Prepping generator for Isaac

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: AandPDan
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
Originally Posted By: Donald
You guys are missing the boat. Propane is the way to go.


You gotts to be kidding me.

Propane requires huge tanks to run a generator for a long time.


And gasoline doesn't? I burn almost the exact same in propane per hour as I do running on gasoline. It just runs a LOT smoother on propane.



And the oil stay`s 10 times cleaner too!

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: AandPDan
And gasoline doesn't? I burn almost the exact same in propane per hour as I do running on gasoline. It just runs a LOT smoother on propane.


My only issue with propane is unless you already have a large tank, transporting multiple 100lb tanks for a long run is a PITA. As well as finding a place to get them filled in a SHTF situation.

With gas, I've got 22.5 gallons readily available - 2x 5 gallon, 1x2.5 gallon red cans, and 5 or 6 in the generator. Then if things are really bad I've got 35 in the 2 cars.

 

[AandPDan]

Did you ever try to buy gas in a "SHTF" situation? Without power, they aren't pumping either. The few stations that are open are dealing with everyone trying to refill their cars (and generators).

You can always buy the prefilled tanks - even if the power is out.

Since propane keeps indefinitely you may as well get the bigger tanks, unlike gas.

 

[hatt]

People probably spend more on Stabil and other odds and ends than it would take to lease a good sized propane tank and not have much to worry about.

 

[JimPghPA]

My uncle in Rochester NY looked at propane for a automatic generator. The local suppliers would only lease him one 100 gallon tank, and the math shows that one 100 gallon tank would not give the run time for a long outage.

He has natural gas so he went with that.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
My uncle in Rochester NY looked at propane for a automatic generator. The local suppliers would only lease him one 100 gallon tank, and the math shows that one 100 gallon tank would not give the run time for a long outage.

He has natural gas so he went with that.


That would be an obvious choice. But I have only electric and phone, no cable/natural gas/water/sewer.

I go with two 100 lb tanks. Any place that fills them will help be get them back into my truck. Getting them out filled is no big deal.

No one with a serious automatic generator setup uses gasoline, they use diesel or natural gas or propane.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: AandPDan
Did you ever try to buy gas in a "SHTF" situation? Without power, they aren't pumping either. The few stations that are open are dealing with everyone trying to refill their cars (and generators).

You can always buy the prefilled tanks - even if the power is out.

Since propane keeps indefinitely you may as well get the bigger tanks, unlike gas.


Been a while but I figure I'm good. I'm located just outside a major East Coast freight hub (Carlisle, PA) so I'd bet most of the truck stops have generator power. If that fails I have a few major Metropolitan areas close by (within an hour drive). So worse case I make a 2 hour trip a day to get gas.

With the exchange tanks, you need what, 2 or 3 a day? And then you are competing with people using them for cooking on their grills. I don't know if I'd want to rely on them.

Storing gas isn't that hard. I use Stabil and MMO. I label each gas can and every 6-9 months the leftover goes in the car. Refill and repeat. In the meantime I use it for the lawn mower, snowblower, etc. Running any generator every month just makes sense.

 

[Errtt]

I'll stick with gas and save the propane for the grill (which I haven't used in years since I use charcoal), and for the portable propane heaters (when we use out back during winter when grilling for a little comfort - we grill a lot & year around).
I always have 3 or 4 jugs of gas around, plus all the gas in 3 vehicles and also the motorcycles - I have a hose and neighbor vehicles have gas - if money don't work.

 

[fishinfool]

I thought about propane,should have bought the carb kit when i had the extra money a long time ago it's like $225 to retrofit.But i have 2 vertical 120 lb cylinders in the yard for gas stove and heat in the winter (my brother in law was a gas man and we like gas cooking) they only need filled one cylinder like once a year,so 2 tanks are overkill,but the gas company wanted a second tank in there,must have been thinking they would make more money.Anyway,if i get back to work soon,i'd like to retrofit the carb and make a quick connect line i could take out and hook up it would probly run a week on that setup with the honda gx270 9 horse i have on the generator.

 

[itguy08]

Went digging through the bookmarks and this may be useful for those considering propane:

http://www.propane-generators.com/propane_usage.htm

It's got some handy sizing guidelines.

 

[AandPDan]

Originally Posted By: itguy08

With the exchange tanks, you need what, 2 or 3 a day? And then you are competing with people using them for cooking on their grills. I don't know if I'd want to rely on them.


That's the other thing. I run the generator maybe 5 hours a day max. The house stays warm, the food stays cold, I can charge anything I need to, and watch some TV in the meantime. I don't need to keep it running 24/7.

