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

I have written a thesis in regards to Cox .049 SureStart Diesel Engine which I would like to post here for your help, comments, ideas and general discussion.

The thesis is a rather large Word for Windows .doc document and I am unable to post this here as I cannot see a link which allows to upload documents.

I have, however, uploaded this thesis on a website and I do have the link thereto, but, I am not allowed to post links for one week because I have just registered on the forum, so, sorry, but these interested should wait for a week.

The thesis addresses the complete disassembly and description of the engine as well as start up algorithms and fuels and much more. This thesis is to be used as part of the documentation for the project I am working on ( almost done ) which is a Micro ( 12VDC ) Generator with a Micro Engine with Internal Combustion, in this case Cox .049 SureStart Diesel Engine.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

WOW! You've got quite a unique project going. WELCOME to the forum. If I can't fix it with a new C cell or D cell battery, I'm done. But there aRe others here on the forum that'll be of better electrical assistance, and many who have immense knowledge of the care and feeding of the Cox powerplant.   Let's see some pictures / video of your work in progress.   Again, welcome to the forum.

At the present, I do not have neither pictures nor videos and the engine as well as all other parts are totally disassembled. I was stupid enough to attempt to reset the piston with a rubber mallet which just bounced back and di nothing, then, I was even more stupid to used a hammer and hammer around like a stevedore and I pushed the piston rod and piston joint too much to become fixed. Then, I attempted to pull the piston with two sets of pliers and I succeeded to an extend but I was greedy for more and even more and more stupid and finally I broke the piston rod!

On the top of everything, the piston got enlarged and I attempted to fix this by rotation and hammering the piston walls and the top of the piston. I was thinking also of grinding.

However, I am happy because I have been stupid : Since I broke the piston rod I ordered a new one and would now wait for the new one to arrive. Thus, I would not attempt to start the engine with a home made piston which, almost for sure, was to damage the cylinder and, probably, the crankshaft. Stupidity seemed to help in this case. : )

I would like to mention I would be happy to have any help, input, comments and ideas in regards to the engine. Any electrical help is to be always welcome although I am not much concerned with the electrical part.

One difference between this project and most ( or all ) people in the forum is : most or all people here are interested how to get the most out of the engine at the highest RPM possible. I am probably the only person in the world who is interested in running the engine at the lowest RPM possible in order to increase the long term reliability. The torque and a couple of pulleys driven by a belt will convert the low RPM into a higher RPM for the dynamo should this be necessary. Anyway, lowest RPM are not exactly necessary, somewhat low RPM would be nice but, even running the engine at the standard low RPM ( around 4000, even more is OK ), so, everything goes.

Another topic I need a great help with ( NOT NOW, IN THE FUTURE ), I would be extremely happy to be able to use alternative fuel. A standard diesel fuel for the engine ( Ether, Kerosene or Methanol, Castor Oil ) may as well cost $30 per litre. In case anyone wants to run the generator for the whole night one may need 1 or 2 litre. Can anyone imagine to pay $60 to run a micro generator when one can get a grass trimmer gasoline two cycle mini engine and run the same or more powerful generator with standard gasoline and two cycle oil. One may even get a Honda generator ( briefcase size ) for $1200 and will be less expensive.

Many people have claimed they have managed to run the engine on biodiesel which I have been happy to here. I have managed to start and run the engine on standard fuel ( 40% Ether ( John Deere ), 35% Kerosene, 25% Castor Oil as well as 40% Ether ( John Deere ), 35% Kerosene, 25% Castor Oil, 3% Cetane Booster ) but I have not been able to start the engine on biodiesel nor on pump diesel ( also attempted without expectation, though ). Due to conditions issues ( improvised stand yet not ready because of laziness ), I have not been able to run the engine on standard fuel to get the engine hot and then to load biodiesel when the engine has just burned the standard fuel or just to do so.

There are more things but I do not want to overload you with questions for now.

Welcome to CEF, Steven.
Is this intended to fit into a backpack? I don't have as much experience with diesel efficiency compared to glow fuel. Is it necessary to have a throttle to keep the rpm in the peak power band as the load changes? For instance adding and removing devices makes the generator harder or easier to turn. That Surestart, probably puts out 50 or so watts at full scream(.06hp, I'm just guessing). You think it will turn that generator hard enough to support the fans and electronics, as well as a 12v/25W supply plus a 5v USB port? A drained laptop battery is going to seem like a bottomless pit to it, but if you can supply enough fuel I'd be curious to see it work.
Rusty

EDIT: I see you wrote a bunch while I was posting. I'll go back and re-read, maybe you answered my questions.
Rusty

Now that's interesting!

