I've been doing propane conversion on car engines for 3 decades now . Less HP on propane , there are several reasons why . 1) Less energy in the fuel as you stated . But propane is a gas , so it mixes better with air and these two effects cancel each other out more or less . 2) The cooling effect the atomising gasoline fuel has on the intake air is no longer present . Warmer air , less density , less HP Can be avoided with liquid propane injection under high pressure . Not suitable for a generator . 3) Most important in this case is the snorkel . It's a restriction in the intake , and full throttle isn't full throttle anymore . Try doing a test on gasoline with and without snorkel . Under full load It will be quite measurable . I think that 20% of the carbs venturi is blocked by the snorkel wich rougly results in a 15% power loss . The only wat to avoid this is fuel injection , wich again is way beyond a small generator . Propane burns hotter , so a little more valve clearance is recomended . Propane needs abt 3KV more on the spark plug to ignite . Most car ignitions can handle this . On magneto engines sometimes the ignition strugles , so a bit less spark plug gap will work miracles . If you'de do this more often I strongly advice you get a wideband to set the mixture . Tune for lambda 0.95 . Slightly on the rich side but not much . Propane burning hotter when rich is a myth , it is not correct . Believe me I know what I'm talking about . Stoich ( Lambda =1) or a tiny little bit on the rich side rich is the way to go . Nice restauration video , I liked it . :)
Just finished a conversion using the Century kit. They also caution about running rich mixtures (too hot). Do you have any sources I could read on the subject? Tks
I also converted several vehicles a while back. Another reason for loss of power in a conversion is that only so much vapor can go through the carb throat at amospheric pressure, which is why they use supercharging for more power and why power is lost at higher elevations because of thin air. Gas goes in liquid & lpg & ng go in as vapor taking the place of an equal amount of air.
I read your comment with great interest and was wondering if there is an economical benefit to using LPG/Propane against gas (petrol) despite the loss in power? Many thanks.
I have to rate this as one of your top ten videos. First half was about fixing her up and the rest was about that propane conversion. Really interesting.
Great video James! Call US Carb CS, there is another snorkel with a different orientation for this engine. As you noted the hose is blocked by the air box. Rather the hose should come out of the lower left instead of the lower right side, probe facing away. You did the adjustment of the load block correctly as well. Many will screw the pooch on this step and burn up their engine. Leaner is better on propane. Rich on propane is hotter. Its the opposite of gasoline where lean mix equals higher exhaust temps. On propane the valves will see 3-5% increase in overall temp, but the hardened seats and valves can handle that no problem. Great rebuild!!
I converted my 15KW generac to propane last year - using a kit. I know the load block performs one (only?) major function - detecting a "suction" from the inlet to permit gas flow - if the suction is not present (engine off) the load block shuts off the gas flow. But I've always been a bit fuzzy on adjusting the "mixture" with that set screw. To get it started you need to open it up a minimum amount - but what about when it running with a load? Does that require another adjustment to enrich the supply? Watching James it looks likes he barely changed that screw position from the idle setup. In my case I'll NEVER come anywhere close to using 15KW - much more likely is 5 to 6KW. Should I run it up to that load an use that as the set point? I keep hearing that you need to keep it as lean as possible. Great vid James. Not sure that any of your videos generated as many responses as this one!...
@@romanykemp9042 no the load block is for idle mixture only. The vacuum lockoff mechanism, the part that detects a suction to start the flow of propane is inside the demand regulator (KN or Garrison brand typically) and should NOT be adjusted for risk of propane flowing when engine is not running. Yes set as lean as possible. You may have to richen up slightly to handle the full load. I set the idle mixture by testing with various resistive heater loads up to 17.5k. takes a bit but it insures the leanest mix possible while supporting fuel demand at full load.
@@Bassguitarist1985 Thanks for the correction! I think I lumped the demand regulator and the load block under one name (load block). It is a bit of an odd name - "load block". Do you know how that name came about - instead of something a bit more obvious like "mixture" adjustment?
Excellent as always and invaluable insight added at the end re: hp to output wattage calculations. Not shocked manufacturers "embellish" the capability in terms of output wattage. Unit ran great on both propane and gas and special thanks to Stanley, again, for providing the donation to the channel to benefit us all!
Further to my previous comment about CNG in my car: In those days the valve seats were designed for leaded petrol/gasoline and were lubed that way. Running on CNG was too dry, not lubed affecting the intake valve stem and seat. Extra "upper lube" system was recommended. In the end the cost of it all made the conversion uneconomical. Most cars are not carburetted any more so CNG for cars is largely off the market. But I like what you've made here, James. Very nicely done!
Great learning curve on propane retrofitting. Instead of paste for the treads you can use Teflon tape specifically for gas fittings, similar to Teflon tape for water fittings, but rated for gaz.
Wow, I thought well that's a parts machine for sure, but you adapted, adjusted and overcame. I learned that a HomeDepot box makes a great paint booth. Loved it.
A couple years back I converted a new Champion 100520 and had bought it with that in mind, in order to end up with all the features I wanted but couldn't find in a single (affordable) generator on the market at the time. 240V, 30A, inverter, with an option to run on propane as a backup fuel source. My kit did relocate the airbox but fortunately I didn't have to modify the frame. I did learn, as it seems you did, about the vendors of these kits claiming they're for a specific generator model (not just a specific engine) and apparently never having even tried it and leaving it to the buyer to do significant hacking and fabrication to make it work. Result runs well, though at somewhat reduced power on propane as expected.
Century (the manufacturer of the regulator) is the supplier of the kit I used on my conversion. They recommended reducing the spark plug gap to .025" instead of the typical .032-.035".
A couple years ago, I did a tri-fuel conversion on Ridgid RD8000 with a Subaru EX40 motor. I bought and installed a Nashfuel (Impco) NF-GEN-KIT-720-221-4-EX kit. The kit supplies a short large diameter hose between the regulators. I needed to hook it up to a 100 lb tank so i replaced this hose with 15 ft one like the one you used. So my installation looked a lot like yours. I was disappointed when the generator would stumble close to a stall when I applied a step load. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that the long thin hose with not much more than 2PSI could not respond to intake requirements of a step load. I solved the problem by mounting the pre-regulator directly on the input of the nozzle-feed regulator and using the "thin" high pressure hose from the tank to that first regulator. What a difference! I can now drive my submersible well pump and drive a burner or two on my oven with no stumbling. You may want to try this arrangement. I think you would experience improvement.
Always wanted to see a conversion done. That insight into how manufacturers rate their engines and powerheads is even more valuable. Thanks for this video.
Great video. I have personally converted 2 generator inverters with US carburetor products. Easy install and worked perfect. Tapped into my natural gas hookup for endless fuel source.
I loved watching this video. Always wondered how a conversion is set up. Since the 6000W load produced the same RPM and 5500W using propane, I'd say that's the difference between powers of the two fuels. You do excellent work James.
