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Lifesaving Power Workings


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Introduction

We know that a blackout is a complete loss of electrical power. It can be caused by a storm or a disaster of

some sort, an accident or a problem in the electrical system.

In this case, the EMP will destroy everything that used to work on electricity before and it will leave you in

darkness if you do not have the basic knowledge on how to produce electricity.

In the short term, many of us experience power outages in our homes during the winter seasons, where

storms take out some local power lines. This might mean we are without power for the best part of a day.

In the event of hurricanes, electricity may be cut for a more extended period of time (1-2 weeks).

But what if some major crisis occurred and left entire countries without electricity for months or even years?

Granted, odds are slim, but just what if it happened? Our grandparents and maybe our parents might have

some ideas, having possible experienced this during their childhood. The majority of us wouldn't have a clue.

The reason blackouts are so serious is that we depend on electricity. We need electrical power to cook our

food or to keep it cool, clean our clothes and wake up in the morning. We use it to power our tools, light our

homes and place our fast-food orders. At one time, we did all these things without electricity, but we would

hardly think of doing them manually today. We even have electric guitars, electric razors and electric pencil

sharpeners.


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How to produce your own fuel

You could simply buy your biodiesel and store it, but it will cost you a fortune.

However, there's a lot to be said for the GREAT feeling of independence you'll get from making your own

fuel!

Changing your perspective when it comes to using the conventional fuels might prove to be one of the

greatest improvements in your life. You have to become aware that the conventional fuels will come to an

end one day and you have to be prepared for this.

Therefore, congratulating you on the important decision that you have made, we provide the best solutions

and plans for the change that is about to happen. The following lines will inspire you to take the proper

steps that will make the difference for your driving experience.

It’s time to improve your family life by implementing the necessary and renewable systems of energy. You

will also be helping your planet and community when choosing to use the renewable energies. You must not

be a rocket science in order to build and use these systems.


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The green energy is to be preferred and this is the right moment for you in order to take proper care of your

planet. You can use biodiesel in order to heat your beloved home and run your vehicles without having to

spend a fortune in order to achieve satisfactory results. This is among the most popular alternatives to the

conventional fuels and it’s high time you implement it into your own lifestyle.

What are your Options?

There are at least three ways to run a diesel engine on biofuel using vegetable oils, animal fats or both. All

three are used with both fresh and used oils.

• Use the oil just as it is - usually called SVO fuel (straight vegetable oil);

• Mix it with kerosene (paraffin) or petroleum diesel fuel, or with biodiesel, or blend it with a solvent, or

with gasoline;

• Convert it to biodiesel.

1. Mixing it

Vegetable oil is much more viscous (thicker) than either petro-diesel or biodiesel. The purpose of mixing it or

blending it with other fuels is to lower the viscosity to make it thinner so that it flows more freely through

the fuel system into the combustion chamber.

If you're mixing veg-oil with petroleum diesel or kerosene (same as #1 diesel) you're still using fossil fuel -

cleaner than most, but still not clean enough.

Still, for every gallon of vegetable oil you use,

that's one gallon of fossil-fuel saved, and that

much less climate-changing carbon in the

atmosphere.

People use various mixes, ranging from 10%

vegetable oil and 90% petro-diesel to 90%

vegetable oil and 10% petro-diesel. Some people

just use it that way, start up and go, without pre-

heating it (which makes veg-oil much thinner), or

even use pure vegetable oil without pre-heating

it, which would make it much thinner.

You might get away with it with an older Mercedes 5-cylinder IDI diesel, which is a very tough and tolerant

motor -- it won't like it but you probably won't kill it. Otherwise, it's not wise.


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To do it properly you'll need what amounts to an SVO system with fuel pre-heating anyway, preferably using

pure petro-diesel or biodiesel for starts and stops, in which case there's no need for the mixes.

Blends with various solvents and/or with unleaded gasoline are "experimental at best"; little or nothing is

known about their effects on the combustion characteristics of the fuel or their long-term effects on the

engine.

Higher viscosity is not the only problem with using vegetable oil as fuel. Veg-oil has different chemical

properties and combustion characteristics from the petroleum diesel fuel for which diesel engines and their

fuel systems are designed. Diesel engines are high-tech machines with very precise fuel requirements,

especially the more modern, cleaner-burning diesels. They're tough but they'll only take so much abuse.

There's no guarantee of it, but using a blend of up to 20% veg-oil of good quality is said to be safe enough

for older diesels, especially in summer. Otherwise using veg-oil fuel needs either a professional SVO solution

or biodiesel.

Mixes and blends are generally a poor compromise. But mixes do have an advantage in cold weather. As

with biodiesel, some kerosene or winterized petro-diesel fuel mixed with straight vegetable oil lowers the

temperature at which it starts to gel.

2. Straight vegetable oil

Straight vegetable oil fuel (SVO) systems

can be a clean, effective and economical

option. Unlike biodiesel, with SVO you

have to modify the engine.

The best way is to fit a professional single

tank SVO system with replacement

injectors and glow plugs optimized for

veg-oil, as well as fuel heating.

There are also two-tank SVO systems

which pre-heat the oil to make it thinner.

You have to start the engine on ordinary petroleum diesel or biodiesel in one tank and then switch to SVO in

the other tank when the veg-oil is hot enough, and switch back to petro- or biodiesel before you stop the

engine, or you'll coke up the injectors.


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3. Biodiesel or SVO?

Biodiesel has some clear advantages over SVO: it

works in any diesel, without any conversion or

modifications to the engine or the fuel system - just

put it in and go. It also has better cold-weather

properties than SVO (but not as good as petro-diesel).

Unlike SVO, it's backed by many long-term tests in

many countries, including millions of miles on the

road.

Biodiesel is a clean, safe, ready-to-use, alternative

fuel, whereas it's fair to say that many SVO systems

are still experimental and need further development.

On the other hand, biodiesel can be more expensive,

depending how much you make, what you make it

from and whether you're comparing it with new oil or

used oil (and depending on where you live). And unlike SVO, it has to be processed first.

But the large and rapidly growing worldwide band of home brewers don't mind -- they make a supply every

week or once a month and soon get used to it. Many have been doing it for years.

Anyway you have to process SVO too, especially WVO (waste vegetable oil, used, cooked), which many

people with SVO systems use because it's cheap or free for the taking. With WVO food particles and

impurities and water must be removed, and it probably should be de-acidified too.

The best way to go - Biodiesel

Converting the oil to biodiesel is probably the best all-round solution of the three options.

