Propane for Generac

[LenPA]

I am using a 100gal propane tank( filled to 80gal) for a 18 kw Generac.(works great, lost power for 6 hrs and hardly knew it) My delema is that my propane company will not let me have another tank because of my usage. Because of liability issues the propane company will only fill their tanks. I still need to figure propane gal per hr/day for the Generac. any thoughts or sugestions?

 

[DaveFromMi]

This is from

Generac Generator Fuel Consumption Chart & Calculator - All Models - Independently Powered

I recently wrote an article about the importance of having a backup generator for your home in case your power goes out and you need an alternative source of energy. Sometimes Solar won’t do the trick either, and that’s where your backup generator comes into play. Some people can get by with a...

independentlypowered.com

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I'd get a bigger tank from the supplier........
maybe a 250 (?), could give you 3-4 days, maybe a week if frugal ??

 

[johnjk]

Our supplier will put in a 500gal tank at no charge if you top it off 2x a year. If not then it is 10/mo tank rental. Don’t believe they handle anything smaller. Are you able to purchase a tank and then shop around service?

 

[OntheRidge]

When I had my generator installed, I bought a refurbished 500 gal tank. A local company fills it, after they did an inspection/leak test. It's not liability that keeps them from filling someone elses tank. This tank should run my gen for 6-8 days depending on load, also runs my furnace. I would keep shopping for gas companies.

 

[Flintknapper]

Our 24Kw Generac will use about 4 gallons per hour (at full load).

We have a 250 gallon tank and I wouldn't consider a tank any smaller.

 

[imnukensc]

I have 2, 100 gallon tanks in series. Propane uses are for the cook top, fireplace logs, tankless water heater, and the 22KW Generac. Rarely use the gas logs in the fireplace. I only get filled once/year.

 

[Geezer3d]

I use propane for cooking, not for a generator, so I don't know if this will work for you, but when my propane supplier started adding fees to my deliveries because of the small amount I used I had them take their tank and bought several 100 lb tanks. Propane weighs about 4 lb per gallon, so at 80% each 100lb tank holds about 20 gallons of propane. I take the empty tanks to the local propane supplier for refills at a considerable savings from what the delivery people were charging.

I use a regulator that connects to two tanks and automatically switches over. That gives me 200lb of propane before I need to swap in full tanks.

 

[ctfjr]

The propane business is like no other that I know of In our old house I had a 50gal tank that we used for a gas dryer, cooktop and grille. I understand the costs to deliver 30-40 gallons so the $5 / gallon twice a year was a convenience thing.
Now I own a 500gal inground tank at out new house and the cost is just over $2/gal because we use lp for everything (no gen yet).
As a previous poster mentioned no gas company around here will fill a tank owned by another company. They have you by the short ones when you 'lease' a tank from them. The answer is to own your tank. Then you can call any company to fill it.
I never heard of a company not willing to fill a customer owned tank (unless there really was a safety issue).

 

[lynnmor]

There is an Amish hardware store in my area of PA, prices are the best around and there is no BS about who owns what. He doesn't deliver so I use 20 & 30 pound bottles for everything. With an automatic changeover regulator it wouldn't be all that much trouble to swap bottles as needed since power outages don't happen all that often. Look around, if you have Amish in the area they might be able to direct you to a place similar to the one in my area since they are big users of propane. I am due south of you, almost to Maryland, so the one I use is not a good option.

 

[jaxs]

There is no set of answers regarding propane,number of competitors withing the area is the wildcard that dictates prices and service. In a competive market suppliers often offer free or cheap rental to high usage customers. In your case i don't think they will fight over your business since the 80 gallons may set unused for a year then ginny runs a few hours and you will want tank topped off. There's no profit in delivering 80 gallons,much less 30 or 40. Noone will set a 500 gallon tank knowing they might not fill it more than once every 2 or 3 years. You need to buy a 500 gallon tank and buy from the supplier that's available or cheapest when it's time for refill. You will have 400 gallons when tank is full and can safely use 200 before starting to worry about running out. If you put an order in for 200 gallons and let them fill it on their schedule most companies are happy to accommodate. Again it come's down to how hard they must work to get business. You work with them and they will work with you. For instance,let's say you have 60% in your tank,that's 300 gallons so you can hold another 100 gallons. Call the supplier and give them permission to dump 50-75-100 gallons in the event driver finds himself with only that amount on board and passing right by your house on the way to refill truck. It might be a month or two before that happens but the supplier will appreciate it eventhough it's only a small sale.

 

[The Evil Twin]

I am using a 100gal propane tank( filled to 80gal) for a 18 kw Generac.(works great, lost power for 6 hrs and hardly knew it) My delema is that my propane company will not let me have another tank because of my usage. Because of liability issues the propane company will only fill their tanks. I still need to figure propane gal per hr/day for the Generac. any thoughts or sugestions?

Will they swap it out for a 250 gallon? There would likely be some fees involved, but then it would be "their" tank. I think that sort of policy is BS because a tested tank is good for anyone to fill. It's a racket.
We have a 24kw gene. Had a 250 gallon tank. I called and said I wanted to go 500 because running the generator plus cooking, heat, etc would last a week safely. They said we would have to pay this n that n a transfer fee.= $1700.. I then asked how much to get their tank out of my yard. They said $700. I said then it shouldn't be any more to drop a new tank in the hole where the old one was. They wouldn't budge. I waited till we were at 15% and said come n get it. When asked why, I said their competitor would drop in a new 500 at no extra charge if I signed a 4 year contract. (Total lie). The regional manager called me a day or so later and said they would swap tanks for a flat $500 fee + the propane to fill it.