@@garbleduser You can turbo charge your generator, bore and stroke it, or engine swap for a bigger motor but propane and natural gas will never give you the same power that gasoline will in the exact same motor. So really you either run gasoline or accept the lower power of propane/natural gas for the benefits it gives over gasoline. One notable benefit is propane stores better and longer than pump gas and natural gas is piped to many households so it's virtually always "full and ready".
@@jcondon1 You can use teflon PASTE, or teflon TAPE on that fitting. I have a WINCO trifuel generator w/11hp HONDA engiine. The unit rates at: 5500w on gasoline, 5000 on profane, 4400 on NG. All numbers above are CONSTANT.
The conversion kit I got for my MZ 360 came with a Venturi for the front of the carburetor. Of course the air box ran into the frame. I cut the frame as needed then welded the part back in inverted and repainted. My generator sits outside so I built a large dog house with all hinged sides to open up. I even painted a dog door on the front. From a distance it looks like a dog house.
Found this same generator on Craigslist a few months ago. Had 3.1 hours on it. Original owner had encountered the problem with the gravity fed fuel system and put it in storage in the garage after draining the tank and carb. Needed the space in the garage for other toys and put it up for sale. I picked it up for $300 intending to convert it to tri-fuel. Fixed the gasoline problem after watching your video and added the tri-fuel conversion kit from Century Carb. I mounted the regulator on the roll cage using bicycle handlebar mounting clamps. If I could figure out how to post a video/photo, I would. Generator runs good on all 3 fuels, and it is good to know what the generator's limits are. Thanks for enlightening us on the actual horsepower and power output.
Hello James: I love your videos. I entertain myself and learn a lot watching them. As I told you in another comment, I maintain two generators that my brothers-in-law own and I have been able to apply techniques and knowledge that I have learned from you all these years. Thank you for your dedication to filming, editing and uploading them to RUclips. Ramon Jimenez From Hialeah, Fl.
It sad when you get a generator in that bad of condition people pay good money for generator and let them get shape but you make lot's of great video of fixing them.
I have a US Carburetor unit installed on my Honda 3000i that is hooked up to natural gas. I find it hard to cold start on natural gas. My solution is to start the generator on gasoline and then turn the fuel switch off. Then, when the engine starts to die, I turn on the natural gas valve and the natural gas takes over. Video was very informative.
Really great video, James - thanks for taking the time. Happy to see the conversion. Propane has overwhelming advantages in my mind, but, a few disadvantages, too: In very cold conditions, small tanks may not be able to properly vaporize. That problem can be minimized by using a much larger tank, or two small tanks and a Y-connector between (RV accessory), or even better, put the tank in a warm area like the garage, and run the hose under the door. But, there is a limit to how long your hose can be - too long, and it won't pass enough gas. US Carburetion can advise.on hose diameter/length. With the Y connector, you can also change one tank at a time without shutting the generator down. One thing that always surprises me - when you change your oil after using propane, it looks like new oil. Makes you wonder what is in gasoline! Again, thank you for the very helpful video!
Jim, Rance here. Thank you for another very informative video. It was pure brilliance to seek out information on the Yamaha engine. That saved you a lot of grief. I would have never thought that the info put on the machine would have been deceptive. Professor Condon does it again!
James your attention to detail is great. Mine has been hodge podge and I need to follow your lead. Thanks for the videos. What you need to do is examine in close detail of the wire to the rotor and match it exactly when replacing a wire that has become dislodged. You said your's had a habit of coming loose. If you super clean the wire end and coat it with regular solder using solder paste there is no way the company can do better than James putting a wire back. Just pay close attention to exactly how the company usually does it and your's won't come off either.
I now know much, much more about generators. I will never use that knowledge, but i feel so content in knowing. Your videos James are addictive. Well done!
I have used a number of these US Carb conversions. I totally agree with your saying that using propane or nat gas reduces the horsepower, in spite of the conversion company’s words. The first kit (nat gas) I installed was before they introduced the “snorkel” but instead had a block between the manifold and the carb, worked very well. The next one, also nat gas, had the snorkel but would not run well at all, lacking power on nat gas and gasoline. I do not feel the snorkel is a good idea at all. I now have a Firman trifuel machine rated at different outputs for each fuel.
Our home standby generator runs on Natural gas. The vendor told us that the motor's stickers have "gasoline rating" numbers... and to expect 10-15% less gusto on natural gas. It still does OK.
This may have been your best video yet. Thank you so much for spending the time to explain the tri-fuel kit. Your editing is amazing and appreciated. Many viewers don't understand or appreciate how much effort goes into editing, but I do. Best channel on RUclips!! Class act! Your wife should be proud of you for your dedication to your hobby and your focus on quality. I converted my Honda EU7000IS to the US Carb MSK7000 Tri fuel kit and it was well worth the effort and investment.
Let me first say first I thoroughly enjoy your videos, as a retired contractor Supporting our Great Military worked generators over the years. I have ofttimes wondered why you don't use the pressure washer more often, please don't construe this as criticism, yes we lived by/with Simple Green and the pressure washer. I fully understand that military gen sets are shielded/protected from water and elements better than our homeowner versions. I can honestly say that I never expected problems using the pressure washer. That being said prudence and common sense was employed. Yes some dingdong may spray high pressure water on a control box or sensitive electronics and screw things up. I didn't and my colleagues likewise. A clean place to work takes so much aggravation out of the job, but you know this. I enjoy your presentation and look forward to the next. No propane will not produce the same power and best to be bigger on initial HP. I like propane because it's clean. Thanks
I have been pressure washing more of them recently. I had a generator fail once after pressure washing. It was probably a coincidence, but makes me think twice about it.
@@jcondon1 Generally speaking water (especially high pressure water) and electricity (and water and motors) are not good friends. Better to have a slightly filthy generator that works than a shiny generator that no longer works.
@@jcondon1 you could always cover the powerhead with plastic and clean them by hand as you already do, and then use the PW to get the engine and frame. But as long as water doesn't get blasted directly into the powerhead, it should be OK, especially if allowed to dry fully before started up. During the great Mississippi River Flood of 1993, we ran 5 or 6 portable generators 24/7 for nearly 6 weeks straight (only stopped to change oil every few days... we hot fueled them [refueled while running]) at the airport I worked at while we were cleaning up and kept our business running until the utility power was restored. They sat outside running through rain, thunderstorms, whatever weather there was, uncovered in the driving rains, with no issues at all. Most of the genny's were Hondas, but I think we had a few with Briggs engines as well from what I remember. I think the only issues we had was spark plug fouling from running on 100LL Avgas, which, even though it is 100 octane "Low Lead", still has about 3X the lead content of the old leaded automotive gasoline. We started cleaning the spark plugs when we did the oil changes every 4-5 days. That was about as long as we could go before they ran low on oil and would shut down on the low oil sensors. We always tried to get the oil changed before that happened.
