BajaNomad - Generator question

Generator question

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Bob and Susan - 11-13-2016 at 05:36 PM

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

monoloco - 11-13-2016 at 06:42 PM

Quote: Originally posted by pacside

Thanks Bob and Susan...lots of food for thought.

What do folks think about this one:

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/for/5869292090.html

pacside

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]

mjs - 11-13-2016 at 07:01 PM

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-...

Bob and Susan - 11-14-2016 at 05:14 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mjs

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-...

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

laventana - 11-14-2016 at 06:23 AM

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]

pacside - 11-14-2016 at 10:29 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan

Quote: Originally posted by mjs

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.

laventana - 11-14-2016 at 11:20 AM

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 ½ capacity for 920 hours.

BigWooo - 11-14-2016 at 11:49 AM

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]

mjs - 11-14-2016 at 12:01 PM

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.

laventana - 11-14-2016 at 12:40 PM

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.

Bob and Susan - 11-14-2016 at 12:44 PM

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

Bob and Susan - 11-14-2016 at 12:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by laventana

...You can also always buy a oil change system like they use for boats at any marine place like west marine.

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"

DSCF3868.JPG - 167kB

willardguy - 11-14-2016 at 05:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

Quote: Originally posted by laventana

I swear the propane here in baja sur does not have the btu output of the USA.

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

monoloco - 11-14-2016 at 10:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BigWooo

Quote: Originally posted by laventana

Exactly my experience with a propane generator.

monoloco - 11-14-2016 at 11:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by pacside

Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan

Quote: Originally posted by mjs

Diesel will be considerably cheaper than propane.

laventana - 11-15-2016 at 10:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan

Quote: Originally posted by laventana

...You can also always buy a oil change system like they use for boats at any marine place like west marine.

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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