There are safety issues that we will mention here, but don’t worry! Large numbers of ordinary people all

over the world are making their own biodiesel, it's been going on for years, and so far there have been NO

serious accidents. It's safe if you're careful and sensible.

Start with the process, NOT with the processor. The processor comes later.

Start with fresh unused oil, NOT with waste vegetable oil (WVO) that also comes later.


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Start by making a test batch of biodiesel in a blender using 1 liter of fresh new oil. Learn one step at a time.

It's all quite simple really, very few biodiesel home brewers are chemists or technicians, there's nothing a

layman can't understand, and do, and do it well. But there is a lot to learn.

You'll find everything you need to know right here. We've tried to make it easy for you. You start off with

the simplest process that has the best chance of success and move on step by step in a logical progression,

adding more advanced features as you go.

The process

Vegetable oils and animal fats are triglycerides, containing glycerine. The biodiesel process turns the oils and

fats into esters, separating out the glycerine. The glycerine sinks to the bottom and the biodiesel floats on

top and can be syphoned off.

The process is called transesterification, which replaces alcohol for the glycerine in a chemical reaction,

using lye as a catalyst.

Chemicals needed

The alcohol used can be either methanol, which

makes methyl esters, or ethanol (ethyl esters).

Most methanol comes from fossil fuels (though it

can also be made from biomass, such as wood),

while most ethanol is plant-based (though it is also

made from petroleum) and you can distill it

yourself. There is as yet no "backyard" method of

producing methanol. But the biodiesel process

using ethanol is more difficult than with methanol.

Ethanol (or ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol - EtOH,

C2H5OH) also goes by various other well-known

names, such as whisky, vodka, gin, and so on, but

methanol is a poison. Actually they're both

poisons.

But don't be put off - methanol is not dangerous if you're careful, it's easy to do this safely. Safety is built-in

to everything you'll read here.

Methanol is also called methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha, wood spirits, methyl hydrate (or

"stove fuel"), carbinol, colonial spirits, Columbian spirits, Manhattan spirits, methylol, methyl hydroxide,

hydroxymethane, monohydroxymethane, pyroxylic spirit, or MeOH (CH3OH or CH4O) - all the same thing.


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You can usually get methanol from bulk liquid

fuels distributors; in the US try getting it at

race tracks. With a bit of patience, most

people in most countries manage to track

down a source of methanol for about US$2-3

per US gallon.

Methanol is also sold in supermarkets and

chain stores as “stove fuel” for barbecues and

fondues, but checks the contents - not all

"stove fuel" is methanol; it could also be

"white gas", basically gasoline. It must be pure

methanol or it won't work for making

biodiesel. Methylated spirits (denatured ethanol) don't work; isopropanol also doesn't work.

The lye catalyst can be either potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydroxide (caustic soda, NaOH). NaOH

is often easier to get and it's cheaper to use. KOH is easier to use, and it does a better job.

Experienced biodieselers making top-quality fuel usually use KOH, and so do the commercial producers.

(KOH can also provide potash fertiliser as a by-product of the biodiesel process.)

With KOH, the process is the same, but you need to use 1.4 times as much (1.4025).

You can get both KOH and NaOH from soapmakers' suppliers and from chemicals suppliers. NaOH is used as

drain-cleaner and you can get it from hardware stores. It has to be pure NaOH. Shake the container to check

it hasn't absorbed moisture and coagulated into a useless mass, and make sure to keep it airtight.

CAUTION:

Lye (both NaOH and KOH) is dangerous - don't get it on your skin or in your eyes, don't breathe any fumes,

keep the whole process away from food, and right away from children. Lye reacts with aluminum, tin and

zinc. Use HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene), glass, enamel or stainless steel containers for methoxide.

Chemicals for WVO

Isopropanol for titration is available from chemicals suppliers. Some people have used the other kind of Dri-

Gas, which is isopropanol, but they found that it's unreliable. Best get 99% pure isopropanol from a

chemicals supplier. 70% pure isopropanol is also said to work, but we found it didn't give satisfactory results.

Contrary to rumor, "phenol red", sold by pool supply stores and used for checking water, won't work for

titrating WVO; its pH range isn't broad enough. Use phenolphthalein indicator, specifically 1%

phenolphthalein solution (1.0w/v %) with 95% ethanol. Phenolphthalein lasts about a year. It's sensitive to

light, so store it in a cool, dark place. You can get it from chemicals suppliers.


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Make your first test batch

Here's what you need:

• 1 liter of new vegetable oil, whatever the supermarket sells as cooking oil

• 200 ml of methanol, 99+% pure

• Lye catalyst -- either potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH)

• Blender or mini-processor

• Scales accurate to 0.1 grams, preferably less - 0.01 grams is best

• measuring beakers for methanol and oil

• Half-liter translucent white HDPE (#2 plastic) container with bung and screw-on cap

• 2 funnel to fit the HDPE container

• 2-litre PET bottle (water or soft-drinks bottle) for settling

• Two 2-litre PET bottles for washing

• duct tape

• Thermometer

How to do it?

You need to be quick when measuring out the lye because it very rapidly absorbs water from the

atmosphere and water interferes with the biodiesel reaction.

Measure the lye out into a handy-sized lightweight plastic bag on the scales (or even do the whole thing

entirely inside a big clear plastic bag), then close the lid of the container firmly and close the plastic bag,

winding it up so there's not much air in it with the lye and no more air can get in. Have exactly the same kind

of bag on the other side of the scale to balance the weight, or adjust the scale for the weight of the bag.

How much is the right amount to use? NaOH must be at least 96% pure, use exactly 3.5 grams. If you're

using KOH it depends on the strength. If it's 99% pure (rare), then use exactly 4.9 grams (4.90875). If it's 92%

pure (more common) use 5.3 grams (5.33). If it's 85% pure (also common) use 5.8 grams (5.775). Any

strength of KOH from 85% upwards will work.

Use the "Methoxide the easy way" method - it's also the safe way. Here's how to do it.


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Measure out 200 ml of methanol and pour it into the half-liter HDPE container via the funnel.

Methanol also absorbs water from the atmosphere so do it quickly and replace the lid of the methanol

container tightly. Don't be too frightened of methanol, if you're working at ordinary room temperature and

you keep it at arm's length you won't be exposed to dangerous fumes.

Carefully add the lye to the HDPE container via the second funnel. Replace the bung and the screw on the

cap tightly.

