Micro 12VDC Generator with a Cox .049 Sure Start Diesel Engine

Replace the engine pulley with one with lower diameter in the range of 0.5cm to 1cm.

Put an extra washer between the pulley guard rim and the propeller.

Start to assemble the backplate and the electrical : the panel meters, the cigarette lighter socket, the switches, the fuse holder the diode, the capacitors, the LED's, the wiring.

May skip the LED's for now because of huge voltage variation at zero load.

The panel meters are good enough indication for now.

Transistor regulators can be used for the LED's to work at most any voltage. This is easy as the current is very low, around 10mA.

StevenStanleyBayes wrote:
You have suggested a good idea but I am not sure whether the software I have can do so.

Are you on Macintosh or PC?
You can try with Movie maker for instance.

Surfer_kris wrote:

StevenStanleyBayes wrote:
You have suggested a good idea but I am not sure whether the software I have can do so.

Are you on Macintosh or PC?
You can try with Movie maker for instance.

For some strange reason, Windows 8.1 Enterprise Evaluation did not come with the Movie Maker and cannot be installed separately. I will try VSDC which is supposed to be a freeware.

Youtube's video editor is a bit clunky, but it's easy to trim the fat out of a video.

RknRusty wrote:Youtube's video editor is a bit clunky, but it's easy to trim the fat out of a video.

Yes but I have to upload the full videos again and then edit them because I want to keep the originals.

I am not sure but I doubt YouTube would allow to store the edited video as a separate file but they may.

StevenStanleyBayes wrote:

RknRusty wrote:Youtube's video editor is a bit clunky, but it's easy to trim the fat out of a video.

 

Yes but I have to upload the full videos again and then edit them because I want to keep the originals.

I am not sure but I doubt YouTube would allow to store the edited video as a separate file but they may.  

When I use Youtube's "Creator Studio" it creates a second copy that is then altered while the original file is kept untouched. This allows me to take several uploads and combine them into one video.

microflitedude wrote:

StevenStanleyBayes wrote:

RknRusty wrote:Youtube's video editor is a bit clunky, but it's easy to trim the fat out of a video.

 

Yes but I have to upload the full videos again and then edit them because I want to keep the originals.

I am not sure but I doubt YouTube would allow to store the edited video as a separate file but they may.  

When I use Youtube's "Creator Studio" it creates a second copy that is then altered while the original file is kept untouched. This allows me to take several uploads and combine them into one video.

Thank you. This is extremely useful. YouTube " Creator Studio " will work OK.

I have been able to make edited videos of the raw versions. Each of them is around 12 minutes long.

The edited version of the first video ( the engine only without the dynamo ) is ready : www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTbZ11njcn0

The edited version of the second video is still being processed by YouTube.

The raw videos are still available at the same links as published in previous posts of this topic.

StevenStanleyBayes wrote:

Surfer_kris wrote:

StevenStanleyBayes wrote:

Cribbs74 wrote:How long is the video?

Around 45 minutes and more than 600MB for the uploaded file.

Sounds like you need to do some editing, you said earlier that only the last few minutes were important?

I want people to see the whole process but I may leave the long videos and make edited ones which show the successful spring starts and the engine after successful starts.

You have suggested a good idea but I am not sure whether the software I have can do so.

I have made edited versions of the two videos. Each of them is around 12 minutes long. The edited version of the second video is still being processed by YouTube. The edited version of the first video is ready : www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTbZ11njcn0

The edited, approximately 12 minutes long, versions of the two videos are ready. The second video ( with the dynamo ) is at : www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6sSJIbKgk4&list=UUiFdItymm78mcEB5Qlu67tg

Here are all of the links :

Thesis : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/Cox%20.049%20SureStart%20Diesel.doc
Edited Video of the System Start and Work with the Dynamo : www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6sSJIbKgk4&list=UUiFdItymm78mcEB5Qlu67tg
Edited Video of the Engine Start and Work without the Dynamo : www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTbZ11njcn0
Video of the System Start and Work with the Dynamo : www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA0HQJMAUSo
Video of the Engine Start and Work without the Dynamo : www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7FfparKL78&list=UUiFdItymm78mcEB5Qlu67tg
Pictures of the Engine, the Dynamo and the Stand : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/Pictures%20of%20the%20Engine,%20the%20Dynamo%20and%20the%20Stand.doc
Pictures of the Engine and the Stand : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/Pictures%20of%20the%20Engine%20and%20the%20Stand.doc
Electrical Schematics : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/12VDC%20Micro%20Generator%20with%20Micro%20Engine%20with%20Internal%20Combustion.123

When I was watching the video I realised the soft rubber and loose Belts get tensioned and stretched on the top and very loose at the bottom which is logical.

