WVO generator powerplant - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Lars · #1 05-04-2004, 10:07 AM

Has anyone ever thought of hooking up one of those tractor PTO driven generators (maybe a 30 kW) to a OM616 or OM617 engine and running it on WVO? Electricity bills here up north can be pretty steep, and I was wondering how a MB diesel would perform being operated 24/7 on WVO from november to april. Once the setup is operational and paid for, a guy could save a fortune on electricity. I live in the country, so no neigbours would be bothered by the constant rumble of the engine. I have a small unused garage near the house where I could install the powerplant, and I'm guessing that the heat from the engine would probably keep the whole garage warm enough to store the WVO in without it turning to a solid block.

Also, does anyone know the recommended hours between oil changes for a diesel in a static application?

Am I crazy for having thought of such a plan?

Habanero · #2 05-04-2004, 10:47 AM

Since you asked, yes you probably are crazy. But, then again most of us who mess with waste oil probably are at least a little off-center.

I worry when you say you have a garage near the house for your plan. I don't think I would want it too near the house or the constant rumble may get to be too much to take. You never realize how aggrivating a sound is until you listen to it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As far as the heat given off by the engine is concerned, why not use it as well. If you don't want to mess with the cooling system too much, set up liquid/liquid heat exchangers and use the heated water to heat another building or even the house.

R Leo · #3 05-04-2004, 11:01 AM

Something like this is doable but offhand I haven't heard on this board of anyone actually generating with a MBZ engine.

The Maui Green biodiesel board may reveal some self-generators using grease.

On thing to overcome: 615, 616 and 617 engines aren't governed above something like 1000rpm so some sort of load-sensitive speed control would be in order... it might be possible to adapt an aftermarket cruise control to the task. IMHO, the OEM unit lacks the necessary reliability.

Quote:

You never realize how aggrivating a sound is until you listen to it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If I were self-generating, the first thing I'd do would be to alter my energy consumption habits so that I was only running the genset periodically.

Lars · #4 05-04-2004, 11:16 AM

I basically have all summer to think about these things. I'll have to see how the tractor throttle is controlled when running the generator, that might give me a few ideas for setting up some sort of cruise control for varying loads.

As far a noise, I cannot hear my TD from inside the house when it is on fast idle outside, so I don't thing the noise would be an issue. Of course, the exhaust would be routed away from the house.

Another issue is pollution. Would I be polluting more than I should or would that waste oil be burned anyways in some recycling plant. I know that there are few practical pollution-free power generating methods, but I would'nt want to have Greenpeace riding my ass.

Lars · #5 05-04-2004, 11:22 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by R Leo

If I were self-generating, the first thing I'd do would be to alter my energy consumption habits so that I was only running the genset periodically.

It would be hard to run it periodically with our Quebec winters, as average temps can be well below 0F for weeks at a time. The house would get quite cool if unheated for 8 hours during the night. Running part-time might only be possible until early december and after late march.

R Leo · #6 05-04-2004, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lars
but I would'nt want to have Greenpeace riding my ass.

Basically, there's no net CO2 gain burning WVO and you could run your waste lube oil through as fuel which would be under better environmental control than if it went through an asphalt plant (the usual endpoint of waste lube oil).

R Leo · #7 05-04-2004, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lars
It would be hard to run it periodically with our Quebec winters

The easy solution: move south.

Lars · #8 05-04-2004, 01:07 PM

Winter is a love-hate relationship. You hate the -30F mornings and blizzards, yet you feel pride from grinding through it. It's a good feeling to see other cars not start in the parking lot at work as you drive off in your warm diesel that has been running all afternoon. I also love x-country skiing and snowshoeing. A lot of people up here like the variety and the change of seasons. My family is from here and northern Minnesota, so cold is part of our lives. So for now I'm gonna stick around.

Wasuchi · #9 05-04-2004, 01:23 PM

I think this is probably a very doable project but I also think there are probably engines that are much more suited to this task. (assuming you don't have a 617 sitting around somewhere) A 4bt Cummins or a small Kubota or Yanmar from a tractor would probably be better choices for example..... there are quite a wide variety available if you look around on Ebay or other places.

#10 05-04-2004, 01:28 PM

check the biodiesel.infopop.com or org can't remember, anyway there are definitely folks on there that are working on WVO generators. Good luck and good vegging!

Lars · #11 05-04-2004, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wasuchi
I think this is probably a very doable project but I also think there are probably engines that are much more suited to this task. (assuming you don't have a 617 sitting around somewhere) A 4bt Cummins or a small Kubota or Yanmar from a tractor would probably be better choices for example..... there are quite a wide variety available if you look around on Ebay or other places.

The reason I like the 616 or 617 is because they're cheap to buy, I know them very well, they apparently run very well on veggie oil, and I have a healthy supply of spare parts. There are many rusted out cars with good engines to be bought around here for a few hundred $$.

ak300td · #12 05-04-2004, 03:15 PM

I agree with you Lars, it is a love/hate thing...

Also, I'm watching this thread since I too am interested in WVO electricity generation!

Good luck!

Lars · #13 05-04-2004, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ak300td
I agree with you Lars, it is a love/hate thing...

But you must have it way worse than me with your alaskan winters...

To me the biggest hurdle for this project is finding a reasonably priced generator. All the rest should be fairly straightforward, as I have decent metal fabrication skills which will come in handy to make a steel tubing stand, couplings...

Ken300D · #14 05-04-2004, 05:35 PM

If you don't already have a tractor PTO generator, you may do better with just a generator "head". Even better if you find one designed to turn at 1800 rpm instead of 3600.

What kind of heat do you have? Surely not all electric?

Also, I wonder how much WVO you have access to, since you would need a LOT of it to run continuously.

Ken300D

Lars · #15 05-04-2004, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken300D
If you don't already have a tractor PTO generator, you may do better with just a generator "head". Even better if you find one designed to turn at 1800 rpm instead of 3600.

What kind of heat do you have? Surely not all electric?

Also, I wonder how much WVO you have access to, since you would need a LOT of it to run continuously.

A 1800 rpm generator would be great. The nice thing about the tractor generator is that they come already rigged with a 240V and 120V voltage regulator.

My house is heated only with electric baseboards. So let's just say that my power bills are fairly high, although electricity in Quebec is still cheap compared to american prices.

As for the WVO, I have not yet started securing a source. One thing I know is that nobody is running it in their cars in my area as far as I know.

About 7 years ago there was a huge power outage here dus to an ice storm. 6 inches of ice fell in one day, causing power lines to fall by the thousands. Power was out for up to a month in my area. Let's just say that having that generator would also provide peace of mind if Mother Nature were to play us that little trick again.