Does anyone know of generators (AC power) that can be reliably run from Ethanol? What would be required to "convert" a gasoline or LP/NG generator to run on Ethanol (E85 or straight denatured Ethanol)?

3/19/2007 9:15:38 AM

a different fuel system and if its big enough to be efi then a new "tune"

alki will eat certain types of fittings and hoses.
you will also need about twice the capacity for line, tanks and injectors (if applicable) if you want it to run as long as it did on gasoline.

The engine will need no mechanical modifications unless you plan on using the higher compression (thus higher efficiency) that running alcohol will allow.

[Edited on March 19, 2007 at 10:51 AM. Reason : .]

3/19/2007 10:50:49 AM

^there ye go. Somebody needs to start marketing plastic carbs with Teflon seals and jets for use with ethanol. Oh...and I think you can use Tygon tubing with ethanol, and I know silicone works well.

3/19/2007 11:57:31 AM

As long as you don't store the fuel in there for very long, all you would need to do is re-jet the carburetor to be about 25% richer.

The corrosive nature of ethanol comes I think more from being hydroscopic than anything else. I've had some E85 (winter blend might be closer to E70) sitting in a water bottle since Dec. 2, with various pieces of hose, aluminum, steel, injector o-rings, rubber, and fuel tank foam and none of the submerged items show any degradation yet, although a thorough check will be performed soon.

For safe long term storage and every-day usage, elastomer or PTFE hoses and ethanol tolerant o-rings are good to have, just to be safe.

3/19/2007 12:01:24 PM

Does anyone know of any currently shipping/production generators that will run off E85/E100? Since I would expect long term use then finding one would be better than buying a gasoline generator and modding the fuel system.

3/19/2007 1:39:36 PM

CALL FUCKING ONAN.

Seriously, call Cummins Atlantic or go hit up Onan's website. If anybody does, then they do.

Either they or Generac.

Caterpillar power systems might offer an ethanol solution but I bet not for anything under 15kW.

3/19/2007 1:58:54 PM

http://www.purepowerenergy.net/Products.html

3/19/2007 1:59:34 PM

^^ thanks, I am looking at info on their lines. Mostly gasoline, diesel, NG and LP. I wish they had applications less than 15kW but there isn't exactly much of a market for it right now.

^ Thanks - nothing less than $20K... d'oh!

3/19/2007 2:33:35 PM

3/19/2007 3:20:27 PM