After cleaning that aluminum housing, spray some silicone tire shine on it. It will slow down the oxidation. I like the homemade paint booth you put together, does the job. 😛 Thanks for the Vids Jim
Love your channel and I've learned much from you. I suggest you check the fuel hose on that generator. That engine was bouncing around quite a bit and that rubber hose was rubbing up against a thin metal part that will chew through that hose eventually. I converted my Coleman PowerMate 6500 to use natural gas with the US Carb kit and it works fantastic. There is a 10% power loss so my 5500/6500 generator is now a 5000/6000 unit. Not a concern for me as it still easily runs the entire house. We don't even use it for the house anymore since we got solar and battery backup, the generator just charges the batteries when needed.
Very good production guility as always, intresting and informing AND NOT IRRITATING MUSIC (ALL THE TIME ) Please dont get into that... A lot of yt cont . creators can't make a video without constant music overlay these days.... I can have its place,in like drone photo of car ride and others situations... in small portions...
Hi James! I've always been curious to see what is involved in a gasoline to propane or natural gas conversion. Thanks for posting this - very informative! :)😀
I converted my Honda EU2000i over 12 years ago.... before the conversion kits existed. I ended up just drilling a hole in the existing carb and using JB Weld to connect an inlet pipe for the propane. It worked perfectly and continues to do so to this day :)
Excellent job! Would love to see more propane conversions. A lot of folks use these larger generators for back up power and propane makes the most sense.
I think this is your deepest renovation on a running machine yet. Love how you covered the conversion; I knew those kits existed but had/have zero knowledge on them. I am quite concerned with your "L" bracket though- you can easily see the valve vibrating when running and aluminum is bad for cracking under those stresses. For better material you can usually turn up an old bed frame rail for free, just remember that it has to be drilled like cast iron. Very handy material for the very best price!
Add a pressure washer and a pressure washer sandblast gun to your tool list and this will be a much easier job to do. I have wanted to do this propane conversion on my generator. I looked into this particular kit and I was under the impression that the snorkel was meant to fit between the carburetor and the engine. Thank you for the information.
Awesome i loved the cleanup and repaint, wish you wire wheeled the corrosion on the head fins, painted inside of wheels, also evaporust the flywheel, I was hoping... maybe in another one :-) Either way you make the best how to videos, very entertaining, keep doing what you do best 🤟
Rust on cast iron, like the flywheel, has a preventative effect.... it will only rust so much, then it will stop, and the rust actually becomes the barrier to prevent it from rusting more.
Great job Jim: I have put adjustable propane regulators on some equipment that may give you a little more power at the engine. It goes at the tank and you can turn them up to give you more pressure. Also I have a propane kit for a Honda generator that I have not installed yet. Hope to do it soon. Many thanks.
This may sound insignificant, but I truly appreciate how you make an effort to clean these machines. I watch a lot of these "revival" type channels, from cars and motorcycles to small engine tools like yours, and it makes me... anxious i guess is the best word, to watch guys working on them when they are filthy. I get that you may not want to put the effort into cleaning up something that may not run in the end, but if you do take the time to clean as you go, in the end you get a 10X better result. Thank you!!! :)
It's really refreshing to see someone actually trying to refurbish and clean up a machine than just throw in a part Wham bang gone Good work And your muffler you can buy galvanise paint my kind of video.
Very interesting video James. The engine on my Honda EU7000IS is rated at 11.7 HP and is rated to put out 5,500 continuous watts with a surge of 7000. When doing the math you talked about, it should be able to run 6435 watts continuously, so instead of being over rated, it is under rated, which is nice for a change. Talking about marketing hype, when buying generators, you have to look hard to find the manufacturers rated duty cycle. This specification states the number of hours a day that the generator "should" be run. This is another number that generator companies try to hide. On some generators there will be a duty cycle of 3 hours a day, or 9 hours a day, so if you run it 24/7/365 it will reach its expected "end of life" much sooner than otherwise. If you are only using your generator for emergency power outages once or twice a year, not a big deal, but if you are using it everyday, it will not last as long as one would hope. Honda again has a 100% duty cycle, or 24 hours a day, you can run it 24/7/365 and it will just keep going, as long as the oil is changed every 100 hours and you fill it with gas. I am sure that there are other portable generator manufacturers out there with 100% duty cycles, but they are always going to be more expensive.
You know... I was musing on this a little. I don't really think that this is a CONVERSION per se. It's more of an adaptation- because nothing is being converted. For example: if a Honda EU2000 had a carburetor drilled out (this was before the snorkel, mind you) then I'd say that it was converted. You can't undo that. This is easily reversible by yanking out the doughnut. Fantastic vid, by the way. This guy is SO meticulous and precise. He's a surgeon of the mechanical world.
Your video was extremely helpful. I added the propane kit to my Wen 8750 inverter generator. It’s working really well. Where I live I think gasoline might be in short supply during an extended power outage. Like a knucklehead I overloaded my Kill A Watt with 3 heaters. There’s a 99c thermal fuse inside and with RUclips help I replaced it. I guess it’s obvious how many watts you’re adding, and you just use the KAW to check volts and hz. Dumb I know but maybe someone else will be warned that 1800 watts is about the limit on the KAW device.
GOOD job! Years ago a pal of mine had a greenhouse with a heater in it and because of a snow storm and line power off and me with a 4x4 I got the deal of going and firing up the genset and get some heat going. The genset was an 'L' head about 16 or 18 horse and propane. I was amazed how much gas whooshed into it to get it to run. Then I found out that gasoline did better as far as power, much less in lasting time. I'll still take the old Coleman with the Briggs 10 horse I/C because it does the 5K, no trouble. I was wondering about yours when it faded on 6k and 'rated' for 8.5. The truth came out. Thanks for a REALLY INFORMATIVE fix! BLESSINGS to ALL yall!
Another great video. I am amazed at how much knowledge and experience you have with these generators. I learn much with every one. Thanks for taking the time to make them.
Great project, but for my RV (120V 30A) I decided to go the simple way and bought a new generator for less than $600 from home depot, it is a Champion Power Equipment 4550-Watt/3650-Watt Electric Start Gasoline and Propane Powered Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Generator with CO Shield, which includes a 3-year limited warranty with free lifetime technical support.
You can gain some of the power back when running on propane or natural gas by advancing the ignition timing quite a bit and also increasing the compression ratio. The octane rating is something like 110 to 120. Of course this is easier said than done but just letting you know it is possible to get similar power output when using a lower energy density fuel. You can also artificially increase the compression ratio with boost 😉😉😉
James, Thank You very much for creating these videos. I’ve really learn a lot about generators from your videos. Especially this one where you provides details and solutions about motor power ratings between natural gas and gasoline, the amount of wattage per hour, generator loading and tri fueling. Thanks again. Big fan!
James thank you for another great video. I like how thorough and meticulous you are. Your knowledge along with your commentary has helped to learn a great deal. This one turned out awesome it looks perfect. I learnt how to install a propane conversion kit. It is now a tri fuel generator great call James. ❤🇨🇦
Great job, very informative and I am happy to see someone who used undercoat before topcoat when doing metal repair, very rare on youtube others seem to think 2 in 1 actually works, (not in my 50 years in body and paint repair.)
