Author Topic: I've joined the 2k hour club  (Read 5279 times)

Tom

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I've joined the 2k hour club
« on: December 21, 2014, 11:13:30 PM »
With all the rain we've been getting the Listeroid has been seeing a LOT of run time lately. Yesterday it logged 2008 hours. It took a lot of work, but it now is rock steady reliable and almost always starts on the first compression stroke. A lot of parts in the engine have been changed in the last 9 years, some due to bad mfg tolerances and some due to crappy alternate fuels.

The hydronic system is working well and frequently the back bedroom of the house (usually the coolest room in the house) has frequently been up to 75f. Our primary heat source is wood, however when we get a lot of run time like this we don't burn nearly as much wood.
Tom
2004 Ashwamegh 6/1 #217 - ST5 just over 3k hours.

Hugh Conway

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Re: I've joined the 2k hour club
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2014, 11:36:21 PM »
Congratulations Tom!
Even off-grid, it seems to take a long time to accumulate those hours unless one is running all the time for direct generator power. Charging usually takes about 2 hours daily for average of half the year here. I was surprised that we sometimes get sufficient solar up into November and then again starting in Late February. We are not able to use the hot water, too far from house to gen shed and to short of run time to produce much anyway. Top half of a 30 gallon tank is about it. Wood keeps us warm and heats domestic water. Only 550 hours here so far.
What brand of Listeroid do you have? Seems if you've been running for 9 years, back when you purchased, there were even more problems with QC than more recently. You have done a good job!
Cheers,
Hugh
JKson 6/1  (Utterpower PMG ) Off-grid
Lister 6/1 Start-O-Matic engine......running with PMG
1978 Royal Enfield (glutton for punishment by Indian iron)
1963 BMW R-27 project

Tom

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Re: I've joined the 2k hour club
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2014, 01:24:33 AM »
I run a 2004 Ashwamegh 6/1 #217. During times of no sun the gen is run every other day for about 7-9 hours. It seems that most of the parts used to assemble that engine were 2nd's. Replacement parts have been of acceptable quality. This engine was an early batch from George B.
Tom
2004 Ashwamegh 6/1 #217 - ST5 just over 3k hours.

BruceM

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Re: I've joined the 2k hour club
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2014, 04:35:59 AM »
Congrats on the 2K milestone!  My 6/1 does all my AC hours for laundry and well pumping, plus compressed air for my all air powered woodshop.  A bit of battery bank (120VDC) charging this month, the most days of clouds, gray and fog I've seen here this Dec. in 25 years.  With a couple guests in the summer and some shop projects I'm at about  600hrs/year.  I plan to build my own sine wave inverter for running my well pump and washer in the summer, when I have way more capacity than I need.




Tom

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Re: I've joined the 2k hour club
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2014, 05:35:34 PM »
Hi Bruce, There's a plan to do air here, it will be mostly for automotive restoration, sandblasting, sanding and painting. Care to share about your air system? I know special pressure release compressor's are used. There's a 12" dual B series sheave on the output shaft and the plan is to drive a compressor off of that.
Tom
2004 Ashwamegh 6/1 #217 - ST5 just over 3k hours.

cujet

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Re: I've joined the 2k hour club
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2014, 02:37:09 AM »
Great job on the 2000 hours. Without going through your old posts, what did it take to get there? What do you expect the engine's lifespan to be?
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BruceM

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Re: I've joined the 2k hour club
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2014, 09:27:06 PM »
Tom,
I use a conventional pilot valve for controlling the compressor unloading cylinders, and also can override that to unload the compressor for times when I have both it and the generator belted up. 

I highly recommend EatonCompressor.com for your compressor head. It's a family run business that's been around for a long time.  Cast iron units, very durable, good prices and support.

I'm using their 5hp, 3 cylinder, 2 stage unit with a single B belt with a big pulley on the Listeroid.  I'm running it about 20% under spec for rpm to prolong life. (Lowest RPM recommended by Eaton.)  I got a new (unused) 500 gallon propane tank to use as my air receiver.  A large air receiver is critical as many tools (like my table saw with Gast 4am motor) suck air like a fiend.  It allows me to have some AC power left over while pumping air. 

If you want to have mega air and never stop to wait for the compressor to catch up, you'll need something at least twice the hp of a 6/1 for that.  Something upwards of 30 cfm at 100 psi or better is needed for non-stop work and will allow a smaller tank.  A high speed sander can use 27 CFM at 100 psi.  I am very happy with my big tank, as for modest use of drills and screw guns I don't need to start the Listeroid at all.  I also don't mind taking a break after ripping 3 or 4 boards on the table saw.  I previously had a 27 CFM @110 psi 7 hp electric compressor, so I knew just what to expect with my current system.

Air power is marvelous but inefficient as hell.  If you don't match your air compressor to your expected use, you can be disappointed.



Tom

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Re: I've joined the 2k hour club
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2014, 11:55:32 PM »
Great job on the 2000 hours. Without going through your old posts, what did it take to get there? What do you expect the engine's lifespan to be?

What a question! I've gone through a lot to get this thing running reliable. Right off the bat were a properly machined set of tappets and a bronze gear. The rocker shaft was crooked so a new genuine Lister one was acquired. Some of the issues that have been worked through with this engine were of my own doing from messing around with WMO, WHO, WVO and bio-diesel. Due to this it's on it's second IP and 3rd injector.

It always had an occasional burp of bubbles in the cooling tank which after the second liner I discovered the seating ledge in the cylinder was not machined squared to the face of the cylinder. So it's on it's 2nd cylinder and 3rd liner and set of rings. WMO destroyed the second cylinder and rings in about 400hrs. A 3 angle valve job and new guides, a nice parker fuel filter was added.

It seems that my engine was built out of the scrap parts pile, but the replacement parts I've received have all been of good quality. Since this engine seems infinitely rebuildable and it's only run 200-250 hours per year charging batteries I expect to hand it down to my kids as long as parts are still available. 
Tom
2004 Ashwamegh 6/1 #217 - ST5 just over 3k hours.

Tom

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Re: I've joined the 2k hour club
« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2014, 12:11:22 AM »
Thanks for the info Bruce. Wow a 500 gal air tank is huge, right now there is a 325 gal LP tank near by for the house service. Is the 18 cfm 3 cylinder pump what you're running? That seems like it would be big enough to run air sanders and be a bit small for a sand blaster.
Tom
2004 Ashwamegh 6/1 #217 - ST5 just over 3k hours.

BruceM

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Re: I've joined the 2k hour club
« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2014, 03:33:46 AM »
I think many auto body type air sanders are rated 6-7 cfm, which is at 25% duty cycle or 24 to 28 cfm actual, at 100 psi.
So unless you have a big tank, you better be thinking a 12-16 hp compressor.   Don't be fooled by the tool ratings at 4-7 cfm which actually requires 4 times that.  

Sand blasters of any size are outside my experience.  Just beware the bogus industrial air rating system.

My compressor is no longer listed at Eatoncompressors, it was rated 3 hp (electric) , 3 cylinder, 2 stage.   Without the huge tank for a buffer, my compressor would be hopelessly inadequate.  

The 3 cylinder 18 cfm (free air) compressor they sell is not the same, and the 3 cylinder, 2 stage is larger capacity and too big for a 6/1, even at reduced rpm, I think.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2014, 04:23:17 AM by BruceM »