Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I operate the listeroid engine on waste motor oil?
A. Yes! There are many indiviuals currently running their engines on waste motot oil. Some are running the dirty oil through multiple spin on filers prior to final fuel water separator filtering. Some people will mix the used motor oil with new diesel to thin it and in colder climates the oil should be pre heated along with the supply line, injector pump and high pressure line. There has been much debate over whether or not the oil should be free of synthetic based oils as some indicate they can gum up rings and valves. You will want to set up a second tank for the waste oil and use a double bypass (for both supply and return fuel lines) so as to be able to start on pump diesel and to switch over to waste oil once the engine is warmed up. At shut down you will want to purge the fuel pump and lines of wate oil with clean diesel so the engine is ready to be fired again on thinner pump diesel. Being able to run on these waste oils, is just one reason that makes these slow running engines so alluring.
Q. Why would I consider building a genset using a Lister-type engine, as opposed to buying an off the shelf, ready to plug-in genset?
A. Building your own genset can be a challenging task. It can also be fun and rewarding to use a Lister-type engine, not to mention being potentially very long lasting and fuel efficient. This, however, is not a task for everyone. It is for those who are handy at fabricating, welding, or do-it-yourself types who enjoy working on this kind of project. One has to want to take on a challenging project like this. A properly set up Lister-type genset will burn very little fuel per kilowatt hour, be quieter, last longer and provide more satisfaction than any off-the-shelf Honda will. With proper set-up, upkeep and maintenance this engine may very well outlast you.
Q. Where are these new Lister-type engines being manufactured?
A. These new versions are being produced for us by a company called GTC in India. When the English stopped manufacturing the original lister engines India began to build their own copies as the need was still great for this wonderful engine design.
Q. How many kw can I expect from the 6/1 Listeroid?
A. Depending on your altitude and efficiency of how it is set up to drive a generator, the 6/1 engine can supply up to 3800 watts max. It will be smoking when pushed this hard! You can bank on getting a steady 3200 watts continuous without much fuss as they like to be working near 80%
Q. If I were to purchase one of these engines, would I be able to get parts for it?
A. Yes. We will have parts available and in stock for the engines we import.
Q. What different sizes of engines are available?
A. These engines are available in single cylinder and twin cylinder options ranging in output from 6hp - 24hp. The 6/1 is the most popular engine as most of our customers are looking for a low fuel consumption prime mover. We now preffer to offer the 12/1 engine to our customers as they are more easily worked on than the twin cylinder engines. Need more HP, then why not couple 2 - 6/1 or 2 - 12/1 engines together? Redundancy is a great thing!
Q. Why should I expect a Lister engine to last longer than an off-the-shelf diesel engine?
A. Piston speed and rpm are directly related to wear of engine components. The Lister engines are operated between 600 and 1000 rpm, whereas the lowest rpm available on an off-the-shelf diesel genset is 1800 rpm, and most are operated over 2400 rpm. With low rpm operation, proper setup and maintenance, the Lister-type engine can provide long service life.
Q. How does the serpintine drive compare to V belts?
A. Using our serintine drive pulleys with give you an efficient and smooth running generator. If you price out double or tripple V belt pulleys and belts you will find that the price is very similar and your set up will be harder to crank over and in the end less efficient. These 8 rib belts provide slip free driving and are relatively inexpensive + are easy to align.
Q. What is the fuel consumption of the 6/1 engine?
A. Approx 2 gallons in 10 hours when running near to full load or 3200 watt output.
Q. What size generator should I couple to a 6/1 engine?
A. We preffer that a 5kw or 7.5kw generator be used with the 6/1 engine. Please keep in mind that the mechanical output of the engine is what will determine the output/kw produced. Just because you put a 10kw gen end with a 6hp motor doesnt gain you anything. 6hp will usualy give you around 3kw. The Listeroids are performing slightly better than their rating suggests so they can give you slightly more kw. Using a slightly larger generator will just mean that the windings will be cooler when operating, thus prolonging the winding wires insulation life. As well, because the flywheels of these slow speed engines carry a lot of stored energy, they are able to drive the generator through heavy start up loads that can result in an increase in winding tempurature. Having the slightly over sized generator again gives you that extra breathing room for those big load times.