Could you just copy-paste the abstract here as text? As a teaser

Or maybe post the link "spelled out" like www dot websitename dot com and so on?

Steven, if you want you can PM me the link and I can post it for you.

to the Forum Steven , sounds like you have got it going on there .

to the forum!

I do not want to break any form rules here but, I guess, I am aloud to explain the thesis which would also be used ( edited or not ) for the project documentation.

I will message the link to the interested but, also, anyone who wants can go to google and search the web for " Steven Stanley Bayes ". The first, or one of the first items found would be the personal website which would be recognised by the name which is Steven Stanley Bayes with dashes and dot com.

Once in the web site, close the possible advertisings which may appear because of the webhost and scroll the home page down. There will be a few links there to various documents. One of the link ( the first for now ) is called : Cox .049 SureStart Diesel

This is the thesis.

KariFS wrote:Now that's interesting!

Could you just copy-paste the abstract here as text? As a teaser

Or maybe post the link " spelled out " like www dot websitename dot com and so on?

The thesis is around 75 pages and is very difficult to write an abstract. Contains a lot of pictures and schematics too. I have posted an explanation of how to get to the thesis with words and emailed the link to another person in the forum.

As a teaser : the thesis will be used as part of the documentation of the project, the main part as the rest is pretty basic. May be edited.

The thesis contains discussion of the general principle of work of engines, two cycle mainly, as well as specifics on what I have done with the Cox engine.

The thesis has been written for everyone to understand without any knowledge of engines of any kind.

The part which concerns the Cox engine describes the engine with pictures and schematics and has bee written after full disassembly of the engine as well as a piston resetting attempt.

The part also contains information on fuel with which successful as well as unsuccessful attempts to start the engine have been made.

In more practical terms, the thesis contains a quick guide to a successful start up procedure which I call a start up algorithm which I have been using to start the engine. Seems to work pretty fine.

I have written a thesis on the engine to be used ( edited or not ) as the major part of the documentation for the whole project.

Because I am not allowed to post links for a week, these who are interested can go to google and search with the words " Steven Stanley Bayes ". One of the first ( the first ) item which google finds is the personal website which is Steven Stanley Bayes with dashes and dot com. Close the automatically inserted advertisements by the web host and scroll the main page. There will be links to various documents. The first ( for now ) link is called : " Cox .049 SureStart Diesel ". Click on this link to view or download the thesis which is in Word for Windows . doc format.

duke.johnson wrote:Well, I can be the only one thinking it.  Let's see pictures. COOL!

Pictures and videos are to come.

Marleysky wrote:WOW! You've got quite a unique project going. WELCOME to the forum. If I can't fix it with a new C cell or D cell battery, I'm done. But there aRe others here on the forum that'll be of better electrical assistance, and many who have immense knowledge of the care and feeding of the Cox powerplant.   Let's see some pictures / video of your work in progress.   Again, welcome to the forum.

Pictures and videos are to come.

On Pg 71,
The engine that you are using will run both clockwise and counter clockwise. Only the Tee Dee or the RR-1 will only run one direction.

Also, you mention later about oils. Castor oil is necessary in the operation of COX engines, to protect the moving parts, as it will leave a residue. Similar to lead in older gas for the valve seats.

If you don't mind me saying, after briefly reading your document, don't get stuck on the diesel power.  Get the project put together and operating, then switch to diesel.

Here's the link to StevenStanleyBayes' Document http://www.steven-stanley-bayes.com/Cox%20.049%20SureStart%20Diesel.doc

I downloaded it and skimmed it, I'll need to fully read it later.


I had an idea similar to yours. Basically to build an .049 powered flashlight that could be also used to output 5vdc to power and charge USB devices such as a cellphone. I would use a car engine with a pull start for ease of starting and because of the clutch that disallows it from running backwards. A good 10+ years ago a stand that was selling gasoline generators out at the Minnesota State Fair had a Cox Babe Bee fitted with a big flywheel connected to a gearbox that was spinning a small ac alternator that could power a few flashlight bulbs and I think they even had a handheld TV hooked up to it. I regret never getting a picture of it.


Take a look at this site, http://dieselrc.com/projects/coxgen/

I don't recall what the average horsepower of a standard Cox .049 engine is but you can't load these down too much before they kill. That would explain the gearbox on the one I seen at the State Fair, needed to increase the torque.

Admin wrote:
Take a look at this site, http://dieselrc.com/projects/coxgen/

This page was last modified:
01/14/2012 17:01:56


I guess he lost interest. I'd use a car engine with the larger crank. That is a good design on the stator sliding over the nose. Wonder why it wasn't meant to be???

Maybe easier to hook it up to a brushless outrunner, especially for a test run of the theory.