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Bob and Susan
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Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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looks old...no hours posted
ugly green...that tells you something
remember you aren't going to plug in stuff...
those 110v plugs are ONLY 20amps...
you may want a 30 amp breaker
you'll need to wire a breaker box directly to the generator
gas tank is on the bottom...hard to change the oil or replace
always look for a unit with a big tank that it has a water separator fuel filter...remember aluminum is best...steel rusts
a sound box isn't really necessary if you put it in an enclosure
the box makes it hard to service
no fenders...illegal to drive around
look on ebay...buy a new one and buy a new utility trailer
i'll bet under 8500
15kw would be better for you...less fuel
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monoloco
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I suspect that 20 kw is at least twice as big as you need, because you already have a solar system,
it's likely that a 6-8 kw would be optimum for what you have described.
[Edited on 11-14-2016 by monoloco]
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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mjs
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Location: Off grid in San Felipe
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Here is a continuous duty propane unit. https://www.centralmainediesel.com/order/General-Motors-14-k...
Be sure you look at the maintenance schedule. Running 24 hrs a day that is a full service every 20 days.
A diesel for comparison. https://www.centralmainediesel.com/order/Kubota-15kw-Diesel-...
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Bob and Susan
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I like both of those too...
except the air filters are too small
i'd buy a new trailer for $1500 ...bolt it to the wood floor
put the 100 gallon tank in the front not underneath
cut a hole in the bottom of the trailer to empty the oil during oil changes
these both would work for your application...and are new
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laventana
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if you buy propane always add a propane filter. they can be found on ebay. The propane down here in baja has a lot of crud in it. I have cleaned
out several regulators and had regulators die on me without a lot of use on a high end BBQ.
Another issue with propane is I have had several friends get ripped off when their backs are turned on the home delivery system.. But as we know we
do not get full liters of fuel either at many stations.
You can also always buy a oil change system like they use for boats at any marine place like west marine.
[Edited on 11-14-2016 by laventana]
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pacside
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Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan  |
I like both of those too...
except the air filters are too small
i'd buy a new trailer for $1500 ...bolt it to the wood floor
put the 100 gallon tank in the front not underneath
cut a hole in the bottom of the trailer to empty the oil during oil changes
these both would work for your application...and are new
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Thanks mjs and Bob and Susan. I'll forward these to my caretaker to see what he thinks.
Question, what is cheaper fuel in Baja Sur propane or diesel?
Also appreciate the info on propane crud laventana.
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laventana
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diesel is more cost effective than gasoline by a decent margin, I had a propane 2k cheapo that seemed in line with buying gas. If you were only from
generator the diesel will pay for itself fast, but you have solar so if that works by itself and you are only using once a week or a few hours a day
then you do not get a pay back for a long time.
The life of the engine should be half of a diesel.
The size of those I agree with monoloco is way to big because you have solar. same site has some smaller propane but air cooled. Air cooled again
is lower engine life, but they are half the cost and one that claims slow speed engine, in your situation that is probably what I would go with in the
instance that they deliver propane to make life easy. again guessing the solar can be the main source.
If you give the amp requirements of your ACs specially sense you have inverter ACs in two spot as well as any water pumps or major energy suckers.
With this we can tell you if the 5kW one would do in the worst case scenario.
here is the slow turning 5kW from that site.
https://www.centralmainediesel.com/order/Slow-Turning-Propan...
http://preparednessadvice.com/fuels/propane-powered-generato...
Propane produces 92,000 BTU’s per gallon, gasoline is capable of producing 114,000 BTU’s per gallon, and diesel is capable of producing 129,500 BTU’s
per gallon. This means that it will take more propane per hour that either gasoline or diesel to run a generator.
How much propane will my generator burn per hour?
It requires 2 horsepower to produce 1000 watts of energy per hour under load
Under load each horsepower consumes 10000 BTU per hour
Propane contains 92,000 BTU per gallon
Propane weights 4.2 pounds per gallon
Using these factors how long can a 5000-watt generator run on a 500 gallon propane tank at 50 capacity.
10 horse power at 50% would use 5 HP to generate 2500 watts of electricity
5HP X 10,000 BTU would consume 50,000 BTU per hour
500 gallons X 92,000 = 46,000,000 BTU of energy in a full 500 gallon tank
46,000,000 BTU divided by 50,000 BTU = 920
A 500-gallon tank that is full would run a 500-watt generator at ˝ capacity for 920 hours.
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BigWooo
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| Quote: Originally posted by laventana | if you buy propane always add a propane filter. they can be found on ebay. The propane down here in baja has a lot of crud in it. I have cleaned
out several regulators and had regulators die on me without a lot of use on a high end BBQ.
[Edited on 11-14-2016 by laventana] |
I had no idea there were propane filters. I'm shopping as we speak! With my propane generator I'm on my second (expensive) regulator and I'm
constantly having carburetor issues. I really, really, hate having a propane generator. As soon as it's feasible, I'm dumping this POS for a
gasoline or diesel unit.