Shake the container a few times - swirl it round rather than shaking it up and down. The mixture gets hot

from the reaction.

If you swirl it thoroughly for a minute or so five or six times over a period of time the lye will completely

dissolve in the methanol, forming sodium methoxide or potassium methoxide. As soon as the liquid is clear

with no un-dissolved particles you can begin the process.

The more you swirl the container the faster the lye will dissolve. With NaOH it can take from overnight to a

few hours to as little as half-an-hour with lots of swirling (but don't be impatient, wait for ALL the lye to

dissolve). Mixing KOH is much faster; it dissolves in the methanol more easily than NaOH and can be ready

for use in 10 minutes.

Using a blender. Use a spare blender you don't need or get a cheap secondhand one -- cheap because it

might not last very long, but it will get you going until you build something better.

Check that the blender seals are in good order. Make sure all parts of the blender are clean and dry and that

the blender components are tightly fitted.

Pre-heat the oil to 55 °C (130 °F) and pour it into the blender.

With the blender still switched off, carefully pour the prepared methoxide from the HDPE container into the

oil.

Secure the blender lid tightly and switch on. Lower speeds should be enough. Blend for at least 20 minutes.

Using a mini-processor. Follow the instructions here and improvise where necessary - there are many ways

of building a processor like this. Proceed with processing as above; maintain temperature at 55 °C (130°F),

process for one hour.

As soon as the process is completed, pour the mixture from the blender or the mini-processor into the 2-

litre PET bottle for settling and screw on the lid tightly. (As the mixture cools it will contract and you might

have to let some more air into the bottle later.)

Allow to settle for 12-24 hours. Darker colored glycerine byproduct will collect in a distinct layer at the

bottom of the bottle, with a clear line of separation from the pale liquid above, which is the biodiesel. The

biodiesel varies somewhat in color according to the oil used (and so does the by-product layer at the

bottom) but usually it's pale and yellowish (used-oil biodiesel can be darker and more amber).


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The biodiesel might be clear or it might still be cloudy, which is not a problem. It will clear eventually but

there's no need to wait.

Carefully decant the top layer of biodiesel into a clean jar or PET bottle, taking care not to get any of the

glycerine layer mixed up with the biodiesel. If you do, re-settle and try again.

For washing use the two 2-litre PET bottles in succession, with half a liter of tap water added for each of the

three or four washes required. Pierce a small 2mm hole in the bottom corner of each of the two bottles and

cover the hole securely with duct tape.

Pour the biodiesel into one of the wash bottles. Add the half-liter of fresh water.

a. Bubble-washing. Use a small aquarium air-pump and an air-bubbler stone - cut the threaded lid off the

wash bottles if necessary to get the stone in. After washing and settling, drain off the water from the bottom

of the bottle by removing the duct tape from the hole. Block it again with your finger when it reaches the

biodiesel. Transfer the biodiesel to the second wash bottle, add

fresh water and wash again. Clean the first bottle and replace the

duct tape. Repeat until finished.

b. Stirring. If you have a small enough paint stirrer and a variable-

speed drill, cut the lids off the bottles as above to accommodate the

stirrer. Stir until oil and water are well mixed and appear

homogenous. Settle for two hours or more, drain as above for

bubble-washing, repeat until finished.

If you don't have a stirrer, don't cut the lids off the wash bottles.

Add the biodiesel and the water as above. Screw the cap on tightly.

Turn the bottle on its side and roll it about with your hands until oil

and water are well mixed and homogenous. Settle, drain as above

for bubble-washing, repeat until finished.

When it's clear (not colorless but translucent) it's dry and ready to

use. It might clear quickly, or it might take a few days or up to a

week. If you're in a hurry, heat it gently to 48 °C (120°F) and allow

cooling.

Congratulations! You have just made high-quality diesel fuel.


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Moving the process further

When you're confident that you can get good results every time, even using oil from different sources, then

it's time to scale up the process to provide your fuel needs.

Now that you have a feel for the process and know what to expect, you'll have a much better idea of what

sort of processor you want than if you'd started off building the processor (as many do) rather than learning

the process first.

However, one-liter test batches are not just something for beginners. It's a basic technique you'll always use.

Many experienced biodiesel makers do test batches with each batch of oil. Many not only titrate the oil

every time to calculate the right amount of lye to use, they also do "bracket" tests in sequence, followed by

wash tests. You learn a lot that way, your fuel gets better, life gets easier.

In fact life is already easier - people who start off making 40-gallon batches often never learn the accuracy

and discipline that comes from making one-liter test batches first. Their fuel quality suffers for it, and when

they encounter that inevitable "problem batch", they suffer for it too.

But if you've followed the instructions here carefully, you'll be familiar with all the variables, you'll have

good methodology, and you'll be in a much better position to trouble-shoot a problem batch successfully.

Keep a Biodiesel Journal - make notes, keep records. Get some small glass jars and keep samples of all your

batches, clearly labeled and cross-referenced to the notes in your journal. You won't regret it.

When scaling up from small test-batches to a full-sized processor, be aware that the process will probably

need some adjusting. All the various processing methods use averages and approximations because

processors vary so widely.

Removing the water

Water in the oil will interfere with the lye, especially if you use too much lye, and you'll end up with jelly.

Test first for water content - heat half a liter or so of the oil in a saucepan on the stove and monitor the

temperature with a thermometer. If there's water in it, it will start to "snap, crackle and pop" by 50°C (120

°F) or so. If it's still not crackling by 60 °C (140 °F) there's no need to dewater it.


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Water in vegetable oil can exist as free water, which will eventually settle to the bottom of a vessel; as

suspended droplets, which may settle if the oil is heated, or the droplets are coalesced; and as water in

solution with other impurities in the oil. Free water is the easiest to remove.

The droplets are removed most efficiently by coalescing and draining. Suspended droplets that cannot be

coalesced and water in solution are more problematic.

Boiling off the water is more difficult than it appears on the surface. Colligative properties of solutions (and

some mixtures) can make removal of the last traces of water almost impossible.

Water mixed with oil will not boil at the same temperature

and pressure as pure water. As water is removed, more

heat or lower pressure will be required to remove more

water. If the oil contains salts or semi-soluble fatty acids,

distillation is even more difficult.

As the percentage of water in the solution decreases (its

molar fraction) its vapor pressure will continue to drop.

Lowering pressure in the system alone may be insufficient

to sustain vaporization when the solution becomes

concentrated (the molar fraction of the solute greatly

exceeds that of the solvent).

