Changfa 195 project (mostly) done - pictures

[jtodd]

2008-02-07  jtodd@loligo.com

Changfa 195 Diesel Generator project

So I've about finished with the "big" parts of my Changfa 195 side project.  I've got an ST-10 mated to it (adaptor and cooling plate from George at utterpower.com) and a cooling system that works great.

I put two holes in the sides of the frame rails, and I then slide big iron bars through the holes and lift the whole assembly via an engine hoist using an engine/transmission tilter.  Getting it to balance side to side is a bit of a chore, since I forgot that the engine weighs quite a bit more on one side.  However, shortening up the chain on the heavier side by one link solves that problem.  The frame has two sets of holes for the engine - one laterally (the current installation orientation) and one horizontally, in case I ever get some equipment that runs on belts, like a pump or a DC generator that doesn't need to be directly-coupled.  It was easy enough to drill the holes when it was being built; why not think ahead a bit?

There are small anti-vibration pads bolted to each corner.  Even still, it shakes the house a bit running it in the garage downstairs.  The temperature gets up to about 190F as a steady-state, since the thermostat is a 195F model, and the thermosiphon runs along just great.  The water is much cooler when it gets out of the radiator - the tilt of the radiator allows airflow, and the spinning flywheel creates a bit of a breeze.  It never gets too hot here in Oregon, so I suspect it'll never be a problem.  Slight leakage around the thermostat weld, but I'll fix that with some RTV.  This is a zero-pressure system, so I'm not too concerned about much leakage.

I'm going to shorten the radiator frame, since it's about 1.5 feet too tall to be moved around in the garage easily.  I may or may not mount a bigger fuel tank on the radiator frame and do away with the existing tank.  The tank that's on there is a bit too wobbly and I can hear a noticable change in noise volume when I put my weight down on it an prevent it from rattling.

The powder coat came out well, and I'm surprised I haven't dinged it up with mounting the radiator, engine, and generator.

What's left?  Getting the electrics connected to the ST-10.  I'll have a pedestal that bolts onto the frame.  I need to get a piece of board (or maybe galvanized extruded mesh with supports?) to put into the frame rails underneath, and then a battery to mount on that.  Then a starter button circuit so I can use the starter.  I think a more muffled exhaust will also be in order.  It's too loud right now with the stock can.  I might also make some sort of mini-canopy for it, to keep rain off it in those rare cases when it's outside (which, the more I think about it, will probably be most of the time that I use it, since this will be the "emergency bad weather" generator.)


http://www.loligo.com/lister/changfa/pictures/

[Bluecometk]

Nicely done. I’m a little ahead of you in the build project but way behind you in looks.

You have done a nice job and I like the compact nature of yours.
I took another route and am building it first and getting it all up to speed then I will take it apart and have it painted/powder coated.

Keep the pictures coming. They will keep us inspired to finish our own projects.

Someday I will learn to post pictures.



.

[rcavictim]

JT,

Very clean presentaton.  I like the idea of not needing a cooling fan which can fail.  Nice work!

[VeggieDiesel]

That's a beautiful job you did on the assembly.
Nice and clean.

My new style 195 (with built-in radiator) arrived a few weeks ago. I just love it !
Running it on biodiesel. Smells great!
I ordered a 5kw generator head to mate with it. In Alberta (near the mountains) at 3300 ft elevation I derated the
engine by 3% per 1000ft. of elevation. So I don't quite have the BHP that you have from your engine.

Have you given any consideration to the noise that these engines make?
I started mine last week and brought the rpms up to 1800 for a while. A bit  noisy.
If/when I have the need to run a gen-set for 6 hours or so, I think the neighbors will freak !

Any ideas on noise control for the Changfa's ??

[mobile_bob]

JT:

nice clean setup, i really like

looks like there are getting to be a few more of the mighty changfa's

go mighty changfa!!!

bob g

[jtodd]

That's a beautiful job you did on the assembly.
Nice and clean.

My new style 195 (with built-in radiator) arrived a few weeks ago. I just love it !
Running it on biodiesel. Smells great!
I ordered a 5kw generator head to mate with it. In Alberta (near the mountains) at 3300 ft elevation I derated the
engine by 3% per 1000ft. of elevation. So I don't quite have the BHP that you have from your engine.

Have you given any consideration to the noise that these engines make?
I started mine last week and brought the rpms up to 1800 for a while. A bit  noisy.
If/when I have the need to run a gen-set for 6 hours or so, I think the neighbors will freak !

