Second Automated Run 03 31 2018

[@gregwebster5025]

I am writing you this short "thank you" note, and I think I speak for many people who have followed your videos like myself, to let you know how grateful we are for you taking your time and money and sharing with us the "trials and tribulations" of your passion for gasification. I would appreciate it very much, when you have the time, to post the complete, up to date, diagram with measurements and material, so we can start building our dream too! Thanks again, Mike!

[@tinderboxcreations]

I've downloaded every single video you have put out on this project. Hoping to start my own project very soon. Massive thanks Mike! By far the most comprehensive and inspirational set of videos available!

[@leemajor1783]

flash you need some detailed pics, plans and measurements.Awesome awesome job.

[@johnbaudino2535]

Thank you for all your information. And your hard work on this project.

[@fredtaylor4548]

Thanks for all the videos and leg work. Great Job!

[@flash001USA]

Thank you. This project has had many twist and turns along the way of figuring everything out.

[@nhhbbyloggr5022]

Thanks for all the inspiration, Mike. You've taken us on a fantastic journey. Well done.

[@flash001USA]

Bill I'm still laughing about your foop. That happened to me when I first built this thing and I tightened up the hooks but realized that it made it damned well impossible to unhook the grate for any kind of servicing so the simple fix was BBQ grill patchwork "aka" tinfoil... I just wrap a bit around each eye loop so the grate can still swing when it's shaken and when the grate needs to be pulled you just peel the tinfoil away and you can unhook the grate with ease. My original thought was to use some fat and short nuts and bolts and run them through the hook loops but then I realized once they got a good coat of soot and start-up tar they would never be able to be unscrewed so yeah tinfoil or tight hooks were the answer. In other words I choose door number two Monty.

[@nhhbbyloggr5022]

Door #1 left me looking like the Coyote after the Roadrunner hands over the big firecracker. Door # 2 or what's behind the curtain hold the prize. . So, for your next video on the chunker build, we expect you to be running the gasifier in the background as the power source for the hand tools. Keep the audience engaged ! Keep the magic alive !

[@حسينعلي-ط4خ1ش]

@@flash001USA Hello my friend Is it possible to see the internal parts you have developed from the inside in this video possible I mean, is there another video that explains the final design and is detailed, please

[@flash001USA]

Hi just go to my channel and you will find the complete build along with detailed explanations.

[@EnFuegoDuo]

Hi flash! Great vids! Just binge watched your channel for the past two days. I hope to make a smaller unit to attach to a nice 2 axel cargo trailer I'm going to be converting into a land yacht to live in! I was wondering, to keep a setup like this more "stealth", would it be advisable to recirculate the initial smoke coming out of the flair back into the reactor until it the reactor reaches the proper temp to crack the tar, then just switch the output to the generator? I would like to avoid having to "flair off" the initial gas as I plan to have the unit concealed. Also, do you think it would be possible to build a horizontal "low profile" unit that could fit in the bed of a truck with a topper?

[@mada94fxr]

Another picture perfect run there. You gotta love your new automated system. Frees you up to work on other things. We'll be looking forward to your chunker build. Steve T is right about building a wood dryer too. I made one, but, it's too tall and I need to be cut about 1' off in order to get the wood warmer than it gets now. Other than that, it works really well. And it does knock down some of the decibels from the exhaust which is a good thing. Thanks for the video fix.

[@joshuawood6046]

Did you make a video yet with your engine/alternator setup yet? Id love to see that

[@MicroNQTrader]

Love this how much fuel do you use per hour of run time ?

[@flash001USA]

I went back to my reference video where I did the fuel test and I ran a generator for 2.5 hours on 11 lbs of wood. Here is a link to the video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIeUnqKtarhsos0

[@MicroNQTrader]

@@flash001USA thank you

[@flash001USA]

@@MicroNQTrader Yes sir... I hope this answered your question.

[@torstengotz2118]

Very nice! It's great! Best regards from Saxony.

