From: no@never.com   
      
   On Mon, 14 Jul 2014 14:19:37 -0400, adsDUMP@wizardanswers.com wrote:   
      
   >On Mon, 14 Jul 2014 09:56:25 -0400, Jim Rojas    
   >wrote:   
   >   
   >>Has anyone here made one yet? I am building a scaled down version to run   
   >>a 5hp engine for emergencies. I once went 2 weeks without power due to a   
   >>bad storm here in Florida.   
      
   Hmmm, I can't imagine having to f**k with that kind of contraption   
   during a storm outage.   
      
   I live way back in the Smoky Mountains and the 25 mile long feeder   
   goes out often, usually from downed trees.  The longest it was out was   
   after the great blizzard of 93 which was 9 days.  It's been out for   
   over a week since I lived here.  More bothersome are the practically   
   weekly outages for most of the day.   
      
   I messed around for awhile using an RV generator that had to be rolled   
   out and connected up.  And, of course, fueled.  I have the generator   
   plumbed to use outboard motor gas tanks and they'll keep fuel fresh   
   for a couple of years but it was still a hassle having to change out a   
   tank every day.   
      
   I finally bit the bullet and bought an Onan auto-start propane fired   
   generator and a 500 gallon propane tank.  I did all the installation   
   myself so my investment was about $3800.  Now when the power goes out,   
   the controller waits 10 seconds, then cranks the generator and 5   
   seconds later throws the automatic transfer switch.  15 seconds of   
   darkness and I'm back in business.   
      
   My generator burns about 0.5 gal/hr at half load so I have about 800   
   hours (80% fill) on that tank and if I run that out, I have a couple   
   of 100 lb tanks chained to the big one for backup.   
      
   This is what you need to do.  But if you have your heart set on   
   building a gasifier...   
   >   
   >Haven't built one, but do have copies of the designs the fed govt gave   
   >out (1930 and 1938 or thereabouts).  Probably OK to resize for a   
   >smaller engine.   
      
   There are literally dozens of videos on u-toob.  Some very good.  One   
   guy in particular made a trailer mounted system that fuels a 4   
   cylinder generator, also on the trailer.   
      
   The major problem is, as even he admits, is that without automation,   
   one has to dither the controls and shake the grates every few hours.   
   His is partially automated.   
      
   I have a friend and customer who is a retired mechanical engineer and   
   is building a small gasifier to run a 5hp generator.  More as a hobby   
   project than anything else but he plans on automating it.   
      
   Most systems make wood gas by burning part of the wood in an   
   air-starved environment.  That works but it makes a lot of tar and ash   
   that has to be cycloned out plus a lot of water vapor.   
      
   My friend has a better idea.  He bought an induction heater from us   
   and has built a reactor to contain the wood chips.  He uses a PID   
   controller to control the temperature to the optimum point.   
      
   The output is very clean and free of ash.  It burns in a natural   
   gas-orificed stove normally.  He's had the engine running on the   
   output but hasn't built any controls yet.   
      
   Another nice thing about this scheme is that the waste product is high   
   quality charcoal.  Burn it for heat or cooking or bag it and sell it.   
      
   For start-up, he has an inverter to power the induction heater that   
   runs from a fairly large set of cranking batteries for the generator.   
      
   I'm not going to post his email address here but if you're serious,   
   email me and I'll hook you two up.   
      
   John   
   John DeArmond   
   http://www.neon-john.com   
   http://www.fluxeon.com   
   Tellico Plains, Occupied TN   
   See website for email address   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)