I'm considering the same question on the other end of the country. I'll
probably end up with a diesel generator for the same reasons dave mentioned.
the reason I probably won't get a propane set (no gas out here) is because I
can't find them as cheaply/easily as diesel, propane is insanely expensive
here, and because the delivery services quit running during hurricanes. I
don't mind driving to get more diesel if I have to, but if the propane tank is
dry, I'm hosed.
thank god there weren't any hurricanes this year. and sorry, dave, I don't
have any advice, I need the same answers myself.
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "John T. Blair" <jblair1948@cox.net>
>
> At 11:42 PM 12/14/2006 -0800, David C. wrote:
> >
> >As you might have seen on the news (or experienced, for our PNW folks) we
> >had a nasty windstorm last week and pretty much the entire Puget Sound area
> >went black. I live out in the boonies and have a big 8KW welder/generator
> >and transfer switches, but a lot of suburban and urban folks don't and a
> >lot of people still don't have power, with no idea when they will.....
>
> >I figure if I go with an 1800 rpm diesel I can cut my fuel
> >consumption in half and store 50 to 100 gallons of diesel almost
> >indefinitely; I would also be able to use it in my two diesel tractors, so
> >it wouldn't get totally stale. The problem is there aren't a lot of 1800
> >rpm gensets around in this size range.....
>
>
> >Yanmar, Cummins and Mitsubishi engines. Anyone have any opinions or
> >alternatives? I have an old early 80s Mitsubishi 16HP tractor, and that
> >thing is bulletproof, FWIW.
>
> Dave,
>
> Do you have gas service out there? Have you thought about going to a propane
> fired generator?
>
> Many places have city supplied gas or propane delivery trucks. The best
> part about these is you don't need much electricty to pump the fuel. If
> the entire area is out of electricity, how are you going to pump the diesel?
>
> You can store a lot more propane or if you have natural gas, easier than
> storing the gas/diesel.
>
> Just my 2cents. I've thought about generators, and after every hurricane
> we get, there is always a big discussion at work about gens, and fuel storage.
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