Wondering if it is feasible to convert an onboard Onan 4kw gas powered generator to run on propane, or even better dual fuel (gas and propane)? Anyone done this? Your thoughts and comments appreciated.
Properly treated fuel will not gum up a carb in one winter season.
Stabilizer needs to be added before filling tank fully and be ethanol fuel rated. Engine needs to be run long enough after adding stabilizer that it actually gets to the carb bowl.
I am not a fan of dry carb storage as my experience is the seals/o-rings fail from drying out/getting hard.
You could always add a separate fuel tank for the generator, complete with a different fill spout. Racing "fuel cells" are one option and are extremely durable.
You could label this spout for the generator so you wouldn't have to fill the main tank with very expensive "Puregas"
You could even consider having a bottom drain in that tank for seasonal draining ๐
drsteve wrote: Gas is easier to find, cheaper, and has more BTUs. If you're having carb issues, try running it dry before storage.
And drain the fuel bowl
That's the solution. It's what I do every time I put the trailer up. I use it very infrequently, maybe a couple time a year for an hour max. But I've never had any issues with the carb gumming or being hard to start. If you drain the float bowl, there's no fuel to mess stuff up.
Regards, Don My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.
To avoid disappointment I suggest researching the differential in fuel consumption between gasoline and LPG. Calculate how large an LPG tank you will need. It may stun you...
OP here: I'm really just getting tired of having the carb gummed up after each winter storage, despite periodic start-ups, from having to use ethanol-laced gasoline. These carbs are clearly not ethanol compatible. And yes, I do use a fuel stabilizer. I thought maybe propane would alleviate that problem. It would be nice to have dual fuel just as a backup, but it sounds like that's really problematic.
Regards, Don My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.
Onan does / did make a dual fuel carburetor for some of their RV units, I am not sure about the KY 4000 though I do know they also sell the same generator as the LP3600 (propane has less energy in it than gasoline)
I converted skid steers and fork lifts to run on both and many times they would come back because their job was over and when they put it back on gas the carb was gamed up. If you switch it back and forth often enough it will work but I would pick one or the other not both.
I would suggest straight gas or propane, I have had a ton of grief with dual fuel systems. The propane dried out the carburetor gaskets causing them to leak profusely when switched to gasoline. Also keep in mind that power and fuel economy will drop about 10%. It's a tradeoff for the convenience.
