How do I test fuel efficiency of generator?
I have a Generac propane powered generator in my 2000 Arctic Fox truck camper. I believe it is a 3600W unit although it could be 3800W. I would like to find out how much fuel it uses per hour with...
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here's another SWAG. 13,000BTU AC. Let's assume draw is about 12A and PF=1, so 12Ax120V = about 1500W load. 1500W=5000BTU (IIR 1W=3.3BTU). Let's assume the generator inverter is near 100% efficient (which they are close to, at least for this excercise) OK, most internal combustions engines run about 20% thermal efficiency. so to get 5,000BTU/hr output= 25,000BTU/hr input. Propane is about 80KBTU/gallon, so figure 1/3 gallon of propane/hr.
Note: do NOT use the AC output BTU, and it doesn't violate any physics that AC output BTU is greater than the input BTU. An AC MOVES heat from inside to outside it doesn't create heat, except for the energy needed to overcome the losses in the heat transfer (compressing the gas and letting it then boil to remove heat)
Note: do NOT use the AC output BTU, and it doesn't violate any physics that AC output BTU is greater than the input BTU. An AC MOVES heat from inside to outside it doesn't create heat, except for the energy needed to overcome the losses in the heat transfer (compressing the gas and letting it then boil to remove heat)