[@homesteadfromscratch]

Mike, Are you still firing this up and if so how has it been performing long term?

[@flash001USA]

I have not fired it up lately but it's protected from the weather and I know it will work if and when I need it. I plan on doing a few upgrades to it in the future and when I do, I'll make another video and share the upgrades with everyone.

[@homesteadfromscratch]

@@flash001USA Thanks for the prompt response. I appreciate the detailed explanations and the camera shots of the individual components. I am going to be making my first as we approach our retirement homesteading days (and the crap that is going on from the puppet masters). I have been checking out some of the sources you provided and expect like most people my build will be a mix of plans and available materials.

[@crosshair107villegas7]

How much wood do you fit in your gasifier and how long does it runs in a one ful load?

[@gregoryhupp4118]

I've yet to try this, but run the exhaust from the generator into a barrel buried, and a pipe out of the barrel over head height. I have heard of this used at a campground to muffle the sound of the generator motors.

[@abrahamalpuerto8960]

Great job on your videos instruction Flash!!! Can you direct me to a link of where I can download the PDF instructions you mentioned on your prior videos? Thanks again.

[@r.b.l.5841]

just watched a few of your vids going back to 2013 - great to see you stuck with it and keep working on improvements. home you can summarize the final version with measurements and what worked best in the final version

[@r.b.l.5841]

Great use of simple automation to keep everything running well - all just trial and error ! excellent I can see the idea of the roof but maybe more metal less wood framing would be safer.

[@1998keagan1]

Can Not Wait to see the chunker build! I built one with an 8+ HP 4 speed 110cc dirt bike motor and a rear diff with 3.73 gears(I know but it was free) blade spins around 40 RPM In first gear (@ Max power/Rpm) and it chunks small and/or soft/wet wood but almost nothing dry so I just wanted to let you know you Need a Flywheel to store energy like a capacitor(sorry I'm sure you already know this), I even sharpened the blade until it bent into a u turn. I'm a smart guy so i made a spot for a flywheel in case it came to this so when i get time ill get one on there and re sharpen the blade it Will chunk nicely. BTW I drove over 7000 Miles on Wood,Plastic,Trash,Used oils,Water ect. (my truck is also boosted with 7Liters/min of hho) And i just want to say thank you for all the information you share, we love you.

[@icarus901]

What kind of blower do you use -- maybe a furnace draft fan? AC or DC?

[@GivenFactNotFiction]

Now you need a muffler... Just to get perfection

[@robertmason5383]

Hope all is well do you have any updates currently useing?

[@johnnyhedlund206]

Hi again Flash. As said, dry wood is very important for a good clean gas. I happend to live next to a woodwork company that makes construction material for buildings. What you think of using cutter chips as fuel? Its leftovers from the planer (I think its called in english) used to make lists for building construction/renovation. And they have VERY high demand for dry wood base material. Im a bit worried that those very small chips may burn to fast/hot?

[@SuperHurdman]

Do you think this would run a six cylinder engine! Great job! I want to build one for my truck gas is getting really expensive up here in Canada!

[@flash001USA]

The actual gasifier itself is big enough but the internal design would have to be retooled. This build is for a small engine but if you're wanting to drive on woodgas look up Wayne Keith on KZbin or Google his name. This guy has it down to a fine art for driving on woodgas. Good luck with your future build.

[@theq4602]

I was under the impression that the flare needed to be before the filtering equipment to keep the heavy tars and water from sticking to a cold system?

[@flash001USA]

Yeah the flare is before any filtering. Tar isn't an issue except during startup and even then if you get a good start up you'll have very little to deal with which won't hurt anything. I always try to warm the system up from anywhere to 15 to 30 minutes to make sure I'm getting clean gas even before I pull the gas through the filters just so I don't stress the filters with unnecessary garbage. I always flare the gas before the filtering and this gives me an indication of the health of the gas before it even hits the filters. I hope that helps answer your question

[@keesverhagen9227]

Can you also turn the electricitymeter back ? Like with solarpanels? Or can you only benefit form the electricity what is generated at the moment of use ? It would be so great if i could build one like yours and use the generator to turn the numbers on the electricitymeter al the way back that i can use electricity for a futere week and then turning the gassifier back on if you get my drift.😅 Damn, it makes me happy watching your video.👍 It must be duable for me to build it.