 

[Daren Todd]

I use propane for cooking, not for a generator, so I don't know if this will work for you, but when my propane supplier started adding fees to my deliveries because of the small amount I used I had them take their tank and bought several 100 lb tanks. Propane weighs about 4 lb per gallon, so at 80% each 100lb tank holds about 20 gallons of propane. I take the empty tanks to the local propane supplier for refills at a considerable savings from what the delivery people were charging.

I use a regulator that connects to two tanks and automatically switches over. That gives me 200lb of propane before I need to swap in full tanks.

I was considering that for when we get out on our property. Use 2- 100lb tanks for the RV. And once the house is built. Use them for a gas stove.

 

[TheOldHokie]

The propane business is like no other that I know of In our old house I had a 50gal tank that we used for a gas dryer, cooktop and grille. I understand the costs to deliver 30-40 gallons so the $5 / gallon twice a year was a convenience thing.
Now I own a 500gal inground tank at out new house and the cost is just over $2/gal because we use lp for everything (no gen yet).
As a previous poster mentioned no gas company around here will fill a tank owned by another company. They have you by the short ones when you 'lease' a tank from them. The answer is to own your tank. Then you can call any company to fill it.
I never heard of a company not willing to fill a customer owned tank (unless there really was a safety issue).

I have a 1000 gallon in ground tank and have shopped suppliers plenty in the past 25 years. Without a current delivery contract no company in my area will fill my customer owned tank without first pressure testing the system. I can't just flit from company to company without getting dinged for the cost of a pressure test on each delivery.

I also have 3 manifolded 100 gallon tanks next to my shop. They are owned by my current supplier. There is no rent on the tanks and I pay the same unit price when they fill them as I do on the customer owned tank.

Dan

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Yes it sounds like the 'propane delivery system' is rigged but.....
I actually agree with suppliers requiring the pressure test before they fill. That tank is 'unknown' to them and they're under law to confirm it's good. The real problem is that it sounds like the pressure test reports are not sent and stored at some government office, readily available to any and all interested parties. Curious, does the homeowner get a copy of the test report ? If so, how long is it valid for ?
Do you have to send a copy of the report to your home/biz insurance company ? If you buy a property, does the delivery company require a new test, as you're the new home owner ?

 

[TheOldHokie]

Yes it sounds like the 'propane delivery system' is rigged but.....
I actually agree with suppliers requiring the pressure test before they fill. That tank is 'unknown' to them and they're under law to confirm it's good. The real problem is that it sounds like the pressure test reports are not sent and stored at some government office, readily available to any and all interested parties. Curious, does the9 homeowner get a copy of the test report ? If so, how long is it valid for ?
Do you have to send a copy of the report to your home/biz insurance company ? If you buy a property, does the delivery company require a new test, as you're the new home owner ?

I get a copy of the test. A different supplier is not required to and will not honor it. If I sell the house my supplier will probably continue to deliver to the new owner. If the new owner wants to change suppliers they will pay for a new test.

This is obviously intended to limit people shopping around and promote annual delivery contracts. It's unfair but probably less so than the price fixing the two gas stations in town engage in. I distinctly remember the owner of one looking out the window as I was buying coffee one morning and seeing the price across the street going up. She immediately stopped what she was doing and went to get the pole to change their posted price. Now they do it instantlyband electronically from the register.

Dan

 

[Toyboy]

I've had a 20kw Generac for over 12yr now, but mine is connected to NG. At our previous home we had a 8kw running propane, (the largest available in '94) on a 500 gal tank.
Now every home being different construction wise, and having different electrical demands, will have it's own consumption rate for fuel.
Our longest outage at our current home has been almost 3 days in the summer. I think that during that time if we ever hit 50% load it was short term. I'd say 75% or more, of the running time there was no real load to very small load on it. But even so, if we were on propane, I'd consider 100 gal way too small. 500 gal would be minimum.

 

[Poohbear]

Here our problem is lots of propane suppliers if you search on Google but most are actually the same supplier just a different name @ each location. I'm useing one of the few actual local owned guy. Around here no one will fill 100gal tanks at your location unless you rent thier tank
I bought a refurbished 250 gal for our new house e/w 22kw gen. To keep load down went with a Heatpump with a gas furnace backup that I will switch to furnace only if I'm aware the gen is on. Gas range, LED lights, on demand water heater, & foam insulation beyond our Climate Zone 3 requirements.
We've been lucky as for the past 14+ months we been living in our RV building our new house only lost power once & had to use the portable gen for about 4 hrs. I finally got a battery for the 22kw Generac yesterday so I will finish the install & test

 

[D2Cat]

All the comments are based on Generac. Would the information change if the generator was the same size but not a Generac?

 

[DustyRusty]

I had a propane generator and gave it away and replaced it with a 4-cylinder diesel Lister Petter 18KW generator. It uses about 3/4 gallon at 100% capacity, which it never gets to. Most of the time it is running at 1800 RPM at 50% service. It is hooked to an automatic transfer switch and has a 30-gallon tank mounted under the unit. We use propane for cooking, and a hot water boiler, and nothing more. I hate dealing with the propane dealer because they are always looking for ways to add to the bill. Last year they added an environmental compliance fee of $14 to each delivery. I told them that they had a choice to either remove it or take their tanks out. They removed the fee. It is very distasteful to have to constantly monitor your suppliers for unethical billing. A couple of years ago they tried to add a sales tax to the bill, but the state doesn't tax propane used for domestic use. If I wasn't so old, I would switch to an all-electric home and go with geothermal heating and cooling. Not enough years left to make it worthwhile now.