Generator feed back

[Highbeam]

That 100 lb propane tank would be gone pretty quickly. Also, is it always 100% full? Probably not. Diesel gensets are very expensive so LP is a great option. You can convert your gasoline genset to burn gasoline OR LP if you want to for pretty small money.

 

[LBrown59]

1*Well of course the folks with a 15KW-20kw gensets and sufficient fuel on hand are perfectly happy.
My 3000 watt genset cost under 300$ and
2*the fuel stockpile for the longest historic outage is contained in a few 5 gallon gas cans.

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1*I think this would have the ability to store all the fuel I'd ever need during a power outage.
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2*This eliminates the 5 gallon cans.

 

[LBrown59]

I bought my generator before I got my tractor (currently my only diesel application). So a gas generator made sense.
1*If I were buying now I'd seriously consider a diesel generator since diesel is easier to store (i.e. less volatile and fumes explosive).
2*Since I have fireplace gas logs with a 100 gallon (or is it 100 pound?) tank.
3*I really should have opted for a propane generator.
4*That would have solved the storage and supply problems for fuel.

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1*Now that you have a diesel tractor a diesel Gen is the only to go.
This way you don't have to store another type of fuel.
Diesel is not only easier and safer to store it is also easer and safer to transfer.
Since diesel is more efficient that means you don't need to stock pile as much of it to last throughout a power outage.
2*The tank is 100 pounds or about 13 gallons which wouldn't last no time at all in a power outage.
3*no you should not have.
4*No it would not have.
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If I was in your position and thinking of going with another Gen I'd go Diesel or a pto Gen.

 

[Doc_Bob]

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1*Now that you have a diesel tractor a diesel Gen is the only to go.
This way you don't have to store another type of fuel.

I prefer gasoline because it can be used in my car. Now, if I had a diesel car I might do otherwise.
Bob

 

[ragkar]

I've done some web searching on converting my existing B&S generator to propane, or dual propane and gas. I thought that I'd share some results.

The most informative site that I've found is Generator Conversion Kits to Propane and Natural Gas.

It's tricky doing a google search but using the keywords 'Generator Conversion Kits to Propane' I've had good results.

I've found that a 100 pound propane tank is 24 gallons. But I still haven't determined if I have a 100 pound or 100 gallon tank.

 

[ray66v]

I've done some web searching on converting my existing B&S generator to propane, or dual propane and gas. I thought that I'd share some results.

The most informative site that I've found is Generator Conversion Kits to Propane and Natural Gas.

It's tricky doing a google search but using the keywords 'Generator Conversion Kits to Propane' I've had good results.

I've found that a 100 pound propane tank is 24 gallons. But I still haven't determined if I have a 100 pound or 100 gallon tank.

I've thought about it. But you do lose some power, and I don't want to give any wattage up.

 

[Highbeam]

I've thought about it. But you do lose some power, and I don't want to give any wattage up.

The loss of power is a myth. You need to read up on it yourself, but the folks all have determined that if you can get enough propane to teh chamber that it will make equivalent power.

ragkar: You can't tell the difference between 24 gallons and 100 gallons? Cripes. That's like the difference between a 100 lb woman and a 400 lb woman.

 

[LBrown59]

1*I've found that a 100 pound propane tank is 24 gallons.

2*But I still haven't determined if I have a 100 pound or 100 gallon tank.

1*24 gal weighs 180 pounds.
U can't get that in a 100 pound tank.
2* 100 gal weighs 750 pounds .
Does your tank weigh that much ?
If not U have a 100 pound tank.

 

[ragkar]

Okay you tell me. The tank is cylindrical, 48 inches long and 30 inches in diameter. That's 20 cubic feet 150 gallons. hmmm I guess I answered that myself and it wasn't what I expected.

 

[SpringHollow]

Unless they have changed, Generacs design requires that they use a much larger engine than most just to have the necessary power so the fuel consumption is larger.