You never know when the power is coming back on.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: fishinfool
I thought about propane,should have bought the carb kit when i had the extra money a long time ago it's like $225 to retrofit.But i have 2 vertical 120 lb cylinders in the yard for gas stove and heat in the winter (my brother in law was a gas man and we like gas cooking) they only need filled one cylinder like once a year,so 2 tanks are overkill,but the gas company wanted a second tank in there,must have been thinking they would make more money.Anyway,if i get back to work soon,i'd like to retrofit the carb and make a quick connect line i could take out and hook up it would probly run a week on that setup with the honda gx270 9 horse i have on the generator.


I almost bought a kit, but got a used Winco 5000W propane for $500 and it has an automatic transfer switch.

The Winco is a much more heavy duty generator than my gas powered Coleman w/B&S Vanguard engine.

 

[eljefino]

What's with the either/or? Have both! overstock.com has a propane chonda for $200 or so. You should have an easy time selling whichever generator you don't like immediately after a major storm.

 

[JimPghPA]

I noticed the error of using 100 gallon when it should have been 100 Lbs.

 

[JimPghPA]

BTW in a SHTF situation, even if the store has a supply of 30 Lb. tanks, most clerks will not do a transaction if there is no electric for the cash register.

 

[car54]

The solution to all these problems. It's got a two cylinder kubota engine, electric start, and starts instantly after sitting for (insert any amount of time here). Seriously, I think the longest it sat was two years and it fired right up. didn't even need a jump. It's a 1995 model, i bought it from y2k'ers who had to move for $1000 with almost no hours on it.

Powers the entire house, is decently quiet, runs on diesel fuel ( or heating oil, kerosene, ram urine, or any other substance you can locate)

perfect solution - the only problem is, we rarely lose power here. It's never been used at my house. I always have to haul it to someone elses house and power them post-storm.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
BTW in a SHTF situation, even if the store has a supply of 30 Lb. tanks, most clerks will not do a transaction if there is no electric for the cash register.


A lot of stores have generators, especially food stores as they do not want to loose refrigerated or frozen food and they sell 20 lb tanks. Most gas stations do not.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: car54

The solution to all these problems. It's got a two cylinder kubota engine, electric start, and starts instantly after sitting for (insert any amount of time here). Seriously, I think the longest it sat was two years and it fired right up. didn't even need a jump. It's a 1995 model, i bought it from y2k'ers who had to move for $1000 with almost no hours on it.

Powers the entire house, is decently quiet, runs on diesel fuel ( or heating oil, kerosene, ram urine, or any other substance you can locate)

perfect solution - the only problem is, we rarely lose power here. It's never been used at my house. I always have to haul it to someone elses house and power them post-storm.
What about if it was below freezing?

 

[turbodieselfreak]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: car54

The solution to all these problems. It's got a two cylinder kubota engine, electric start, and starts instantly after sitting for (insert any amount of time here). Seriously, I think the longest it sat was two years and it fired right up. didn't even need a jump. It's a 1995 model, i bought it from y2k'ers who had to move for $1000 with almost no hours on it.

Powers the entire house, is decently quiet, runs on diesel fuel ( or heating oil, kerosene, ram urine, or any other substance you can locate)

perfect solution - the only problem is, we rarely lose power here. It's never been used at my house. I always have to haul it to someone elses house and power them post-storm.
What about if it was below freezing?
Don't mean squat. My genny is a three cylinder kubota diesel-starts in below zero every single time with a healthy hit from the glow plugs and I add antigel to the tank. Runs the whole house including central air in the summer. During the winter my biggest load becomes the well pump (20a single pole breaker) along with a few space heaters using about 4000 watts total. The fuel can be #2, winterized #2, even B11 if I filled the cans in IL, never had an issue.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: turbodieselfreak
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: car54

The solution to all these problems. It's got a two cylinder kubota engine, electric start, and starts instantly after sitting for (insert any amount of time here). Seriously, I think the longest it sat was two years and it fired right up. didn't even need a jump. It's a 1995 model, i bought it from y2k'ers who had to move for $1000 with almost no hours on it.

Powers the entire house, is decently quiet, runs on diesel fuel ( or heating oil, kerosene, ram urine, or any other substance you can locate)

perfect solution - the only problem is, we rarely lose power here. It's never been used at my house. I always have to haul it to someone elses house and power them post-storm.
What about if it was below freezing?
Don't mean squat. My genny is a three cylinder kubota diesel-starts in below zero every single time with a healthy hit from the glow plugs and I add antigel to the tank. Runs the whole house including central air in the summer. During the winter my biggest load becomes the well pump (20a single pole breaker) along with a few space heaters using about 4000 watts total. The fuel can be #2, winterized #2, even B11 if I filled the cans in IL, never had an issue.


I have seen some larger generators that did not have glow plugs but had a block heater to keep the engine warm. But that had to run all winter long 24x7. And the generator was in a shed where it got cold. Maybe that was because it was an automatic start generator and glow plugs would be difficult with an automatic start system.