Posted: 1/2/2011 6:06:25 AM EDT
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I have a 1969 Chevy Pick-up (beat up), that runs if I can get the carb working right. I picked it up for 40 dollars, and have maybe 100 into it messing around.
I was going to fix the truck up, but figured it might be too much of a money pit to make worth while. So then I got to thinking of making a trailer out of the bed, and then wasn't sure about the rest. The engine is a 307, and the Transmission is a 4 speed. So, I got to thinking of making a gen set out of it, maybe in the 15-20 KW range, and mounting it on another small trailer that I have, or just on a movable skid. With this, I could run my house, and possibly a shop as well. I was thinking more along the lines of setting it up as the main power source for a shop when I build one, and then an emergency power source for the house. So, I have 2 questions. 1 - Can it be done 2 - What options are out there for generator heads and mounting plates to make it work? I have some 1/8" thick steel plate that I think I could make work to adapt everything as well. Thanks for any help. Marcial |
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That's gonna be a major gas hog.
You're gonna need a governor of some sort. Can be done but would be a pain to do. I wouldn't waste the time. I am not certain because I don't know the power of the engine...but I think you can probably get a lot more power out of it than 15-20kw. |
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Pics of truck? Pull the motor and put it in something else if you think it's too far gone, then part-out the rest. There's plenty of unfinished projects out there with no motor that can be had for cheap. BTW, one of the more hilarious projects for a SBC is to drop it into a Porsche 914. |
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I don't see how you would get quieter. The mechanical parts of the motor don't care what fuel makes the engine go, but they do rattle and clank as the engine operates. The exhaust sound is just a pressure pulse in the air; again it would not matter what fuel made the combustion to make the pressure. Now less pressure = less noise = less power; with all mufflers and engines the same. Quoted: Quoted: I am not much help on the gen set end, but you should be able to convert it to propane if you wanted. Easier to store and save your gas for other things. Did not think of that. Would probably be quieter as well, and maybe more efficient. A generator head does not care what turns it. All the gen head feels is speed and force. If the speed is wrong then you will not get the correct hertz rate. If the force is incorrect then you will have any one or a combination of problems; wrong Hz, wrong voltage, no voltage, wrong amperage, and combinations. You need a "cruise control" that will hold a very steady 3600 rpm to give a steady 60 hz. |
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1 - Yes, it can be done.
2 - Finding the parts to adapt the crankshaft to the armature shaft of an alternator might not be easy. You might find it easier to use a PTO generator, and must have a drive shaft made to permanently connect the two. If you find a PTO generator that uses a gear box, you can keep the engine speed at 1,000 rpm, rather than 1,800 rpm, which might make huge difference in it's fuel consumption. A - The first thing I'd consider is engine cooling. I doubt the OEM radiator will cool it properly, unless you keep the load on the engine really low. That radiator partially relies on the truck moving through the air. You'll need a radiator that can cool it sitting still. Every stationary generator that I've seen has a "pusher" cooler fan, rather than a "puller" like those found on all automotive uses. Maybe a trip to a salvage yard to find a radiator out of a 1-ton pickup with a big-block engine will do the trick. Overkill is the mindset to have when correcting something like this. You could also nab an electric fan. Here is a good candidate from Summit Racing for $206. It has dual fans and an aluminum shroud. B - Finding a governor wouldn't be the easiest thing either. Maybe someone with some serious skills could convert a salvaged cruise control assembly. |
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Quoted:
1 - Can it be done see this post and the one's around it: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=10&f=17&t=641131#10924266 scroll down in that thread and you'll see what a 10KW generator head on a 3pt tractor hitch skid looks like. the gearbox on that generator head is designed to convert the nominal farm tractor PTO speed (540 RPM) to 3600 RPM, which produces 120Vac/240Vac split phase power at 60Hz. ar-jedi |
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The generator must run at 1800 or 3600 to get 60 Hz. 1800 rpm is recomended for long life and less noise. The engine block is too large for this aplication, you need a minimum of 2 hp per kw, and you are way above that.