Because the belt is near the propeller, the loose bottom moves and vibrates and easily gets caught by the propeller. This is why the strong and hard tension blue belt works OK.

There will be note room between the pulley and the propeller. However, a good belt is a strong one which doesn't stretch much and can be low tension without too much movement.

O rings make good Belts but are more difficult to find, although there are some on AliExpress.

Although I may use different sizes of pulleys, I prefer to first find out what sizes some of the most preferable pulleys would be and then I may get some from AliExpress or eBay.

The Mathematics of the Belt

Assuming the belt goes around half of the circumference of each pulley and then from the center of the pulley to the center of the other pulley twice, the formula for calculating the circumference of a belt is :

Cb = ( C1 / 2 ) + ( C2 / 2 ) + 2L

where

Cb is the circumference of the belt,
C1 is the circumference of the first pulley,
C2 is the circumference of the second pulley,
L is the distance between the centers of the two pulleys.

The formula for circumference of a circle is :

C = 2 π R = π d

where

C is circumference,
R is radius,
D is diameter

Thus,

Cb = ( C1 / 2 ) + ( C2 / 2 ) + 2L = π R1 + π R2 + 2L

where

R1 is the circumference of the first pulley,
R2 is the circumference of the second pulley

Once the circumference of the belt is known, when the belt is lined up like a strait double line ( without breaking but with folding at two diametrically opposite points ), the length of the double line l is half of the circumference of the belt ( in case the belt was to be cut and lined up in a straight line, the whole length would be equal to the circumference of the belt )

l = Cb / 2 = ( π R1 + π R2 + 2L ) / 2 = L + π ( R1 + R2 ) / 2

Once l is calculated, a belt with slightly lower l than the calculated one can be used to drive the pulley with the difference making the tension. The desired tension depends on the material of the belt and the size, i. e., the strength of the belt : the stronger the belt ( lower elasticity ) the lower the tension. Low tension is important to reduce the friction between the axels and their housings.

Provided a belt is to be purchased ( say, an O ring is to be purchased ) the sellers usually state the inner diameter, or the outer diameter and the thickness. The inner diameter is the outer diameter minus two thicknesses. Thus, the inner diameter is necessary to be known.

The inner diameter Db can be derived from the calculated circumference of the belt Cb

Db = Cb / π

Thus, the outer diameter Do is

Do = Db + 2 a

where

a is the thickness of the belt given by the seller.

Thus, a belt with lower than the calculated Do can be purchased and the difference makes the tension with the same consideration on the tension of the belt as previously stated.

Been working on the back panel. Drilled the big and difficult geometry holes for the ampere term, voltmeter and cigarette lighter socket. Made a washer for the cigarette lighter socket.

Need to drill the easy holes for the switches and the fuse holder.

Like I always impatiently say when one of my builds begins to really look like it's an airplane; the devil's in the details. It seems to take forever to get those last important bits worked out and looking good.
Rusty

RknRusty wrote:Like I always impatiently say when one of my builds begins to really look like it's an airplane; the devil's in the details. It seems to take forever to get those last important bits worked out and looking good.
Rusty

Took 6 hours and a half to drill 3 holes. Two of them had a nasty geometry. Drew the links. Then drilled tiny holes on the lines. Then used a knife and files to cut the insides. Then files to shape.

The cigarette lighter socket hole was 3cm wide. Used big hollow drill to make. Became bigger. Then made a big plastic ring with an inner diameter of 3cm and an outer one of 5cm. This is the washer for the cigarette lighter.

The other holes are of normal size, around 1cm and, I think, I have a drill bit.

I have some electronic components from previous projects but I have not looked for what I need there. I think I may need high voltage capacitors because of the huge voltages I get at 0 load.

Also, I have forgotten to mention : because I don't want to put another diode at the output in order to save another 0.7V, the load may be able to return transient or AC current through the ampere term ( in reverse ) and the capacitors which may damage the ampere term which is unlikely. Thus, the load switch must be off first when powering down which would increase the voltage. Thus, when powering down, the engine Rpm must be reduced first and then the load switch must be off and then the main switch. However, reactive loads may still return current when the engine RPM are being decreased.

Too much garbage which is never to be a problem. Just in cases, however, I will put another diode between the ampere term and the voltmeter. This means the load can return power only through the voltmeter which is not a problem. The reason for the voltmeter to be after the diode is to be able to measure only the voltage applied to the load.

