Propane conversion for my Storm Responder 5500-watt generator

Auto Doc's said:
There is nothing wrong with solar panels and a battery bank setup. It's just not a fit for me.

Around my area of South Texas, it would be nice, but the area is flooded with too many shady companies selling garbage and skipping out when there is a problem.

I also work on small engine equipment, so servicing is not a hassle, it's what ensures a long life of the equipment.
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Those types are everywhere its seems which makes a honest shop hard to trust as so many have been by those dishonest shops.

Here there was one small dishonest repair that I ran out of business. He was claiming rebuild engines and was just patching up. It took a couple years for the word getting around about my shop and still get new customers that was his after ten years.

And I have a 60w 12v panel here that was thrown that I use for charging and electrolysis from time to time.
 
StarTech said:
Those types are everywhere its seems which makes a honest shop hard to trust as so many have been by those dishonest shops.

Here there was one small dishonest repair that I ran out of business. He was claiming rebuild engines and was just patching up. It took a couple years for the word getting around about my shop and still get new customers that was his after ten years.

And I have a 60w 12v panel here that was thrown that I use for charging and electrolysis from time to time.
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Hi StarTech,

I use solar panel maintainers on my riders and my John Deere 3010 Propane tractor. The batteries last much longer by keeping the electrolyte active. It prevents sulfation issues when they sit for long periods of time.

Update on my generator propane conversion:

I got all the LP parts installed and then had to stop and order a new ignition coil. The coil developed an open secondary when it got hot.

Oh well, I should have it wrapped up in the coming week hopefully.
 
Now come on things like that just don't happens do they? :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Just had something similar to happen here. Customer brings in a running Husky 55 chainsaw for decompression valve upgrade, I verified it was running before I started the work. Install the valve and darn thing would not hit a lick. Ignition coil failure. Or the time I install a new coil on a Briggs engine right before a thunderstorm and the next morning I had three coils dead including that new coil.
 
Hi StarTech,

I used to get frustrated with such issues, now I just shrug my shoulders and make sure I verify the failure condition a couple of times before ordering any parts.

I think I'm going to dissect the old coil to see if it actually has solid copper windings or if it has copper clad aluminum windings. I suspect they are copper clad aluminum which has a high failure rate with vibration or weather exposure.
 
Hi L.,

I suspect with the propane bottle attached; the machine was too heavy for smaller stature operators. It is a neat idea though.

The cost of 1-Lb. propane bottles has gotten outrageous the last time I checked locally.
 
Auto Doc's said:
Hi L.,

I suspect with the propane bottle attached; the machine was too heavy for smaller stature operators. It is a neat idea though.

The cost of 1-Lb. propane bottles has gotten outrageous the last time I checked locally.
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Nuts for pricing on 1lb, but if you refilled it would be worthwhile. I would assume it would be designed to be balanced for using. StarTech would know since it's his.
 
Just an FYI about propane. A friend of mine runs a propane company. She says propane may be going up because of short supply. Propane is a byproduct of refining gas. Barrels per day refining is down because gas demand is down and refineries are planning for summer gas changeover. She says when summer demand kicks in the propane supply will come back up.
 
woodstover said:
Nuts for pricing on 1lb, but if you refilled it would be worthwhile. I would assume it would be designed to be balanced for using. StarTech would know since it's his.
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No I won't as it was a customer's trimmer. I am too cheap to use my own trimmers.
 
Well, the generator drama got interesting today.

New coil came in and I installed it (with no kill wire). Again, no spark? I Ohmed it and it showed good.

On to the next possibility... weak flywheel magnet?

Fortunately, I have another 10HP engine that is identical, so I swapped them. No luck. What the heck is going on?

While all this has been happening, I noticed the problem engine had odd 7mm head screws while the other (donor engine) had the correct 8mm head screws.

What are the chances? Apparently these odd 7mm head screws were installed in the past (unknown to me).

I put in the 8mm head screws and viola! I now had spark.

In all my years of dealing with small engines have never had strange 7mm head coil mounting screws affect a coil. They were gold anodized, so that may be the issue due to poor ground conduction.... Needless to say, those went to the trash can.

I was able to finally complete this propane conversion and test run it.

Online videos are misleading, because the primer button has to be held while pull starting with the US propane kit that has the fuel snorkel, then it will fire up and run on its own. I have yet to fine tune it under load, but it runs great.

Plug gap was adjusted to .020" as suggested by the installation manual so it would ignite the propane properly.
 
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