Agreed. Much more to this than screwing in a new T and some pipe.
Gawd why did you have to mentioned muscle car. I was used car shopping when a salesman had me test drive a Fairlane 427 side oiler. Being a small block chevy fan I was looking at 65 and 66 Impalas which got good milage,long service and just enough uump to make you smile when you occasionally pressed hard on the go pedal. I was married, expecting a child and we were not comfortable having an infant in our 61 Implala convertable. I had no clue and oboviously the salesman knew even less about the Fairlane because if he had offered it any cheaper he would have been making payments for me. I couldn't help but bark the tires in all 4 gears and eventhough my wife had driven 3 on tree since before she had license,she would smoke-um in 1-2 & 3 . And of course there was the fuel milage like you mentioned. I soon traded it off for a 65 Chevy and was happy.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,until years later when I learned what the Fairlane actually was. Only twenty something were manufactured so only people like Jay Leo can afford to sit in one today,much less buy it. Even had i known,there was no way I could have afforded to keep it and buy something suitable for us to drive. Of course people tell me they would have kept and drove it but few people have drove a car of that caliber and how poor they behave on the street. In the short period we had it,my wife and I both were pulled over for showing out eventhough we were carful as possible. Ok,I have to stop crying and get back to the subject at hand.
He said he has propane, that should be a5 10 psi
Those small dual fuel can run off of a bbq tank, but not a bbq regulator. The gen kits generally have the proper sized regulator as part of the kit.
A 45,000 btu generator ? That would be tiny. If you get the spec sheet from the generator in gallons or btu I can size it. Also need how many feet from 2nd stage regulator. But my .02 I would hire someone that is insured. California does require a G36 license for any related work valued at over $500. with length of pipe needed and btu we can size anything.
At this point I may DIY, or may hire it out. I *do* want to identify everything needed end-to-end. Then I can choose whether to proceed or hire out.
It's wonderful pressing the gas while going straight. It's when you want to turn or stop that difficulties begin to arise! (at least my car has the optional front disc brakes...)
If you have propane, and only a single water heater hooked to it, you may not even need a new regulator. Your propane company can determine how many btu that regulator can handle. If i am not mistaking, you have propane, so i really doubt youll need to trench back to tank.I appreciate all the helpful replies.
The generator is 142 cu ft per hour, 3.9 gph, 10-12 in water column. So would that be 355,000 btu? Let's call is 70 feet from main tank to generator supply, to add some footage for turning pipe down then back up. The regulator (2nd stage) is right at the location where it comes up out of the ground, about 5 feet from where the generator will sit.
Some suggested a new, dedicated regulator for the genset. This would be where the 3/4" comes up out of the ground into a T. If that is done, the existing regulator is in place for the pipe in the other direction-- going to a water heater 15 feet away. I don't have the btu's handy, but its a typical 40 gal gas water heater.
I don't know how you set line pressure. Does the propane company do that? Obviously, if increasing the line pressure makes running the genset possible, that is hugely more attractive than trenching!!
Yes we have propane
3.9 GPH is 360,812 BTU / HR. At 80' and low pressure ( 11'-13" WC) you would need at least 1" black pipe. At high pressure ( 10 PSI to a new second stage regulator ) at 60' 1/2 back would handle it. The second stage regulator needs to be at least 5' away from any source of ignition. At 5' from the second stage to the generator 3/4" black is plenty. Me I would run whatever size pipe the inlet is to the generator. The SS flex should have no more than a 3/8 offset Any installation like this needs to be pressure tested to 1.5 the max working pressure but no less than 3PSI for at least 10 minutes. It sounds like your regulator is in a good spot to plumb the generator. I would suggest upsizing the pipe after the second stage so you create a reservoir of gas feeding the generator. I instead of a sediment trap I use strainers on generators to filter any imperfections before it gets to the generator. The line pressure is set at the first stage and shouldn't be touched without permission of the LP company. Same with the second stage If CA allows homeowners to do this work I would suggest you let the LP company know so they can a. Do a gas check, b. then they can add a new appliance to the gas check. If its that close I would suggest you hire somebody. JMOI appreciate all the helpful replies.
The generator is 142 cu ft per hour, 3.9 gph, 10-12 in water column. So would that be 355,000 btu? Let's call is 70 feet from main tank to generator supply, to add some footage for turning pipe down then back up. The regulator (2nd stage) is right at the location where it comes up out of the ground, about 5 feet from where the generator will sit.
Some suggested a new, dedicated regulator for the genset. This would be where the 3/4" comes up out of the ground into a T. If that is done, the existing regulator is in place for the pipe in the other direction-- going to a water heater 15 feet away. I don't have the btu's handy, but its a typical 40 gal gas water heater.
I don't know how you set line pressure. Does the propane company do that? Obviously, if increasing the line pressure makes running the genset possible, that is hugely more attractive than trenching!!
That is good information. I can adjust the pad location slightly to ensure I have 5' of clearance between the second stage and the generator.
vehicle conversions I have never done but everything else with LP and natural gas I have been doing since since 1980. But knees hips and back are shot from kneeling on concrete and wrestling boilers and tanks etc. so I teach at night and sell during the day. Its been a great industry and a decent living.
Plumbers should be forbiden to work on anything past the gas stop valve or electric disconnect. They aren't trained so I don't understand why they are alowed to mess with it. My solution for those old booming appliances was extend the standing pilot accross all burners or larger than usual singles. I once did a furnace for a church that had paid multiple plumbers an absured amount of money trying to stop a furnace booming.
