Portable 2000 watt diesel generators?

B

Bufford

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We get numerous blackouts around here, when I need to use the generator. We also use the generator alot out at the bush camp to power things like waterpumps, TV's and stuff. With gasoline becoming so expensive that it could be concidered a non viable fuel, I am wondering about diesel generators. Does anyone know if there are maker/dealers for portable diesel generators in the 2000 watt size? The only diesels I see are simply to big and heavy to be concidered portable. Colored (non road taxed) farm diesel is almost half the cost of gasoline.
 
I don't think you'll find too many that are diesel and that small. Northern sold some that were 'tri fuel' units a few years ago and as I recall they had at least one that was a 5000 watt unit that was capable of running on gas, propane or natural gas. Thats the closest thing you will probably find in a smaller unit. I think Northern has a good selection though. You might get in touch with their customer service and see if they can have one made up for your specs. I've seen some 8000 watt diesel generators from them that had wheels but they are hardly portable for just one man.

STR
 
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I just found a Northern catalog and the only small diesel one they have listed is a 6500 watt Yanmar that weighs 320 pounds dry and costs $3000 bucks before shipping. For some reason it says "plugs not included" on the diesel engine generators they sell. By the way. If you have not heard one of these small Yanmar engines running you may want to before buying. They are noisy as hell itself and they get filthy dirty in no time flat. You'll get soot on you everytime you move and it will soon cover where you store it and carry it also.

STR
 
I work for a Cummins Onan dist. I am a field repairman. There is a reasons that nobody really makes portables that are Diesel, For all the exact reasons already mentioned. They are Loud Smelly and Heavy. Most customers want light and quiet. And no Onan dose not produce a portable, if they did they would use that POS Yanmar engine. For the cost of a small brand X gen that is diesel you can buy a really nice Home Standby,that can run on LP or Nat gas that can run your whole house. http://www.onan.com/onan/portablegenerators/generatorHome.jsp
 
This may be a little different than you are looking for, but a guy in the UK runs a 1L diesel engine out of a car that he got from a scrap yard for peanuts. He rigged it to a generator and it runs 24/7 @ about 2000 rpm and powers his whole house on home made biodiesel. Whatever is surplus to requirement goes into the grid and he actually makes a couple of hundred pounds a year back from the power company. If you can source a couple of engines, it may be cheaper and quieter to run (especially with the stock exhaust on it) than getting a single genny that you would have to cart around with you.
 
As Temper said I think the only way you are going to get a really small one one be to rig it yourself. You might check on rv.net (I think that is it) As those guys are as into gensets as we are into knives and gadgets. If you are looking for a small fairly cheap genset you might want to look at the little 3500 watt gensets that Pep-Boys sells, I have one and it is quiet and cheap, I think they are a China copy of Hondas.
 
I know there are some very small diesel heaters that RVs use in northern Europe to beat fuel gelling. One of those might also work as a generator. Haven't been able to find a link for you. I'll keep looking.
 
Thanks a bunch for the help. It seems the real hurdle for small diesels are the laws of physics when burning this kind of fuel.
 
Harbor Freight sells a Chicago Electric Power Tools 10,000 Watt max generator you can hook up to your own engine to generate electricity. Its listed as part number 45416-SHIPH for $379.99

It weighs 92 pounds by itself. says its made for a max 20HP 3600 RPM engine.

STR
 
Try for a small fuel cell. They are a bit expensive on initial cost but are extremely efficient and very low maintenance with a very long life. They run like a UPS so if there is a power outage there isn't a blip. We are running a 75kva diesel in Nigeria and with their very low fuel prices we are considering a 200kva fuel cell for our site.
 
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