[@flash001USA]

A gasifier is a "power on demand" system so as long as you are putting fuel in the gasifier the generator will keep running. If you shut the generator down the gasifier will also self-extinguish and shut down. Now to answer your question about turning the power meter backwards. Any power source such as solar panels and wind along with a generator can be fed back into a grid tie inverter to off-set the power entering your house but that's not the purpose of this at least not for me. I can run the generator and power the basic needs up in the house which for me is lights and keeping the fridge and freezer up and running while I charge my battery bank. The best way to use this system is to use an inverter and let the generator keep the battery bank topped off. This way if the generator shuts down or if the RPM's drop, you don't have power interruptions.

[@حسينعلي-ط4خ1ش]

Hello my friend Is it possible to see the internal parts you have developed from the inside in this video possible I mean, is there another video that explains the final design and is detailed, please

[@plasmacutter1]

congrats, its great to see it run with no dramas,, i was thinking about your wood chunker idea and was wondering if you would consider powering it with a DC treadmill motor with variable speed potentiometer ac bridge rectifier etc ,, rather than a fuel powered engine and large gearbox assembly,, would you consider that?? i am only asking because all the ones i have seen are fuel or woodgas powered,, but seeing as you have a battery bank you could run a variable speed 2hp Dc motor thereby not requiring a gearbox,, i dont know maybe ,, just picking your brain on an alternative drive system for a chunker idea thats been bugging me.

[@flash001USA]

My original idea was to use a 2 Hp AC motor but to be honest I'm leaning towards a 6.5 Hp engine because they are a dime a dozen. I'm still contemplating what I want to use for the actual cutter blade.

[@rexxer6456]

Harbor Freight makes an in inexpensive quite generator..... just an idea Awesome video

[@LowTechLife]

Superb job. Where dit you get your blower ?

[@floydwebb7470]

Did your carburetor update not work out?

[@brucesanderson9602]

I guess i had.written an email, i got about 9 million questions. I made another attempt at the gasifier. I got a couple pictures. I think it might have been trying to make gas, but would not stay lit.

[@flash001USA]

Feel free to reach out to me at www.miniwoodgas.com and include any photos of your build and if I can, I'll try to answer any questions you may have.

[@brucesanderson9602]

​@@flash001USAthank-you.i will try pretty hard,

[@andreblanchard8569]

I just found your videos. I have a solar PV system in northern Wisconsin, this time of the year we can get periods of a week or more with little sun and I end up running a generator more then I like. I heat with wood and have 40 acres of woods, I do not even come close keeping up with the dead and blown down trees so. Where are you at? Or more to the point, how do you think your system would work in temps well below freezing?

[@flash001USA]

I'm in SC but gasifiers work fine in cold weather.

[@cns688]

Hi, I reckon you have already fixed the problem from the flame flaring off when starting the gasifier, the strongest heat can be anything from 3 > 6 feet from the tip of the visible flame. Maybe a 45° bend with an extension piece of pipe might help. This is one of those times I wish I was in the U.S. so I could get you to build me one 😢😢😢😢

[@johntaylor1153]

Fantastic job how about some simple drawings and measurements

[@flash001USA]

I'll do you one better than that. Go to www.miniwoodgas.com and reach out to the webhost which will be me and I'll send you the complete drawings to the build including the automation drawings.

[@josephtese5037]

Would the heat of the gas melt the plastic PVC?

[@flash001USA]

No because the PVC is not right up on the heat source and by the time the gas gets to the PVC pipe it has cooled down quite a bit.

