Another advantage of having a big tank I suppose might be refilling your own portable tanks. Or is that not feasible, or unsafe, or prohibited?
I hate exchange tanks, it’s like renting bowling shoes. But there are a limited number of places that will refill your own, especially at night or in a rural area. Compared to driving to the nearest gas station to fill up a gas can or two. From: AF <af-boun...@af.afmug.com> On Behalf Of Josh Luthman Sent: Friday, December 6, 2024 12:27 PM To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <af@af.afmug.com> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps Our main/only CO we have two 100 lb tanks and a 22kw Cummins. It tests twice a month. We had it filled 2 years ago tomorrow. The level hasn't changed. If they're topping it off twice a year, are you actually getting fuel put in there? Or are they just checking? I'd be surprised that an exercise consumes a noticeable amount of fuel. On Fri, Dec 6, 2024 at 12:32 PM <ch...@go-mtc.com <mailto:ch...@go-mtc.com> > wrote: On one of my small C.O.s I have a 20 kW generac and a 500 gal tank. They top it off twice a year. It exercises once a week. I have a week or more of runtime out there. Along with solar panels. Not worried too much about a power outage. From: Adam Moffett Sent: Friday, December 6, 2024 10:19 AM To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps $3.60/gal is similar to the current price of gasoline, so that jives with what I remembered from the past at 2-something per gallon. I'll stick to what I said, $3.60/gal + a couple of little fees is worth every penny to know the tank is always full. And if it ever ran for an extended outage, I could just call them to get it refilled and not have to tie up our own labor swapping tanks. -Adam _____ From: AF <af-boun...@af.afmug.com <mailto:af-boun...@af.afmug.com> > on behalf of Zach Underwood <zunder1...@gmail.com <mailto:zunder1...@gmail.com> > Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2024 5:40 PM To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <af@af.afmug.com <mailto:af@af.afmug.com> > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps God I wish it was $1.6 per gal. Here is from a Delivery I got in mid October here in SC 34.3 gal x $3.60 per gal = $123.45 Hazmat fee = $13.62 Fuel Recovery fee = $7.96 34.3 gal for a total of $145.03 or $4.20 per gallon. Only thing I have on the 100gal tank is tankless water heater and 5kw backup generator. We lost power for 5 days after Hurricane Helene and we ran the generator for 18 hours a day (turned off at night) we avg about 8-10 gal of propane per day. On Thu, Dec 5, 2024 at 5:28 PM Adam Moffett <dmmoff...@gmail.com <mailto:dmmoff...@gmail.com> > wrote: When I was directly involved in that it was around 2016, and it was $2.something a gallon. I remember remarking to myself that it was close to the gasoline price (at the time). I think the tank was 500 gallon and they fill it to 400 or some such, I'm sure it would have lasted a week if we needed it to. Regardless of the price, it's worth every penny to just know the tank is always full and that we have so much of it. I'd pay double the market rate for propane to get that (but I won't tell the fuel company that). And yes, to Ken, this would only make sense for a permanently installed standby generator, and one where the propane truck can get to it. -Adam _____ From: AF <af-boun...@af.afmug.com <mailto:af-boun...@af.afmug.com> > on behalf of Mike Hammett <af...@ics-il.net <mailto:af...@ics-il.net> > Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2024 2:49 PM To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <af@af.afmug.com <mailto:af@af.afmug.com> > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps That's a really good idea, just outsource the whole problem to someone else, assuming that someone else will be able to accommodate where it is. How does delivered propane compare in price to DIY? ----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions <http://www.ics-il.com/> <https://www.facebook.com/ICSIL> Midwest Internet Exchange The Brothers WISP _____ From: "Adam Moffett" <dmmoff...@gmail.com> To: "AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group" <af@af.afmug.com> Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2024 11:20:51 AM Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps You could start it up on a warmer day to rule out a regulator, air filter, or whatever. But yeah it certainly could be the cold. I'm sure I've seen tank heaters somewhere, but you know the best thing I ever did for myself on these things was get an account with a gas company. They supplied a massive tank at no charge. We just pay for fuel, and they come top it up twice a year (or on request). The first fillup was expensive because it was just a crapload of propane, but after that it was a minimal charge twice a year as long as the generator had only been exercising. Obviously, it's more money if you actually had a power outage, but you'll be buying the gas either way and it's just easier if someone else takes care of it. And freezing won't be an issue. If they know what they're doing they'll ask you about the fuel consumption of the generator and size the tank appropriately for the vaporization in cold weather. You can't do that if the gas truck can't drive up to the site, but as long as that's not an issue then it would behoove you to call around and see what you can get from a local gas company. -Adam _____ From: AF <af-boun...@af.afmug.com> on behalf of Nate Burke <n...@blastcomm.com> Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2024 11:12 AM To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <af@af.afmug.com> Subject: [AFMUG] Propane and Low temps Many years ago, I think Chuck had posted an excellent chart showing Propane tank sizes, and the offgas rate at different temperatures, but I can't find it anymore, and my Google results don't show what I think it was. We have several 2000-2500w Champion Dual-Fuel Generators that have been working flawlessly for us with propane. Last night was the first time I think that I deployed one in Cold temperatures though. We were about 13 degrees last night. I have it on a 30# tank, and it fired right up, and ran for about 5 minutes, then turned off. Fired it up again, and it ran for 2 hours and shut off. Propane tank was nearly full, but I'm wondering if it was too cold for the propane. Back-of-the-napkin math says that possibly it was. Working out some numbers based on run times@60F, it looks like it might draw about 14kbtu/hr At 10 degrees, it looks like a 30# tank will only do about 13kbtu/hr. Would a heater blanket work And/or provide enough heat to offset the lower temperatures? Or just stick with Gas for the winter. We're warming up now, so won't be able to test until it gets cold again. -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- Zach Underwood (RHCE,RHCSA,RHCT,UACA) My website advance-networking.com _____ -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
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