To get 60 hz, you need a governer. You could cobble up something electronic, but a lot of times electronic governers are too fast and don't play nice with electronic loads. |
| Looks like someone did it with an alternator end from Northern Tool. Check out the customer's photo here. |
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Looks like someone did it with an alternator end from Northern Tool. Check out the customer's photo here. They even used the rear axle for gearing...lol...in reverse like it's used they stepped up the rpms and lets the motor turn slower... Now to adapt the old cruise control...magnets on the drive shaft or pinion shaft maybe??? |
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Looks like someone did it with an alternator end from Northern Tool. Check out the customer's photo here. Off topic but............... Did you notice one of the questions there? "Can this generator be driven by an electric motor?" Now that made me laugh. |
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Someone here has posted pictures of IIRC a 4 cylinder diesel engine from a VW coupled to an 1800 rpm generator head with a serpentine belt.
Pictures have been in a few different threads. He did the math to get the pulley sizes right and said it makes enough power at idle to keep loafing along, and keep steady frequency and voltage. Southhoof maybe??? |
| Yes it could be done, it's not practical for a bunch of reasons. First the engine is way oversized for your application, could run a 75k setup without much issue. The engine isn't really designed for that, the SBC is a great engine but not really made for constant RPM lugging. Getting a governor worked out would be a pain. Getting a GenHead adapted would also be a project. The Cam and Heads on those old truck engines were crappy, not in terms of durability but design. |
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Did you notice one of the questions there? "Can this generator be driven by an electric motor?" you connect the motor to the generator, and get free power! ar-jedi http://losdos.dyndns.org/public/misc-null/1278969023970.jpg Damn, that would go through brakes like CRAZY! 
Forgot to add my comment: If you're supplying short-term power to several homes on a contract basis and under VERY controlled load conditions, that could be practical, given the right generator head and governor. For a single household, it seems like a very inefficient way to produce electricity. Maybe you could trade it for a 2 or 3 cylinder Kubota or Yanmar diesel and build something more versatile and efficient. |
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Thanks for the information guys!!
I do have a 5700 watt generator, which runs my 5th wheel just fine, with everything I have. I will be getting a house up soon, and was wanting something that could be more permanent than that, and is dedicated to shop power/emergency home power, then I could use the smaller generator for distant projects. My problem is my mind is always turning, so I get to thinking of something, and wonder if it will work or not. After reading the replies, I agree, this would be impractical. Thanks everyone. Marcial |
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Cruise control systems on a vehicle old enough to have a 307 are vacuum operated...there is nothing to convert. The old quadrabog has the vacuum solenoid mounted to the carb, so all you'd need is a little bit of wiring and a momentary switch to turn the cruise off. Still very impractical. |
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OK, practicality aside, I would love to build such a generator! That would be a fun project. I agree - just something to see if you could make it work!! Maybe it is something I can just put on the back burner. Its not like I already have about 8 projects lined out that I need to get done. But the wheels are always turning, and I am constantly looking for stuff to complete projects, a lot of which haven't even started yet, lol. Big reason I got this truck anyway was "how can I pass this up? $40?" I saw the truck sitting in the guy's driveway and asked how much he wanted for it, and it was a done deal, lol. Now I just will have to keep my eye out for a PTO generator - Saw one on Ebay that was a 3600 RPM model - seemed like a good price, and was close to I-80, as am I. Problem is its in Pensylvania and I'm in NV, lol. |
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I remember reading an article about a guy that took an old, race-damaged 426 Hemi engine block, cut it into 3 pieces (cutting at the centers of the 1st and 4th cylinders), and then TIG-welded the two end pieces together. He made similar cuts in a pair of heads and cam, and installed cylinder sleeves in the block. Result: A 2-cylinder Hemi that he used in a motorcycle on the Bonneville Salt Flats!
Moral of the story: There are ways of reducing engine size - if you've got the time, tools and inclination to do it... 
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