Results will vary depending upon the nature of the water-

soluble impurities in the oil. Few solutions are ideal, in

terms of Raoul’s law, and in used vegetable oil, there is no

way to know what solutes are in the oil.

The important thing is how well-used, or overused, the oil is. Titration will tell you that. The higher the

titration result, the more water it's likely to contain, and the more difficult it will probably be to remove the

water.

Start with heating to 60 ºC and settling and if that doesn't give satisfactory results, try boiling it off, as Mike

Pelly recommends. Then try processing small test batches of a liter or less first. If you still have difficulties,

try to find better-quality oil.


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Washing

Biodiesel must be washed before use to remove soaps, excess methanol, residual lye, free glycerine and

other contaminants. Some people (fewer and fewer of them) say washing isn't necessary, arguing that the

small amounts of contaminants cause no engine damage.

The methanol in unwashed biodiesel doesn't "make a great fuel anyway". It's also very corrosive. The EU

biodiesel standard specifies less than 0.2% methanol content.

Quality biodiesel is well-washed biodiesel. Filtering it is no use, and letting it settle for a few weeks won't

help much either. Anyway washing the fuel is easy.

Using biodiesel

You don't have to convert the engine to run it on

biodiesel, but you might need to make some

adjustments and you should check a few things.

Petroleum diesel leaves a lot of dirt in the tank

and the fuel system. Biodiesel is a good solvent –

it tends to free the dirt and clean it out. Be sure

to check the fuel filters regularly at first. Start off

with a new fuel filter.

If a car has been left standing for a long time

with petroleum diesel fuel in the tank the inside

of the tank may have rusted (water content is a common problem with petro-diesel fuel). Biodiesel will free

up the rust, and it could clog the particle filter inside the tank. At worst the car simply stops, starved of fuel.

It's not a very common problem, but it happens.

A common warning is that biodiesel, especially 100% biodiesel, will rot any natural or butyl rubber parts in

the fuel system, whether fuel lines or injector pump seals, and those they must first be replaced with

resistant parts made of Viton. But rubber parts in diesel engine fuel systems have been rare or nonexistent

since the early 1980s - it seldom happens, and when it does happen it's not catastrophic, you have plenty of

warning and it's easily fixed.


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How to build a generator

Now that we have the fuel, all we need is a generator to put it to work. Don’t worry, I will not ask you to

make unnecessary expenses. All you need to do is to transform a common appliance from your backyard

into the life-saving generator of future days.

An alternative solution to these rather complicated options would be a power generator and next I’ll show

you an easy and inexpensive way to build your own personal power generator.

The nice part about this unit is that the generator is built right into the lawn mower deck. You can even strap

2 or 3 batteries on the deck and steer the whole thing wherever you want to go.

And if you think that the batteries are a concern for this project, worry no more! Later I will show you how

to build them yourself.

Basic Components

The Motor

I will use what is probably the most common lawn

mower engine around, the Briggs & Stratton vertical

shaft four-stroke gas engine, in the 3 to 3.5 horsepower

range. You will have to remove the cutting blade and

replace it with a drive pulley.

It's important that the motor shaft extend at least 1 ¼"

out of the bottom of the motor, as you will want your

pulley to clear any obstacles like the motor mounting

bolts.

Take a good look at the motor shaft, in most cases you have a 9/16" mounting bolt holding the cutting blade

to a hub that's attached to the end of the motor shaft. The hub has a 3/16" key built in it to match the slot

on the motor shaft, which is normally 7/8" in diameter.


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Make sure the motor shaft is keyed so that your pulley can be fastened securely. This will be the easiest set

up you can find. If you run into a motor with a shaft that has only a threaded end and no key way, then walk

away from this type of set up as it's way too much work and aggravation to attach a pulley to this type of

shaft.

The Alternator

Automotive alternators are little power producing jewels that will

be the heart of our systems. When driven by a lawn mower

engine, we can produce a steady supply of quick, cheap and

reliable power whenever we want. You can purchase alternators

from Auto wreckers rebuilt or as is, sometimes with a warranty.

While shopping around for all the different makes of alternators,

Ford, Chrysler etc., I found the GM alternator the most favorable for our systems. There are two types of

GM alternators, one with a built in voltage regulator and the other with an external voltage regulator.

Use only a GM style alternator with a Built in Voltage Regulator, as they are easier to wire up and work with.

I had three main goals in mind when I built my generators: build them cheap, safe and simple.

I built my projects using two different alternators with a 40 and 65 amp output.

You may also run into different size casings of GM alternators. I

stuck with the most common sized casing which measures

slightly over 6 ½ " at the mounting hole openings. Your

alternator should come with a two-wire molded

connector/harness that plugs into the casing.

You need this connector to hook up your alternator properly

later on. Make sure you have it when you purchase or salvage

your alternator. If not, you can pick one up at an automotive

supply shop.


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The Lawn Mower Deck

Here are a few tips for selecting a desirable lawn mower that

will keep your time and labor to a minimum: the simpler the

design of the lawn mower, the better.

You will need to bolt a set of mounting brackets and an

alternator to the back of the deck, so choose one that is as

flat as possible.

We are also going to cut a slot in the backside of the deck so

make sure this part is as flat up and down as possible too.

Now take a look underneath. Some mowers have a shroud circling the cutting blade.

Try to avoid this on the rear side of the mower deck, as we want to keep our cutting to a minimum. And

make sure your deck is made of metal, stay away from the plastic ones.

Motor Pulleys

I have used two different styles of pulley's, aluminum and cast iron. A strange thing happens when you

remove the cutting blade and hub off your lawn mower engine. It will not start! The flywheel on your motor

is most likely made of lightweight aluminum and it needs the extra weight and momentum of the cutting

blade assembly to rotate it through a complete revolution.

A flywheel’s main purpose is to store energy

so it can carry the crankshaft through the 3

non-power strokes of a 4- stroke engine. So,

the flywheel must shoulder the burden of the

rotation for 75 % of the time.

If you take away some of its mass on the

motor shaft, it will not run smoothly, heck, it

won't even start. So if you have a lightweight

flywheel you're going to need a pulley with

some weight on it.


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So, how do you tell if you have a cast iron or a lighter aluminum flywheel? Take your blade and hub

assembly off your motor shaft and start pulling the cord. If after 4 hours you haven't started the engine,

well, it's a pretty good bet that your flywheel is aluminum and you will have to use a heavier cast iron pulley.

