[TenTec] Emergency Power via Generator - Natural Gas

[Gary Hoffman]

Things will be better, but not perfect.

You are right that your natural gas is delivered to the house as a gas, and
you will never freeze up your gas supply lines in the same way you could
have frozen up an undersized propane tank.  All to the good.

Natural gas engines I am told, will start, on the other hand, better than
propane engines, but not so well as gasoline engines.  This is because there
is less expansion of the natural gas in the engine itself, thus less
chilling effect, but it is not zero.  Hence they start better but not
perfectly.

One must point out in fairness that gasoline also endures a chilling effect
in the engine as well.  However, there is more mass available in liquid form
to keep it from freezing (only for a while !) until the engine starts up and
self-heats.

My bottom line on this is that I would take prudent steps to keep the
natural gas powered engine in a warm environment.  It should be insulated
and heated.  Then, when the power goes off, it starts out nice and warm,
fires up easily, and will thereafter self heat while you are running it.
That is how Coleman sells their larger units commercially.  Both propane and
natural gas fueled.  Go look at them in the stores.  You will see the
cabinet, the insulation, and the electric heaters.

The same serious problems about cold batteries apply to any engine that you
attempt to start automatically with an electric starter.  If the battery is
just so cold, the chemical reaction comes to a halt, and you will NOT get
power out of the battery.

Likewise the oil.  Unless you use a good synthetic rated for extreme cold,
the viscosity will be so high that you will not rotate that engine,
regardless if you somehow get power out of the battery.

Unless of course you heat the oil, battery, engine and all, inside that warm
cabinet.

Regards,

Gary


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <ac9s at mchsi.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 7:55 PM
Subject: [TenTec] Emergency Power via Generator - Natural Gas


> "I am talking about the propane feed into the engine itself.  The rapid
> expansion of the propane causes sub-zero temps inside the engine, unless
the
> ambient supplies enough heat to compensate.  That is why they won't start
up
> if it is too cold unless they are in a warm enough ambient."
>
> Can I assume I will not have the same cold weather starting problems with
a
> natural gas powered generator - ignoring the cold oil and battery issues
of
> coures?  I don't think the natural gas is fed to the house as a liquid, or
if
> it is I assume it turns to gas in the regulator as the house feed.  We are
> lucky enough to have natural gas to the house and are just about to commit
to
> a whole house generator - powered by natural gas.  The main purpose is to
keep
> the sump pumps alive during rainy weather here in central Illinois, but I
am
> about to retire and would like to be able to travel with a reasonable
> assurance of the heat staying on during the winter.
>
> Thanks much --
>
> Keith
> AC9S
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