Jim, I like how this generator turned out. I was hoping that you would have touched up the aluminum with the paint you used on the wheels, but that doesn't affect the operation in any way. A boat tank might have worked on this generator, but in all likelihood, a fuel pump might have been required. I have a Dyna generator that I bought without a tank, and I've had to do a retrofit of a tank to use it. Yesterday, I saw that someone had scrapped a Kohler generator with the 10 hp 4 cylinder engine that, if memory serves, was used on International Cub tractors. It would have been fun just to have that to start it up and hear it run once in a while.
One note, my dual fuel generator does not let you kill the engine when running on propane, you must turn off the tank valve to do so. I suspect it's to prevent raw propane from accumulating when tank is on while the engine is not running. Something to keep in mind....
Excellent video as usual. I hope I do not need to do a tri-fuel conversion. Sad that TTI (Ridgid orange) lies on the label about the max power. I have a Generac EXP which does make the rated 7000W power. A LOT of work on this generator. Well done Jim, a good generator now, although output is less than the label, but the Yamaha engine is working as designed. Dave.
Hi James, I've been watching your videos for the past several months and enjoy your knowledge and attention to detail! I can't imagine how much time you must spend editing! I almost think you have a camera and audio person! Everything is "perfect!" I recently converted our Honda EU2000 to propane. After researching several kits I bought a kit from Grenergy. They're a bit pricy but very well put together. The snorkle is machined from billet aluminum, that's what swayed me. Have only used it a couple times, but so far I'm glad I got away from gasoline! Keep up the good work, Rich.
I have learned tons from you James and every video you send out has great information and content.As my one friend who was having issues with his older Champion....that yellow China Gen. i said thats what you get.....next time buy American.My Generac E8000 does great for years.Anyway.....his issue was covered by you and he said it works fine now.I didn't get the exact problem....but he said it helped fix the issue. Thanks
Hey James, good video mate, My snorkel goes between the carb and the engine not at the back like you are trying, also it looks like it's fouling the choke plate, I see the choke trying to return itself when you ran on petrol at the end.. Bob UK. Oh! you can also buy a carb with the gas conversion built in on amazon, that solves the space problem with the air cleaner.
Not for Yamahas AFAIK. There are a million Honda/Chonda gas conversion carbs on Amazon (there must be a big domestic China market for them) but no others.
The fuel outlet on the snorkel needs to be in the middle of the carburetor. The way his snorkel is built putting it directly on the intake would not be correct. Typical for his kind of kit to block the choke because in propane mode choke is not necessary. But to call it a tri-fuel solution when the choke is interfered with is definitely over marketing. But then again they had no problem lying to him about no loss of power with propane so maybe that's just their standard... Tell the customer what they want to hear so they'll buy their overpriced kit. 🥴
@@RIDERSONLINEORG Supposedly the snorkel is flexible rubber and is supposed to get squeezed by the choke so that the choke still works but I agree that is a half-@ssed solution. For any Honda there are $30 Chinese dual fuel carbs that have a propane inlet that is cast into the venturi after the choke. $30 buys you a whole conversion carb including the demand regulator which is crazy cheap.
In my shop we learned never to grind aluminum on a grinding wheel but to always use a belt sander. The little you did is OK but not a habit. The engine needs one of those 12 hp Predator engines to fully use the full output of the stator and rotor especially with natural gas or propane.
Amazing. I find myself watching these videos over and over again. For some reason, I just love watching you fix these generators. I have one critique, if I may. I’ve noticed that you always make sure that the valves are exactly set to spec, even if that means tightening them up. Sloppy valves are happy valves. I would suggest that if you find a valve that is slightly too loose, you leave it and if it is just slightly too tight, loosen it so that it is either to spec or slightly looser.
I found the label discrepancy interesting. When I do the math for our EG2800i, (6 hp GC190) it indicates 3300w. This Honda inverter is rated at 2500w, 2800w surge. It has never failed to please us, probably due in part to a conservative rating. Great information on hp to wattage!
Hello James good job on the retrofit. Great job on explaining the engine power output calculation. I would mount a propane tank bracket in stead of fuel tank and you have a mobile propane unit without draging the tank separately. Without the carb fouling storage issue. Even if you drain the carb. With today's fuel if stored for 2 or 3 years the carb will probably need attention to run properly again. Keep the videos coming.
I've been doing propane conversion on car engines for 3 decades now .
Less HP on propane , there are several reasons why .
1) Less energy in the fuel as you stated . But propane is a gas , so it mixes better with air and these two effects cancel each other out more or less .
2) The cooling effect the atomising gasoline fuel has on the intake air is no longer present . Warmer air , less density , less HP
Can be avoided with liquid propane injection under high pressure . Not suitable for a generator .
3) Most important in this case is the snorkel . It's a restriction in the intake , and full throttle isn't full throttle anymore .
Try doing a test on gasoline with and without snorkel . Under full load It will be quite measurable .
I think that 20% of the carbs venturi is blocked by the snorkel wich rougly results in a 15% power loss .
The only wat to avoid this is fuel injection , wich again is way beyond a small generator .
Propane burns hotter , so a little more valve clearance is recomended .
Propane needs abt 3KV more on the spark plug to ignite . Most car ignitions can handle this .
On magneto engines sometimes the ignition strugles , so a bit less spark plug gap will work miracles .
If you'de do this more often I strongly advice you get a wideband to set the mixture . Tune for lambda 0.95 . Slightly on the rich side but not much .
Propane burning hotter when rich is a myth , it is not correct . Believe me I know what I'm talking about .
Stoich ( Lambda =1) or a tiny little bit on the rich side rich is the way to go .
Nice restauration video , I liked it . :)
Just finished a conversion using the Century kit. They also caution about running rich mixtures (too hot). Do you have any sources I could read on the subject? Tks
I also converted several vehicles a while back. Another reason for loss of power in a conversion is that only so much vapor can go through the carb throat at amospheric pressure, which is why they use supercharging for more power and why power is lost at higher elevations because of thin air. Gas goes in liquid & lpg & ng go in as vapor taking the place of an equal amount of air.
I read your comment with great interest and was wondering if there is an economical benefit to using LPG/Propane against gas (petrol) despite the loss in power? Many thanks.
@@gregclarke6419 Round here , europe ,the only real reason is the cost of the fuel . Abt 1/3 of the gasoline price .
I have to rate this as one of your top ten videos. First half was about fixing her up and the rest was about that propane conversion. Really interesting.
Great video James! Call US Carb CS, there is another snorkel with a different orientation for this engine. As you noted the hose is blocked by the air box. Rather the hose should come out of the lower left instead of the lower right side, probe facing away.
You did the adjustment of the load block correctly as well. Many will screw the pooch on this step and burn up their engine. Leaner is better on propane. Rich on propane is hotter. Its the opposite of gasoline where lean mix equals higher exhaust temps.
