New toy

[blacktail]

I'm not so much thinking of noise switching from gas to propane. It's more an issue of noise switching from a Honda 2000 to a cheaper and likely larger unit.

 

[Sprinter]

I've been looking at cheap gas/propane units. I like the idea of using propane, but I'm not sure how loud it would be.

Make sure your choice is an inverter type. The output is exceptionally clean and well-regulated.

The noise will be the same regardless of fuel (except maybe for a diesel type). I'd recommend sticking with the Honda or Yamaha in the 2000 watt category. I'm sure there are other brands that would be fine, but I'm most comfortable with those names for reliability and proven track record. A generator in the 1800 watt class will power all the important stuff in the house without alternating use.

I'm not so much thinking of noise switching from gas to propane. It's more an issue of noise switching from a Honda 2000 to a cheaper and likely larger unit.

Noise specs are published. You can compare the specs, but there will be a difference among models,especially the larger sizes. The Honda and Yamaha models are considered to be the quietest. I think the eco mode is especially helpful there.

Don't try to go too cheap, though. This is something that can last for decades and a few hundred will amortize down to nothing over the years.

 

[jetsam]

I've really found that it is nice to run the whole house on one generator. I have a 7500w generac, but I could probably have gone with a 3000w unit and been fine. The only thing that's off limits when the 7500 is running is the electric clothes dryer.

If you are using a portable generator to power the whole house, please be conscious that the neutral is probably tied to the ground at the chassis. I've found that even electricians are sometimes unaware of this (and I've had a couple tell me that it's OK that way).

On mine it was just a little jumper wire in the power distibution box.

 

[bpirger]

Does everyone have a gas or propane, no diesel units? Seems like they might be more reliable over the long haul, i.e. 10 years with minimal usage....ready when you need it kind of thing. Yes, monthly runs for 15 minutes are a great idea too.

 

[D8Chumley]

Diesel craps out, you have to treat it. I wouldn't want to have it sit in a tank too long, stuff starts growing in it (algae)

 

[AmbDrvr253]

Only problem with NG is in a true "outage" there maybe no NG being run in the lines. I prefer my propane as there is no question as to whether it will be there or not.

 

[Sprinter]

Only problem with NG is in a true "outage" there maybe no NG being run in the lines. I prefer my propane as there is no question as to whether it will be there or not.

So there lies the advantage of the tri-fuel system. Anything will do if you have NG and propane and gasoline. I'm waiting for a serviceable 4-fuel system that would burn wood.

 

[johneh]

I'm waiting for a serviceable 4-fuel system that would burn wood.

Just build your self a steam engine to run the gen off a pulley with a clutch between the tri power plant and the gen

 

[jetsam]

So there lies the advantage of the tri-fuel system. Anything will do if you have NG and propane and gasoline. I'm waiting for a serviceable 4-fuel system that would burn wood.

(broken link removed) but they are way out of my price range.

Homebrew systems also exist but you need to be a bit of a gearhead to make one that works reasonably well.

In between these two poles lie small wood gasification plants, which are commercially available, (still too expensive but MUCH cheaper than those big biomass systems), and produce gas that propane generators can apparently run off of.

Not an expert but it sounds pretty intetesting!

 

[Sprinter]

(broken link removed) but they are way out of my price range.

I had no idea. It would take a heck of a chipper to feed that thing, too... Oh, well, I kinda like my Honda 2000, (although I'm considering a propane/gas kit for it).

 

[jetsam]

Here's a small commercial wood gasifier.

Here's a WWII wood burning truck.

I liked the way the truck gasifier was designed to burn green wood and had a lower chamber for dry wood/charcoal to start the load.

The part where you have to pull the pistons to clean the cylinders 'sometimes' didn't sound so good! =)

 

[Sprinter]

Pretty cool truck.

Yeah, I remember making methane and methanol like this in chemistry classes, although on rather smaller scales lol. Some of the homebrew systems look a little scary to me. I think I'll continue to buy my fuel... But it is interesting what commercial builders are doing to try to make it practical even on a small scale.

I'll have to admit that every time I go into the woods with the ground all littered with tons of unusable material, I think about how to use it in some way like this.

 

[Grateful11]

Just buy another Honda 2000 and run them in parallel with their parallel links and have 4000 watts.