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Messages - veggie

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 56
1
Generators / Re: ST3 Noise and vibration
« on: Today at 03:58:55 AM »

Hi BruceM

Yes, you confirmed my understanding of neutral bonding.
ONLY one point in the system can have the neutral/ground connection.
In my case the greenhouse is off grid.

veggie

2
Generators / Re: ST3 Noise and vibration
« on: Today at 12:35:19 AM »
@BruceM,

You nailed it ! Thanks.
I rewired to 120 volts and all noise and vibration disappeared.
If you look at the pictures above, the 4-prong 240 volt receptacle in the orange box now has two 20A, 120 volt receptacles.
Full load and still quiet. No vibration.

My house transfer switch requires split phase 240, so this generator will be mostly useless as a backup house generator.
Fortunately it powers the greenhouse 120vac electrical + heat loads, so it still has a job. ;D
Hmmmm.... time for another generator build for the house ?  ::)

Now, here's a question for you (and anyone else).
The listeroid/ST-3 will be powering a greenhouse that is not grid connected.
It's electric outlets are not connected to the house, so they are not wired to a source that has ground and neutral bonded.
The ST-3 head has a floating neutral (not bonded to ground)
When powering the greenhouse, the whole system is a floating neutral.

When using the ST heads for home service the floating neutral is desired, but for powering anything other than a house, do we bond the ground with neutral?  or not?
As a test, I made a plug which connects ground to neutral, and plugged it into the generator outlet while running. No observable change.
However, the safety aspect changed. For the better? or for the worse? I don't know.

Here's another (but similar) example:
A listeroid with ST head powering a 120 volt 75 amp (24 volt)  battery charger for a large battery bank (1900 watts). No grid connection at all.
The charger is plugged directly in to a 120 outlet on the 120VAC ST head using standard 20A 120 volt plug with L1, Neutral, and Ground prongs.
Should the ground be connected to the neutral somewhere at the origin of the power ?

cheers



3
Generators / Re: ST3 Noise and vibration
« on: December 06, 2023, 06:51:29 PM »
Thanks BruceM,

Based on your comments I will reconfigure to 120 volt as most of my loads are that voltage.
That growling/vibration is really terrible !
Wiring for 120vac should allow me to pull the full load without issue.

cheers

4
Generators / ST3 Noise and vibration
« on: December 06, 2023, 02:44:50 AM »
I spoke too soon when I installed my new ST3 head.
When I test ran the unit (unloaded) it was quiet and smooth.
Then I tested it with a balanced 240 volt ac load. Again smooth and quiet.
So I thought all was good.

Well ... today I tested it with a 1200 watt resistive space heater on one leg and only a 75 watt light on the other leg.
The growling and vibration was so bad that I thought something had broken in my system !
Terrible vibration every time I unbalanced the two legs, but just fine when the power is balanced.
A] Is this normal for an ST3 (do they need a balanced load all time) ?
B] Can it be fixed ??

Veggie

Here's some pictures.
The unit is wired for 230 volt and I am loading one leg more than the other when the vibrations and noise occurs.

5
Generators / Re: ST Generator Efficiency ?
« on: December 06, 2023, 02:36:56 AM »

Hi Bronco, I read the 92% effy somewhere when I bought my 3600 rpm 4kw Brushless Voltmaster head.
I have since tried to find the specs but I can't.  I'll take you word for it that an effy in the 70's is more realistic and that's what I am finding elsewhere too.
My reason for the info is that I was evaluating the difference in overall system efficiency when running a 24 volt Delco 26si vs an ST3 gen head for charging a battery bank.
If the efficiencies were close, I prefer the DC alternator because it's not sensitive to engine speed and I can run the Lister at wherever speed I want. 
However, if the AC alternator is considerably more efficient, the fuel savings could add up to a significant amount over several years.

