Sure is quiet in here....do I need to start a fight?

[jerrycmorrow]

thanks for input robin. good on ya

 

[sachsmo]

Cantdog has a handle on this.

What have you seen in propane powered units?

I bought an old Sunstar mower that had a Kohler ran on propane, the valve guides were shot?

 

[Cantdog]

Propane fired with auto switching is the most user friendly.......generally propane is pretty expensive to operate......but if you already have 1000 gal tank you're probably on a heating contract already.....be the cheapest price per lb/gal. When off grid I ended up with an old Onan 5000 propane fired...it worked OK but was not cheap to operate.....I have for my house (though not installed yet) an Onan 6500KW air cooled diesel genset with a manual transfer switch. Bought it used from an estate for $2500.......just bought the same series but 4 cyl air cooled, propane fired 15KW with an auto transfer to power my shop when the grid fails.. Bought this from another estate 1105 hrs ...complete with a nice exhaust system......not a scratch on the gen...always been in a heated basement....bi yearly service call from dealer...$200.......yeah.....I suck sometimes....LOL!!! Now if I could just find a 111S in mint condition cheep!!!


LOLOL!!! Well there....... speaking about generators.....grid just went down again.......on Kazawaki power now!!!!!

 

[sachsmo]

WE have at least 10 outages a year (tail end of the line) usually we are back online in a couple hours.

except for two years ago, we were out for 5-6 days after that 'duratio' 80-90 MPH straight line winds.

Brother in law brought us his cheap Craftsman (and two 5 gallon cans O' fuel)

It kept the freezer and fridge going as well as the TV.

Last time I filled Propane was $1.19, (own my tank)

I hear tell you get into a buying co op with some Farmers you can get it even cheaper!

 

[roncoinc]

Cantdog has a handle on this.

What have you seen in propane powered units?

I bought an old Sunstar mower that had a Kohler ran on propane, the valve guides were shot?

Generally accepted that propane engine run cleaner and last longer.

Propane powered generators need to be sized to use or very unreasonable fuel consumption..

over sized waste a lot of fuel..running a 15hp 10K and only using 3K of it will go thru the propane.

upside is,,you got power when you need it but pay for it,,,,NO gasoline going bad and gumming up the carb,,you can store containers of it almost forever,,,no waiting in line at a gas station to get more or fresh fuel,,,,etc...

the downsides appear in mostly colder weather,,,the smaller tanks lose available capacity to provide fuel..

 

[roncoinc]

Hey Robin !!! be a good day to work on a metal roof !!

 

[Cantdog]

Hey Robin !!! be a good day to work on a metal roof !!

LOL Not today!!!!

 

[sachsmo]

The wife has a bunch of 'conditions' she can't take the heat.

When that wind storm came through a couple years back it was like 95 degrees every day.

She thought she was going to melt ha, ha.

**** I just went out and floated around the pond, or charged up the old golf cart and made my own breeze.

She did however have a box fan.

 

[farrell]

Mornin fellers!

 

[tbone75]

Morning ya Ol Pharts ! LOL

 

[Cantdog]

As Ron said......propane doesn't have the carbon in it like gas or diesel.....oil stays clean a lot longer......most motors last a lot longer than on gasoline.

Propane starts without the choking or glow plugs associated with gas or diesel. Propane has the strangest energy pricing of any fuel....use a little...pay a lot....be a hotel or restaurant..use a lot.... the price goes way down...I know when I was using that propane genset I was paying around $2.50 a gal......buddy who has a restaurant was paying $0.96/gal.......at the same time...same dealer.......

 

[sachsmo]

Yup!

everyone thinks they have the God given right to reach into your pocket eh?


Perhaps it was just that engine design, Kohler m20 boxer engine. (opposed cylinder)?

 

[roncoinc]

As Ron said......propane doesn't have the carbon in it like gas or diesel.....oil stays clean a lot longer......most motors last a lot longer than on gasoline.

Propane starts without the choking or glow plugs associated with gas or diesel. Propane has the strangest energy pricing of any fuel....use a little...pay a lot....be a hotel or restaurant..use a lot.... the price goes way down...I know when I was using that propane genset I was paying around $2.50 a gal......buddy who has a restaurant was paying $0.96/gal.......at the same time...same dealer.......

Had a fight with my propane dealer..

Example...
used 100 gall,got charged $2 gal..
complained.
asked them if i turned valve open,wasted 25 gal i could get it cheaper ??
they said then i would pay $175 for 125 gal..
or $200 for 100 gal !!

 

[tbone75]

I would have to look to see what my last fill up was ? Bet its went up with my new stove !

 

[Twisted Priorities]

With a propane or diesel genset you are paying for your fuel upfront and a certified storage unit. With natural gas you only pay for what you use.

 

[pioneerguy600]

We have 2 of these sitting in California not doing a thing since Burning Man, may cost a few bucks to tow one home...

 

[sachsmo]

They say all that 'fracking' has given the supply a glut?

Yupper, propane dealers hate it when you don't fill up in 3 or 4 years!

 

[tbone75]

A few bucks ? Better to load it on a flat bed heading this way ! LOL

 

[sachsmo]

With a propane or diesel genset you are paying for your fuel upfront and a certified storage unit. With natural gas you only pay for what you use.

Only if you have a gas pipeline going to your place!

 

[sachsmo]

I would have to look to see what my last fill up was ? Bet its went up with my new stove !

Guy at work went 5 years without a fill-up, they started billing him for the tank, he told 'em to pound sand and bought his own.