Or you can remove the top motor shroud that reveals the flywheel area, put a magnet near the flywheel

fins. If the magnet doesn't stick, it's aluminum, if it does stick then you have a heavy cast iron flywheel and

you can get away with using an aluminum pulley.

Our motor shaft was 7/8 " in diameter. It seems that as soon as you look for a pulley with a bore bigger than

¾ ", they are very difficult to find in the normal "Retail" stores. So I went to a bearing and transmission shop

to buy our pulleys. I found aluminum pulleys gave good service but they didn't stand up to the long hours

and wear and tear, as did the cast iron pulleys.

So I opted for a cast iron pulley from a company called TB Woods. It uses a system with two parts, an inner

bushing and a main pulley. The inner bushing has a split in it. When you tighten these two items together

with the mounting bolts supplied, the split bushing closes onto the shaft with a tremendous grip.

The pulley was also keyed, so once it's installed, it stays put. I used ½" wide pulleys on all my projects, with

diameters ranging between 3"and 6". We'll discuss the proper pulley diameters later on.

Belts

I stuck with half-inch wide belts to simplify things. I also found out that not all belts are the same. Our

alternator is designed to work best with an automotive type belt and our motor pulleys were designed to

work best with utility/industrial belts. So, what to do?

An automotive belt has a sharper angle or "pitch" on the side of its surface, so it will ride deeper in the

motor pulleys. And if you are using a cheap pulley, it will start wearing a groove in the side of the pulley. The

better choice is the industrial belts, but we have differences here too.

The half-inch industrial belt is covered by two different styles, the "L" series and the "A" series. The "L"

series belt is designed for fractional horsepower applications, light duty. On the other hand the "A" series

belt was designed for full horsepower applications, heavy duty. It has more polyester cords built into it for

more strength and durability.

I tried all 3 different types of belts and they all worked fine. For short-term use you can get away with using

the "L" series fractional horsepower belts or the automotive belts. For heavy work-loads and long term use, I

found the "A" series industrial belts gave us the best service. I purchased my industrial belts at the same

place I got my heavy-duty pulleys, a commercial bearing and transmission shop.

The general all-purpose belts can be found in the furnace sections of your hardware and building supply

shops. And of course the automotive belts are available at your local garage or auto supply shop.


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Additional components

The Power Inverter

The inverter is an electronic device that converts low voltage DC (direct current) electricity from a power

source into a standard 120 volt AC (alternating current) that we use in our homes.

The power generated from our alternator is a low voltage DC usually around 14 volts. In order to maximize

our power capabilities we are going to add an inverter to the

system. Inverters are sized by the amount of wattage they can

output.

In the case of an emergency you will no doubt want to power

some 120volt AC devices in and around your home. You will

need to decide what you think is absolutely necessary to run

during a power interruption and then calculate how much

wattage (power) each device consumes.

You can do this by finding the manufactures rating plate on the

appliance you wish to operate. Take the amperage rating of

the device and multiply this by the household voltage.

Example: An appliance drawing 5 amps of current multiplied

by the household voltage. (5 amps x 120 volts = 600 watts).

Inverters start as small as 50 watts, and an average household would use an inverter anywhere between

2500 to 4000 watts for "normal everyday operation". Just remember, you’re planning for an emergency. If

you use good power management you can keep your power consumption to lower levels.

Batteries

When we plan for emergencies, we normally store food, water and extra supplies. Why not power? With

your home built systems you have the better of both worlds.

You can use the generator to charge a battery or bank of batteries then switch over to directly powering a

DC to AC inverter for 120 volt purposes.

Then you can use your batteries to power up a selection of 12 volt lights and gadgets. You did buy some 12

volt back up lights didn't you? Or you can reverse the process and run your power inverter off the batteries,

the choice is yours.


20 | P a g e

In an emergency you have a readily available supply of

batteries around the house to store power. They can be

found in your automobile, your motor boat, your spouse's

car, your neighbor's, even your mother in law's car. All can

be charged quickly and cheaply with your generator.

1. Modify Your Lawn Mower

You're going to have to modify the deck of the lawn mower

somewhat, so you might not want to use the family's mower

unless you're in a pinch. And don't use the one you

borrowed from your neighbor either.

You can pick up good used lawn mowers. Try garage sales,

your local penny saver and newspaper classifieds.

Okay, let’s get started tearing this baby apart. First, remove the handles and cables with a screwdriver. You

can re-attach the throttle cable later or you can control the engine speed at the throttle control near the

carburetor.

You will most likely have a second cable coming off the handle to the flywheel brake, a safety feature

introduced onto walk behind mowers in the early 80's. Remove the cable at the handle and the brake lever

next to the flywheel, you can leave the brake lever as is just flopping around (it may create some drag on

your motor) or you can easily secure it off to the side.

If you're not sure which side the lever should be positioned, just pull the starting cord. If it's difficult to pull,

the brake is on, if it's easy, the brake is off, now tie the lever off with a twist tie or wire in this position.

Remove the Blade Assembly

Some of these blade hubs can get seized onto the shaft pretty bad after many years and acres of cutting

grass. Spray some kind of rust loosening compound onto the area (WD40, Rust Buster) if this doesn't work,

you will have to use a pulley puller to remove the hub. You can rent or lend one.

Now, while your underneath and have the WD40 handy, spray the 3 or 4 mounting bolts you will find

holding the motor to the deck. Spin the bolts out and remove your motor for the next couple of steps.


21 | P a g e

Cut the Slot

The rear end of the lawn mower deck is a very convenient spot to mount our alternator with a couple of

simple metal brackets.

But you have to cut a slot in the back of the mower in order for the belt to reach from the motor pulley to

the alternator.

You need to cut the slot 6" wide by 1" to 1 ½" tall on the rear vertical side of the lawn mower deck. You can

cut this slot quite easily by using an Oxy/Acetylene cutting torch or you can use a grinder with a cutting

wheel.

And if you're in a really energetic mood, you can cut it by using a hacksaw. We need to know exactly where

the belt will come through the back off the mower deck, so we know where to cut our slot.

So, let's install our motor pulley briefly so we can line up where our belt is going to come out the back. Place

the motor pulley as far up the engine shaft as possible and yet still give it enough room to clear all obstacles

such as mounting bolts. Now, look through the grass discharge chute.


22 | P a g e

Place a straight edge on the bottom of the motor pulley and

determine where the path of the drive belt will end up coming

out of the back plate. Mark this spot. Now make this spot the

exact center of your 6" by 1 ½" slot. Remember your belt is only

½" thick so you will have plenty of clearance in case the spot you

marked is not exactly centered.