6
Generators / Re: ST Generator Efficiency ?
« on: December 04, 2023, 10:11:25 PM »
Bump !!!

Any ideas at all regarding ST head efficiencies?
I'm trying to get an idea if they are much more efficient than a 24 volt Delco industrial DC alternator rated at 55%

7
Changfa Engines / Re: Changfa 1115 knocking
« on: December 03, 2023, 06:30:01 PM »

From this website:
https://studybuff.com/does-ethylene-glycol-raise-boiling-point/

What happens to the boiling point of water when ethylene glycol is added?
BOILING & FREEZING POINTS Pure water, as you may know, has a boiling point of 212F (100C) and a freezing point of 32F (0C). However, when you create a 50/50 mixture using water and ethylene glycol, the boiling point rises to 223F (106C) and the freezing point lowers to -35F (-37C).


So, your boiling point is now 223F.  Too hot for a diesel in my opinion.
Switch to plain water so that the evaporative effect can cool the engine.


8
Listeroid Engines / Re: Aftermarket (more accurate) Governor Spring
« on: December 02, 2023, 06:02:50 PM »

@ Hugh Conway,

When you installed your 9/16" spring, did you make any other mods to the governor? or was it just an external spring swap ?

Veggie

10
Generators / Re: Call for pictures and suggestions. New ST3 Install
« on: November 15, 2023, 06:23:35 PM »

Thanks 38AC,
That box you installed is much better that the thin sheet metal unit that comes with the ST heads.
Also, I will take note of the rectifier advice and buy backup.

cheers

11
Generators / Call for pictures and suggestions. New ST3 Install
« on: November 13, 2023, 03:50:22 AM »
Hi all,

I just installed a new ST-3 head that I had sitting in a crate for the last 10 years.
The wiring looked good and the windings are copper.
When I gave the system a test run (no load), the unit was surprisingly quiet compared to the 3600 rpm unit that I removed.
No screeching and electrical whining noises which both of my 3600 rpm heads made even when unloaded.

I now need to wire the head into my electrical system as two 120 volt outlets (one from each phase). That part is simple enough.
However, it is doubtful that the 4 open connections on the back of the junction box would pass north American electrical codes, so I'm
looking for ideas and pictures of what other members have done to re-wire, reconnect, or change the basic ST design,
Some people have replaced the metal box with a PVC "Scepter" j-box. Others use the stock metal j-box.

Please let me know what you did with yours, and send pictures if possible.
Here's what mine currently looks like....

<click picture to enlarge>

12
Listeroid Engines / Re: Hot Water Circulator Max Temp Rating.
« on: October 21, 2023, 03:49:17 PM »

You can place the pump on the return side of the system after the water has been cooled by the radiator.
The cooled water coming back to the engine usually does not exceed your max rating limit.
I use a standard Bell & Gosset water circulator on my Listeroid with no issues.


13
October 11, 2023
This item is still available

14
Listeroid Engines / Re: Excavating the Pit of Doom
« on: September 30, 2023, 03:05:35 PM »
50 pounds of carbon powder ??   :o
Wow, I had better check my dual tank muffler more often than planned.
My guess is that the powder would have gone into the atmosphere otherwise, eventually settling in the soil and becoming part of the natural carbon storage system.
And you estimate that this was after ~3000 hours ?

Just wondering, what type of cooling system do you use?
Is the engine coolant getting up to 190f during use? If running too cool, maybe a lot of soot production.

veggie

15
Listeroid Engines / Re: slow running on start, then slowing down again
« on: September 05, 2023, 09:18:28 PM »
It doesn't sound like it's knocking or heavily loaded.
Could it be starving for fuel or air? Check the cleaner to make sure its not clogged with dust and debris.

A more complicated possibility would be a binding governor linkage.

When it slows down, can you physically see the fuel pump rack rod moving to a slower position?
If the rack is not closing, but the engine is slowing, then I suggest air or fuel starvation.
However, one would think that the rack would open further to try an speed up the engine.
( I'm scratching my head on this one )  ???



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