Diesel Generator.

[shwak23]

So currently my "shop" has been moved to a clearing in the woods. I plan on building a shelter of sorts and would like to have some power out there. I was considering using one of my extra 1.6's but I think it would be easier to use my current 1.6 n/a golf. That way I could pull in... Hook up some sort of power... And get to work. How would this be done efficiently?

Cheap is also key... If I have to spend hundreds of dollars I may as well get a diesel generator.

[shwak23]

Hm.. I just looked up Generators and found they can be as cheap as $150. I'll probably still do something like I was saying but it will be quite temporary.

[bajacalal]

I don't see how you would hook up a generator to your Golf engine without taking it out of the car and still get power that's stable enough.

You can get an inverter, for less than $100 but then you're looking at something that makes around 1500 watts which is barely enough to run power tools and even then, not really enough to run major stuff that you will probably need like a miter saw.

[shwak23]

Really at this point I'm only worried about running some lights. Preferably like 2-3 fluorescent fixtures or 4-5 light bulbs. Later will come the power tools.

Worse comes to Worse i'll run 200ft of extension strung up in the trees back to the house. 

[8v-of-fury]

Some sort of old dyno/e-test machine where you park your car on the rollers. Hook a generator to that, and have your car sit in 5th gear at 2000rpm by shimming the throttle arm on the pump LoL. That'd have your rollers spinning at 50mph lol.

[maxfax]

Look to the Amish for your answer...    

There's a local Dutchman that powers a small sawmill with a diesel Rabbit..   He had the LF wheel blocked up off the ground with what looks like a rim w/o a tire bolted on there backwards.. The flat belt is thrown around the rim and routed to a line shaft to the mill..  I don't think the differential is gonna live too long like that though...

I am kinda curious as to whether he's still using a battery for the GP's and starter, or if he might have some sort of a pony motor on there..

[RadoTD]

Haha Rabbit sawmill is an awesome idea!

Honestly though, as cool as it would be, it's probably a better idea to just pick up a small generator. Something along the lines of this.. http://www.harborfreight.com/engines-generators/gas-engine-generators/55-hp-2200-rated-watts-2400-max-watts-portable-generator-95189.html
Get set up with fluorescent lighting, not incandescent and you can get your shop lit and a bar fridge running. Step up to a 5.5kW or 6.5kW and you can run your power tools as well

[745 turbogreasel]

A deep cycle batt,  $70 inverter, and a couple strands of LED Christmas lights go a long way toward keeping your generator hours low

[shwak23]

Ah yes that's what I was thinking after some more research. A deep cycle battery and generator. I'm wondering how long a Deep cycle Batt would last powering 4-5 LED strands or 3-4 50 watt Fluorescent bulbs. [the little ones... the ones shaped like a spiral.] Think it would last for more than 8 hours at a time? I was also thinking that for the time being I'd just get a deep cycle battery and put a extended lead from my car to it and plug an inverter to the dash to run lights and maybe a laptop. I think I need to upgrade my inverter that I have but other than that I think it would be a good temp. solution.

edit: Oh I just realized I wouldn't need to plug it into my car's dash. I could just plug the inverter straight to the battery. Maybe i'd still have an extended lead just to charge the battery every now and then with my alternator. I currently run a 90amp alt.

[745 turbogreasel]

Mine goes a few days in my camper- a few lights, coffee grinder and a bit of laptop use.
My inverter is an 850W from Home Depot, and will run a small angle grinder in a pinch.
Ideally, make a spot in the car you can charge the batt when you are driving anyway.

[mtrans]

Pharhaps this one,

      Throwing the switch puts 12 volts into the alternator rotor through one set of contacts, cuts the regulator out of the circuit with another pair of contacts, and switches the alternator output from the auto electrical system through a 30 amp fuse to a standard outlet with another pair of switch contacts. A volt meter can be connected across the output to show how fast the engine must turn to give 120 volts.
      When producing the higher voltage, the battery supplies 3 to 4 amps to the alternator but receives no charge in return. Even with this drain, the unit can be run for many hours before the battery comes noticeably discharged. But remember! You cannot run the system this way indefinitely. An 80 Amp-Hour battery would become fully discharged in 20 hours with a 4 amp draw. At some point you'll have to switch back to normal operation to recharge the battery.
      alternator must turn about 5,000 rpm to produce 120 volts,

[shwak23]

Mine goes a few days in my camper- a few lights, coffee grinder and a bit of laptop use.
My inverter is an 850W from Home Depot, and will run a small angle grinder in a pinch.
Ideally, make a spot in the car you can charge the batt when you are driving anyway.

Mmm Excellent point. I guess I'll just put leads to the trunk so I can keep it charged. Brilliant! Sounds like this is what I need to do. And soon. I'm not looking forward to working by the light of cellphone.... I guess 1st on the list of things to do is get rid of the rest of the snow in the clearing so i'm not jammed in the area I shoveled... It's only two feet deep right now. 

[745 turbogreasel]

I have a 12V fluorescent drop light that was 10 bucks, and goes many many hours.

Pharhaps this one,
 An 80 Amp-Hour battery would become fully discharged in 20 hours with a 4 amp draw.

Much less with an E-fan