Rob Whitty, Missionary, Ghana
Africa
It doesn't seem that long ago that Rob
and I were discussing his new direction in life, it was not just him, but his
wife and children also decided they could make a difference in Ghana. Rob knew
life would be harsh there, he knew that a basic rugged power source could make
his life far more bearable, and he could also provide services not available to
his new neighbors, like a welder, and and maybe even air tools!
Rob made it real clear that he too
believed in KISS engineering, if this is going to be maintained in the bush, it
needs to be simple, and reliable he said. It didn't take me long to 'size up'
Rob, he is a 'can do' DIYer, and he has a double helping of common sense.
Believing in his mission and knowing he was up to the task, I was more that
willing to help in any way possible.
The first thing we discussed was the
fact that we were going to under run the RPMs some so the engine would live a
longer and happier life, the 1115 will make 22hp at 2200 RPMs, but back it off
to 1800 RPMs, and it'll live longer and allow the use of a direct drive. You
give up a little horse power in trade.
Rob has no clue how well I remember him,
and the picture post card I received of him and his family, I am hoping the pictures
come through, as I will post them here. No doubt
that the villages nearby have found an excellent resource, and a good example,
Rob is a 'Can Do' example, and often times, this can change the life of a child,
for some; all they need to do is see a man who can do for himself! I
like to think that God sent Rob to Ghana to spread that word along with the
other messages of the mission.
In closing, please note the loads that
Rob is able to start and carry with this setup, I was confident in recommending
it.
George B.
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George,
I don't know if you remember, but you sold me the 1115 Chinese Eninge and the 10kw Gen
Head to take to Ghana. The name is Rob, I kind of lost track of you and thought
I would drop you a line.
Update on the genset: over 1800 hours of use to date (3 hours/ day, 7
days/week) NO major problems. I run under the rated speed, so I am around 1800
rpm, set speed by voltage in the house. Use about.63 gal/hour at 1800 rpm
pulling 238 volts 100 feet away. I have filled the tank once when I ran all day
using my 5 horse electric air compressor and ac welder.
I have your direct drive love joy coupling set up- one rubber spider failed
after the initial 3 months- I believe it was a fluke. I have had no problems on
the replacement, but I have several spares in case.
One problem that could have been catastrophic, but wasn't- the oil feed line to
the indicator broke. I lost about 1 1/2 qts of oil before I went out to shut
down for the night. next day I checked the rod, the sump, etc. Still had 2/1/2
qts in the crankcase, so no harm!
George comment I recommend that a clamp
be installed in the middle of this line, use a rubber isolator between the clamp
and the line, I think Engine has now identified this as a problem and now
supports the middle of the line, check your unit, the line will go into
resonance and will work harden one end of the line or the other near the banjo
bolt, and it will eventually crack without the mid support.
Maintenance- monthly oil change.
- twice a year, clean the sump
- once a year change water in the barrel. I run open, but still use a little
antifreeze to
keep rust down.
- check valve lash once a month. Changed setting twice.
This has been a very reliable piece of equipment. The environment is harsh and
the demand is great, but this genset has been up to the task. By the way, we are
wired in the house for 230 European, which is 2 wire, with an individual ground.
I tied the outputs of the Gen Head together and connected them to the feed leg,
neutral to neutral for the other leg. Both ends are earth grounded, and I tied
the neutral bar and the ground together in the Gen Shed. No problems with
anything. We have some solar panels and batteries, so the genset tops up the
batteries at night when we run. I have under 6ooo USD in the genset, 360 watts
of solar panels, 1500 watt inverter, and some gel batteries. We have lights
about 18 hours a day.
I am not a machinist, but a construction worker turned pastor! So my stuff is a
little crude, but it all works and it works well. I have absolutely no
complaints with the LoveJoy or the
hopper conversion, or the genset.
By the way, every village here in Ghana has a grinding machine to grind corn, or
rice, or casava. Guess what they use to turn the the grinder? A
Listeriod.
Pictures of my setup are forthcoming as I promised some time ago. Thanks for all
your help and advice. Gotta run,
Rob Whitty (Ghana Guy)
the Baptist Preacher in Ghana
A generator very similar to Rob's setup
another email from Rob.. 09 21 05
George,
Thanks for the replies and I will make sure I anchor the oil line in the middle.
Listen, you have my permission to use any info or pictures or whatever I send
you on your web site. People should know that your products and your
understanding of the machinery are both absolutely right on the mark, and that
means integrity.
Most of the Listeroids here are used or so old the nameplates are gone, but I
will try and find out what I can. One name I have seen twice is RAJA.
Hope it rings a bell.
Our mission agency has a web site- check it out bmm.org
Gotta run,
Rob
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It's important that you know that not all engines or components are of the
same quality, there are couplings that don't hold up, there are engines that
literally rattle apart. Finding a dealer who will stand behind the product and
help you after the sale is key. Here's an account
of what can happen in a few hours of running, I have heard this story far more
than once.. compare this with Rob's experience.
all the best,
George B.
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