The biggest problem with a smaller gas engine generator is if you get a large surge in demand (several pumps, compressors, etc turning on at once), you can very easily ruin refrigerators etc. Or if the gas engine hesitates because of something in the gas. Ask me how i know lol

if you compare fuel consumption of a lightly loaded larger generator with a heavily loaded small generator, they are basically the same. So if you can afford it, the larger one makes more sense.

Ken

 

[300UGUY]

I put in Generac 15kw propane unit several years ago. Very happy with it. I have the auto transfer switch, but I don't let it run 24 / 7. I run for 3 or 4 hours, get the house warm, take showers, etc. The whole house unit is nice. Less sacrifice. Never lugs down. I had a 6.5KW gas generator, but the 220 well pump would lug it down pretty good. One day, it threw a rod. Size matters!!

 

[some zilch]

i am very seriously considering a 20kw unit, powered by a detroit diesel engine.

after 3 days w/o power after the recent ice storm, i will never be in a situation again where i cannot flush my toilet. i have a 5500w gas genny, and a portable diesel-powered light tower that can make 6000w of electricty. niether of these units would run my well pump, and neither could come close to running my 9000w elec water heater. i had lights and could watch tv, but had no water. granted, my kubota-powered light tower ran 58 hours straight on 7 gallons of diesel, but the unit could not meet my demands. around here, when the power goes out, it goes out for days, and i dont know how many times you can ask a single cylinder small gas engine to run 50 hours straight, and it seems like they are always having some kind of problem, namely irratic running and tempermental with stale gas.

i am planning on spending a good chunk of $$ on a generator, but it will be the last one i ever buy, and i want something capable of running nonstop for days, without worry, if need-be

 

[ray66v]

i am very seriously considering a 20kw unit, powered by a detroit diesel engine.
and neither could come close to running my 9000w elec water heater.

Your 9kw water heater probably only uses 1 element at a time, (4500 watts). This is they way most are wired, and you can simply replace the elements with a lower wattage, to cut that in half. (I ran mine for 21 years on 1500 watt elements).

But hey, if you can spend the money for the 20kw have fun.

 

[smitty9266]

If you want a 20kw gen to be the last you will ever buy don't buy a air cooled Generac. They are by design a limited life unit. They will last hundreds of hours of use but will not last for the long haul. I still own one...and I knew it going in. My reasoning is when it wears out I will replace it with a newer better model, the advancements in technology in the generator market allow me to do this. With things like load shedding switches, better transfer switches, and metering of the line loads.

So you have to weigh the money factor and decide do I spend $4,200 on a air cooled or 15,000 on a water cooled? I guess the real factor is will you have the money latter to replace the gen when it fails and you need it.

Jeff

P.S. I live in Hurricane Alley and also participate as a local Emergency Coordinator......people forget, most 220 well pumps very can
easily rewire to 110v !

 

[atgreene]

P.S. I live in Hurricane Alley and also participate as a local Emergency Coordinator......people forget, most 220 well pumps very can
easily rewire to 110v !

But at 110 they draw much more amperage.

 

[RonMar]

You can also do the same thing with the heating elements on a hot water heater. In 240V mode they draw about 4500W or 18.75A of current. That makes the elements about 12.8 ohms. If you feed 120V across this 12.8 ohm resistive heating element, it only pulls 9.4A of current. 9.4A @ 120V is 1128W. It will heat a lot slower, but it is a much more maneagable load for a small generator.

Another issue with large loads, particularly when making your own power, is that a generator can only deliver half of it's rated capacity thru each 120V output. IE: a 10KW generator can only deliver 5KW down each of it's two 120V output legs. In this situation, the only way to power a single device that requires more than 5KW, is to wire it to the 240V output of the generator...

Now if you have a generator that is only wired for a single 120V output, it may be an acceptable way to get some water out of the well, provided it's 120V capacity is large enough to meet the needs of the well pump wired in that mode...