Looking for information to convert small(i.e. 6,000-watt) gasoline-powered generators to propane.

-- Carl Glassmeyer (usnrr@impulsedata.com), November 14, 1998

Answers

Carl

I have a 5000 watt generator. My local service guy said it would cost me about $400. And the switch would take someone who knows what he's doing. Just a matter of the right parts and proper adjustments, I guess

-- Hull Stetson (stetson.hull@usa.net), November 14, 1998.

Carl

I have a 5000 watt generator. My local service guy said it would cost me about $400. And the switch would take someone who knows what he's doing. Just a matter of the right parts and proper adjustments, I guess. Good luck!

Hull

-- Hull Stetson (stetson.hull@usa.net), November 14, 1998.

Should just be a matter of switching out the carburator. Unless there is something unusual about the engine. Who made it?

-- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), November 14, 1998.

What it takes is a new carb. Try:

http://www.uscarb.qpg.com/

They make conversion carbs for every gas engine. Typically these run about $275

-- rocky (rknolls@hotmail.com), November 14, 1998.

Could switching the carb on a 2500 watt gen convert it from gas to diesel? Might want to do that when the gas is gone, power is out & there's 250 gal of heating oil in the tank in the cellar....

-- Arewyn (nordic@northnet.net), November 15, 1998.

Dear Arewyn, No, you can't convert a gasoline/nat.gas/propane engine to diesel. Diesel's higher (MUCH!) compression ratio requires stronger pistons, block, crank, bearings, rods, rings, valves, head, gaskets, etc.

A small collection of survivalist fundamentals files at http://home.eathlink.net/~kenseger

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), November 16, 1998.

The other problem with converting gas to diesel is that the combustion system is totally different in that deisel uses a glow plug for the ignition when the compression and mixture happen to land in the right range while gasolind uses a spark plug which fires at the behest of an ignition-system-timed-and-triggered sudden discharge.

cr

-- Chuck a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), November 16, 1998.