Got a new Duromax XP10000EH Generator, propane question

[tmc_31]

Thank you all for your replies. I will call the manufacturer today and get clarification on the liquid propane issue. After reading your replies and talking to th Wheat Energy (propane) guy, I am inclined to believe that this generator was designed to run on vapor.

Tim

 

[TractorGuy]

When I tested the one I bought on Propane it started to falter with 3 lbs left in the tank. Up to that point it ran and carried a load fine.

I had several tanks. I weighed an empty tank and a full tank. Then I weighed the tank I ran it on when the generator started running rough and shutting down with a 20 amp load on it.

I assume that meant the vapor pressure became too low. I didn't have a pressure gauge on the line.

I don't recall anything in the manual saying I needed to invert the tank.

 

[newbury]

Thank you all for your replies. I will call the manufacturer today and get clarification on the liquid propane issue. After reading your replies and talking to th Wheat Energy (propane) guy, I am inclined to believe that this generator was designed to run on vapor.

Tim

On some things you should trust us - especially us "old-timers" with lots of prior posts on the same subject.
When you BUY propane LIQUID is put in the tank. 5 gallons of gaseous propane in volume weighs essentially nothing.

I bought it for my daughter.

I did the same for my son. I tested it at my home in Northern Va.
Gave it to him and then went down to Mississippi for a few months, this was in the summer, about 10 miles south of DC. About a week after we left someone cut the power lines that goes to his section of Alexandria while doing construction.
They were without power for a week and thus the central A/C didn't work. They had a new baby. Not good timing for a long term power outage. He strung extension cords to a few window units, essential units, and they got by with minor inconvenience.
One of the best $600 I ever spent.

 

[jaxs]

Be patient,I Heard and They Said always show up for this kind of subject.

 

[TractorGuy]

A little update on the one I bought for my daughter in Dec 17. I was talking to her today and she said they pulled it out for an outage this week. Poured gas in it and fired it right up. Still has the original battery they don't even keep on a tender. Friggin amazing!!! They ran their whole house including the 3 ton AC and it carried the load. I don't know if or how well they manage the load? They are all electric with a well.

 

[Gem99ultra]

As you already know by now, the DuroMax runs correctly on a normal propane bottle. I've had mine for 3 years now, and love it. Although it's a dual fuel capable, I've never put a drop of gasoline in mine. Running on propane is so much better, just being able to run it, then shut it off and put it away. No carb gumming up!

Surprisingly, mine is still using the battery that came with it. I expected that to be a 1 year battery, but it's held up well. For $450 - it's a super deal. Even at $650, it's still a bargain compared to the competition.

 

[jaxs]

A little update on the one I bought for my daughter in Dec 17. they pulled it out for an outage this week. Poured gas in it and fired it right up. Still has the original battery they don't even keep on a tender. Friggin amazing!!!

. I've had mine for 3 years now, and love it.

Surprisingly, mine is still using the battery that came with it. I expected that to be a 1 year battery, but it's held up well.

How bout detailed info on those batteries,some of us might be interested in buying them for lawn tractors or something.

 

[travisbb]

How bout detailed info on those batteries,some of us might be interested in buying them for lawn tractors or something.

Do batteries in lawn tractors die so frequently? I've had a tiny lawn-tractor battery from new in my 2013 Rokon and it's still going strong. The one in my 2016 Grillo also has no problems. Both often sit months without use and early in its life the Rokon would sit 11 months between uses.

Maybe it's a problem of parasitic drain for the safety switches or something? Those two machines only use it for the starter. When the key is off, the battery is electrically disconnected from everything.

 

[orezok]

This desire for a generator is prompted by an unusual weather event last year here in Texas. We had about 4 days of extreme cold (hovered around zero for much of the time), wet, snowy weather last winter. During this time, we were some of the lucky ones in that we only suffered rolling blackouts, typically 2hrs off, 3hrs on.

A few years ago I tried to run a 80K btu propane heater in my shop on a 20LB tank. It would run fine for 30 minutes of so then the flame would go to nearly nothing as the tank pressure fell off. I don't know a whole lot about propane as I typically only use it for barbecuing. Could be wrong but it seems to me that if I ran liquid propane to the generator I would be less likely to experience the effects of pressure loss in the tank during extreme cold temperatures.

Tim

If the tank was not purged properly and has some moisture in it, an 80,000 BTU draw can cause the regulator to freeze up and restrict flow.

 

[jaxs]

Do batteries in lawn tractors die so frequently? I've had a tiny lawn-tractor battery from new in my 2013 Rokon and it's still going strong. The one in my 2016 Grillo also has no problems. Both often sit months without use and early in its life the Rokon would sit 11 months between uses.

Maybe it's a problem of parasitic drain for the safety switches or something? Those two machines only use it for the starter. When the key is off, the battery is electrically disconnected from everything.

Yes,it's almost unheard of to get more than 3 years out of lawn mower batteries unless they are hooked to a maintainer from time to time and it has been proven that being on a quility maintainer dramaticly extends battery life. Short battery life come's up frequently and sitting unused is a common culprit.
I'm happy your batteries last a long time despite neglect but others are less fortunate and are always looking for ways to improve.