Make sure to remove your motor once again before you start

your cutting. Now cut your slot using the methods described

earlier. If you decide to use a hack saw, you might not be able to

cut a "slot."

Instead you will have to cut an entire 6" wide piece out from top to bottom. No problem, just bolt a strip of

metal or angle iron for a crosspiece along the bottom of the mower deck, to give it some strength again.

2. Mount the Alternator

In order to mount our alternator we are going to use brackets made from a slotted steel material commonly

referred to as angle iron.

The dimensions of the angle iron were 1 ½" wide and 1/16" thick.

The pre-cut slots in this material made it very convenient to

make an adjustable bracket for the alternator. The 90 º

angling of the metal gives it a lot of added strength, but it was

also very easy to cut by hand using a hacksaw.

On the left hand side is our pivot bracket which we cut to a 7"

length. On the right is the adjustable bracket, cut it to a 9"

length.

The precut slots on this angle iron will allow you to move the

bracket front to back so you can have the belt tension

adjustment you need. On both brackets we want about 5"

contacting the mower deck.


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Now drill mounting holes on your mower deck 6 ½ "

apart widths wise and 2" to 3" inches along the

length of the bracket depending on the pattern of the

slots on your angled bracket material. Drill your holes

3/8" thick with the first set of holes ½" from the back

edge of the mower deck.

I extended the slots in the right hand adjustable

bracket by cutting the metal with a hacksaw so we

could have a wider range of belt adjustment. Use

5/16" bolts with lock washers, now fasten the ends

closest to the motor.

Even though I selected a relatively flat mower deck, I still have some uneven contouring to deal with. No

problem, I just use spacers on the two mounting bolts closest to the edge. Use whatever you have lying

around your house, in our case thick washers and a couple of ½ " nuts worked perfectly.

Now take your alternator and mount it with the pulley facing down. One side of your alternator has a longer

molded mounting hole in its casing. This side will become our pivot side and is mounted with a 3" bolt.

The right side of our alternator now becomes the adjustable side. You will need a shorter 1 ½" bolt to fasten

it to the bracket. Use lock washers with your nuts and bolts as well.

3. Attach the pulley and belt

Position your alternator so that the fan blade clears the mower deck between ¼" to ½". If it's too far away

from the deck, you will notice more vibration.

Now flip the whole unit over and attach your motor pulley, we used a 5"diameter pulley (more on this later).

Next, we need a drive belt, but what length? Here’s a tip for getting the right size belt on your first trip to

the store. Measure the distance between the two outer edges of the alternator and motor pulleys in their

final position. Mark this measurement down. Decide ahead of time if you want the lighter duty "L" series or

the heavy duty "A" series.

Now head down to your local building supply or commercial bearing store to buy a belt.


24 | P a g e

When you get there take 2 pulleys off the shelf with

the same diameter as your alternator and motor

pulleys. Next, place a ½" belt around them and

stretch the belt out.

Repeat this until you find a length of belt that

matches the measurement you marked down from

your project at home.

Now, place your belt onto the pulleys, grab the right

side adjustable bracket with a pair of Vise-grip pliers,

pull toward you until you've reached a desired belt

tension and then tighten the mounting bolts. Your

next step is a simple wiring of the project.

4. Hook-up the electrical connections

As was mentioned before, because of safety and ease of hook up, stick with the GM style alternator with a

Built in Voltage Regulator. If you are not sure, ask the people you are buying the alternator from, if they

can't answer your question consult an automotive parts professional.

If you make a mistake wiring the alternator you run the risk of damaging your batteries, electronic gear and

worst of all causing personal injury. We set out to make this project safe and simple, so we are going to

concentrate on the easiest hook up.

The electrical connections for your alternator are a simple but important 4-wire hook up. It was mentioned

earlier that the GM alternator should come

equipped with a 2 wire molded connector/harness.

If not, ask for it at the point of sale or you can

purchase one at an auto supply store. Ask for a 2-

wire harness plug for the GM style alternator with

built in regulator. They only cost a couple of bucks.

Attach your harness into the connector slot on the

alternator casing. The molded harness only fits one

way and ensures you don't get your wires mixed up,

so make sure you use it! You might also want to

attach eyelet connectors to the end of the two wires

on for your convenience.


25 | P a g e

Different molded connectors may have different colored wires. We are going to ignore the color of the wires

and instead concentrate on the wire identification numbers and letters on the alternator casing. Here are

your basic hook ups.

Basic Hook Up

# 1 or R Terminal is the lead that supplies power to the rotor field of the alternator. Connect this to the

"BAT" terminal of the alternator or the POSITIVE terminal of your battery.

Connect this directly to the "BAT" terminal on the alternator or to the POSITIVE terminal of the battery as

well.

On/Off Switch

# 1 or R For safety and convenience reasons we have

installed a simple on/off switch in the # 1 circuit. When

we are not using our generator we can simply turn the

switch off and it will preserve the charge in our battery.

Another important note is that when this terminal is

energized, so is the rotor field inside the alternator.


26 | P a g e

You will now notice a lot of drag when you try to turn the alternator.

Go ahead and try to start the motor, you will pull that cord until your tongue hangs out. You will need to

start the motor with the switch "off" then throttle up to your desired speed. You can then turn your switch

"on" and introduce the electrical load to the alternator and motor.

This switch also allows us to avoid "sparks" during the unsafe practice of hooking up wires to the battery and

alternator while the generator is running. In the presence of vapors coming off the batteries and gas tank,

it's a good idea, so please use it!

What is the ideal size pulley to use?

Actually, any size pulley between 3" and 8" will work, but there are some differences. An 8" pulley will spin

your alternator at a high rpm, but will give you very little torque. When it comes time to engage your

alternator, it will drag your motor down until it stalls. A 3" pulley on the other hand will give you lots of

torque, but a lower rpm at the alternator pulley.

I have discovered that if I try to duplicate what goes on underneath the hood of a car and apply this to my

home built generators, I will come up with some favorable results. A quick peek under the hood of a car tells

us the motor pulley should be about 5" to 6" in diameter.

I found this diameter of pulley gives us an ideal rpm for the alternator, with an adequate amount of torque

too, but motors with the same horsepower do not have the same output

I discovered another neat characteristic of the Briggs & Stratton Vertical shaft lawn mower engine. I have a

Horizontal shaft Briggs & Stratton motor of the same horsepower. I consistently get higher revs from the

horizontal shaft motor. I couldn't figure this out at first. So, I searched through the motor technical

manuals for the answer.


