Kevin & list,
I have finally got around to updating my website and have included all the recent photographs of the Startomatic engines that Paul and I have been working on, over the last 2 or 3 weeks.
There are some shots of the cast iron base, showing details of the alternator slots. There are also some close up pictures of the Startomatic solenoid and fuel cut off arrangement.
Things are getting pretty active over here in the UK, in the "new-Lister" scene. Paul, Andy, Mark, Evan, Dennis, Simon, Mark, Tim James and I, all have engines or Startomatics etc and are working hard to getting them installed, refurbed and ready for some real work.
None of us come from the "old iron" traditional stationary engine scene, we are all renewable fuels enthusiasts interested in making home heat and power, as an insurance policy against rising fuel and power costs, and future supply uncertainties. Two of our group are active electric vehicle owner/drivers where the Startomatic will be used for recharging the vehicle batteries. Another member lives on a remote Scottish croft and is looking for back-up power, for when the grid fails. As for myself, I just want to kick-ass and run these engines in sleepy Suburbia, using whatever renewable fuels they will burn, not limited to WVO but also woodgas in dual fuel mode.
We are alll fascinated by the slow speed Listers and their ability to run on waste veg oil. The bulk of our activity is to get the old engines running again (many have leaky valves, stuck pumps or frost damage), and equip them with coolant and exhaust heat exchangers and suitable alternators and get making some electricity.
We are a fairly young group, and quite widely distributed across the UK including Scotland and Ireland. We have been following the US Listeroid scene for a couple of years now, mainly George's writings and work at Uttepower and the activities on this forum. With no apparent shortage of original engines over here, we have gone out and rounded a few up off Ebay etc and are busy getting them back up to scratch.
Mark Walker has just imported a few engines from India and a load of ST heads from China, so we are all looking forward to being able to do "same room comparison" of the UK built originals and the Indian engines.
I have tried to reflect some of the UK activities on my webpages which you can find here
www.powercubes.com/listers.htmlHappy Listering,
Ken
