Has anyone ever converted their portable (6K) generator from Gas to Propane or Dual F

[woodlandfarms]

I just saw an ad for a generator that could be run on both gas and Propane. Not a big 3K killer, but a normal wheel around. Wondering if anyone had done thisas it is an interesting idea for those of us who don't want to commit to a $$$ fixed generator.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I have seen the kits to do so but they were not cheap. I think you loose about 20% of output which can be a concern on a small generator vs say a 15KV size.

 

[newbury]

Check out:
http://www.propane-generators.com/http://www.propane-generators.com/

Even more interesting if you have CHEAP natural gas.

/edit - they write that gas to propane you only "loose" about 10%.

 

[Kent B]

I have a honda eu2000 that was already converted to propane. Normally it starts up with the first pull. I ordered a kit for my larger generator but I have not installed it yet.
The company that sells these kits gets tons of orders especially during hurricane season. It took several weeks before my kit arrived. There are Youtube videos online that show how simple the installation process is. The only variable seems to be where you locate (mount) the diaphragm in relationship to the frame etc.
Generator Conversion Kits to Propane and Natural Gas.
It is great to have that option to utilize multiple fuel sources.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My neighbor has a 5000 Watt Devilbiss gen converted. It keeps the oil clean and starts easily but you take a 20% loss of power with propane.

He put a quick connect on his 500 gallon tank for his house so he has a nearly endless supply of fuel.

Chris

 

[Gunny]

I helped my Dad convert his years ago. In short description, it was just a plate added between the engine and the carb, with a fitting to allow the propane in. The rest was just hanging the regulator, running the hose, etc. We did have to modify his air cleaner just a bit to let it seat properly. All in all, it took a lot less than two hours to do, including reading the directions, gathering the tools and a few breaks for liquid refreshment.

Dad also installed a quick connect on his 500 gallon tank. He mostly used the generator for jobs way back on the farm, where he used gasoline in it, but wanted something to cover him from the frequent winter power losses they used to have.

From what I've seen lately, the kits run right around $200 +/-. While I'm sure he had some power loss on LP, it wasn't enough to be a concern with the light loads he put on it when the electricity went out.

I've been thinking about doing my generator, with all the LP tanks I keep filled (RV, grill, deep fryer, spares) I'd always have LP on hand, the only gasoline I keep is usually 5 gallon or less.

 

[BHD]

Yes I have put a conversion kit on a 5000 watt generator, 8 hp engine, it works very well on LP, (it was a small block that went between the carburetor and the block, and uses the butter fly in the gas carburetor to regulate speed, but by moving the gas carburetor it will run on gas but very hard to state on gasoline. If I was doing again I would most likely just get a LP only kit, I have place so I can connect it to the large tank and for travel I have the grill type tanks,

I have noticed no reduction in power, but normally very seldom run at full load,

I would do it again.

On a manual start (some times the safety features take a few mins to figure out to make it work "start" as the safety take vacuum to function and one has to depress a by pass button to get the LP to flow, and so I press mine for 10 seconds and fill the line with LP and then pull the rope and usually it starts on that and will run, but not enough and it will die, and to much does not work either, so there can be a process, if you have electric start, hit the key and the button and your running, as soon as it starts, release the starter and the by pass and it is going,
If one has two people I am sure one could pull the rope and one push the by pass safety. button,
(I have two safety units on mine as it spends much of it time in a building, which was recommended by the company, which may make it a little more difficult).
(on my larger generator that has eclectic start, it is very simple , like I said push the starter button and the by pass button and starts nearly ever time, in seconds)

Generator Propane Conversion Kits & Natural Gas Conversions

Generator Conversion Kits to Propane and Natural Gas.
seems like this was the company I ended up going with,

 

[Mickey_Fx]

I've gone in the opposite direction. I removed the propane components from the generator and did it for several reasons. First and most important reason is propane's ability to vaporize is very much tied to temperature. When you get down to freezing and below, it takes a pretty large tank to be able to vaporize enough fuel to run a motor powering a generator in the 7k and larger range. This is not quite the issue IF you pull the propane from the tank in a liquid form and vaporize it in a warmer location. Read on Yamaha's site for their generators, one would need a 400 gal tank to power a 7kw sized generator when temp was down to 20F. Don't recall if that was for a vert or horiz tank. Since about the only time we loose power for any length of time is in the winter and I don't have a large propane tank, I decided the propane wasn't for me. Another reason I pulled the propane kit off the genny was the way the propane parts fit, couldn't use the choke if trying to run on gas.

See lose of power have been mentioned a couple times here, don't confuse reduced power output with energy content as they are different. Energy content of propane is ~80% of gas but seem to remember power output is only down about 5-10%. Looking at fuel usage, for propane you'll use ~1.3-1.4 X the fuel used with gas.

Use to frequent a number of RV sites and when ever this topic came up, people that had propane generators almost universally said never again, mostly due to qty of fuel usage.

 

[giggleooza]

Interesting. Yes I'd say it's possible to convert a portable generator from gas to propane.

"It’s a well-known fact that gasoline doesn’t store well and doesn’t stay over long periods of time. If your left without power for many days or in a remote location, then getting and storing gasoline could be difficult. "-- Best Home Propane Portable Generator 2014

 

[BHD]

for emergency back I would not use gasoline, I converted both of my generators to LP, one is a water cooled and has a vaporizer that will vaporizer the liquid propane, the other is vapor, and is only a 4000 watt, air cooled, but they start beautiful when cold, the fuel does not go bad, and keeps for years, I bet I lost hundreds of gallons of gasoline when it was a gas burner, (I lost more gas through vaporization than I ever used on emergency use).

I used a 20 pound BBQ tank when I need it for use around the farm,

both will still run on gasoline if needed,