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Propane consumption - Generac
#8793724
02/02/23 12:39 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 17,094
603Country
OP
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OP
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Posts: 17,094 |
We’ve been without ‘factory’ power since yesterday morning, and are on the Generac 20kw. Hourly consumption of propane, at our demand level, at about 32 degrees, and with the thermostat set at 65 degrees, seems to be about 2.5 gallons per hour. I had always wondered what the real demand level was. Now I know. Yay me!
If temps had been down as low as they were during the Big Chill, demand old have been a good bit higher.
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793747
02/02/23 01:31 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,415
oldoak2000
Extreme Tracker
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Posts: 4,415 |
How big is your fuel tank?
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793760
02/02/23 01:56 PM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,891
nak
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Do you have one of those fancy electronic gages, or are you just eyeballing the tiny gauge on the tank?
We all need to practice Whoa more.
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793779
02/02/23 02:26 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,689
Marc K
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The old rule of thumb that I learned was that propane consumption is around 0.10 gallons per KWH produced. Things may have changed.
A Democracy is when two wolves and a lamb vote on the dinner menu. That is why this country was specifically not designed as a Democracy. We are a Constitutional Republic.
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793793
02/02/23 02:50 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,415
oldoak2000
Extreme Tracker
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yikes! - that's 60 gallons per day! What are you running that's pulling that much power?
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793797
02/02/23 03:04 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,233
pdr55
THF Trophy Hunter
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,233 |
Yeah that seems very high, I would double check my calculations.
If you`re running down my country, man, You`re walking on the fighting side of me. (Merle)
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793813
02/02/23 03:35 PM
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 117
TOM-M
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 117 |
Just looked at the specs on a 20kw Honeywell (made by Generac, I believe). Shows to use 3.56 gal/hr LPG at full load.
I'd bet your 2.5 gal/hr estimate is pretty darn close.
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793825
02/02/23 03:56 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,174
DannyB
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Posts: 11,174 |
I cranked up the Northern Tool 5500 about 4:00 Tuesday. From looking in the tank a bit ago I think I've used about 17 or so gallons now. Thanks to a recent education on here I just bought this last week and now have full usage of this machine vs. half. We have cords going everywhere around here, but have refrigerator, deep freezer, TV, lights, computers, coffee, etc. Calls to Oncor get a message saying something like, "We don't know yet when you will have power." We have so many damaged trees our place looks like a tornado came through. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IUJ5VW?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793841
02/02/23 04:12 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 641
tech
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 641 |
that has been my hesitation to buy...Propane at 3 dollars a gallon x 60 gallons =180.00 per day....and you need a huge tank....
America, land of opportunities,not guaranties!
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793842
02/02/23 04:14 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 641
tech
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 641 |
at idle they use 2 gallons per hour...
America, land of opportunities,not guaranties!
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: tech]
#8793843
02/02/23 04:14 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,667
68rustbucket
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that has been my hesitation to buy...Propane at 3 dollars a gallon x 60 gallons =180.00 per day....and you need a huge tank.... Buy the propane when prices are lower, like summertime.
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 68rustbucket]
#8793849
02/02/23 04:19 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 641
tech
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 641 |
that has been my hesitation to buy...Propane at 3 dollars a gallon x 60 gallons =180.00 per day....and you need a huge tank.... Buy the propane when prices are lower, like summertime. Well, the liberals will tell you to charge your electric vehicle during the day when the sun shines so the solar panels will charge it....go to work at night....lol
America, land of opportunities,not guaranties!
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: tech]
#8793852
02/02/23 04:20 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,608
Texas Dan
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Posts: 22,608 |
that has been my hesitation to buy...Propane at 3 dollars a gallon x 60 gallons =180.00 per day....and you need a huge tank.... I've been thinking of going to a bigger portable unit and was considering a dual-fuel model. I think I'll stay with gasoline.
"When the debate is lost, insults become the tool of the loser."
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793860
02/02/23 04:32 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,233
pdr55
THF Trophy Hunter
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 6,233 |
I will just leave this here ![[Linked Image]](https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/userpics/2023/02/full-12354-379625-e0933c5c_9029_4c46_940e_6f42351cf7a8.png)
If you`re running down my country, man, You`re walking on the fighting side of me. (Merle)
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793868
02/02/23 04:45 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,608
Texas Dan
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Now it appears we're getting into the inefficiency of electric power generation and why it's easy to waste money on electricity you created but didn't need and use.
Last edited by Texas Dan; 02/02/23 04:50 PM.
"When the debate is lost, insults become the tool of the loser."
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: oldoak2000]
#8793883
02/02/23 05:04 PM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,891
nak
Veteran Tracker
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Posts: 2,891 |
yikes! - that's 60 gallons per day! What are you running that's pulling that much power? This is why I went with the SMALLEST generator I could get by with, as opposed to oversizing...like THE INTERNET says you should always do. I went with an 18kW instead of 24kW or larger that everyone recommended. A simple interlock on the resistance heat strips and we are in good shape. I am willing to do a little load management to significantly extend the number of days I can run. With the exception of inverter units, your generator never idles. It must always make 1,800 or 3,600 RPM to get 60 HZ. The larger the engine, the more fuel you burn at very low loads. Look at the www.smartmetertexas.com data for your home. It shows your consumption every 15 min. Even in the current cold spell, we were < 3KW about half the time. In the summer, with the AC running, we are less than 5 kW, unless the water heater, oven, or dryer is running. Unless you stay above 50% loading all the time, a larger engine means burning more fuel for the same amount of power.
