet would be to contact Sam Crosby in Maine to pick up a new Listeroid clone.  Thanks to the EPA, new units are getting MUCH harder to find.  If you are really interested, get one now before the are impossible to purchase.

-Brett KC5WOT
Title: Re: How do I find a restorable unit in Arizona?
Post by: Stan on October 15, 2009, 05:37:35 PM
how to find Lister engines.

Sorry I didn't see this earlier.  I've been "up on the roof", putting a set of trusses and a new roof on our previously flat roofed house.  What started out as a 1 month job has dragged on into the 6th month.

Anyway, many of the old timers are tired of hearing me talk about finding genuine listers but since you are relatively new, here it is again.

I basically started out the lazy way, just talking to anyone who'd stand still for 15 seconds or more, and talked to them about "big old twin flywheel antique diesel engines".  Well, after a couple of years of this, an old friend of mine said, "well, I've go one sitting out in a field behind my place".  I was flabbergasted!.  When I asked him why he hadn't told me before this I was told because I didn't actually come right out and ask him if he had one.

Anyway, short version, ..... He had a genuine Lister 6/1 complete with heavy flywheels and radiator.  It had a local history as it was the power for the generator for a rural community hall from 1950 until the early 70's when his wife's first husband bought it as a standby unit.  You can right click on my avatar and choose view or something like that to get a bigger picture of it as found.

Lister made bazillions of these things and shipped them all over the world.  Sure most of them were scrapped and became cheap chinese junk, but I bet a guy there were more around.  Sure enough a couple of months later a guy from a small town 3 hours up the road from me phoned me and told me he had a twin Lister if I wanted it cheap.  I went up and found it had been sitting in a field with the heads off for 5 years, and was stuck and in pretty rough shape.  I was busy restoring my 6/1 "Penelope" so I phoned a fellow forum member and told him about it and he snapped it up right away.  He subsequently sold it to a guy in Vancouver who has totally restored it to new condition.

They are out there!!!   I don't care if you live on Manhatten Island.  There's small rural towns all around you within a couple of hours drive on a sunday morning.  Take the family for a rural outing.  Stop by some general stores in some place like Florida NY, and pick up a few local papers from different places.  When you get back home put in some ads for a couple of weeks "Wanted...Old twin flywheel diesel engine, any condition, phone xxx xxxx".  I'll bet you a beer that there's a few of them out there in the shed and the wife has threatened to sell it to the junk guy if it doesn't disappear before spring.

When the phone calls start coming in, ask them for particulars and then take the family for another rural outing.  I'll leave the rest to you.  ;)

good luck.
Stan
Title: Re: How do I find a restorable unit in Arizona?
Post by: SteveU. on October 15, 2009, 08:53:42 PM
Hello John
I too missed this thread. I see now you are already here.
Since you are a member if you go to the member list you can search out and view the previous posts of member "Diesel guy".
He has, in my Big Single Listeriod owners opinion, given the best documented case with numbers for using a big single Indian Listeriod versus a heavier, more expensive twin for true stationary Offgrid self powered useage.
Fuel consumption, fuel consumption, fuel consumption.
Yes.  According to him with proper set up .5 gallons US an hour is possible.

Just my humble opinion too. No offense to twin owners intended.
Good luck in your search.
SteveU.