Is a Propane Generator Feasible?

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

seems hard to believe, but I just ran numbers from that website???

1350 w with a 2.7hp burns 13,500 btu/hr @ 50% .... 441,600 btu in a 20# cyl means 327 hrs of run time?

I may beat you to the guinea pig stage....

Hum...

2.7 hp is roughly 27,000 btu's for 1350 watts. At a 50% 13,500 btu burn rate the generator would have only a 675 watt load and run time on a 20# cylinder would be 32.7 hours. At the 1350 watt load the 20# cylinder lasts 16.3 hours.

A gallon of propane has 71% of the energy of diesel and 80 percent the energy of gasoline. Put another way it takes 1.4 gallons of propane to equal one gallon of diesel and 1.25 gallons of propane to equal one gallon of gasoline. Propane does burn cleaner and varnishing of carburetors is not an issue

In California, a gallon of propane costs pretty close to the same as gallon of gas, but will provide only 80% of the energy. In other words propane costs about a $1 more per gallon when energy content is factored in.

Just FYI...

The Propane outboards do have a market. And for a house with either natural gas or a large propane tank, it makes sense with generators. On a boat, not as much. Not to mention a propane leak is far more deadly on a boat then on shore.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I don't know about your math, but you'll burn more than one gallon of propane to equal one gallon of gas

Originally Posted by StuM

> 1350 w with a 2.7hp burns 13,500 btu/hr @ 50% .... 441,600 btu in a 20# cyl means 327 hrs of run time?

Make that 32.7 hours (441.6 /13.5)

HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!

This ME never fails to surprise himself with simple math errors....

***off to do stress analysis on the failed Alpha 42 rudderstock***

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Hum...

In California, a gallon of propane costs pretty close to the same as gallon of gas, but will provide only 80% of the energy. In other words propane costs about a $1 more per gallon when energy content is factored in.

Less than $2/gal in MS....

PS: I deleted the rest of your quote because you sound so smart without it being reposted....

Don't want your head to swell...

[CarinaPDX]

Yes, don't argue with sailorchic on engineering - no chance to win there.

If you go that way get one that still can use gasoline - propane is not always available. I don't know how effective butane or propane/butane mixes would be.

Greg

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

Yes, don't argue with sailorchic on engineering - no chance to win there.

If you go that way get one that still can use gasoline - propane is not always available. I don't know how effective butane or propane/butane mixes would be.

Greg

She don't scare me....

Logging off now....

Really....

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by HopCar

There are generators that can run on either propane or gasoline and that might be a good choice for a cruiser.

There's a company called U.S. Carburetion (or similar) that converts Yamaha gensets to propane/gas. Google.

-Chris

[jongleur]

Haven't got the subjective reviews of users that I
was looking for yet.

Propane is $2.99/gal and gasoline is $3.79 in this
area. Here's my math skills for others to critique:
Propane price is 79% of the gasoline price.

[sailorchic34]

An, well. Where I am propane is $3.50 a gallon at the cheap place (propane dealer) and $3.80 a gallon at a local gas station
Also $3.65- $3.70 a gallon gasoline at same station. It was $3.00 a gallon for propane 5 months ago

[sailorchic34]

Need to factor in that filling a small propane cylinder costs more then residential delivery. My prices are for the 20 # cylinder fill.

[jongleur]

Many posts warn of the danger of propane on
board.

I lived 5 years on a Kettenburg with propane
for cooking. Had a solenoid shut off at the
tank in a vented locker and had negative
ventilation of the bilge through a nicro vent.
Never thought I was in much danger.

Does anybody use a propane sniffer?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by jongleur

Many posts warn of the danger of propane on
board.

I lived 5 years on a Kettenburg with propane
for cooking. Had a solenoid shut off at the
tank in a vented locker and had negative
ventilation of the bilge through a nicro vent.
Never thought I was in much danger.

Does anybody use a propane sniffer?

I do. Too bad Richard on Panacea did not.

http://riodulcechisme.com/index.php?...=1159&Itemid=1

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by jongleur

Many posts warn of the danger of propane on
board.

I lived 5 years on a Kettenburg with propane
for cooking. Had a solenoid shut off at the
tank in a vented locker and had negative
ventilation of the bilge through a nicro vent.
Never thought I was in much danger.

Does anybody use a propane sniffer?

I use a propane sniffer on my trident propane control. Its somewhat annoying as it's a hydrocarbon detector and even an equalizing battery will set it off..

Most of the time the propane system is off with just a stove. I'm wondering if someone with a propane generator would use a sniffer or not. Boats do blow up now and then from propane leaks.

[HopCar]

If the choice is between propane or gasoline, I think propane is slightly safer, to have on a boat. than gasoline. Both can be dangerous and require similar precautions and storage. My logic goes, propane containers are stronger than typical gas cans, propane doesn't need to be poured from one container to another, and spilled propane will dissipate to a safe level faster than gasoline.

[pbiJim]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

A gallon of propane has 71% of the energy of diesel and 80 percent the energy of gasoline. Put another way it takes 1.4 gallons of propane to equal one gallon of diesel and 1.25 gallons of propane to equal one gallon of gasoline.

Since you are comparing gallons to gallons, I'll assume that your percentage figures are calculated based on volume, rather than weight, which seems like a perfectly logical choice of units to work with here.

Unfortunately, I find conflicting numbers from this source - http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/fue...ison_chart.pdf. The chart on page 1 seems to claim that a gallon of propane has 73% of the energy of a gallon of gas, as compared to the 80% figure that you stated.

Either somebody has done some bad math, or else basic data sets exist that contain conflicting data. Perhaps different grades of gasoline &/or propane were used in different studies? I'd kind of like to figure out where the discrepancy originates.

Could you possibly list your basic data source?

Thanks,
Jim

[pbiJim]

Originally Posted by HopCar

My logic goes, propane containers are stronger than typical gas cans, propane doesn't need to be poured from one container to another

This brings up a pet peeve of mine. Those new "spill-proof" gas can nozzles that are being forced upon the public in the US these days, do not work well at all. In addition to having very slow flow rates, I find that they tend to cause more spillage than they prevent. I've gone so far as to machine down custom fittings so that I can get better performance from my gas cans. I now get flow rates of about 12 seconds per gallon without spilling a drop.