Emergency Generators - You can count on gasoline . . . to
let you down!
Gasoline is not a fuel that professionals ever choose to use
on emergency generators. Hospitals and other large facilities
"never" install gasoline powered emergency generators. They always use
natural gas or diesel. Gasoline has a very limited shelf life and will
actually cause engine failure. Worst of all when power outages occur due
to ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and all other disasters, the
first commodity to be hoarded is gasoline. Sadly, long lines (even
fistfights) and rationing at gas pumps are a common occurrence during many
disasters. The hurricanes that hit
Florida
last year were sad proof of
that. However, working along with FEMA, we were called upon to be of
assistance in helping in areas where gasoline was not even available to run
emergency generators. Propane, and especially natural gas, were more plentiful and
just the ticket to keep the lights on and the crews working.
Unfortunately, as some have learned the hard way, if not
used often enough, gasoline will gum up the carburetor and will render an
engine on the emergency generator useless. Do not get caught with a
gummed up carburetor that will not allow your engine to run, on your gasoline
emergency generator that you cannot even get fuel for, when you need it the most.
If you have invested in an emergency
generator, make sure that it runs when you need it the most. Modify your
emergency
generator to run on propane or natural gas or even keep the gasoline option if
you like and have the option to run all three fuels on the same engine!
(Another option : How to Make a Solar Power Generator for less than $300
www.rain.org/~philfear/how2solar.html I will be trying this, and then will post results and photos here)
About my Tri-Fuel Emergency Generator
I bought a Coleman® Powermate
Emergency Generator - 6875
Watts Peak Cost $ 550 (at Costco)
5500 Running Watts, 120 and 240 Volt Outputs
Model #510251
Features
- 5500 Rated watts
- 6875 Surge watts
- 11 HP OHV Tecumseh engine
- Cast iron cylinder sleeve
- 3600 RPM
- Single phase
- 5
Gallon tank capacity
- 7 Hours continuous run time at
half rated load on one tank
- Quad 120 volt AC receptacles
- Single 240 volt AC receptacle
- 45.8 Amps AC at 120 volts
- Automatically shuts off when
oil is low
- Air cooled
- CSA Approved
- Recoil starting system
Then I bought a Low Pressure
Tri-Fuel Type C Kit priced for most engine brands up to12hp Cost $187
From: http://www.propane-generators.com/
Propane and natural gas can save you
time, money and aggravation.
Our do-it-yourself change over kits allow you to run your gasoline emergency
generator on
propane (LP Gas), natural gas, or all three. Propane and natural gas are
truly a backup fuel for a backup emergency
generator. Your engine will last longer,
start better in cold weather and even start next year when you go to use it in
an emergency. The best part is, with one of our do-it-yourself kits you
can change your engine from gasoline to propane or natural gas all by yourself.
Why use propane to power your
emergency generator?
If you have propane available you
know you can store propane for years because it does not gum up, go bad, or
pollute the air like gasoline does. You can use the 100# (24
gallon) cylinders, little bar-b-q grill type 20# cylinders, which is
equivalent to 5 gallons of gasoline, or big tanks like 250,
500 and 1000 gallon ASME tanks.
Why use natural gas to power your
emergency generator?
If you have Natural gas available
you would certainly agree that it is probably the most dependable fuel on earth
and virtually an unlimited supply. Natural gas is always there. It
does not gum up or go stale like gasoline.
Here are many more of the benefits:
·
Propane
and natural gas powered engines provide the same power as gasoline.
·
Longer,
uninterrupted run times!
·
Connect
to big tanks or to your natural gas pipe line.
·
Your
emergency generator will last longer because of larger fuel supply and less running out
under load.
·
Clean
burning Alternate fuel will help extend the life of your engine life
·
Eliminate the "Dirty
Port" that gasoline carburetors have that shortens the life of
an engine
Tri-Fuel
Kits use an adapter that makes it possible to operate an engine on three
different fuels; Propane, Natural Gas, and Gasoline. Adapters will
mix the Propane or Natural Gas into the air stream above the gasoline
carburetor. The gasoline carburetor remains basically
untouched.
This is basically how they operate:
The Adapter has
a hose running to it from the demand type regulator supplied in the kit. The
center of the adapter has a venturi. A venturi has an opening in the middle and its shape resembles
a doughnut. All around the trailing edge of the center opening are many small
holes or slits. As air passes through the center opening and over the many
small holes, fuel from the regulator is delivered to the air stream. How much
fuel depends on how much air is passing over the holes which depends on how far
the throttle is open.
People
often ask about power loss with the adapter style kits. We have never had a
complaint about power loss with any of our kits. The use of a quality
digital tachometer
should show this to be true.
A
small readjustment of the main load screw will be required whenever the fuel is
switched between Propane and Natural Gas. To use gasoline just turn one
off an the other on. The engine runs on
alternate fuel while the gasoline carburetor is "out of gas".
So
basically, adapter kits are not a conversion, they are an adaptation.
The
regulator used in the Tri-Fuel Kit can accept gas pressures up to 14" water
column. Natural Gas is usually 6" to 8" and Propane is usually
11" to 14" on the low pressure side. (28" of Water Column is
equal to 1PSI of pressure)
Emergency Generator
$550.00
Tri
fuel kit $187.00
Fittings $ 80.00
My cost $817.00 to own a Tri fuel
Emergency Generator
Less than half the cost to buy the
cheapest tri fuel emergency generator I could find.
(3
examples of what I found below)
Winco 5500 Watt TriFuel
Emergency Generator w/ Electric Start Honda $1,699.99
TRI- FUEL PORTABLE 6000W 11 HP HONDA MOTOR $ 1,725
Winco 5500 Watt TriFuel
Power System w/ Electric Start Honda $2,250.00
I have just added a Reliance Controls Transfer Switch Kit - 6 Circuit
Features & Benefits
Connects a generator to your home during a power outage
30 amps
Everything you need to safely power up to six of your home's electrical circuits with a portable generator
Grounded
Includes: Manual indoor transfer switch, 20' power cord, extra plug and instructional DVD
Keeps generator power separate from utility power
Made in USA/UL listed
Standard
Gray in color
