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It's alright, it's alright, it's alright..... Propane!

jbp-ohiojbp-ohio Senior MemberPosts: 10,190 Senior Member
edited November 2019 in Clubhouse #1
Ok. New house is heated with propane so we have a 300 gallon tank out back. Since we have no alternate heat source (yet), thinking of a dual fuel portable generator. What will I need to hook to tank? Is there a good quick connect fitting?
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
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Replies

  • BAMAAKBAMAAK Senior Member Posts: 4,484 Senior Member
    #2
    How you gonna heat with a generator?
    "He only earns his freedom and his life Who takes them every day by storm."

    -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer and politician
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  • JerryBobCoJerryBobCo Senior Member Posts: 8,056 Senior Member
    #3
    I've often wondered about propane fueled generators.  I'll follow this as I'm interested in the responses.
    Jerry

    Gun control laws make about as much sense as taking ex-lax to cure a cough.
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  • JermanatorJermanator Senior Member Posts: 16,131 Senior Member
    #4
    Past the regulator, it uses standard piping that you would use for natural gas. Just get a quick connect natural gas hose.

    The cool thing about using propane as opposed to gasoline is that you don't have the problem of the carb gumming up or the fuel getting old.
    Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
    -Thomas Paine
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  • JermanatorJermanator Senior Member Posts: 16,131 Senior Member
    #5
    BAMAAK said:
    How you gonna heat with a generator?
    It is to run the forced air, propane burning furnace in the event of a power outage.
    Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
    -Thomas Paine
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  • GilaGila Posts: 1,828 Senior Member
    #6
    Jermanator said:
    BAMAAK said:
    How you gonna heat with a generator?
    It is to run the forced air, propane burning furnace in the event of a power outage.
    And I thought that was done with a fire place...
    No good deed goes unpunished...
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  • jbp-ohiojbp-ohio Senior Member Posts: 10,190 Senior Member
    #7
    Jermanator said:
    Past the regulator, it uses standard piping that you would use for natural gas. Just get a quick connect natural gas hose.

    The cool thing about using propane as opposed to gasoline is that you don't have the problem of the carb gumming up or the fuel getting old.
    Don't have to worry about finding ethanol free gas and there is always 300-500 gallons (we have a 500 gallon tank) on hand..... could run over a week straight without ever leaving the house......... and propane is only $1.09/gal right now
    "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
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  • JermanatorJermanator Senior Member Posts: 16,131 Senior Member
    #8
    https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=quick+connect+natural+gas+line+for+grill&crid=FBFS12DXKPEB&sprefix=quick+connect+natural+gas+,aps,289&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_26

    Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
    -Thomas Paine
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  • jbp-ohiojbp-ohio Senior Member Posts: 10,190 Senior Member
    #9
    Don't think I can get by with a smaller <4000watt model with the 240V well pump......
    "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
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  • JermanatorJermanator Senior Member Posts: 16,131 Senior Member
    edited November 2019 #10
    How many amps does the well pump draw?
    Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
    -Thomas Paine
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  • jbp-ohiojbp-ohio Senior Member Posts: 10,190 Senior Member
    edited November 2019 #11
    Unknown. Don't even know the hp... Nothing written anywhere. Hooked to 20amp breaker
    "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
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  • JermanatorJermanator Senior Member Posts: 16,131 Senior Member
    #12
    We got a few guys here that are electricians. I will let them do the watt/amp/volt conversions. Anyway, they make dual fuel generators in all different sizes and you can always convert a gas one to propane.

    It is a smart move if you have that propane available... a no brainer. It solves 95% of the reliability issues with a gas generator.

