Spare Engine Serves As Low-Cost Generator

Spare Engine Serves As Low-Cost Generator ENERGY Fuel-Saving Devices Frank Orr wanted to be able to power his basement sump pump even if the power went out So he put together a portable generator that produces 110 or 220-V power doing a lot more than just keeping his basement dry     “I’ve used it to power the whole house when the power goes out ” he says “I’ve also put it on a trailer and taken it to the woods when I needed to do some welding or needed to run the air compressor ”     Orr used a spare engine from his lawn care business for the generator Needing more power for side hill lawns he had replaced a 22 hp engine on his Skag zero turn mower with a 27 hp engine     Orr fabricated a frame out of 1 by 2-in steel tubing and mounted it on lawn mower wheels He bought a $500 10 000-watt alternator with voltage regulator and initially mounted it directly to the engine     “I couldn’t get enough rpm’s to drive the alternator so I tore it apart and put twin belt pulleys on both the engine and the alternator ” says Orr “The difference between the 6 1/2-in drive pulley and the 5 1/2-in pulley on the alternator gave me the increased rpm’s I needed ”     With the pulleys he needed a way to adjust tension Orr built a mount for the engine that rides on a twin track of 1 by 2-in steel tubes on the cart frame A long bolt runs through an end plate on the track and back to the engine mount     “I put a socket on the bolt head to adjust belt tension ” says Orr “It works slick ”     Orr hired an electrician to wire the house for the hook up in the garage When the power goes out he simply opens the garage door pushes the engine to the opening and hits the switch     “I just idle the engine down a bit ” says Orr “You don’t want the alternator running too high just high enough ”     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Frank Orr 255 S Mentzer Rd Robins Iowa 52328 ph 319 378-0646

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