Generator question

   / Generator question #11  
Guess I should add more to this thread:

I've had "tri-fuel" generators. I had them operate on propane only. After many hours of operation, the float and needle valve vibrate themselves to death. I learned to remove them both, plug all the vents, and keep the pieces in a safe place in case I ever wanted to revert to gasoline operation (it's never happened yet tho).

I wouldn't buy tri-fuel again unless a sale price was better than the propane only model.

Phil
 
   / Generator question #12  
Phils said:
I've had "tri-fuel" generators. I had them operate on propane only. After many hours of operation, the float and needle valve vibrate themselves to death.
I've heard of this problem and similar problems when they are run exclusively on Propane or NG. I've also heard that the gasoline seems to lubricate(?) the float but the propane and NG don't and that is the problem?

I should probably have clarified my post, I often start mine using gasoline and then switch over to NG. In extreme cold weather it is easier to start on gasoline. I tend to run it out of gasoline and then switch it over to NG. This may be why mine has worked flawlessly for about 7 or 8 years? I also replace my battery every couple of years and I keep my battery hooked up to a "Battery Tender" so the electric start has plenty of battery power (but it does have recoil start as a back up).
 
   / Generator question #14  
I thought of another issue that may/may not be relevent to sarti.

The last tri-fuel generator I had was powered by Briggs and Stratton. Within a year or two the valves began sticking open. Motors don't run very good when that happens.

It was powered by propane only. Propane & natural gas don't supply any lubrication to the valve stems like gasoline does. Bob's post reminded me.

After a couple of times that I removed the heads and cleaned the valve stems I installed an "oiler". These were used back in the 40's and 50's on autos. Basically it was a jar filled with Marvel Mystery Oil that had a hose connected to the intake manifold. The oil stopped the sticking valve problem.

For the frequent and extended usage I subject my generators to, I don't expect I'll ever get another B&S powered genset. My current 10K gen is Kohler powered and there's never been a sticking valve issue. I had over a decade on a Honda 5.5KW generator that I'd converted to propane and never had a valve problem with it either. The B&S engine died an ugly death when a rod let go.

Phil
 
   / Generator question #15  
Buckeye_Jim said:
Some of the generators on the market are actually alternators producing DC and then generate the AC power with an inverter. The Honda EU series are this way. Very quiet. The motor RPM's increase with the load. In other generators (especially bigger ones) the RPM's are linked to the AC frequency (60 hertz in North America). 3600 RPM is 60 hertz. Sometimes they have a gearbox between the engine and generator such that the engine can run at 1200 RPM (less wear and tear on the motor, but losses in the gearbox).

Hope this helps some,

Jim

I'm havin' a bit of trouble with the concept of a dc producin' alternator. The standard alternator design naturally produces alternatin' current, hence the name. DC output comes from generators, doesn't it?
 
   / Generator question #16  
'm havin' a bit of trouble with the concept of a dc producin' alternator. The standard alternator design naturally produces alternatin' current, hence the name. DC output comes from generators, doesn't it?

Yes an alternator does produce alternating current. Most car type alternators have a recitfier bridge in the back of them which uses diodes to convert the A/C to D/C.
 
   / Generator question #17  
Some of the generators on the market are actually alternators producing DC and then generate the AC power with an inverter. The Honda EU series are this way. Very quiet. The motor RPM's increase with the load.

The problem with the Honda EUs (and imitators) is that they are very expensive for the kW produced, and they only come in three sizes, 1 kW, 2 kW, and 3 kW.

Even the 3 kW version is pretty small for a whole-house emergency generator. They are primarily intended for camping and RV use, where the feature of being very quiet is worth a lot.

Sure, you can gang them together to increase output, but the cost gets up there pretty quick.

For me, an emergency generator is just that -- something to use in emergencies. It turns a power outage from an "emergency" into an "abnormal condition". If I use one for 200 hours over the next 10 years, that will be very high usage.

I don't need super quiet, and I don't need long life, what I do need is a lot of kW for the initial cost, and an electric starter.

Fuel economy is a red herring for the most common uses. Even if it drinks a full gallon per hour, 200 gallons @ $3.00 each, is $600 over 10 years.

Fuel availability is the big issue. The only reason to get a tri-fuel unit is to use a fuel, natural gas or propane, which is already available at your house for another purpose.

Think a bit about the cost of a tri-fuel generator vs. the cost of a gasoline unit and storing gasoline.

For me, the gasoline was a lower-cost solution, with advantages of being able to use stored fuel somewhere else, and being able to take the generator to a remote part of my property and use it there.
 
   / Generator question
  • Thread Starter
#18  
Thanks for all the help, I think I'll look into the tri-fuel without the the
Auto-idle. All propane would work for me also.
 
   / Generator question #19  
Phils said:
Guess I should add more to this thread:

I've had "tri-fuel" generators. I had them operate on propane only. After many hours of operation, the float and needle valve vibrate themselves to death.


Why wouldn't they vibrate themselves to death on gasoline ? :confused: The only problem that I've heard/read was ,If you didn't have an over head valve engine that the valves needed lubrication. Overhead valve engines shouldn't be affected.Ive never heard/read anything as it relates to the float in the carb.
 
   / Generator question #20  
kenmac said:
Why wouldn't they vibrate themselves to death on gasoline ?


I could only speculate that not having a liquid in the bowl to "cushion" them would be "why".

I only discovered the excessive wear on them when disassembling the unit because of the sticking valve situation. And because there's a bowl vent, when the bowl is empty of gasoline that vent is a direct vacuum leak to the intake albeit small.

Phil
 

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