Propane Generator Efficiency: Am I Calculating It Correctly?

lsayre wrote:I wonder how diesel generator efficiency and cost of operation compare with LPG. Also, how do they compare for noise?

May as well get the comparision on different fuels long term storage properties, while your at it.
Some fuels don't age well when kept longterm.

Research a used genny with a 2-71 Detroit diesel.

and research Hatfield and McCoy stories.... how to get your neighbors to hate you. Detroits don't do well at light loads either they are at their best screaming. So are those thousands of 2-71 gennies off the railroads that were on Ebay for years still around??? Special uses only.... they couldn't give them away and with good reason.

coalnewbie wrote:

Research a used genny with a 2-71 Detroit diesel.

and research Hatfield and McCoy stories.... how to get your neighbors to hate you. Detroits don't do well at light loads either they are at their best screaming. So are those thousands of 2-71 gennies off the railroads that were on Ebay for years still around??? Special uses only....

I watched a YouTube video of them running, and they are the noisiest things on this planet. I agree the neighbors would be upset, but my wife would never stand for it either, and that is a stronger determinate of matters then the neighbors.

Well Larry the second noiseiest gennies. The worst are those 5 and 10KW ex-military gennies that people get suckered into. The real answer to all of those is - bring lots of C4 as they are strong... Not usable for most people on a sustained basis. The real reason for the break up of the Soviet empire was they used these generators in military bases in Berlin and the Russian gave up as they could not sleep. HAHAHAHAHAAHA, I slay myself.

For those of you that were not put off about the noise on those old 2-71 gennies, I have had my second and only last thought of the day. Most of those 2-71 units for sale on the internet as I said were taken out of railroad service. They are 3 phase and they are not reconnectable. This is as an old onion farmer once told me who tried to use them here in Pine Island NY, however, the memory fades and I barely grasp most of this stuff.....

That means they make 3 phase only. You can take 120 or 208 off them, but you have to balance your single phase loads among the 3 phases.The generator ends that are most useful to most of us are 12 lead, reconnectable. With a 12 lead unit, you can reconnect for 1 phase or 3 phase.Now, if you have a 3 phase load, or you are willing to split out your 120 volt loads among the 3 phases, you will be okay.

Similarly, you can split your 240 loads among the three 208 volt phases. If you don't balance your load among the 3 legs, output of the genset will be greatly reduced. If these 2-71 powered units were single phase, every one of them would have been sold by now. As far as using 2 stroke detroits for power generation, they are a world standard, even today when they have not made any new ones in years. They are used in applications such as ocean transport refrigeration, where reliability and fuel economy can not be compromised.

Please note I am not an electrician and yanche will have to guide you more, but think hard b4 you spend the money. Some old AT&T NG/LP driven pull outs were the same. So my money says, handfed coal stove for heat and DHW, little genny to take care of emergency stuff, gas and left clean and empty and have fresh gas available. For the youngsters a hot woman and for me, lots of beer and a book and wait for the lights to come back on ... sermon over.

McGiever wrote:Perfectly good older generators are taken out and being replaced all the time. Most have seen minimal usage in their lifetime.
I'm very content w/ finding and buying the old propane/ natural gas models that has had the engine already rebuilt sometime earlier.
From the 1950's are what I have now...got them w/ auto transfer switches too.
Also like the liquid-cooled w/ 1800 rpm engine and w/ a full sized muffler...just a low purr can be heard.

Just to be clearer, the used gennys I referred to are from schools and universities...nothing military.

coalnewbie wrote:

1800 rpm diesel genset, everything else is junk..

No, get a Lister at 600rpm that is good for 1MM hours, everything else is junk.

Are you talking about the single cylinder kind with the big fly wheel?

That and an EFM running and my world would be complete. Hypnotic sounds for the total moron.

Those are cool, I would love to have one, but it won't power a house. What are they about two HP?

No the Metros (Listeroids) are 800RPM and with the correct pulley will put out about 4KW (8HP). When coupled to a 5 KW generator they do quite well as there is a lot of overhead (just look at that flywheel). There are two cylinder models that will put out 10KW+ but I do not recommend them.





The guy has horrible technique and this is not how they are supposed to sound.





Ahh that's better.

Whats bad about the twins?

That was from Central Maine Diesel..

I would like to have one of these..

http://www.generatorsales.com/order/KB900.asp?page=KB900

http://www.generatorsales.com/order/Perkins-10-kW ... =Perkins10

No fooling around.

Of course your houses are a little bigger in CT.

franco b wrote:No fooling around

So,,, you looking to power a small town with that thing???