27 | P a g e

According to manufacturer specs, they set the throttle on the vertical shaft mower to approximately 80% of

its maximum output. This gives the motor a nice little feature when I start cutting into foot tall wet grass.

When the motor bogs down, a device on the engine called a "governor" senses the drastic drop in RPM's

and immediately allows the engine to throttle up to overcome the extra load, so the motor will not stall.

When the patch of wet grass passes by, the engine then throttles back to its normally set speed.

So if you come along and decide to attach a belt and an alternator to this motor (like we just did) fire it up,

engage your alternator and dump the load on the

motor.

Guess what? The motor will think it's in wet grass

Heaven. So, if you're using a 5" pulley on your project

like we did, you may find that the motor will be

dragged down to a stall even with a moderate load

applied to it. So, how do we solve this?

Well there are a couple different ways. One is to

reduce the size of your pulley.

I experimented with a 3" pulley and got some good results. The smaller pulley lets the alternator produce its

voltage at significantly lower throttle settings, the trade-off of course is a lower amount of current (power)

coming out of the alternator.

Or, there is another option. I discovered a handy little gadget that helps me solve the problem of engine

stalling when you engage the alternator. It's a GM style headlight/dimmer switch. I installed this into the #1

(R) circuit of the alternator harness.

The adjustable dimmer in the switch is actually a variable resistor or otherwise known as a rheostat. It works

by using resistance to adjust the flow of current to the alternator's rotor field. The more resistance you

have, the less current will flow.

This in turn creates a weaker or stronger magnetic field in the alternator, which will then give us more or

less power off the alternator. Huh?


28 | P a g e

Let me explain it in a more practical sense. Let's say you have a generator like we just built operating at

normal running speed spinning a 40 Amp alternator. You decide to charge a very low battery. Even if you rev

up the motor, when you go to attach your lead from the alternator to the battery, the alternator is going to

sense a low battery charge and will try to out-put a large amount of current. This creates a huge drag on the

alternator which in turn bogs down the motor usually until it stalls.

But, this is what happens when you have the dimmer switch in the #1 circuit. You set the switch at its

highest resistance level. Now start turning the knob slowly counter-clockwise.

As you keep turning the knob to the left, the resistance level in the switch drops allowing more current into

the alternator's rotor field, which in turn allows more alternator output. You will notice at this point the

alternator is now starting to "load" the motor.

The beauty of this method is while you slowly turn the switch and load the motor, you can now offset the

load with a higher throttle setting on your motor.

You can then adjust the switch some more, then increase the motor revs some more until you get a desired

speed, without stalling.

This system allows a nice gradual smooth adjustment of the alternator's output. It works really slick, try it.

And the switches are cheap too.

Variable Resistance Dimmer Switch Hook Up


29 | P a g e

Which one of these two methods will work better for you? It's hard to say, depending on the type of motor

you will use. How old is it? Is it tuned up? What kind of parts you installed on your project? No two set ups

are the same, but at least you have some options. Try what works best for you and stick with it.

You can now re-attach your handles. A handy option is to hook up your throttle cable again and then mount

your GM dimmer switch next to your throttle control on the handle.

You now have complete control of your generator readily available.

How to build your own batteries

As an experiment or, at least as a curiosity, you should definitely try to build a battery at home.

Even if this battery will not be powerful enough to sustain a wind or solar power system, the building

process itself will prove that virtually all important elements of such systems can be made at home and on a

low budget, since almost every component of the battery can be improvised or, at least, obtained for free or

for a low price.

Deep-cycle battery construction

What you need:

Sulfuric acid

Gloves

Glass jar

Lead plates, 2 1/2 mm thick

Nylon

Scissors

Knife or shears

6-inch lead tabs

DC power source


30 | P a g e

Step 1:

Pour the sulfuric acid carefully into the glass jar, filling it between half and two-thirds full.

Step 2:

Cut a sheet of lead that is between one and 2.5 millimeters thick into 10 plates, using a knife or trimming

shears that are just the right size to fit within the circumference of your jar. Cut two more pieces into tabs

six inches long.

Step 3:

Cut a piece of nylon into 18 strips that are the same size as your lead plates using scissors.

Step 4:

Stack the lead and nylon on top of one another, placing two nylon strips in between each plate. This will

help create enough spacing in between the plates.

Step 5:

Lower and insert the plates into the jar of acid -- they need to barely fit into the jar, being able to stand

vertically in the jar on their own.

Step 6:

Cut two slots into the lid of the jar that are six inches in length using your knife. Slide the metal tabs in and

out through the slots and confirm they will fit before closing the lid on the jar.

Step 7:

Insert the lead tabs back into the slots within the jar. Make sure they touch the lead plates in the jar along

the sides.

Step 8:

Connect a DC power source to the battery, connecting the positive clamp to one tab and then the negative

clamp to the other. Remember which tab is connected to which clamp to identify the battery's

positive/negative terminals.

Step 9:

Turn on the power source and set its voltage to 2.15 volts. Wait four hours for the source to charge the

battery.


31 | P a g e

Water cell batteries

There are many uses for homemade water cell batteries. They are great for Emergency home lighting, as

well as running small motors etc.

First we can start off with the basics, small and simple, but fun experiments to get you familiar with the

subject. A much more sophisticated and powerful system can be made using car batteries or PVC type.

Your Fuel will be nothing but rain water mixed with a small solution of Clorox Bleach that you can buy at

any store. Just like when you fill your car up with gasoline, you fill your batteries up with water. It’s a great

and powerful system for indoor and outdoor night lighting.

These batteries will last a life time.

You can buy old car batteries at any automotive Junk Yard or build your own PVC tube type. Do not try to

charge these batteries. If you are going to use 12 volt Car batteries, then be very careful, because there is

acid inside of them. Drain acid out in a safe place away from animals and humans.

You should get about 1.5 volts DC with a small milliamp current. The more Bleach you use the more

amperage you will get, but the faster the metals will corrode. The idea is to make your batteries where they

only need to be refueled once every 3 months or so, and the metal will corrode very little.

To do this you will need to use a teaspoon of bleach to every gallon of water. But this will not be enough

amperage to do anything with so what you must do is add many cells together in series.

When you refuel, each cell must be turned over to let the old water solution out. You can refuel up to 6

months if you use regular tap water with a pinch of bleach. But again the less bleach the more cells you will

need to add to get the voltage and amperage you want for your particular needs. The Aluminum and

copper will last a very long time, but the Aluminum will corrode faster than the copper.

