In need of generator advise.

[Rat Rod Mac]

Am thinking about getting a generator for our home so when the power goes off I'm ready. Was thinking about buying a generator that uses natural gas, but when I talked to a dealer he said you do not want to go that route. I said why not and he says the engine does not hold up, says there is a lack of lubricant with natural gas and you will score the cylinder after a short time. He recommended a gasoline generator. Any of you guys had any experience with anything like this. Thanks in advance. RRM

 

[MossRoad]

Am thinking about getting a generator for our home so when the power goes off I'm ready. Was thinking about buying a generator that uses natural gas, but when I talked to a dealer he said you do not want to go that route. I said why not and he says the engine does not hold up, says there is a lack of lubricant with natural gas and you will score the cylinder after a short time. He recommended a gasoline generator. Any of you guys had any experience with anything like this. Thanks in advance. RRM

I think your dealer wants to sell you a gasoline powered generator, that's what I think. I would shy away from gas powered generators for anything larger than a portable generator(which is what I have) and consider natural gas or diesel fuel for a larger home standby unit. Storing enough gasoline to keep your home running for several days on a larger generator is a pain. Storing diesel fuel is pretty safe and it keeps a long time. Natural gas service is rarely interrupted, but that can be a concern.

If you have a diesel tractor, I would go with a diesel generator. Just my opinion.

 

[20 20]

Diesel would be better then both IMO, allthough mine is gas{Didn't have the $}. A neighbor has a propane generator that comes on automatically, nice unit.

 

[kennyd]

Do you want a portable unit you have to plug in after the power goes out, or do you want a stand-alone automatic unit?

I have a Generac 15kw that automatically powers about 1/2 my hose, and it runs on propane.

 

[HCJtractor]

I have a 8500 KW gasoline generator that I use to power my house during loss of power. I use it sporadically. Over the last 8 years, I have used it 3 times, the longest for 8 days, mainly running it during the day and shutting it down at night. It was a pain to keep it filled with gas, and it is relatively loud, but it worked great for running the basics. I would rather have a natural gas built-in unit but it would cost at least triple, so that's hard to justify for such limited use. Installation of these built in units require relatively expensive transfer switches, whereas a simple gas unit can be spliced into the panel with little cost. Maybe won't be up to code, but in an emergency, it works, and is safe if common sense is used. I guess it justs depends on how often you forsee the need of one and what your budget is. I would prefer a natural gas unit if you already have gas, unless you have a good storage tank for fuel oil.

 

[George2615]

I guess you want a generator that comes on automatically when the power fails. Three friends of mine have automatic units. One is propane one runs natural gas and the third is a diesel. The diesel is the most expensive of the three. Each has had their generator for about 10 years with no problems. All have them set to cycle on once a month and do regular maintenance such as oil changes and filters. I don't know what your dealer is trying to tell you about natural gas scoring the cylinders. The natural gas is the fuel. The engine has its own oil for lubricant whether its propane, natural gas, gasoline, or diesel.
I also have a generator but mine is a Miller Bobcat 10KW NT250 gas powered welder / generator. I have to manually plug mine into the house when power goes out.

 

[Egon]

Ah boy, the tales some folks can come up with.

Both natural gas and propane are two of the cleanest burning fuels available. The crankcase oil of these engines has a tendency to stay clean. Some folks leave it in too long as it looks so good. Problem is all the lighter ends and additives of the original oil are gone.

I have worked around some natural gas engines that ran 24/7 year round. Last I heard of them they had at least 55 years on them.

One drawback with natural gas is the supply may run out during a power outage as the compressor stations may not be running or there may not be proper power for all the safety functions and equipment.

Propane has a stand by volume in the tank.

 

[Highbeam]

That dealer gave you bad advice. He either is ignorant and not a dealer you want to use, or worse, was trying to trick you into buying what he had available.

The fuel doesn't lube the engine. The engine oil lubes the engine and the engine oil in a NG or LPG will stay much cleaner and work much longer than the oil used in a liquid fuel engine.

 

[DanD78]

I have had a propane 8K that is probably 25 years old and have not had any problems. I would avoid gasoline engines unless you are going to run it very often and keep fresh gas around. Mine hooks to the 1000 gal tank behind the house. It is all manual start and transfer. You might also consider getting one that runs 1800 rpm. The engine will be larger but it will last longer and not make as much noise.

Dan

 

[eepete]

I have a propane fully automatic backup, the fire department has natural gas. The only thing I've noticed is that the exhaust gas seems to be hotter with those than gasoline. It is not a problem, both run great. I have a 1000 gal tank for my propane.

Where are you (fill in location in the "My Home" section). What power range are you thinking of? Appliance mix- all electric, all gas, mix? What fuel source do you have on site? Do you want automatic start and transfer, manual start and manual transfer, pull cord, turn off breakers and plug stuff in?

Search on generator threads and as you read about others who go trough this process it will help you focus on your own goals.

Pete