Generator fuel use

[Tdog]

What this board needs is another generator thread.

My 15kw generac propane fueled generator has had come to my rescue a couple of times in the last few months. I don't have an hour meter [I do have one ordered], but gestimating, between Gustav & last week's snow, the generator ran 54 hours since my tank was last filled. I had the tank topped off today & it took 106 gallons. Not included is any time it ran for 'practice'. That puts me in the 2 gal./hour range.

Does that seem to be a reasonable usage?

Jack

 

[ragkar]

I was poking around last night and came across the factory specs for a Winco brand 8KW generator. 1.5 propane gallons per hour.

 

[Marc L.]

Good day TDog,

You probably ran a little more than this due to the bi-weekly test. if you ran the generator at close to 80% load, you are pretty much in the ball park (it is a 15 KVA after all, it takes a fair amount of fuel).

My 12 KVA takes about 3.1 litres an hour and it is running almost at 90% all the time.

Remember also, it gave you the comfort you wanted when people around you did not. Just for that, it is worth the expense (think of not having to replace all the stuff in your deep freeze...).

Marc

 

[LBrown59]

What this board needs is another generator thread.
Jack

No a gen fuel thread.

 

[Lasgambler]

Sounds about right for a 15 kw. Terry

 

[Tdog]

Best $310 I've spent in a while on that 106 gallons. However, it does concern me that I begin to bump empty after just over two full days on the generator. The only solution to that is to get a larger tank. Or maybe conserve fuel by running it less than continually. But then, what's the point of a whole-house standby generator?
At least it beats scrounging for gasoline for a portable like I had to do during the weeks after Katrina.

As a post script, after having lost power with the temps in the 30's earlier this month, I really feel for all those who have been hit hard by these last series of deep freezes. It cannot be much fun to go without electricity for days in those conditions.

Jack

 

[Cottonhawk]

2 gal/hr is about right for your 15 kw generator.
My power went out about two days ago and I am running my Onan 20 kw generator right now. While I am very glad that I have this automatic whole house generator, I am also concerned about the availability of propane. For my generator the consumption rate is 72.3 cu ft/hr at half load. One gal. of propane is equivalent to 36 cu ft vapor. At 1/2 load, my generator will use 2 gal/hr. A 500 gal tank should provide sufficient fuel for about eight days and the cost is about $120 per day.

 

[ragkar]

But I 've read that the yearly loss from a tank is about 10% per year. So with a 500 gallon tank you're losing 50 gallons a year ($250).

 

[LBrown59]

What this board needs is another generator thread.

My 15kw generac propane fueled generator has had come to my rescue a couple of times in the last few months. I don't have an hour meter [I do have one ordered], but gestimating, between Gustav & last week's snow, the generator ran 54 hours since my tank was last filled. I had the tank topped off today & it took 106 gallons. Not included is any time it ran for 'practice'. That puts me in the 2 gal./hour range.

Does that seem to be a reasonable usage?

Jack

How many gal. does the tank hold?

 

[LBrown59]

What takes the least fuel to run a Gen.?
Nat Gas
Propane
Gasoline
Diesel / Home heating oil.