[@quincy725]

I think you could actually make this a truly all in one machine by adding copper coils in the Ferness to have central heating and hot water. What do you think?

[@flash001USA]

There's not as much heat as one might imagine inside the gasifier. Basically you have an ember bed about the size of a softball that is responsible for the breakdown of the wood fuel for producing gas. The gasifier is hot to the touch but it's accumulated heat over time. However you could harvest the heat off of the engine and it's exhaust with some sort of heat exchange setup to heat a small room with.

[@Canadianduke23]

I have watched all your videos, have you ever inspected your motor for tar build up? What were your thought on the guy who used a wet scrubber to filter out tar? M

[@flash001USA]

With a Imbert design there is no tar produced (very little if any) provided you have everything set up and running correctly. With this build there are no tar issues including inside the engine. The only thing you have is soot and that's where the filters come into play. As far as tar goes you really cannot filter it out even with a wet scrubber system.

[@Canadianduke23]

flash001USA thanks again sir I like your tutorial videos and step-by-step process of making your imbert style gasifier it helped me a lot I was always Struggling with the FEMA imbert plans well done.

[@Canadianduke23]

flash001USA hey flash did u ever have any problems with the gasifier burping when u opened the lid some guys have that issue?

[@flash001USA]

@@Canadianduke23 I would have replied sooner but your message was in my spam folder. The gasifier is stable even raising the lid until it starts running low on fuel at which point it will foop even without raising the hopper lid.

[@MrPATRICKDEA]

I have an extra idea for you, flash00USA. Why don't you lined up the exhaust of the generaton back into the gasifier system?

[@flash001USA]

Not sure if I follow you?

[@MrPATRICKDEA]

@@flash001USA in the exhaust of an engine there is always Carbon Monoxide, right? Isn't this gas flammable as well? So if yes, then we can line it back up into the gasifier unit, right? Maybe throught a sort of cyclone-damper system, whereby the heavy particles (soot) get separated from the lighter and flammable Carbon Monoxide. Best regards, Patrick De Abreu Whatsapp: [phone]

[@seanmikel]

What are the negative side effects of running a humid/wet, but clean gas in your generator? What would the excess water do? Hope your rig is still running strong! You've got me gathering parts to build my own for a hunting lease that doesnt have connection to the grid.

[@flash001USA]

One thing that could happen is the water could build up enough to puddle in the pipe and cut the gas off to the engine but in reality while the engine is running the water is being passed through the exhaust. You could possibly build up water droplets in the oil but I have not personally seen that happen yet.

[@seanmikel]

@@flash001USA thank you much for your quick reply. I'm also thinking of running a wet scrubber and I'm curious of your thoughts on the subject.

[@flash001USA]

If a wet scrubber is set up correctly they work pretty good. I toyed with the idea and a few other people in the Inner gasifier circle tried it. For me I'm trying to keep it simple so I've actually found I can recycle the wood chips over and over because what happens with them is they get wet from the moisture in the gas. When I first started doing this I used to discard my used wood chips into the yard then I realized I didn't have to do that but all I had to do was just let them dry out and reuse them. If you do make a Venturi filter definitely make a video for the rest of us to see how it works out for you.

[@TheRedneckprepper]

Man that rocks ! ya gonna sell them ?

[@flash001USA]

NO the build is free. We have a PDF of the CAD files that one of the other guys here was kind enough to invest his time drawing up the build for everyone interested in trying this.

[@MrR2V2]

@flash001USA Where can we get a copy of the PDF of the CAD files?

[@flash001USA]

You can either go to www.miniwoodgas.com and contact me through that because I am the administrator of that website or you can just reply back here and leave me your email and I'll be more than glad to send it to you.

[@Garuthius]

flash001USA I put my name down to get the files too ... don't recall seeing an email yet though :D

[@flash001USA]

Yeah I'm sure I've got your email if you gave it to me for the controller. I'm still trying to find the time to button that file up but I'll go ahead and send you the CAD drawings when I get home.

