Detroit diesel gen set

[DaveW]

  I see where Harbor Freight in their latest catalog has a reconditioned gen set.  Powered by a Detroit diesel,  20 KW single or 3 phase.  Water cooled, electric start.  Priced at 4300.00   Had I seen this before the latest hurricane, I might have been interested.  1200 rpm, claims to be factory reconditioned.

[mkdutchman]

this one?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=192

and the picture from harbor freight

[unimogr]

There was a guy on eBay selling the 12.5 and 20KW units, I recall they were selling for less then $2000.  I just checked and he doesn't have any listed right now, but if you really want one of these screamers then I'd keep my eyes open over there.  You could also sign up to the DD list at Yahoo Groups ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DetroitDiesel ), some of the guys there have these gensets and they might know of places where you can still source them.

Jason

[dcamac1]

Search e-bay for 2-71 Detroit Diesel.  Used  to reconditioned.
DC

[mobile_bob]

at 1200 rpm they should be tolerable, at 1800 they are near unbearable, at 2450 detroits are toturous beasts

unless you are a detroit lover

then the faster they run the sweeter the music.

fair warning, geniune detroit 2 stroke parts are getting hard to get and expensive.

bob g

[Petersbpus]

I had one of these until last year that was a 3-53, head also rated 20 KW,, that one  I bought with a spun rod bearing,
long story, but project stories always are.
From what I found on the web, they were used by the railroad for refrigeration cars until the late 70's or early 80's.
1200 rpm, keep in mind unless you have alot of 120v loads you only get 2\3 of the rated KW for single phase 240vac loads.
so 20 K is really 12.5 to 14
most likely will not be a 12 lead head.
I have more info. including photobucket pictures if interested.
Bob

[DaveW]

Actually I posted this more as a public notice than personal interest, I have enough large loud generators.  My current interests lean more towards slower quieter engines.  One of the strange facts I have observed over the years is the penchant for loads to increase to about 1.1 times the available power generated, regardless of the size of the generator.

    This means that if I start up the 5 KW Winco set after a storm, we need about 5.5 KW of power before power comes back on.  If I tune up the 10 K set, some neighbor will want to run 4 extension cords and pull 11 KW.  And if I fire up the 15 KW set my wife decides she has to have the whole house AC turned on.

     My current thinking goes something like this.  After the move out west, cull the generators and use the money to get one slow quiet runner, fixed in place, with a small backup for battery charging in a pinch, then stay on top of the load situation so that demand never exceeds supply.

     My Lister ST2 is great, it starts on demand and never gives a problem.  But it is loud.  My large generators are gas hogs, and I hate having big tanks of gasoline on site.  So old and slow diesel is the thought, though I can find 10 propane rigs out west for every diesel to be had, and I can't seem to grow my own propane