On propane the valves will see 3-5% increase in overall temp, but the hardened seats and valves can handle that no problem.
Great rebuild!!
Thanks, will give them a call. Although this one works, definitely the hose should exit the bottom left to be proper.
I converted my 15KW generac to propane last year - using a kit. I know the load block performs one (only?) major function - detecting a "suction" from the inlet to permit gas flow - if the suction is not present (engine off) the load block shuts off the gas flow. But I've always been a bit fuzzy on adjusting the "mixture" with that set screw. To get it started you need to open it up a minimum amount - but what about when it running with a load? Does that require another adjustment to enrich the supply? Watching James it looks likes he barely changed that screw position from the idle setup. In my case I'll NEVER come anywhere close to using 15KW - much more likely is 5 to 6KW. Should I run it up to that load an use that as the set point? I keep hearing that you need to keep it as lean as possible. Great vid James. Not sure that any of your videos generated as many responses as this one!...
@@romanykemp9042 no the load block is for idle mixture only. The vacuum lockoff mechanism, the part that detects a suction to start the flow of propane is inside the demand regulator (KN or Garrison brand typically) and should NOT be adjusted for risk of propane flowing when engine is not running.
Yes set as lean as possible. You may have to richen up slightly to handle the full load. I set the idle mixture by testing with various resistive heater loads up to 17.5k. takes a bit but it insures the leanest mix possible while supporting fuel demand at full load.
@@Bassguitarist1985 Thanks for the correction! I think I lumped the demand regulator and the load block under one name (load block). It is a bit of an odd name - "load block". Do you know how that name came about - instead of something a bit more obvious like "mixture" adjustment?
@@romanykemp9042 that's what Hue at US Carb at us car has always called it. I suppose you would know the answer to that haha
Woo!!! Conversion!!! Now we're talkin. My favorite small engine guy with an hour+ video. Thanks James
Excellent as always and invaluable insight added at the end re: hp to output wattage calculations. Not shocked manufacturers "embellish" the capability in terms of output wattage. Unit ran great on both propane and gas and special thanks to Stanley, again, for providing the donation to the channel to benefit us all!
Further to my previous comment about CNG in my car: In those days the valve seats were designed for leaded petrol/gasoline and were lubed that way. Running on CNG was too dry, not lubed affecting the intake valve stem and seat. Extra "upper lube" system was recommended. In the end the cost of it all made the conversion uneconomical. Most cars are not carburetted any more so CNG for cars is largely off the market.
But I like what you've made here, James. Very nicely done!
Great learning curve on propane retrofitting. Instead of paste for the treads you can use Teflon tape specifically for gas fittings, similar to Teflon tape for water fittings, but rated for gaz.
Wow, I thought well that's a parts machine for sure, but you adapted, adjusted and overcame. I learned that a HomeDepot box makes a great paint booth. Loved it.
A couple years back I converted a new Champion 100520 and had bought it with that in mind, in order to end up with all the features I wanted but couldn't find in a single (affordable) generator on the market at the time. 240V, 30A, inverter, with an option to run on propane as a backup fuel source. My kit did relocate the airbox but fortunately I didn't have to modify the frame. I did learn, as it seems you did, about the vendors of these kits claiming they're for a specific generator model (not just a specific engine) and apparently never having even tried it and leaving it to the buyer to do significant hacking and fabrication to make it work. Result runs well, though at somewhat reduced power on propane as expected.
Which kit did you use for the 100520? How hard was it to install?
Century (the manufacturer of the regulator) is the supplier of the kit I used on my conversion. They recommended reducing the spark plug gap to .025" instead of the typical .032-.035".
When running on propane it is recommended to reduce the gap.
A couple years ago, I did a tri-fuel conversion on Ridgid RD8000 with a Subaru EX40 motor. I bought and installed a Nashfuel (Impco) NF-GEN-KIT-720-221-4-EX kit. The kit supplies a short large diameter hose between the regulators. I needed to hook it up to a 100 lb tank so i replaced this hose with 15 ft one like the one you used. So my installation looked a lot like yours. I was disappointed when the generator would stumble close to a stall when I applied a step load. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that the long thin hose with not much more than 2PSI could not respond to intake requirements of a step load. I solved the problem by mounting the pre-regulator directly on the input of the nozzle-feed regulator and using the "thin" high pressure hose from the tank to that first regulator. What a difference! I can now drive my submersible well pump and drive a burner or two on my oven with no stumbling.
You may want to try this arrangement. I think you would experience improvement.
Always wanted to see a conversion done. That insight into how manufacturers rate their engines and powerheads is even more valuable. Thanks for this video.
Great video.
I have personally converted 2 generator inverters with US carburetor products. Easy install and worked perfect. Tapped into my natural gas hookup for endless fuel source.
I sent them an email this morning. Wondering if they sent me the wrong snorkel.
I loved watching this video.
Always wondered how a conversion is set up.
Since the 6000W load produced the same RPM and 5500W using propane, I'd say that's the difference between powers of the two fuels.
You do excellent work James.
Normally you should expect about a 10% loss in power and that is what I saw.
@@jcondon1 Plus ANOTHER 10% for natural gas ( on NG it's a 5kw generator).
@@jcondon1 How does one (theoretically) make up for it? Would compressing the intake fuel air mix do it?
@@garbleduser You can turbo charge your generator, bore and stroke it, or engine swap for a bigger motor but propane and natural gas will never give you the same power that gasoline will in the exact same motor. So really you either run gasoline or accept the lower power of propane/natural gas for the benefits it gives over gasoline. One notable benefit is propane stores better and longer than pump gas and natural gas is piped to many households so it's virtually always "full and ready".
@@jcondon1 You can use teflon PASTE, or teflon TAPE on that fitting.
I have a WINCO trifuel generator w/11hp HONDA engiine. The unit rates at: 5500w on gasoline, 5000 on profane, 4400 on NG. All numbers above are CONSTANT.
Excellent restoration and fuel conversion! I am changing from Generac to dual-fuel Duromax generators. On propane, they start with no choke required.
The conversion kit I got for my MZ 360 came with a Venturi for the front of the carburetor. Of course the air box ran into the frame. I cut the frame as needed then welded the part back in inverted and repainted. My generator sits outside so I built a large dog house with all hinged sides to open up. I even painted a dog door on the front. From a distance it looks like a dog house.
You need food and water bowls and of course, lots of fake dog turds all over your yard to complete the trick.
Found this same generator on Craigslist a few months ago. Had 3.1 hours on it. Original owner had encountered the problem with the gravity fed fuel system and put it in storage in the garage after draining the tank and carb. Needed the space in the garage for other toys and put it up for sale. I picked it up for $300 intending to convert it to tri-fuel. Fixed the gasoline problem after watching your video and added the tri-fuel conversion kit from Century Carb. I mounted the regulator on the roll cage using bicycle handlebar mounting clamps. If I could figure out how to post a video/photo, I would. Generator runs good on all 3 fuels, and it is good to know what the generator's limits are. Thanks for enlightening us on the actual horsepower and power output.