    A quick connect gas/propane hose will work just fine. I use them for my ovens, range, pot stove at the commercial kitchen. They work just like compressed air hoses.
    Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
    -Thomas Paine
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  • jbp-ohiojbp-ohio Senior Member Posts: 10,190 Senior Member
    #13
    I assume the well pump is at least 1hp with 240V. If power is out for more than a day, will probably want to hook up the hot water tank.........electric. That's about 4000W
    "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
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  • JermanatorJermanator Senior Member Posts: 16,131 Senior Member
    #14
    In a pinch, you can always heat water on a propane range, Coleman stove, or turkey cooker. The primary concern is to keep the furnace going in the event of an ice storm so your pipes don't freeze. Freezers/fridges/running water would be next followed by hot water.
    Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
    -Thomas Paine
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  • RaftermanRafterman New Member Posts: 249 Member
    #15
    ....... and propane is only $1.09/gal right now
    My last fill was $2.27/gal. I'm feeling ripped off. Add to that a HazMat fee and fuel recovery fee (whatever that is). How I wish natural gas was available!
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  • jbp-ohiojbp-ohio Senior Member Posts: 10,190 Senior Member
    edited November 2019 #16
    Rafterman said:
    ....... and propane is only $1.09/gal right now
    My last fill was $2.27/gal. I'm feeling ripped off. Add to that a HazMat fee and fuel recovery fee (whatever that is). How I wish natural gas was available!
    With 3 brand spanking new 'wet NG gas' plants in a 25 mile radius.....that might have something to do with it.....
    "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
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  • jbp-ohiojbp-ohio Senior Member Posts: 10,190 Senior Member
    edited November 2019 #17
    Although I have to pay a $59.99 fee for a gas leak check before Amerigas will top off tank...... They own tank
    "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
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  • RaftermanRafterman New Member Posts: 249 Member
    #18
    Our gasoline comes via a Kinder Morgan pipeline from Kali. Usually .75 to a buck/gal higher than the national average. If you're going to be in your house for awhile call Amerigas and find out what it will cost to purchase your tank. I paid rent on mine for fourteen years before I wised up. Cost me $527.79 to buy my 325 gal tank. The last bill for rent was $119.09 So less than five years to recoup the money. Yes, I feel stupid for not doing it sooner.  :s
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  • GilaGila Posts: 1,828 Senior Member
    #19
    Rafterman said:
    Our gasoline comes via a Kinder Morgan pipeline from Kali. Usually .75 to a buck/gal higher than the national average. If you're going to be in your house for awhile call Amerigas and find out what it will cost to purchase your tank. I paid rent on mine for fourteen years before I wised up. Cost me $527.79 to buy my 325 gal tank. The last bill for rent was $119.09 So less than five years to recoup the money. Yes, I feel stupid for not doing it sooner.  :s
    The lease on my 250 gallon tank is $40.00 a year, and that includes them fixing anything that breaks on it.  I once had the pressure safety valve blow on it, and after they repaired it, they refilled the tank, no charge to me.  The price to purchase the tank here is $800.00, so I'm much better of with the lease.

    Now if I could only get my propane at the price jbp-ohio pays for his...
    No good deed goes unpunished...
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  • JKPJKP Senior Member Posts: 2,259 Senior Member
    #20
    Saw an article recently about a propane shortage impacting farmers trying to keep their grain dry. Homes and livestock farmers are taking priority. 
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  • jbohiojbohio Senior Member Posts: 5,589 Senior Member
    #21
    Personally, I wouldn't mess with the dual/ portable thing.  Get a propane, whole house generator, and don't look back.  That's my plan.
    The wiring, transfer switch thing is a PITA with a portable unit.
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  • jbp-ohiojbp-ohio Senior Member Posts: 10,190 Senior Member
    #22
    jbohio said:
    Personally, I wouldn't mess with the dual/ portable thing.  Get a propane, whole house generator, and don't look back.  That's my plan.
    The wiring, transfer switch thing is a PITA with a portable unit.
    Since we are only 3 miles from a brand spanking new NG powered electric plant, i dont expect any outage more than a day or two.....
    "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
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  • BigDanSBigDanS Senior Member Posts: 6,973 Senior Member
    #23
    Look into how efficient the generator is with propane.  In Florida, a 10,000 watt generator would suck a 5 gallon propane tank dry in about 1 hour, $25 or so.  Long term usage might be so expensive as to make it unusable.  By far it is the most stabile, least required maintenance setup, next only to natural gas.  
    "A patriot is mocked, scorned and hated; yet when his cause succeeds, all men will join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." Mark Twain
    Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
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  • jbp-ohiojbp-ohio Senior Member Posts: 10,190 Senior Member
    #24
    One I amooking at uses 1 gallon/HR.... So $1.09 hour. Gas can run longer but it's $2.30/gallon
    "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson
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  • zorbazorba Senior Member Posts: 23,843 Senior Member
    #25
    The one time we ran our 15KW (natural gas) for several days, it looked like it cost about $1/hr to run it. That would about 1/3rd to 1/2 load when the HVAC was running. It would be interesting to see how it runs on propane (its switchable), its rated for 16KW then.
    -Zorba, "The Veiled Male"

    "If you get it and didn't work for it, someone else worked for it and didn't get it..."
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