However, because I use analogue electromechanical gauges, I may do the correct way : another diode before the load and after the voltmeter. Thus, the voltmeter will show the voltage applied to the load and around 0.7V on top. However, the but of this configuration is the device can be paralleled with any other device with a diode before load, for example, one may wish to parallel connect this device with a solar panel, wind turbine, water turbine and a car battery. In case the battery is without a diode before load, the other devices will also charge the battery whenever there is not a strong consumer.

Parallelling devices is unlikely to happen, except with an accumulative battery, but may come handy when a camera with strong light is used to shoot movies at night, say, at a camping place. The camera is run by batteries once in a while and the batteries will be charged by the generator while the camera is not in use.

Too much ado for nothing. Anyway, because the components are air mount without a PC, I can choose any configuration now and change thereafter. Thus, I will initially use a diode immediately after the generator to protect the generator from a current from the load as well as the capacitors and another diode just before the load to ensure the load cannot return current back into the device.

When tiny capacitors are used the diode after the generator can be skipped. The inductance of the ampere and volt meters is tiny and cannot have any effect.

Yet, better safe than sorry. Thus, I may use the two diode protection. This means around 1.4V ( more with high currents ) will be lost, I. E. the engine has to run around 500 to 1000 RPM faster than the load needs and more at higher loads.

In practise, in most cases the two diodes may be skipped as well as the capacitors.

All of the components have been assembled onto the back panel : ampermeter, voltmeter, two switches, a cigarette lighter socket and a fuse holder.

Not yet connected.

Took another more than 2 hours.

Will make picture.

StevenStanleyBayes wrote:All of the components have been assembled onto the back panel : ampermeter, voltmeter, two switches, a cigarette lighter socket and a fuse holder.

Not yet connected.

Took another more than 2 hours.

Will make picture.

Just checked. Don't have the components. Should get them soon.

I have just made pictures of the assembled and not yet connected back panel : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/Pictures%20of%20the%20Back%20Panel.doc

All of the links for those interested are :

Thesis : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/Cox%20.049%20SureStart%20Diesel.doc
Edited Video of the System Start and Work with the Dynamo : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6sSJIbKgk4
Edited Video of the Engine Start and Work without the Dynamo : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTbZ11njcn0
Video of the System Start and Work with the Dynamo : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA0HQJMAUSo
Video of the Engine Start and Work without the Dynamo : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7FfparKL78
Pictures of the Back Panel : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/Pictures%20of%20the%20Back%20Panel.doc
Pictures of the Engine, the Dynamo and the Stand : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/Pictures%20of%20the%20Engine,%20the%20Dynamo%20and%20the%20Stand.doc
Pictures of the Engine and the Stand : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/Pictures%20of%20the%20Engine%20and%20the%20Stand.doc
Electrical Schematics : http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/12VDC%20Micro%20Generator%20with%20Micro%20Engine%20with%20Internal%20Combustion.123

I looked at your pictures of the panel. Nice, very professional looking.
Rusty

RknRusty wrote:I looked at your pictures of the panel. Nice, very professional looking.
Rusty

Thanks. What you see looks presentable. Good you cannot see the holes for the gauges which do not look professional. : )

The electronics shop is closed on Sundays.

To do before the components :

Label the switches with Dymo and Scotch Tape for lamination : " Main " and " Output ".

Solder wires to the fuse holder and the cigarette lighter socket.

Put extra washers to the gauge wiring pins.

Replace the sign holding nut of the main switch which is bigger with the one which fits.

Install wires where possible without the components.

Install a Cox spacer to the propeller between the plastic rims to use as a pulley for the next test. Thus, the engine would have a pulley of approximately 0.4cm and the dynamo : 1.5cm.

Install a spacer between the engine pulley and the propeller. In case Cox spacers are too long, make a washer either from plastics or Aluminum. Use washers around the spacers to prevent them from moving into the other components when the propeller screw is tightened up.

Labeled the switches with Dymo and Scotch Tape for lamination : " Main " and " Output ".

Soldered wires to the fuse holder and the cigarette lighter socket. Should have used screws and washers and nuts as there were big enough holes on the pins.

Did not put extra washers to the gauge wiring pins but put hooks on the wires. Cramped and soldered as cramping may not give stability although a standard practice. Heat shrinks installed too.

Replaced the sign holding nut of the main switch which is bigger due to manufacturing defect with the one from another, exactly the same switch.

Installed wires where possible without the components.

To Do :

Install a Cox spacer to the propeller between the plastic rims to use as a pulley for the next test. Thus, the engine would have a pulley of approximately 0.4cm and the dynamo : 1.5cm.

Install a spacer between the engine pulley and the propeller. In case Cox spacers are too long, make a washer either from plastics or Aluminum. Use washers around the spacers to prevent them from moving into the other components when the propeller screw is tightened up.