OT? Propane/Natural Gas Carbs

"Paul Hovnanian P.E." > wrote in message
...
> Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> >
> > "Paul Hovnanian P.E." > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Tim B wrote:
> > > >
> > > > "Paul Hovnanian P.E." > wrote in message
> > > > ...
> > > > > I have a generator with a 5 Hp Briggs and Stratton engine
(gasoline
> > > > > powered). Between the gas gumming up (I use a gas stabilizer) and
the
> > > > > tank rusting, depending on this thing for emergency power is
hopeless.
> > > > >
> > > > > There are carburetors for propane and/or natural gas available,
but
> > who
> > > > > are the reputable manufacturers and distributors?
> > > >
> > > > Impco is one
> > >
> > > I've bought their stuff for bigger engines but wasn't aware they did
> > > small engine carburetion. I'll check with them. Thanks.
> > >
> >
> > You cannot depend on a generator for emergency power unless you
> > run it regularly. We have ours on a timer and run it for a 1/2 hour
every
> > Tuesday morning and power our NOC off generator power during that time.
> > Ours is natural gas.
> >
> > I would strongly recommend you do NOT mess with attempting to
> > convert a gasoline powered generator over to natural gas. Natural
> > gas generators are completely shielded. With a gasoline powered
> > generator, a small leak in the fuel system is nothing. A drip that
> > evaporates.
> > With a natural gas generator, a small leak in the fuel system means
> > your natural gas falls down and fills up pockets in the low spots in the
> > enclosure. Then when the generator fires, unless it is shielded, the
> > starter will fire the
> > loose natural gas and blow the entire works over the mountain.
>
> What enclosure? This is a portable generator, which I drag around to the
> side of the garage when I need it. The technology to handle natural gas
> (or propane) through flexible lines is well known to people with
> barbecue grills.
>
> As far as running it periodically, I did. But that didn't stop the gas
> tank from rusting out and clogging the carb. Even using a gas stabilizer
> and draining the tank didn't help.
>

I own 2 bikes, a 1980 CB750K and an 81 CB750C and am familiar with
the problems of gas tanks rusting, as this is a common issue with bikes
that aren't run frequently. Incidentally, I have not had that problem with
either of my bikes.

You may have been running it periodically but you wern't running it long
enough. What you need to do to keep a metal gas tank from rotting out
is to start the generator, then run the gas tank dry. Then turn off
the fuel line to the carburetor, and fill the tank up with fresh gas. Then
you can let it sit a month and turn it on and run it dry again, then turn
off the gas and refill the gas tank. Repeat indefinitely.

No need to use fuel stabilizer if you do it this way. Gas has stabilizer
in it when you get it from the pump, it's part of the additive package.
You only need stabilizer if your going to let a half-full gas tank stand
for months at a time.

Needless to say if your engine does not have a fuel valve between the
carburetor and the gas tank you need to add one.

Ted

Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
>
> "Paul Hovnanian P.E." > wrote in message
> ...
> > Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> > >
> > > "Paul Hovnanian P.E." > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > Tim B wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > "Paul Hovnanian P.E." > wrote in message
> > > > > ...
> > > > > > I have a generator with a 5 Hp Briggs and Stratton engine
> (gasoline
> > > > > > powered). Between the gas gumming up (I use a gas stabilizer) and
> the
> > > > > > tank rusting, depending on this thing for emergency power is
> hopeless.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > There are carburetors for propane and/or natural gas available,
> but
> > > who
> > > > > > are the reputable manufacturers and distributors?
> > > > >
> > > > > Impco is one
> > > >
> > > > I've bought their stuff for bigger engines but wasn't aware they did
> > > > small engine carburetion. I'll check with them. Thanks.
> > > >
> > >
> > > You cannot depend on a generator for emergency power unless you
> > > run it regularly. We have ours on a timer and run it for a 1/2 hour
> every
> > > Tuesday morning and power our NOC off generator power during that time.
> > > Ours is natural gas.
> > >
> > > I would strongly recommend you do NOT mess with attempting to
> > > convert a gasoline powered generator over to natural gas. Natural
> > > gas generators are completely shielded. With a gasoline powered
> > > generator, a small leak in the fuel system is nothing. A drip that
> > > evaporates.
> > > With a natural gas generator, a small leak in the fuel system means
> > > your natural gas falls down and fills up pockets in the low spots in the
> > > enclosure. Then when the generator fires, unless it is shielded, the
> > > starter will fire the
> > > loose natural gas and blow the entire works over the mountain.
> >
> > What enclosure? This is a portable generator, which I drag around to the
> > side of the garage when I need it. The technology to handle natural gas
> > (or propane) through flexible lines is well known to people with
> > barbecue grills.
> >
> > As far as running it periodically, I did. But that didn't stop the gas
> > tank from rusting out and clogging the carb. Even using a gas stabilizer
> > and draining the tank didn't help.
> >
>
> I own 2 bikes, a 1980 CB750K and an 81 CB750C and am familiar with
> the problems of gas tanks rusting, as this is a common issue with bikes
> that aren't run frequently. Incidentally, I have not had that problem with
> either of my bikes.
>
> You may have been running it periodically but you wern't running it long
> enough. What you need to do to keep a metal gas tank from rotting out
> is to start the generator, then run the gas tank dry. Then turn off
> the fuel line to the carburetor, and fill the tank up with fresh gas. Then
> you can let it sit a month and turn it on and run it dry again, then turn
> off the gas and refill the gas tank. Repeat indefinitely.
>
> No need to use fuel stabilizer if you do it this way. Gas has stabilizer
> in it when you get it from the pump, it's part of the additive package.
> You only need stabilizer if your going to let a half-full gas tank stand
> for months at a time.
>
> Needless to say if your engine does not have a fuel valve between the
> carburetor and the gas tank you need to add one.

The gas tank bolts directly to the bottom of the carb. In fact, the
carb's 'float bowl' is an integral part of the gas tank. This is a very
cheap (and inexpensive) setup. Hence, my desire not to sink any more
money into the gasoline carb and go LP/NG.

--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
Windows tip #248: add BUGS=OFF to your registry.

Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:

>
> The gas tank bolts directly to the bottom of the carb. In fact, the
> carb's 'float bowl' is an integral part of the gas tank. This is a very
> cheap (and inexpensive) setup. Hence, my desire not to sink any more
> money into the gasoline carb and go LP/NG.
>

Pull the carb off, Throw it in the trash and replace it with a carb off
an engine that can use a remote tank. Then use a plastic boat tank to
fuel it with. I did that with an older generator here. The 5 gallon tank
increased the runtime. Being it was a plastic tank there was no rust and
I could just unhook the tank, run the carb dry and not worry about it.
The new Honda unit I have can be run on gasoline, natural gas or
propane. BUT it produces less power on natural gas or propane than on
gasoline.

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York