An Emergency Generator-The Listeroid Engine

Do you have a need for a generator that can run virtually forever? We are all familiar with the standard household generator that kicks in every time the power goes out in the neighborhood. It is noisy, stinks to high heaven and is generally a cheap piece of machinery that has the lifespan of a gnat, but costs an arm and a leg to purchase. Then there is the familiar generator that is sold by the truckload at the local big box store and has the generating capacity to power your laptop and cell phone, but not much more and still costs anywhere from $300-$500 dollars. Well there is an alternative that has been made in one form or another since the 1930s.

What is this ancient machine you ask? In its original form it was call the Lister and was made in the United Kingdom and exported throughout the world with one of its largest markets being the, (at that time), colony of India. Later the people of India began to make their own “Lister Engines” and called them Listeroids. The original engines were such works of art that many were reputed to run for decades with little or no down time. Today, the Listeroid is generally used for water pumping or electrical power generation. For many homesteaders who live well off the grid, a Listeroid is an essential piece of equipment.

So what are the benefits of a Listeroid? First, they can be very cost effective if you live in an area where your power is subject to frequent and lengthy outages. A Listeroid once it has been set and tested, can and will run for as long as you are able to provide the fuel it needs to run. Also, where as the supply of natural gas is subject to the whims of the local utility or where smaller generators depend upon expensive and hard, (during emergencies), to get gasoline, a Listeroid runs off of diesel and with a bit of modification, will run off of almost any oil you can come up with. Furthermore, a well-tuned Listeroid can run using only a 1/3 of a gallon of diesel per hour while producing 8 KW of power per hour. That is more than enough power to meet most if not all of you power needs during an emergency. In fact with a bit of conservation you would not only be able to meet your power needs but those of your neighbor also. 

Compare that to a standard diesel generator that uses over a gallon an hour to produce the same amount of power. In essence, with a single 55-gallon drum of diesel, you would be able to meet all of you power needs on a 24-hour basis for an entire week. Try that with a standard gasoline generator or diesel generator. Your most likely result would be a dead generator and a need to see an Ear Doctor after the constant bombardment of noise that today’s generators make. Did I mention that a Listeroid is a fairly quiet machine? The fact is a Listeroid has a rather quiet tone to its operation and is somewhat reminiscent of a day long gone.

Now for the down side of having a Listeroid as there is always a downside. Unlike an off the shelf generator, you would need to install your Listeroid in a secure bolted down location or it will simply walk away. This is due to the simply flywheel design and the cast iron construction. Furthermore, it is heavy, so heavy that once you have it in place, you will never want to move it again. Next, you will need some mechanical ability to set you machine up in operation, but as we live in the day of the Internet, there is plenty of information out there not only on installation, but how to modify your Listeroid to almost any configuration you desire. So as you watch the next disaster unfold and you think that it may be a good idea to get a “generator”, you may want to consider buying a Listeroid not only for you, but for the generations to come as it will really last that long! Don’t believe me, look it up.

Enjoy!