cheap of gas generator. Model airplane engine???????

[starleen2]

Now if you leave the propeller on and use a pulley drive system with the generator - then BAM- you have a fan and a generator!

[toypusher]

I have never heard a model airplane engine that was very quite. You will not make friends around a campground with one unless you can make a good muffler system.

Not sure I belive that it would generate enough power to make it worthwhile, but of course I could be wrong!

[bc toys]

I was thinking (ya dangeras) get a genurater 12v put blades on it wire it up put on pole about 10+ft hook to battery then I can charge my battery it sheaper then a 65w solor system.

[Shadow Catcher]

Noisy, stinky, very little power, will not likely last long. They are made for short low weight to power ratio use. For the larger planes some use weed eater type/size engines.
Two cycle engines not made for sustained use, I would think are not a great idea.
I have seen pictures of and explanations of using a lawnmower engine with an alternator.
The whole idea of trying to cobble together something that may sort of work just does not appeal other than as an exercise in junkmanship. You could well spend more than the cost of one of the 1000W generators from China

[asianflava]

My dad had one, it was tiny. I'll see if I can find a pic of it. I don't remember what it was called though, Tiger something.

[asianflava]

OK I found it, ironically the best pic I found of it is in somebody's teardrop construction journal.

It's called the Tiny Tiger
http://www.vintage-vee.com/construction_generators.html

[Ageless]

How will you muffle it? Cause after about 10 minutes of that buzzing; I'm showing up with a 4# hand sledge

[boomboomtulum]

How will you muffle it? Cause after about 10 minutes of that buzzing; I'm showing up with a 4# hand sledge

I'll 2nd that

[Arne]

Since I fly model airplanes, I will offer up some information. First, they are air cooled, with an airspeed of any where between 20 and 70 mph to keep them from freezing up... Second, they are lightly built and really don't get a lot of hours of wear on them before they are tossed.

One big enough would cost you more than a briggs and stratton 'real' engine. The fuel is about $10.00/gallon on sale.

Weedy engines operate at high speeds to get hp/torque, around 8.000 rpm. and usually more. At 3,000 rpm you won't get much bang for the buck. They are 2 stroke, mostly, though the new ones are 4 stroke. They are small and don't have much power.....

I can't think of any reason to try any of the above except as a fun toy.

quote:

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
It's totally a function of the actual output of the generator and it's efficiency. Figure you lose 10% in the belt, and another 10% to friction in the bearings, the efficiency of the alternator/generator. then there is the actually load on the generator....not it's rating maximum output. 1 kilowatt is about 1.34 horsepower. At 12 volts, 100 amps would be 1.2 KW which is about 1 1/2 HP. Add in the efficiency loses and figure about 2 1/2 HP for 100 amps out. For real world applications and continous use double that as everything gets more and more inefficient as things heat up. A high output generator might put out 200 amps at 14 volts. or 2.8KW . Take 5 of them and you have 14KW. Add in the 100% factor for losses and inefficienty and you've got to put out 28KW. That equals about 40HP.

[Larwyn]

Camping can be done without electricity. The 12 volt deep cycle battery can make lighting an ventilation more convenient. Shore power can allow you most of the conveniences of home. A noisy generator can instantly turn you into an unwelcome neighbor.

I can think of nothing electric that is so important that I would want to sit and listen to a 2 cycle engine running. I'm sure if you get that idea working you will find that you have lots of mysterious engine problems if you ever turn your back to it.

[teardrop_focus]

Larwyn

I can think of nothing electric that is so important that I would want to sit and listen to a 2 cycle engine running. I'm sure if you get that idea working you will find that you have lots of mysterious engine problems if you ever turn your back to it.

My sentiments exactly, sir.

[bgeddes]

Many many years ago, I had an old chainsaw motor that ran well, a small alternator from a car and a Saturday in the garage. I bought a couple of pulleys, with a 2 to 1 ratio, and a short belt. I mounted the two on a frame, installed the pulleys, with the small one on the engine. The chainsaw engine ran about 5-6000 rpm and full speed. The reduction made the alternator run in it's normal operating range.

Tiny little nitro methane burning model airplane engines turn even faster. I find it hard to believe you could gear them effectively enough to run a generator.

[afreegreek]

those little things are about .000001 hp.. my bet is you couldn't even turn the reduction setup you'd need. anyway, you'd never get the thing started unless you had some sort of clutch to disengage the engine from the rest of the whoo ha.

[Dale M.]

If you are really into building a generator, and just have to do it....

Use 3-5 hp Briggs & Stratton (upright) and belt drive a 12V alternator (1 wire type) but you will also have to have it hooked to a battery to stabilize alternator output......

With all the small compact well designed generators out there, why bother reinventing one.... IF you have a yard full of parts and way to much time, I guess you could.... But it probably will be big, heavy, awkward, loud and tiresome to move around ...

Dale