3 fuel conversion for a genny

[madmax]

I'm looking at 3 fuel adapter for my genny.. I mean it can't hurt to be able to run gas, propane, natural gas in your genny.  They say if you can use a screw driver you can do the conversion.  I think they might be simplifiying it just a bit.  Has anybody done something like this?
Thanks

[wolfy]

There was a move in that direction around here when gasoline became rare and EXPEN$IVE back in the 70s.  Quite a few farmers were adding propane tanks to the beds of their pickups and filling up from the bulk tanks on their farms.  As I recall, it was not difficult or complicated to convert....not as much power from the propane, I guess, but at least they were still mobile.  I remember one 50s-era 'Super M' Farmall around here that came from the factory that way.     I knew the old boy that bought it on a farm sale.  His intention was to run a buzz-saw with it for cutting his winter wood supply into stove-sized chunks, but (quoting him now) "It didn't have enough power to pull a sick whore off a piss-pot."

[madmax]

   LOL.  Well,  My power "needs" wouldn't strain my gen on gas.  But some people are still trapped in their neighborhoods by downed trees and power lines.  If that happened to us the gas wouldn't last long.  Neighbor needs AC.  We lucked out with cool weather.  She has to sleep with a CPAP.  Refrigerated meds.  Won't go to a shelter.  So we'd have to plug her in.  Propane stores well and I think it's safer.

   So I'll keep researching and maybe pop for a kit.

Thanks
   

[wolfy]

I'd think the propane would be the way to go for a small, portable generator.....no worries about the need to keep rotating gasoline supplies in storage, WAY easier to store and a small generator engine doesn't need a lot of 'sick-whore-pulling' power to keep you well-supplied with electricity for the really necessary basic requirements, anyway.        I think most of the stationery, house-sized units I've seen around here are designed around propane or diesel fuel use.

[hunter63]

Hope we can come up with a propane conversion that does not need the carb to be operating....

My chinese 2000w  has a broken gas shut off valve and carg gunked up.....propane may be the answer ....as gas really is hard to store ....it seems.

[Dano]

I have no idea what all is involved in doing the conversion to make it multi-fuel (although I'd think it would involve having to rejet the carb or another method of delivery) but would like to throw this out, just food for thought.

A few years back we had a tornado go through a very small town just to the south of our old place.  Probably has a population less than 500, unless you count cattle and sheep.  Power and phone poles were damaged for several miles, and service was out for almost a month in some places.   All the homes are well and septic, so no water for anyone.

Many of the residents braved it out and stayed home, cooking with campstoves and charcoal or gas grills.  All their food was in coolers inside.  The reason I mention all this is, during the following weeks you couldn't find a propane tank for at least 10-15 miles.  The ones that did have generators were driving into town to get ice for their coolers, food, and gas cans topped off for their generators.  They could get gas no problem, but not so for propane.

As long as you had and adequate supply, or larger tanks, you'd probably be ok.  Just remember they only have so many of the smaller tanks in circulation at any given time. 

[MnSportsman]

Edited... must have been the wrong forum...

[madmax]

    Thanks guys.  We have 2 propane tanks in the RV.  I didn't think of people having to cook with it for a prolonged time, although we don't use much in the summer.
   
    The kit that I was looking at, also has a natural gas conversion.  We have never lost that.  Not that it couldn't happen.

    I can see gasoline being shipped in with more urgency than propane.

    Alternatives are always a good thing.

[wolfy]

If you are planning on using propane and think like a 'prepper' then having a larger tank than the common 20# bottles that you trade out at the local convenience store is the way to go.   A pair of 100# bottles should keep you in cooking fuel and generated electricity for a long time.....no worries even if local shortages crop up in an emergency situation.  There are all kinds of accessory hoses and fittings available at your local dealer.

[madmax]

I know a friend that went through over 30 gals of gas in a coupla days keeping his frozen fish and venison frozen.  They live off that, eggs and chickens, and their garden.  That could get very expensive not to mention a waste of good meat.

[wsdstan]

I think you need a lot more than 100 gallon bottle of propane if your going to be down for more than a week.  Those things, at even modest loads, on a 6000 running watt generator will use a large bottle in about five days.

In reading about them they say most generators will run between 25% and 75% load most of the time.  A 8000 Watt generator running at 50% load will go thru .87 gallons of propane per hour.  That is about a 5 day supply of fuel if it runs 24 hours a day.  If you can run it less and the load is less it will last longer, maybe a safe scenario would be 10 days.  Like Wolfy says a person would want to have two 100 gallon bottles just in case. 

I also read that propane can be stored a long time when compared to gasoline or diesel.  Danos point is well taken, if you can't buy it you better have it on hand.   

[Unknown]

I've have a couple 100 pound tanks sitting for close to 8 years. Last time I opened the valve, propane came out. I never used a gasoline stabilizer until I got a small generator. Wish I had thought of that sooner- might have saved a string trimmer.

Break your generator in gently and change oil often- so maybe add a few quarts of full synthetic to your kit

[Plinsc]

 Has anyone done the conversion since this thread was started? I have been thinking on doing it myself.
One thing we do if power is down for more than 1 day, the wife starts canning all the meat in the freezer, venison first of course if there is any in there! (10 x more tender that way anyways)
 Nothing better then canned meatloaf, taco meat, etc...
This reduces my run time on the genny by quite a bit is my thoughts.

[wsdstan]

I looked and considered doing it to my generator but in looking over the last twenty years the longest we have been without power is a week so it doesn't seem necessary.  If it is a long term situation a couple of weeks of energy isn't going to make a huge difference in the outcome.  We are not preppers but live in a rural area and have several resources for adjusting to living without electricity if it should come to that.  Hopefully someone did the kit conversion although there are several videos on the net regarding the conversion.

[imnukensc]

Pretty easy to convert a generator to run on propane without a kit.  Lots of Youtube videos on that so I won't link any.  Don't know if it would be any different to make it tri-fuel without a kit.

My generator is hardwired into the house and runs on propane.  No NG in my neighborhood.

[Orbean]

This is something I am interested in, have been looking into running everything off propane with a small solar system for small usage daily. Propane appliances including a frig and gas clothes dryer, floor and forced air heat and a generator for occasional larger draws of power. Propane has many advantages when it comes to off grid living, it is easy to store safely, any appliance that can run on nat gas there is one that runs off propane and it is readily available.