Hello James:
I love your videos. I entertain myself and learn a lot watching them.
As I told you in another comment, I maintain two generators that my brothers-in-law own and I have been able to apply techniques and knowledge that I have learned from you all these years.
Thank you for your dedication to filming, editing and uploading them to RUclips.
Ramon Jimenez
From Hialeah, Fl.
U are the only one that I watch on RUclips that uses a tork wrench on something like that
He's a perfectionist alright.
It sad when you get a generator in that bad of condition people pay good money for generator and let them get shape but you make lot's of great video of fixing them.
Them cheap harbor freight dollys come in handy for tons of things never thought to use them for small engines thanks for the idea💡 @James Condon
I have a US Carburetor unit installed on my Honda 3000i that is hooked up to natural gas. I find it hard to cold start on natural gas. My solution is to start the generator on gasoline and then turn the fuel switch off. Then, when the engine starts to die, I turn on the natural gas valve and the natural gas takes over. Video was very informative.
Really great video, James - thanks for taking the time. Happy to see the conversion. Propane has overwhelming advantages in my mind, but, a few disadvantages, too: In very cold conditions, small tanks may not be able to properly vaporize. That problem can be minimized by using a much larger tank, or two small tanks and a Y-connector between (RV accessory), or even better, put the tank in a warm area like the garage, and run the hose under the door. But, there is a limit to how long your hose can be - too long, and it won't pass enough gas. US Carburetion can advise.on hose diameter/length. With the Y connector, you can also change one tank at a time without shutting the generator down. One thing that always surprises me - when you change your oil after using propane, it looks like new oil. Makes you wonder what is in gasoline!
Again, thank you for the very helpful video!
I have wanted to see you do a conversion. The problem with sourcing a tank was a great opportunity to do so. Beautifully done all through.
I'm gonna try one now.. soon as things in the shop slow down
Jim, Rance here. Thank you for another very informative video. It was pure brilliance to seek out information on the Yamaha engine. That saved you a lot of grief. I would have never thought that the info put on the machine would have been deceptive. Professor Condon does it again!
James your attention to detail is great. Mine has been hodge podge and I need to follow your lead. Thanks for the videos. What you need to do is examine in close detail of the wire to the rotor and match it exactly when replacing a wire that has become dislodged. You said your's had a habit of coming loose. If you super clean the wire end and coat it with regular solder using solder paste there is no way the company can do better than James putting a wire back. Just pay close attention to exactly how the company usually does it and your's won't come off either.
I now know much, much more about generators. I will never use that knowledge, but i feel so content in knowing. Your videos James are addictive. Well done!
I have used a number of these US Carb conversions. I totally agree with your saying that using propane or nat gas reduces the horsepower, in spite of the conversion company’s words. The first kit (nat gas) I installed was before they introduced the “snorkel” but instead had a block between the manifold and the carb, worked very well. The next one, also nat gas, had the snorkel but would not run well at all, lacking power on nat gas and gasoline. I do not feel the snorkel is a good idea at all. I now have a Firman trifuel machine rated at different outputs for each fuel.
Our home standby generator runs on Natural gas. The vendor told us that the motor's stickers have "gasoline rating" numbers... and to expect 10-15% less gusto on natural gas. It still does OK.
I converted mine to natural gas with a quick connect to the house...I have a Panel interlock.
Loving the setup. No gasoline needed.
This may have been your best video yet. Thank you so much for spending the time to explain the tri-fuel kit. Your editing is amazing and appreciated. Many viewers don't understand or appreciate how much effort goes into editing, but I do. Best channel on RUclips!! Class act! Your wife should be proud of you for your dedication to your hobby and your focus on quality. I converted my Honda EU7000IS to the US Carb MSK7000 Tri fuel kit and it was well worth the effort and investment.
I think it needs a propane bottle bracket where the fuel tank used to be. That way you could shorten the propane supply hose. Cool video.
Agreed 👍
Let me first say first I thoroughly enjoy your videos,
as a retired contractor Supporting our Great Military worked generators over the years. I have ofttimes wondered why you don't use the pressure washer more often, please don't construe this as criticism, yes we lived by/with Simple Green and the pressure washer. I fully understand that military gen sets are shielded/protected from water and elements better than our homeowner versions. I can honestly say that I never expected problems using the pressure washer. That being said prudence and common sense
was employed. Yes some dingdong may spray high pressure water on a control box or sensitive electronics and screw things up. I didn't and my colleagues likewise. A clean place to work takes so much aggravation out of the job, but you know this.
I enjoy your presentation and look forward to the next.
No propane will not produce the same power and best to be bigger on initial HP. I like propane because it's clean.
Thanks
I have been pressure washing more of them recently. I had a generator fail once after pressure washing. It was probably a coincidence, but makes me think twice about it.
@@jcondon1 Generally speaking water (especially high pressure water) and electricity (and water and motors) are not good friends. Better to have a slightly filthy generator that works than a shiny generator that no longer works.
@@jcondon1 you could always cover the powerhead with plastic and clean them by hand as you already do, and then use the PW to get the engine and frame. But as long as water doesn't get blasted directly into the powerhead, it should be OK, especially if allowed to dry fully before started up.
During the great Mississippi River Flood of 1993, we ran 5 or 6 portable generators 24/7 for nearly 6 weeks straight (only stopped to change oil every few days... we hot fueled them [refueled while running]) at the airport I worked at while we were cleaning up and kept our business running until the utility power was restored. They sat outside running through rain, thunderstorms, whatever weather there was, uncovered in the driving rains, with no issues at all. Most of the genny's were Hondas, but I think we had a few with Briggs engines as well from what I remember. I think the only issues we had was spark plug fouling from running on 100LL Avgas, which, even though it is 100 octane "Low Lead", still has about 3X the lead content of the old leaded automotive gasoline. We started cleaning the spark plugs when we did the oil changes every 4-5 days. That was about as long as we could go before they ran low on oil and would shut down on the low oil sensors. We always tried to get the oil changed before that happened.
After cleaning that aluminum housing, spray some silicone tire shine on it. It will slow down the oxidation. I like the homemade paint booth you put together, does the job. 😛 Thanks for the Vids Jim
6.23.22 Great video James. Thanks for making it.
Love your channel and I've learned much from you.
I suggest you check the fuel hose on that generator. That engine was bouncing around quite a bit and that rubber hose was rubbing up against a thin metal part that will chew through that hose eventually.
I converted my Coleman PowerMate 6500 to use natural gas with the US Carb kit and it works fantastic. There is a 10% power loss so my 5500/6500 generator is now a 5000/6000 unit. Not a concern for me as it still easily runs the entire house. We don't even use it for the house anymore since we got solar and battery backup, the generator just charges the batteries when needed.
Really enjoyed this one. Well presented and the sound and video quality was exceptional. Thank you so much for sharing.
