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

Yet another unsuccessful attempt. Yet another 4 hours.

The fuel was exactly as the standard one which I have been using. The belts too. Tried a few, even a loose one with guides and a loose one double folded to make one stronger.

Without the dynamo, the engine starts perfectly OK at various settings including Air Valve : fully open, Fuel Needle Valve : 4 turns open, Compression : low or near high. With these settings, once the engine is running, the engine is able to overcome any obstacle : Once the engine is running, lowering the compression makes the engine suck fuel and air better and work with strong loads. I stuck a finger to the pulley and the engine continued until I got burned from the friction. Then I used a wooden stick to try to stop the pulley and the propeller screw. Works OK. Applied all the pressure I can to the wooden stick. Still worked like there is nothing.

The guides work OK and prevent the belt from jumping.

Even in case the engine was to start this would not make much of a difference because, to start the engine with the dynamo at 2 to 1 engine to dynamo pulley is immensely difficult. As explained, this is because neither the engine nor the dynamo have any REAL bearings. Axel housings, whether metal or not, are NOT bearings. THERE IS NOTHING TO BEAR THE AXEL. Bearing I something which one is suppose to put between the axel and the housing. People still, however, use the word bearing for a simple hole, i. e. for the axel housing. Stupid is to call the so called bearings which are between the crankshaft and the piston rod of a car. These are not bearings. These are nothing but a housing hole. Whatever you put on the housing hole you still get a hole and nothing else. The same as when the piston rod attachment was made of the same metal monolithic. Still a hole, still nothing to BEAR the rotation.

Anyway, because of a lack of real bearings, regardless of whether the rotor is housed by metal half circles or a full or plastic or whatever, when a high tension belt is used, the engine axel and the dynamo axel ( rotor ) are pulled on to the other and make the system impossible to turn. Add the heavy rotor and you get even more impossible to turn system.

This is why I shall discontinue any attempts to start without some kind of clutch. The one I have posted can be modified to be hand held with two or one big pulley and I may try this one.

I have also found another way. I may put a few pulleys on the engine. Now I have two next to each other : one is 0.7mm, the other 3cm. With these or other pulleys, as long as I have a few, I can use the guides to push the belt and perform a “ bicycle style gear switching “ with the belt going from one to another. Thus, I hope I can start the engine with a clutch or without and use the tiniest pulleys first and then go to the bigger ones at zero electrical load but with the dynamo on.

Anyway, for any project to be successful, use dynamos with “ low torque “ i. e. low mechanical resistance when not electrically loaded and with zero friction, i. e. with a REAL ( ball, cylinder, barrel, whatever in between two rings ) bearing as well as a grippy LOOSE belt. Guides OK.

The same applies for straight coupling because, when the engine rotates, the engine axel as well as the dynamo rotor are pushed all over the hole walls by the centrifugal as well as by the simple movement forces. They still touch the walls and not only touch but file them like a drill.

I think people who use Cox engines for anything, may wish to use the same settings with low compression to ensure load independent or load overcoming performance of the engine, for example, those who fly big propellers or ships may wish to use this settings at low compression to heat up the engine after start up reliably, regardless of the huge load the big propeller puts on. After a while, you may switch to your favourite settings.

In regards to the project : the project would be on hold for a while until I find a way to clutch or equivalent or similar.

I hesitate whether to do an electric start like robot797. This way, I would have something rinning to test the dynamo output. Then I will think of clutching.

I do not know yet and I do not care for now. I am sick and tired of garbage and I have a lot of this.

Centrifugal clutch would be OK BUT THESE ARE VERY NON STANDARD AS FAR THE ATTACHMENT GOES. I would prefer a simple wheel which mounts on the propeller screw and, on the wheel, at a distance, all other components so this clutch can be attached to ANY axel. In case I had such, I would use this on the dynamo rather than the engine.

The ones I have seen for RC cars are garbage.

There are good REAL ones for loan mowers, saws, etcetera but these are very big. I may have a look as to whether I can use one.

Also, I cannot understand why the RC engines manufacturers not have many options. OK. Spring start is an option. So is a removable hand crank option. People would be able to start their airplanes with a hand crank as should be. Just a simple attachment. Once the engine is on, the hand crank can be removed. Just like cars used to be. The other option is a pull start. Another simple attachment which can even be removable. I may look into a possibility to use a pull start from whatever. A removable hand crank with gears would have been a great advantage even for airplanes.

Anyway, I have had enough. Any ideas are welcome, though.