----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Blanton"
Recently we were able to run an Ecosmart (neat story there)
generator to power a load at a net COP of about 3.2 including
the inefficiency ('bout 50%) of the PEM gen (thanks Jones!)
OK for the record, TB is being sarcastic - yes, that generator may
have turned out to be only 50% efficient at very low speed, but is
still has very high efficiency potential - at anything above a
snail's pace - not my fault!
Terry asked me to recommend a high efficiency generator, and I
sent him the idea and info on rewinding the Ecosmart, which he
did. As have others - it is an excellent low cost generator for
home windmills etc.
This motor is made by Fisher & Paykel in OZ but available here for
a fair price. At even 1000 RPM they have told me the generator
should be 95% eff. - but hey - Terry wanted to run it a less than
100 RPM ! and without gearing it up !
Bad Idea. Many motors have very high drop-offs in eff. when run
out of spec and - worst of all - it would have been relatively
easy to gear this thing up with two bicycle sprocket-pairs and
chains - if it had been done from the git-go - which they never
did. Pity because this generator coulda/shoulda been enough to
allow self-power --- if--- that is, Sprain truly does have that
much COP margin to play with (despite Terry's formidable skills, I
am not convinced of that large margin from what I've seen on the
site he has referenced).
But then again, nobody slows/tells everything...
Jones
