mobilehomerepair.com

Hi Again
I have been fiddling with generators most of the winter, mainly to help recharge the solar system batteries on the days there is no sun. First i picked up a gasoline model at wally world been using it for tha last 2 months and it charged the batteries with no problem according to the battery charger LOL.

Then about 2 weeks ago i went the next step, I bought a small diesel generator, it has electric start which is a plus, i only run it an hour so far, but here is the downfall, its air cooled, its noisy even though they are sold as silent running. It puts out 5KW. These things put out enormous amounts of heat, not sure
how to compare it, but just imagine a power source that also provides heat. Hoping tp get this to run quiet, then it could be run off the same diesel as our toyo stove, and hopfully maybe even bio diesel and with a fan maybe even draw heat off to heat the home

The reason i bought it was i was curious, and i heard that diesel engines out last gas engines

It wouldn't be free but at least it would be cheaper i think

I would post a pic but not sure how to do that yet
Any ideas or comments

JES

Do you think running a diesel generator is cheaper than just using electricity to charge the batteries? Anyway to compare costs?

You're always thinking -- I like that.

Mark

no i don't think its any cheaper on regular diesel and maybe not if you make your own bio diesel but cmbine that with heating it just might be

Thern there are pluses when using bio diesel

run that heat under a mobile home or even into a living space generate power and heat your home especially when the grid goes down. and its certanly can't be much more expensive then natural gas and propane

Mark, This diesel generator puts out some serious Heat, I started it up yesterday, now what i am wanting to know is if that heat can be blown under the MH or even into the home, it puts out more then my little toyo stove and generating power for the home is what i bought it for, charging the batteries normally takes 2-3 hours, but i was thinking why do that, why not use it to power the hotwater tank, it all depends on how much i can get down this summer, Now if i just had a reactor to make more biodiesel and a source of used vegie oil, i have some biodiesel here and i am going to try later this summer and see if it runs without any problems

JES

Whoa my friend ... if you're thinking of blowing that heat under your home please think very carefully about *any* carbon monoxide. Even tho the exhaust is going in another direction there still may be some CO mixed in with the air off a generator.

That stuff, even if small amounts, over time can seep into the home and have very bad effects on your health. Not worth playing with.
That's why they make "heat exchangers" ... to isolate the bad stuff.

If you have a south facing wall I think a solar heat box makes a lot more sense, all things considered.