Very good production guility as always, intresting and informing AND NOT IRRITATING
MUSIC (ALL THE TIME )
Please dont get into that...
A lot of yt cont . creators can't make a video without constant music overlay these days....
I can have its place,in like drone photo of car ride and others situations... in small portions...
Hi James! I've always been curious to see what is involved in a gasoline to propane or natural gas conversion. Thanks for posting this - very informative! :)😀
When he was cleaning the frame and Generator and engine and painted it he should have cleaned the tires when he done the rims
I converted my Honda EU2000i over 12 years ago.... before the conversion kits existed. I ended up just drilling a hole in the existing carb and using JB Weld to connect an inlet pipe for the propane. It worked perfectly and continues to do so to this day :)
I know nothing about this type of equipment but I love your videos, I'm actually learning stuff 🤓🛠👍
Nice rebuild and conversion, James. I think that will be a very reliable machine. Thanks for sharing.
Very cool propane conversion @James Condon
Excellent job! Would love to see more propane conversions. A lot of folks use these larger generators for back up power and propane makes the most sense.
I think this is your deepest renovation on a running machine yet. Love how you covered the conversion; I knew those kits existed but had/have zero knowledge on them. I am quite concerned with your "L" bracket though- you can easily see the valve vibrating when running and aluminum is bad for cracking under those stresses. For better material you can usually turn up an old bed frame rail for free, just remember that it has to be drilled like cast iron. Very handy material for the very best price!
That was way more involved than I ever thought it would be and in so much depth. What a great video. Thanks for posting
We should get edu credits for this series. Very informative. Thanks again for great real world content.
Add a pressure washer and a pressure washer sandblast gun to your tool list and this will be a much easier job to do.
I have wanted to do this propane conversion on my generator. I looked into this particular kit and I was under the impression that the snorkel was meant to fit between the carburetor and the engine. Thank you for the information.
Awesome i loved the cleanup and repaint, wish you wire wheeled the corrosion on the head fins, painted inside of wheels, also evaporust the flywheel, I was hoping... maybe in another one :-)
Either way you make the best how to videos, very entertaining, keep doing what you do best 🤟
Rust on cast iron, like the flywheel, has a preventative effect.... it will only rust so much, then it will stop, and the rust actually becomes the barrier to prevent it from rusting more.
yeah... that kinda annoyed me lol
I've got this generator and have been wanting to convert it to natural gas! Thanks for the videos.
Great job Jim: I have put adjustable propane regulators on some equipment that may give you a little more power at the engine. It goes at the tank and you can turn them up to give you more pressure. Also I have a propane kit for a Honda generator that I have not installed yet. Hope to do it soon. Many thanks.
very informative, I always wanted to see a conversion to propane that makes sense without someone trying to sound to smart for the task at hand.
This may sound insignificant, but I truly appreciate how you make an effort to clean these machines. I watch a lot of these "revival" type channels, from cars and motorcycles to small engine tools like yours, and it makes me... anxious i guess is the best word, to watch guys working on them when they are filthy. I get that you may not want to put the effort into cleaning up something that may not run in the end, but if you do take the time to clean as you go, in the end you get a 10X better result. Thank you!!! :)
Great video, liked the conversion. Keep up the good work. Machine models don't work for us in Australia, but very entertaining and informative.👍
I too have discovered the handy work of those who were not the mechanic they thought they were. Your skills far exceed those of most generator owners.
Very cool tri fuel Custom Generator Setup gas and propane very cool @James Condon
It's really refreshing to see someone actually trying to refurbish and clean up a machine than just throw in a part Wham bang gone Good work And your muffler you can buy galvanise paint my kind of video.
James, beautiful job. From a near piece of junk into a nicely functional machine!
Very interesting video James.
The engine on my Honda EU7000IS is rated at 11.7 HP and is rated to put out 5,500 continuous watts with a surge of 7000. When doing the math you talked about, it should be able to run 6435 watts continuously, so instead of being over rated, it is under rated, which is nice for a change.
Talking about marketing hype, when buying generators, you have to look hard to find the manufacturers rated duty cycle. This specification states the number of hours a day that the generator "should" be run. This is another number that generator companies try to hide. On some generators there will be a duty cycle of 3 hours a day, or 9 hours a day, so if you run it 24/7/365 it will reach its expected "end of life" much sooner than otherwise. If you are only using your generator for emergency power outages once or twice a year, not a big deal, but if you are using it everyday, it will not last as long as one would hope.
Honda again has a 100% duty cycle, or 24 hours a day, you can run it 24/7/365 and it will just keep going, as long as the oil is changed every 100 hours and you fill it with gas. I am sure that there are other portable generator manufacturers out there with 100% duty cycles, but they are always going to be more expensive.
I had to come back and watch this again. What a great conversion! Nice job Jim.
I have the same generator with a blown engine. Really hard to find parts. Love your videos
Great job!
A long video but worth it.
The best part was the last part...
It's always good to dig in and cross check issues throughly.
👍
You know... I was musing on this a little. I don't really think that this is a CONVERSION per se. It's more of an adaptation- because nothing is being converted. For example: if a Honda EU2000 had a carburetor drilled out (this was before the snorkel, mind you) then I'd say that it was converted. You can't undo that. This is easily reversible by yanking out the doughnut. Fantastic vid, by the way. This guy is SO meticulous and precise. He's a surgeon of the mechanical world.
Your video was extremely helpful. I added the propane kit to my Wen 8750 inverter generator. It’s working really well. Where I live I think gasoline might be in short supply during an extended power outage.
Like a knucklehead I overloaded my Kill A Watt with 3 heaters. There’s a 99c thermal fuse inside and with RUclips help I replaced it. I guess it’s obvious how many watts you’re adding, and you just use the KAW to check volts and hz. Dumb I know but maybe someone else will be warned that 1800 watts is about the limit on the KAW device.
I wish I could use the kill a watt for heavy loads, but 15amps is the max.
So the meter was actually correct when it said 4500 watts was at 100%. Always great stuff Jim. This one was very interesting. Thanks.
GOOD job! Years ago a pal of mine had a greenhouse with a heater in it and because of a snow storm and line power off and me with a 4x4 I got the deal of going and firing up the genset and get some heat going. The genset was an 'L' head about 16 or 18 horse and propane. I was amazed how much gas whooshed into it to get it to run. Then I found out that gasoline did better as far as power, much less in lasting time. I'll still take the old Coleman with the Briggs 10 horse I/C because it does the 5K, no trouble. I was wondering about yours when it faded on 6k and 'rated' for 8.5. The truth came out. Thanks for a REALLY INFORMATIVE fix! BLESSINGS to ALL yall!
Another great video. I am amazed at how much knowledge and experience you have with these generators. I learn much with every one. Thanks for taking the time to make them.
Great job James, keep them coming. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks
From parts to a great working Generator . Nice work man ! Propane is cheaper than gas now to !
Just about to tackle a conversion myself. Thanks for the how-to.
