Using a small block chevy as an industrial engine:

[Stewart G Griffin]

i friend of mine wants to try to live "off-grid."  Admittedly, part of me wants to see if she can do it.  So i'm thinking of donating a 305 engine for a power generator.

Is there any harm in running a small block, or any car engine for that matter, at idle for long periods of time?

[timthescarrd]

One worry will be cooling, Car engines heat up much faster when sitting still, because moving helps to draw heat away from the engine.  To combat this you would need a very good radiator and a high volume fan to pull/push air through it.

[Jason S]

My thoughts on the subject.

Is there any harm in running a small block, or any car engine for that matter, at idle for long periods of time?

Would it be operating at idle though? How much drag would the generator have on the engine?  The small stationary/industrial engines that I've been around were mostly for irrigation pumps (i.e., SBC, 300 I-6, etc.), were powered by natural gas and were operating above what could be considered 'idle'. Bigger irrigation pumps were large (1,000+ cid) diesel engines converted to natural gas and would turn at much lower RPM's.   I'd think a generator, depending on the load, might also require more than idle?

All things being equal, as long as the engine is in good shape there shouldn't be a major issue with using it to turn a generator.
As industrial engines are generally built for that specific purpose, longevity of a car 305 would be less than a purpose built engine.

Also, you might think about using a cam that is designed just for stationary engine applications having a narrow low-mid range power band.

[jaredts]

My employer put in a new backup generator for its facilities about 1-1/2 years ago.  It runs on a 4.3 chevy vortec that is setup for natural gas.  I wouldn't think the 305 would be the worst choice in the world, but is she really gonna use gasoline?

[velojym]

Hey... if it's donated...

Depending on what sort of material she has available, could make it a multi fuel arrangement. Use propane, gasoline, woodgas... just depends on the resources available and how far she's willing to go with it.

[roundhouse]

Off grid to me doesn't mean using a huge gen set

Off grid means solar or hydro to charge the battery bank for  your lights with a small genny for when it's cloudy for a week straight

Gonna get expensive buying and transporting gasoline for a V- 8 gen set

[BADAZ chevy guy]

Off grid to me doesn't mean using a huge gen set

Off grid means solar or hydro to charge the battery bank for  your lights with a small genny for when it's cloudy for a week straight

Gonna get expensive buying and transporting gasoline for a V- 8 gen set

I agree. The engine would be better suited as a back up power to batteries and solar power.

[roundhouse]

Although I gotta admit I thought about using a Engine to generate heat  to heat my house in the winter

Figured running an engine and just installing the radatior in my furnace duct would be cheaper than using the propane furnace  plus I'd get electricity from the gen set too

[velojym]

A lot of the folks who use the old-style Lister engines also use the coolant tank for other purposes, so that the waste heat isn't as wasted.
Some will run water through a radiator type arrangement *inside* the cooling barrel (Lister radiator is frequently just a big barrel of water), and sent into the house as a source of hot water.
And, I'll agree that an engine of that size could be useful to fairly quickly charge a large household battery bank, and to back up a solar setup, but wouldn't be practical to run all the time.
I've thought it'd be neat, for something like that, to get hold of a PTO driven generator, and hooking the truck up to it when needed. That way, the engine is being used for its intended purpose most of the time, but available for emergency home power when needed. It's also more likely to run when you need it if it hasn't been sitting neglected.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Yes, she will use gas.  She wants to use a diesel engine---and thus could use biodiesel.  But the 305 is free vs. who knows how much for a diesel generator/genset or diesel car engine?

[roundhouse]

Cheapest genset is often a portable welder

Almost all of them also work as a generator
And usually cheaper to buy than a generator

If its gonna run much more than a couple hours a day Get a diesel.

[Irish_Alley]

i know its been said but a gas engine for a gen isnt a bad ideal, but a gas gen for "off the grid" is you still have to make money to pay for the gas. and lets say something happens to the gas supply then what?

[roundhouse]

i know its been said but a gas engine for a gen isnt a bad ideal, but a gas gen for "off the grid" is you still have to make money to pay for the gas. and lets say something happens to the gas supply then what?

that's the part I didn't understand

If you dont have A/C or an electric clothes dryer. You don't need a generator

A couple solar panels and golf cart batteries will provide plenty of juice for lights and your well pump

And you use propane or kerosene or wood or solar for heating and cooking


Years ago I was looking for a remote cabin. And found some land that there was no way to ever get electricity to

I found out there's lot of non electric appliances
You can even get kerosene water heaters

Have you seen the YouTube vids of people using the screen from a rear projection TV for solar ?

They can melt steel in a few minutes on a sunny day !

[Stewart G Griffin]

i know its been said but a gas engine for a gen isnt a bad ideal, but a gas gen for "off the grid" is you still have to make money to pay for the gas. and lets say something happens to the gas supply then what?

that's the part I didn't understand

If you dont have A/C or an electric clothes dryer. You don't need a generator

A couple solar panels and golf cart batteries will provide plenty of juice for lights and your well pump

And you use propane or kerosene or wood or solar for heating and cooking


Years ago I was looking for a remote cabin. And found some land that there was no way to ever get electricity to

I found out there's lot of non electric appliances
You can even get kerosene water heaters

Have you seen the YouTube vids of people using the screen from a rear projection TV for solar ?

They can melt steel in a few minutes on a sunny day !

Really?   i will make a note of this.

[Blazin]

I know a guy that kinda lives off grid. No electricity to his property. He has late 80's Thunderbird that is all rotted out. It has low miles, runs great. He heats with wood mostly. But on days when he is cleaning the stove, or wants to heat water for bath, or dishes he uses the car at just above an idle. Runs it about 1,000 RPM. He took an old D8 radiator. Soldered up a couple holes in it. It is mounted to the wall inside the house with a couple 12 volt fan from other cars. Whole thing is mounted to a bracket he welded up out of angle iron, & flat stock. He plumbed the cars coolant lines in through the wall, it goes into a double wall 50 gallon tank in the rafters so as the water from the engine heats potable water in the outer part of the tank. Then through the radiator, fans blow the heat off it to heat the living area. That side of the cabin is cinder block about 6' up, car is parked in the wood shed right outside. Water pump is about level with the tank, and radiator inside. He has a dug well right in side, well cover is flush with the concrete slab, he has an old hand pump mounted right above the well. He also has a 12 volt pump from and RV to pump the stored water for shower, dishes etc. He has a 275 square cage tank up in the rafters, gravity feed once its been filled by the 12 volt pump. Has a septic system so he can flush toilet etc. He has both 12 volt, & gas lighting. He runs the car for an hour every other day. He puts 5 gallons in about once a month in the cold weather.