[@kenjarjabka2648]

Flash did you ever make blueprints for this yet

[@flash001USA]

Yes, if you would like the PDF file just go to www.miniwoodgas.com and contact the web host which will be me and let me know that you would like the plans and I'll send them to you for no cost.

[@davemaxwell7262]

Have you ever tried using the activated carbon byproduct as a filter media?

[@flash001USA]

Yeah. I've tried everything from lawn clippings to hundreds of tinfoil balls stuffed into the filter tubes. The activated carbon acts like wood chips where it captures a lot of water vapor from the gas and cleans about the same as wood chips.

[@Garuthius]

OK so you started up with biochar this time ???... I may have missed a trick on this. What do you mean by biochar, do you make the biochar separately, or is it a byproduct of the gassifier that you reburn to get a clean start, or is it just to say that you start up from what is left in the hopper / grate from a previous burn ???

[@mazdalorean]

Garuthius Hall, biochar is like charcoal. Yes it is a byproduct of running your gasifier . The idea is , fresh wood contains volatiles that are released from the fresh wood when it is heated up. They are collectively called tars. Biochar burns hot and fast and don't contain these tars, so warming up the gasifier on biochar eliminates the possibility of getting tar through the rest of your system. Once the gasifier is properly warmed up and running correctly, it can not only tolerate the volatiles in the wood you put in the hopper, but it actually converts those gasses into more fuel. Also just an fyi, I have used store bought hard wood lump charcoal as a starter fuel ( broken up into smaller pieces ) . The point is you don't have to make it, you can buy it. and I won't ever start a gasifier without it again. Hope this helps. Joe

[@Garuthius]

mazdalorean perfect ... thank you

[@flash001USA]

Yeah the biochar is from the previous run and you get a very clean and hot start-up using it. Using biochar makes starting the gasifier like a walk in the park.

[@marctorrades1760]

Hi flash Smiling with you on your success Always a pleasure to watch your videos of the gasifier You mentioned that you made PDF Of your tribulations on the construction of the gasifier How do I contact you for you to send it to me ? I would show you some of photo mine getting build It's not exactly like your It's one of the design of Ben Peterson

[@rongray4118]

Going to go to your page and check out that woodchunker!! Fantastic video, Flash!001USA!!

[@flash001USA]

Hey Ron thanks for the feedback. I have everything to build the chunker with but I haven't started on it yet.

[@marctorrades1760]

Like what you do flash , amazing, I'm half way , just need to build a filter, you're a inspiration, keep going I'm right behind you 👍👍

[@unarammer2003]

You will do a lot better when you get your alternator hooked up to your battery bank...it will be a lot quieter than those loud generators... awesome set up!!

[@tonysshadow]

Nothing as fine as the feel good reward, of such effort. The fact it didnt break just sitting , so common with store bought chinese junk these days...deserves an atta boy all by itself.

[@CNCmachiningisfun]

Howdee Flash, It sure is a good thing when you can say that your house runs on home made sticky-tricity :) . Now that you have achieved such a high level of automation, you'll have a bit of spare time on yer hands. Hmmm....watt wood you do with that spare time? Ahhh yes, you could build you another gasifier ;) . Just thinking about yer planned DC charging plant, it seems to me that you could build it onto a trolley, sort of like the one yer gasser is on, so you could add a large fuel dryer to it. That way, you wood have a means of storing and drying lots of wood, while also substantially silencing the engine, and providing a nice warm seat to sit on while you design your next gasifier :) . Keep those delisherous woody watts a flowing, my fellow woodenwatts addict.

[@flash001USA]

The next job will be a chunker. I think I'm going to base a build from off of what Wayne Keith and others do using a slow spinning rim but mine will be a "mini" version of that.

