Yeah, I have run lots of propane generators. Here are a few problems.
Temperature. If it is -20F outside, you have to have a very very large tank
to generate enough vapor to keep the generator running.
Conversely you can use a liquid pickup and a vaporizer but you need heat
energy for the vaporizer to get the thing started.
And liquid pickups also pick all the dirt and sludge at the bottom of the
tank. You would not believe the amount of gunk in those tanks (I cut old
ones up for smokers).
And no matter what kind of fuel you use, the starter motor battery is a
common point of failure as is charger. I like to remote the battery into
the heated building if there is a heated building. Generac was infamous for
supplying a charger that failed and you didn't know until you needed.
I started putting telemetry on all starter motor batteries on all
generators. That is the most important bit of data you need to monitor.
-----Original Message-----
From: George Skorup
Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2016 9:43 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [AFMUG] PSA - check your generators!
Propane
On 4/3/2016 7:09 PM, Josh Luthman wrote:
I've had a handful of generators that always started on the first pull.
Until today. Got another one for the site but started tearing apart the
old one and I think it's a bad carb, something I'll have someone else take
a look at.
Mine are all sitting inside doing nothing, they're portable with two
wheels but require two people or a ramp to put in the truck. I don't know
if I'd buy these size units again but I really do like the 8.5 gallons and
24 hour run time...
Josh Luthman
Office: 937-552-2340
Direct: 937-552-2343
1100 Wayne St
Suite 1337
Troy, OH 45373