👍👍☝️😎✌🏻… Great video James! I’m a little braver now about converting my generator.
And thanks for the FYI research.
Great project, but for my RV (120V 30A) I decided to go the simple way and bought a new generator for less than $600 from home depot, it is a Champion Power Equipment 4550-Watt/3650-Watt Electric Start Gasoline and Propane Powered Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Generator with CO Shield, which includes a 3-year limited warranty with free lifetime technical support.
You can gain some of the power back when running on propane or natural gas by advancing the ignition timing quite a bit and also increasing the compression ratio.
The octane rating is something like 110 to 120.
Of course this is easier said than done but just letting you know it is possible to get similar power output when using a lower energy density fuel.
You can also artificially increase the compression ratio with boost 😉😉😉
Excellent job. I have a Tri-Fuel kit installed in my generator and it works great too. I'm covered with almost any fuel i can get my hands on.
the best carburetion I have seen, at full load, and then fine tuning at the end
James, Thank You very much for creating these videos. I’ve really learn a lot about generators from your videos. Especially this one where you provides details and solutions about motor power ratings between natural gas and gasoline, the amount of wattage per hour, generator loading and tri fueling. Thanks again. Big fan!
That's great you brought this generator back to life and converted it to propane, nice work James!
James thank you for another great video. I like how thorough and meticulous you are. Your knowledge along with your commentary has helped to learn a great deal. This one turned out awesome it looks perfect. I learnt how to install a propane conversion kit. It is now a tri fuel generator great call James. ❤🇨🇦
Very detailed and informative video.
Did I expect less than that? Absolutely not.
Great job, very informative and I am happy to see someone who used undercoat before topcoat when doing metal repair, very rare on youtube others seem to think 2 in 1 actually works, (not in my 50 years in body and paint repair.)
Jim, I like how this generator turned out. I was hoping that you would have touched up the aluminum with the paint you used on the wheels, but that doesn't affect the operation in any way.
A boat tank might have worked on this generator, but in all likelihood, a fuel pump might have been required. I have a Dyna generator that I bought without a tank, and I've had to do a retrofit of a tank to use it.
Yesterday, I saw that someone had scrapped a Kohler generator with the 10 hp 4 cylinder engine that, if memory serves, was used on International Cub tractors. It would have been fun just to have that to start it up and hear it run once in a while.
Great job I put small painted parts in the oven at 170 for about 30 min cure’s paint nicely.
Learn so much from you and cannot get enough of these videos .Thanks so much !
This is a GREAT video James, thank you. Especially like the tuning part for propane. Really great.
Thanks for the epilogue. That was super helpful.
Oh boy you got you a Mustie fuel bottle! It amazes me how people trash such expensive equipment? Good job on this.
Kinda cool that they include the valve lash value on the shroud.
I Really Like RIGID Generator with Yamaha Engine. It always starts every time. I never have really used for Emergency..... just Run Tests
Impressive research and analysis at the end of the video!
One note, my dual fuel generator does not let you kill the engine when running on propane, you must turn off the tank valve to do so. I suspect it's to prevent raw propane from accumulating when tank is on while the engine is not running. Something to keep in mind....
Excellent video as usual. I hope I do not need to do a tri-fuel conversion. Sad that TTI (Ridgid orange) lies on the label about the max power. I have a Generac EXP which does make the rated 7000W power.
A LOT of work on this generator. Well done Jim, a good generator now, although output is less than the label, but the Yamaha engine is working as designed.
Dave.
And the Yamaha engines will last. They are built well.
Hi James, I've been watching your videos for the past several months and enjoy your knowledge and attention to detail! I can't imagine how much time you must spend editing! I almost think you have a camera and audio person! Everything is "perfect!" I recently converted our Honda EU2000 to propane. After researching several kits I bought a kit from Grenergy. They're a bit pricy but very well put together. The snorkle is machined from billet aluminum, that's what swayed me. Have only used it a couple times, but so far I'm glad I got away from gasoline!
Keep up the good work, Rich.
I agree its amazing what some paint does looks great @James Condon
I have learned tons from you James and every video you send out has great information and content.As my one friend who was having issues with his older Champion....that yellow China Gen. i said thats what you get.....next time buy American.My Generac E8000 does great for years.Anyway.....his issue was covered by you and he said it works fine now.I didn't get the exact problem....but he said it helped fix the issue. Thanks
Hey James, good video mate, My snorkel goes between the carb and the engine not at the back like you are trying, also it looks like it's fouling the choke plate, I see the choke trying to return itself when you ran on petrol at the end.. Bob UK. Oh! you can also buy a carb with the gas conversion built in on amazon, that solves the space problem with the air cleaner.
Not for Yamahas AFAIK. There are a million Honda/Chonda gas conversion carbs on Amazon (there must be a big domestic China market for them) but no others.
The fuel outlet on the snorkel needs to be in the middle of the carburetor. The way his snorkel is built putting it directly on the intake would not be correct. Typical for his kind of kit to block the choke because in propane mode choke is not necessary. But to call it a tri-fuel solution when the choke is interfered with is definitely over marketing. But then again they had no problem lying to him about no loss of power with propane so maybe that's just their standard... Tell the customer what they want to hear so they'll buy their overpriced kit. 🥴
@@RIDERSONLINEORG Supposedly the snorkel is flexible rubber and is supposed to get squeezed by the choke so that the choke still works but I agree that is a half-@ssed solution. For any Honda there are $30 Chinese dual fuel carbs that have a propane inlet that is cast into the venturi after the choke. $30 buys you a whole conversion carb including the demand regulator which is crazy cheap.
In my shop we learned never to grind aluminum on a grinding wheel but to always use a belt sander. The little you did is OK but not a habit. The engine needs one of those 12 hp Predator engines to fully use the full output of the stator and rotor especially with natural gas or propane.
Amazing. I find myself watching these videos over and over again. For some reason, I just love watching you fix these generators.
I have one critique, if I may.
I’ve noticed that you always make sure that the valves are exactly set to spec, even if that means tightening them up. Sloppy valves are happy valves. I would suggest that if you find a valve that is slightly too loose, you leave it and if it is just slightly too tight, loosen it so that it is either to spec or slightly looser.
Sloppy valves lead to a loss of power.
I found the label discrepancy interesting. When I do the math for our EG2800i, (6 hp GC190) it indicates 3300w. This Honda inverter is rated at 2500w, 2800w surge. It has never failed to please us, probably due in part to a conservative rating. Great information on hp to wattage!
All good except when you used the grinder to grind aluminum, quickest way to clog up a grinding wheel I know of.
I live for these videos! Christmas came early this year with this one!
Hello James good job on the retrofit. Great job on explaining the engine power output calculation.
I would mount a propane tank bracket in stead of fuel tank and you have a mobile propane unit without draging the tank separately. Without the carb fouling storage issue. Even if you drain the carb. With today's fuel if stored for 2 or 3 years the carb will probably need attention to run properly again. Keep the videos coming.