Lister JP4 gen-set; wiring diagram.

[fraser]

I have just acquired a Lister JP4 - Metro-Vickers Mark 2 20kVA generating set, complete with control box.

The engine - after perhaps 20 years of inactivity - started first-turn over compression on one cylinder!

But I am at a loss as what to do with the electrics. Does anyone know where I can get a (photo?) copy of an
Operator's Handbook and/or wiring diagram for the generator and the control box?

Many thanks

Fraser.

[Kevin Wood]

Hi Fraser and welcome to the forum.

It's not really my area of expertise but hopefully somone will be along soon with the answer you're looking for.

Kevin

[Lucien Nunes]

Hello Fraser and Welcome!

If it is the same type of switchboard that's on our 20kVA MkII then I have a handbook / manual complete with schematics. This is air publication AP2526N, of which I have scans of all but a couple of pages. Lister never compiled a handbook for this set because they only supplied the engine.

The wiring is rather unusual I agree. Although the alternator is three-phase, it delivers 230V as the line voltage, not the phase voltage. For supplying ordinary modern equipment its output must be used either as multiple single-phase 230V supplies in delta, or you would need a step-up transformer to give 400V. Indeed you might have the original transformer with it, which was only rated to handle a small part of the set's output. The complicated switchboard also reflects this application allowing for multiple interconnected sets or standby applications with a feed from the grid, control of the step-up transformer etc. In practice you will only want to use part of it, which if the board hasn't been modified will be simple enough.

There aren't many of these sets left - it would be great if you could post a few pictures of yours.

Lucien

[fraser]

This is just a test message, to see if I have correctly figured out how to post replies to the forum! Fraser.

[fraser]

Dear Lucien Nunes -

Many thanks for your reply to my original enquiry. There a few of us involved in a very loose way in this engine rescue operation. We heard a fortnight ago that there was "an old engine" in a shed about five miles away, which was imminently to go the scrapyard.

We took a look with torches inside a very dark and very tight shed surrounded by rubble. It was very hard to say what the engine was, or what sort of condition it was in. But we at once agreed that it would be a crime - a sin, if you like - to scrap such a glorious piece of honest engineering.

So we took the digger out, and dug a road in to the shed through the rubble. Then we took the end of the shed of, and use the digger as a drag-crane to haul the engine out onto a trailer, and took it home.

As I noted earlier, the engine started on one cylinder first turn over compression - after maybe 20 years of inactivity! We have since discovered that it best run at all times on high compression, at least when there is no load on it. The engine is, as one might expect, much sweeter and cleaner all round, when run on full compression.

This weekend we steam-cleaned it, and have already ordered the Lister paint to return the unit to its original Lister colours.

I will post photographs of the unit and control box, just as soon as one of the guys gets his daughter (who knows about these things) to take the photos and post them. This should happen in the next few days. (Where should we post them, by the way?)

Is there any chance I could get a copy of your operator's instructions and wiring diagram for the generator and control box? (I would be more than happy to pay for this, of course).

Best wishes meantime,

Iain Fraser Grigor.

[Lucien Nunes]

Wonderful! A double success in getting it out and getting it running. Below 1/4 load it is quite correct to leave it set for high compression, on which it should remain smokeless at all times. A basic top overhaul might be all that's required to restore full performance - parts such as gaskets are all readily available if you want to take the heads off for a decoke.

Please do post the pictures - start a new thread about it in the general area, then attach them to a post or a number of successive posts. I'll upload the handbook files and let you know where to download them from. I don't have a paper copy, the scans were made using my laptop and its hard drive failed soon after I finished scanning, so a couple of files got corrupted. Everything you need is in there though.

Lucien

[fraser]

Hi, Lucien -

We have tried posting pics of the Lister genset in the general discussion thread (at least I think that is what it is called), but we keep getting a message that our files are too big. I am told that this is a puzzle, as there are just two pics, which should not be too big at all! Any ideas?

Cheers, Fraser.