To keep your battery system working at its best, it is suggested that you take out and clean the metals with

water and lightly sand the copper ones and then replace them back into the containers every 3 to 6

months. We estimate both metals to last about 4 to 5 years and maybe longer.

Aluminum can be a bit expensive, but you can cut your cost by using Old Aluminum cans. The aluminum can

will be the Negative DC and the copper pipe will be the Positive. You will get a much more powerful cell

using the can as so.


Aluminum Can Batteries / Cells

This is a top view of a rotatable wood box assembly. When it is time to change water (Fuel), you simply

turn box over and all the water will drain out (of course, each can must be glued with silicon, on the

bottom of each can to the bottom of each box).

Or the box can be stationary. With a small slit space on both sides of the box toward the bottom, you

can get to each can. And pull out a small 1/4" cork stopper from each can to let the water drain out.

The drawings below show each can, or battery cell, hooked up in series. Just like a store bought dry cell

battery, when you connect the batteries in series from positive to negative, the voltage is increased.

When you connect your battery cells in parallel the voltage stays the same but the amperage (Power) is

increased!

For parallel connections, connect each cell + to + and - to -.

To increase the amperage as well as the voltage, connect 6 cells or more in series which will count as

one battery, which equals 6 vdc x 100 milliamp.

Build 5 more of these batteries and then connect them in parallel this will give you more amperage. You

will then have 6 volts dc x 600 milliamps!

Make sure that each cell does not touch the other (Aluminum to Aluminum) when you are connecting

them in series or parallel or they will short out.

Basically what we are doing here is using water as a fuel to generate electricity with 2 different types of

metals causing a chemical reaction in each cell. If you use these batteries outside in the summer in

direct sun light you will get even more amperage.

Most everything you will need can be purchased at any hardware store. The nice thing about using an

Aluminum can is, you can get them Free just by going on the side of the roads and collecting them. If

you buy your Aluminum be prepared, it is not cheap. For extremely high amperage cells using only 16

cans, use Pure Clorox bleach in each cell can. You will get a lot of power for a short time. The metals will

corrode fast but in some emergency cases you may need it.

A Long Lasting, Yet Powerful Battery! The closer the copper pipe is to the aluminum or zinc, the more

amperage and voltage you will get. A good way to make this type of cell is to use thin copper foil or

sheeting, which you can purchase at any Art Store, or check with your local hardware store. If they do

not have it they can order it for you.

If you are still having trouble finding a good Copper or Aluminum supplier check the web. I would simply

type in, Copper Sheeting, or Copper foil. You may also want to try copper supplies.

At any rate, you can still use the aluminum can technique, but this time you will need to cut off the tops

of all the cans, then you can use acid to remove the inner can clear coating or sand it by hand using a

wood


33 | P a g e

Dow rod and a small piece of sand paper glued or taped to the end of the down rod, you can then sand

by hand or you can connect the wood down rod to an electric drill.

You will now need to cut your copper foil to fit inside of the can, and then apply spacers or plastic sheet

spacers about 1/8” thick, or 1/8” space in between the copper and the aluminum. The closer the better!

Wood spacer could be used also and glued into place.

Then simply connect each cell in series and fill each can up with tap water or pure water mixed with a

touch of bleach or chlorine.

You can use Liquid Plumber which you can purchase in most stores.

It is an acid that is used to eat through hair that is clogged in you Drain pipes. You can use Liquid

Plumber instead of bleach as well as any type of acid such as the acid you find in lemons etc. You can try

making different cells using these acids full strength as well as diluting them with water. But your main

goal is to use 1 part acid to 10 parts of water.

Always use a plastic face mask helmet and rubber gloves when handling acid.

Again you will need to dilute the acid in the water. Never Pour Water into the Acid, pour the Acid into

the water. Read all warnings on the acid label that you purchase!

When you use Acid it will corrode the electrodes about the same as using Clorox. We recommend using

Clorox Bleach. Please keep all of these Chemicals out of the reach of Children.

PVC Pipe Batteries

Making PVC Pipe Battery Cells is a little more expensive but well worth it. It is more convenient and

produces a lot more power. There are two ways you can do it using the Aluminum as your negative

electrode. You can use aluminum cans soldered together and placed inside of the PVC pipe or you can

use expensive Aluminum Rod or bar that you can buy from any hardware store.

We suggest using the Aluminum Cans. The Cells can be as tall as you like 3 foot to 8 foot. But we prefer

24 cells at 6 foot. They can be mounted across a garage wall and each one will have an on off valve

located at the bottom of each PVC Cell.

Each drain will be connected to a PVC 2" or so Drain Pipe which can be drained and directed to the

outdoors. The on and off valves you can buy at any hardware store they are PVC and are Cheap.

Cut the Bottoms and tops off of Aluminum Coke Cans. You can Solder them together or cut small slits in

each can so they can be joined together then you can glue them with silicon, if you glue on the outside

of each can then make sure you allow enough space for the can assembly to fit into the PVC pipe.

Make sure all can are touching. You may have to sand the printing ink off of the tops of them, just make

sure they are all making a good electrical connection.


34 | P a g e

Now that you have learned some basics on how to make a homemade battery, the following will show

you how to make an even more powerful cell battery, using copper and aluminum sheeting foil or 1/8”

thick or less sheeting.

Simply cut as many copper, aluminum and cloth sheets as you can and then piece them together. It is

best to drill or punch 2, 1/4” holes into the exact same areas on all of the materials, so you can use 2

wood Dow rods as guides. Cut a 14” x 12” piece of ½”plywood and then drill 2 holes for your Dow rods

to go into and glue them into place using glue that can withstand water.

Now place your copper plate down first over the Dow rods and onto the base of the plywood, then 2nd,

place your cloth spacer on top of the copper and through the Dow rods. 3rd, place your aluminum sheet

over top of the cloth spacer as you did the copper piece.

Simply repeat this over and over until you have about 100 pieces all stacked. Now wrap cloth string

around the entire battery to secure it well, now solder and or use bolts to connect all the copper leads

and then do the same for the aluminum leads. And you are done, the battery is ready to be placed in a

water container and immersed in water.

Congratulations on building your first batteries!!

Now you can start saving money on batteries and you’ve also learned how to actually build one. Keep

this book in a safe place and make sure you use it every time you need to replace your batteries.

We hope you enjoyed our projects and are looking forward to always giving you fresh and useful

information regarding efficiently using energy.

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