With my solar, I rarely need it, but to keep the carb from getting gummed up, I have to run it at least 2 or 3 times a week for 10+ minutes. What a
waste of fuel. If I forget to run it for a while it's very difficult to get it started.
[Edited on 11-14-2016 by BigWooo]
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mjs
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Location: Off grid in San Felipe
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Remember, that 500 gal propane tank can only store 400 gallons of propane. And you never want to run it completely empty so maybe 350 gallons of
actual use. So more like 650 hours using the above example.
You can get reasonably long life out of a propane engine as propane (and natural gas) do not generate the combustion byproducts that contaminate the
oil like a gasoline fueled engine especially if it has a carburetor. Maybe not as long as a diesel but certainly more hours than a gasoline fueled
engine.
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laventana
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Here is another issue, not proven. I swear my stoves, BBQs, and small generator just do not perform as well down here maybe even when they were
brand new. Example I have a brand new pizza oven that is propane and I can not hit the upper temperatures.
I swear the propane here in baja sur does not have the btu output of the USA. If someone has a full tank of USA propane and can do a simple
experiment for us. If you have a second tank, have 1 pint of the same water in two containers sitting next to one another overnight to be the
same temp.
With the USA propane turn it on high and boil the water in a pot and measure how long to boil and how long to gone. Then change tanks and bleed
your system a bit take a hot shower and do the same boil test with the baja sur propane.
this would give us a rough idea if we are also dealing with another problem.
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Bob and Susan
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Posts: 8807
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actually propane has oil in it...when you refill and refill the oil stays in the bottom
that's why when you have a little BBQ propane tank you need to turn it upside down and let the stuff run out...unless you have a "usa new safety
valve"...then you need an adapter to let the oil run out
imagine all the oil in a BIG tank after gallons and gallons of use
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Bob and Susan
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I have to use one of those "boat suckers" because I have a fuel tank UNDER the generator...
what a dirty mess it is to use this thing
i'd make room on the bottom so you can drain the oil tank during the oil changes...you never get it all with a "boat sucker"
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willardguy
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| Quote: Originally posted by lencho |
I've always assumed it's not propane (no need for cold weather vaporization), and I've read that propane and butane need different regulators. Have
you tried using a local regulator? |
I do know mexico allows more butane in their propane than u.s.,I always assumed mex propane burned hotter? the water boiling test sounds like the
answer
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monoloco
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Posts: 6667
Registered: 7-13-2009
Location: Pescadero BCS
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| Quote: Originally posted by BigWooo | | Quote: Originally posted by laventana | if you buy propane always add a propane filter. they can be found on ebay. The propane down here in baja has a lot of crud in it. I have cleaned
out several regulators and had regulators die on me without a lot of use on a high end BBQ.
[Edited on 11-14-2016 by laventana] |
I had no idea there were propane filters. I'm shopping as we speak! With my propane generator I'm on my second (expensive) regulator and I'm
constantly having carburetor issues. I really, really, hate having a propane generator. As soon as it's feasible, I'm dumping this POS for a
gasoline or diesel unit.
With my solar, I rarely need it, but to keep the carb from getting gummed up, I have to run it at least 2 or 3 times a week for 10+ minutes. What a
waste of fuel. If I forget to run it for a while it's very difficult to get it started.
[Edited on 11-14-2016 by BigWooo] |
Exactly my experience with a propane generator.
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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monoloco
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Registered: 7-13-2009
Location: Pescadero BCS
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| Quote: Originally posted by pacside | | Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan |
I like both of those too...
except the air filters are too small
i'd buy a new trailer for $1500 ...bolt it to the wood floor
put the 100 gallon tank in the front not underneath
cut a hole in the bottom of the trailer to empty the oil during oil changes
these both would work for your application...and are new
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Thanks mjs and Bob and Susan. I'll forward these to my caretaker to see what he thinks.
Question, what is cheaper fuel in Baja Sur propane or diesel?
Also appreciate the info on propane crud laventana. |
Diesel will be considerably cheaper than propane.
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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laventana
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Registered: 8-24-2006
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| Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan |
I have to use one of those "boat suckers" because I have a fuel tank UNDER the generator...
what a dirty mess it is to use this thing
i'd make room on the bottom so you can drain the oil tank during the oil changes...you never get it all with a "boat sucker" |
you seem open to trying many things and have tried many things, have you tried a eZ drain type or similar arrangement with an electric pump that is
always attached via copper?
I like the metal can with the long handle pump west marine now has. That type of pump seems like it is logistically a much nicer potential
without going to the expensive electric.
My generators are easy to drain you tilt them (either side) it all comes out, they do not have bottom drains. Ya you have to be a bit strong or hire
someone for 10 minutes on the 3kW gen.
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