> Are there sites that give plans that an amateur can follow to build 
> a
> Stirling engine of say 2 or 3 hp?

No :-) :-(
There is lots of discussion but not much doing at a shareable level.
At the amateur level James comments about Stirlings being a pipe dream 
are closer to the mark than at a commercial level.
People build any number of low power toys but there is little serious 
that doesn'tr cost an arm and two legs.

That said, I can really see no reason why a group of enthusiasts 
couldn't design a modest output high capacity low cost unit and build 
a trial unit.
I'd be happy to participate in such a project as time allows. 
Something using something like a  stainless steel soup pot as the 
pressure vessel and working at ridiculously low pressures and with an 
actively driven displacer should be quite reasonably doable. It would 
be largte for it's output but have a number of advantages.

> I have also been thinking in terms of a solar heated Stirling engine 
> to
> drive a 1 or 2 kw generator.

If you achieve say 10% end to end that's 10 or 20 kW in - a very 
signifcant device!
Even at 30% end to end its very substantial.

> One idea put to me is to use power generated by the generator 
> rectified
> to DC in parallel to Rectified mains AC to power a hot water 
> cylinder,
> possibly with a PIC controlled load sharing.

The only sensible outputs are mechanical power in one form or another 
or electricity. Anything that produces heat is better off using the 
heating inmput directly. The Whispergen achieves its marginal 
financial viability at its present price by producing electricity and 
then using the wate heat to heat water. It is viable in niche 
applications (on boats was the initial market) and where alternative 
energy costs are dear. Produced in true volume it would probably be 
viable in many more domestic situations.


        Russell McMahon


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