We all need to practice Whoa more.
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: Texas Dan]
#8793890
02/02/23 05:10 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,415
oldoak2000
Extreme Tracker
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Posts: 4,415 |
Now it appears we're getting into the inefficiency of electric power generation and why it's easy to waste money on electricity you created but didn't need and use. Yep! An internal-combustion engine is what, only about 40% efficient at best , so 60% of your BTU's (and dollars) from the fuel source are going out the exhaust pipe, which is why it's a terrible idea to size a generator capacity upwards to run Electric Heating  - because fuel-furnaces are 97% efficient these days and a significantly better option instead!
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8793895
02/02/23 05:15 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 18,727
Jimbo1
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Posts: 18,727 |
Good information. I'd still rather pay +- $180 a day (for a short time) than going to a hotel and still worrying about my house.
Awake - Not Woke!
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: Jimbo1]
#8793905
02/02/23 05:31 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 18,667
68rustbucket
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 18,667 |
Good information. I'd still rather pay +- $180 a day (for a short time) than going to a hotel and still worrying about my house. I concur. It’s cheaper to pay$180 a day even for a week, than pay a 1% deductible when your pipes freeze and burst. Thus causing thousands in water damage, and taking months to be repaired.
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 68rustbucket]
#8793974
02/02/23 06:57 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 641
tech
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 641 |
Good information. I'd still rather pay +- $180 a day (for a short time) than going to a hotel and still worrying about my house. I concur. It’s cheaper to pay$180 a day even for a week, than pay a 1% deductible when your pipes freeze and burst. Thus causing thousands in water damage, and taking months to be repaired. You can leave your water running at a slow rate with no power on in the house to protect your pipes.
America, land of opportunities,not guaranties!
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: tech]
#8793979
02/02/23 07:09 PM
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 27,894
Creekrunner
THF Celebrity
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 27,894 |
Good information. I'd still rather pay +- $180 a day (for a short time) than going to a hotel and still worrying about my house. I concur. It’s cheaper to pay$180 a day even for a week, than pay a 1% deductible when your pipes freeze and burst. Thus causing thousands in water damage, and taking months to be repaired. You can leave your water running at a slow rate with no power on in the house to protect your pipes. Unless you're on a well.
...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: tech]
#8794013
02/02/23 07:55 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 18,727
Jimbo1
THF Celebrity
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 18,727 |
Good information. I'd still rather pay +- $180 a day (for a short time) than going to a hotel and still worrying about my house. I concur. It’s cheaper to pay$180 a day even for a week, than pay a 1% deductible when your pipes freeze and burst. Thus causing thousands in water damage, and taking months to be repaired. You can leave your water running at a slow rate with no power on in the house to protect your pipes. It's not just about pipes freezing...
Awake - Not Woke!
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8794028
02/02/23 08:18 PM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,891
nak
Veteran Tracker
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Posts: 2,891 |
Not just wells. Over 250,000 people had no water or power during the Feb 2021 cluster. Our water quit running about 10 hours after the power went out. It was not just broken pipes, People had Water heater tanks rupture in my subdivision. People were throwing out canned food where the cans ruptured.
What do you do with pets? We have two bird dogs that are NOT hotel friendly.
My whole house generator brings me piece of mind....so does the portable generator I have for a backup of the backup...so does the 85,000 BTU propane heater...so does the window shaker AC that is a backup for the bedroom.
We both work from home and it was pretty much business as usual at hour house last Feb.
We all need to practice Whoa more.
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8794042
02/02/23 08:45 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 17,094
603Country
OP
THF Celebrity
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OP
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 17,094 |
And we are on a well. Rumor has it that we won’t have power till Saturday. I shut down the generator and will start it up at dark and run it till about 9 pm. And I’ll run it in the morning for a few hours. Got the Big Buddy heater going now. With the fan on, that thing will throw some heat. Put a Mr Buddy in the bathroom, for the wife. And the fireplace is going good.
I called Pinnacle Propane for a resupply, which would let me run the generator for another day and a half approx. Those people are terrible suppliers. The woman said she’d entered my order and they’d have a truck out our way “in 5 to 7 days”. Good Lord. All the small mom and pop propane dealers have been bought up by the big multi state companies. Service has gone from good to awful.
Neighbor and I cleared all the roads into our area. Much use was made of the pole saw and the new Stihl 251. So now the propane truck can get to me in “5 to 7 days”.
Ok, so now I have grumped. Truth is that I do have heat, whereas many folks do not, so we are Ok.
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
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Re: Propane consumption - Generac
[Re: 603Country]
#8794056
02/02/23 09:11 PM
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 27,894
Creekrunner
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 27,894 |
And we are on a well. Rumor has it that we won’t have power till Saturday. Are you on PEC? If so, you're in my same "district" and I'm sure you'll get your lights on before me. Crap.
...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
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