Any ideas on noise control for the Changfa's ??

Fuel: I'm going to eventually be running mine on SVO, with a biodiesel starter tank.  I think it's going to be an experimental testbed to some degree, for testing different fuel and outputs.  I have a Lister SR1 (under rebuild) that I was going to use for that purpose, but I figured I'd use this engine after I decided I wanted to get familiar with the Changfas.

Noise: I'm going to try to build an adapter to a standard North American exhaust size, so I can try clamping on different mufflers to see what happens for output.  I did notice that there is a significant "banging" noise that the engine makes, which is not out of the muffler, so I've got to see if that's something I can diminish somehow (but I doubt it.)  The house shakes a bit when it runs (even with the vibration control feet) so that concerns me a bit.  I think that it would work well in a shed of some type, with serious noise abatement foam on the three walls and ceiling.  However, this is really just for emergency use right now so it's not a major concern.  I'll do what I can with exhaust noise and call it a day.  I ran it for 30-40 minutes the other night, and my ears were ringing after I came in from the driveway.  I'm sure my neighbors don't appreciate it, but they're used to the annoying and unusual sounds/sights/events in my driveway.

Radiator: You said yours has a "built-in" radiator.  Do you mean just the evaporative tank?  I removed my tank to put on the closed-circuit auto radiator - I didn't want to have to deal with cleaning out the scale after long cycles of evaporation, nor did I want to have to baby-sit it if I wanted to let it run for 5-6 hours by itself.

ST-10: I should get a smaller generator (like an ST-5) for optimal output but I wanted the ST-10 since I wanted a "spare" that I could mount up to my Lister 12/2 CS in a pinch in case the other ST-10 on that engine needed repair/swapout.  The ST-10 isn't so large that it overwhelms my 195, but it's getting close to the limit of reasonable size that should be attached to that engine.

Alberta: Banff?  Or somewhere even MORE remote? ;-)


Bob: I also have a Changfa on a walking tractor, brand new (with plow, tiller, "highway gear", and seat attachment.  :-)  That'll have to wait until spring before I fire it up and do some serious damage to the landscape.

(walking tractor: http://www.utterpower.com/china-truck.htm)

JT

[VeggieDiesel]

JT,

Radiator:
The newer Changfa's have an optional radiator/fan assembly.
The fan is driven off a sheave behind the flywheel.
A pressurized radiator sits in place of the evaporator tank.

Noise:
I intend to get the noise down.
1] Sound control enclosure (cinder block mini-building).
2] Investigating using the earth as a muffler like many of the early Lister engines.
(A pipe from the building into a sizeable sealed hole in the ground, and then a riser pipe from the earth into a vertical muffler. I may have to "lurk" the lister forums to get some info on this.

I tried to insert a pictire of my Changfa radiator, but could not figure out how.
Any hints?

[mobile_bob]

Veggie:

the changfa has been offered with the radiator and fan for a long time, most folks do away with the fan, radiator, fuel tank
and all other manner of stuff not related to the function of the engine in favor of remote mounting

the oem stuff cracks up over a relatively short time and causes more trouble than it is worth.

perhaps yours is better, but be warned to keep a good watch on it for leaks that can cause overheating and damage to your engine.

bob g

[Doug]

So why is wrong with them Bob?

Kub and Yanmar only make the rad cooled ones no problem?

[jtodd]

So, while I don't have pictures on this, I'll have them in a few days when the work is complete.

I've cut the threads off the stock muffler, and I'm tomorrow going to be welding them to a 1 3/4" <-> 2" exhaust pipe adapter.  Then, I have a Toyota truck muffler that's going to be clamped to that, and then a turn-out at the top clamped to the output.  I figured getting a standard clamp-fit 2" pipe on the exhaust output would allow me to experiment with a bunch of different types of mufflers with the minimium of fuss.  I'm also shortening the structure that holds up the radiator so I can fit it into my van, vertically, with the engine hoist.

Just out of curiosity, what's the size and thread of the exhaust-to-muffler fitting?

I've also purchased a $20 air intake silencer/filter from McMaster-Carr to see if that can cut down on the noise a bit.  I still don't know what I can do about the diesel knock sound...

JT

[VeggieDiesel]

JT,

I'm really interested to see how this turns out.
Getting the Changfa's to run quietly seems to be challenge.
Keep us posted on the noise levels once she's up and running with the new muffler.

Veggie