If you have a generator that uses propane, a question!

I put a tri-fuel kit on our 8.5kw, and put in a 250 gal propane tank, in series with our regular 500 gal tank. It runs the entire house, 2 freezers, 2 fridges, lights, and well pump. No reason it wouldn't run the furnace blower motor too.

Freezers will hold their cold 6-9 hours if not opened, while fridges only hold 4-6 hours. A little planning allows us to just run the gen set for about 1/2 hour 4 - 5 times a day during extended outages.

We just bought a 4k set for backup, which is enough to run the well pump, and the fridges, or a variation of appliances by throwing breakers.

You can change immediately from propane to gasoline, and back again if needed.

As has been said, fuel usage will be dependent on motor size, and load.

__________________
http://www.ozarktubs.com
"The Big Load Washtub"

Thanks Tom; very informative.

__________________
Patriot Guard Riders http://www.patriotguard.org/

”Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in almost every country in Europe.”
~Noah Webster

You guys are such a help with this! I'm clueless but fortunately, hubby understands the electrical side of it. Just need to figure out experience for what would be best for us. I'm so grateful that we just haven't had to use a generator much in the last 20 something years! Even with Sandy, we were only out for 2 days! With no generator for the freezer, my Italian ices hadn't even thawed! LOL

I've been on free natural gas for 20 years. IF it goes out, I walk my line first, as usually I've got a break in the line. If not, I go to the well... usually if it's 'off' for me, it's off for them too, and there's someone already there trying to fix it, asap. Usually can go several years with zero interruptions (on the company's fault), and it's back up by the next day. If it's something like a shut in on the pipeline, we have workarounds so I can still get gas.

What I like about ng is 'it' is EMP and TEOTWAWKI proof... most wells around here are under pressure and flow freely, without any assistance from compressors or other mechanical/electrical devices. Compressors are to feed into pipelines to maintain the same pressures as the rest of the gas flowing thru them.

__________________
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

I just found this while looking to see if I can pay our village property taxes with a credit card ($4700 - we also have double that for town taxes!!).

http://www.northportny.gov/docs/gas_...ors_permit.pdf

I think we'll go diesel.

I run a lot more than that on my 5500 watt gen...fridge, freezer, lights, fans and a burner on the stove...maybe even two.

__________________

I was gonna mention propane on an engine designed for multi fuel is not as efficient. A dedicated fuel unit would outperform any tri fuel unit.

__________________

Read my post above. No way are we going with propane or natural gas due to village regulations.

The same would apply if running any tri fuel engine...their performance is designed for all three fuels, each with a different btu output, hence lower output or more fuel consumption depending on fuel...NG being the lowest of the three if I recall.

__________________

I have a buddy that runs a lodge on 7500W backup genny. Full up he is running 16KW, but that is washer dryers, water pump, beer coolers, 20 rooms, music, lights, boiler pumps and fans...... He had a 30KW before that wouldn't run it. He had a bad leg in the ground. For years. I wonder how much that cost him at -50.

5500...and 7500 watts is a lot of power...and newer appliances are generally pretty efficient...even my washer is energy star.

__________________

Annsni, . . If you have all those kind of restrictions for a natural gas gen, you best nose around and see their restrictions for a diesel gen. The storage of more than a five gallon can of gasoline / diesel fuel .......??

Long term storage of diesel gets you into alge and goop problems........there ain't no free lunch there.

I am so glad to live where there is not those kind of silly arse zoning restrictions..

Fortunately, there are no restrictions on a diesel genny - and we can store the diesel without public knowledge. I wouldn't store a ton anyway and from April through October, we can cycle it through our sailboat (50 HP diesel engine, 38 gallon tank) to keep it fresh.

too many variables .. love mine

__________________
Brenda Groth
http://restfultrailsfoodforestgarden.blogspot.com/