[@CNCmachiningisfun]

Agreed. When thinking about future chunker builds, I tend to lean towards those rotary shears that Wayne and company are building. Our version of it wood be quite small, and I am sure we wood go for a gravity feed system for the incoming woody bits.

[@craigsymington5401]

noisy but impressive :) Clearly not a "hacker"

[@donutmuncher666]

Thx Flash... your the shit

[@flash001USA]

Thanks for the vote of confidence...

[@craigsymington5401]

I always hated petrol gennys, you remind me why

[@flash001USA]

Yeah the generator is noisy but this is music to my ears hearing the engine running on home made fuel.

[@keesverhagen9227]

Please protect the ceiling in making it more fireretarded. There are a lot of fireretarded materials. Don't use a metal sheet because it conducts heat. I have seen wood that was more then 20 years radiated with low heat by a chimney. It became so much brickly and suddenly it went on fire. And your ceiling becomes much hotter then that. Don't know the English words for that fire retarded materials. In the Netherlands it is called promatec. A thick piece of board, let's say 18 mm with spaces connected to the ceiling would do the trick. Don't attach it directly but leave some space between it so it also can cool down somewhat from above. Some smaller pieces cut from promatec and naile that un to the ceiling. And the bigger board attach it to that. And make sure that the nails are only going into the smaller pieces of promatec. Not passing through it and ending up in the wood. Because metal conducts heat. I eant to see and learn much more from you so it would be a shame if your place would become burnt down.😈

[@flash001USA]

Thanks for the information. I'll probably position the flare in a different position for a short term solution but yeah, I thought of a fire resistant material and remembered that I could purchase the same blanket material that automotive shops use. That stuff can take a direct flame and not hurt it one bit.

[@erichall9304]

My email begins with gdh, I also would like the file and thanks for a great and successful journey

[@robertterry7402]

Nice, thanks

[@kenlee5509]

Watts that smell?

[@CNCmachiningisfun]

i see watt you did there ;) .

[@kenlee5509]

Well, you opened with Hey Watts Up Everybody!, soooo... Punintrentional though it was. muahahahaa ~weeds... there has to be a way to gasflare them... ~Flare flame only needs to meet a fine screen or 2 to add safety for the roof ~Time for a hushhush generator. ~Russian chunker looks hungry for hands and heads.

[@kenlee5509]

If you add a 45% angled feed tunnel to the Russian chunker you would get shattered bits like you need.

[@mazdalorean]

Always nice to get a woodgas fix . Thanks for another great show. Joe

[@flash001USA]

Yeah tasty woodgas watts! They kind of have an aroma of BBQ and bacon when the engine is burning off the woodgas so my thought is the battery bank will capture some of that and every time I run the inverter or turn on a light switch in the building I should get a faint whiff of them in the air...

[@vasilepop4369]

Tnx for video!

[@gasonthebrain3738]

Sweet running machine. I'm going to be very interested in what you are going to do for the wood chuncker. I like this type of design. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fojSkoOCbp6Kf5Y Have you seen this type yet. I think it would need more blades, so the pieces come out shorter. The fact that they self feed is fantastic. Could be a lot smaller because we would only be using small diameter branches. I think they have a lot of promise for gasifier fuel preparation. Thanks for all your ideas and information. Stephen NZ

[@flash001USA]

That design really needs a safety cage where the wood feeds in. I was waiting to see the guy's arm get jerked into the blades. The build I go with will be more traditional possibly with a small rim as my cutter.

[@walterflanamonk5106]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5nJq6Gro7utgbs Gasometer

[@flash001USA]

His demonstration shows a simple and workable way to make woodgas but it wouldn't be practical to use a design like that to run an engine with. Once he produces the fuel it has to sit in his storage canister so that the gas self cleans by allowing the particles but mainly the tar in the gas settle into the bottom of the storage canister. Most gasifiers are "gas on demand" systems that produce woodgas that can be used while it's being produced and that's what you want for running any kind of engine with. Still he made a good demonstration video.