Propane Zero Turn

[cstodd]

I'm looking at a new zero turn and leaning to a propane unit, does anybody have any experience with these units? Right now im pretty much looking at all manufactures except Husky

 

[WISCOPROUD]

very hard/ won't start in cold weather. lowers engine horsepower & good luck finding some1 good to work on it. oh yeah, not every gas station has propane fillup:confused2:

 

[Terry CleanFuel]

very hard/ won't start in cold weather. lowers engine horsepower & good luck finding some1 good to work on it. oh yeah, not every gas station has propane fillup:confused2:

The FACTS are that propane conversions done by a certified technician are MUCH easier starting in cold weather (fuel is already vaporized), can actually INCREASE engine horsepower and propane is more often delivered than gasoline. As for finding somebody to work on it, the engine is the same.

I would, however, like to hear of your personal experience...

Edited to add: I notice you don't own a mower. Where did you get your information?

 

[Ric]

The FACTS are that propane conversions done by a certified technician are MUCH easier starting in cold weather (fuel is already vaporized), can actually INCREASE engine horsepower and propane is more often delivered than gasoline. As for finding somebody to work on it, the engine is the same.

I would, however, like to hear of your personal experience...

Edited to add: I notice you don't own a mower. Where did you get your information?

I personally always thought they would be a pain in a mower. I used to run propane forklifts where I worked and it was ready available at the plant but for a mower and using it in business I think it would be more trouble than what it's worth.

 

[Terry CleanFuel]

I personally always thought they would be a pain in a mower. I used to run propane forklifts where I worked and it was ready available at the plant but for a mower and using it in business I think it would be more trouble than what it's worth.

I agree that some of the older forklifts were hard-starting, but there was a time when you had to stick your finger in a hole and rotate a round dial to make a phone call. ;-) Back in the 80s we converted every Toyota forklift that entered the US through the port of Seattle. We also did all of Schwann's trucks.

Technology has advanced a bit since that time.

I had a '72 Chevy 1/2 ton, 350 that logged over 300,000 miles on propane before it broke a ring. This was in N. Washington State and I never missed a day of work because it didn't start. I DID, however, need to keep it running constantly when the temps dipped below -20. Not because it wouldn't start but because it would run with no oil pressure because the oil was too thick.

ANY fuel has to vaporize before it will burn. That's why wood fires are so hard to start. Propane is already vaporized (in this application) so, honestly, it is easier starting.

Now, running a vapor system in freezing temps and below is another story... Propane develops a pressure at -44 degrees but cannot vaporize enough liquid to run larger engines...

There are many Companies (Tru-Green, Terra-care) using propane and are extremely happy. Propane is the third-most used motor-fuel in the world. In Europe and Australia one out of three vehicles run on propane. Ironic that the US is one of the worlds largest producers of Propane yet they don't embrace it as such.

 

[TaskForceLawnCare]

I agree that some of the older forklifts were hard-starting, but there was a time when you had to stick your finger in a hole and rotate a round dial to make a phone call. ;-) Back in the 80s we converted every Toyota forklift that entered the US through the port of Seattle. We also did all of Schwann's trucks. Technology has advanced a bit since that time. I had a '72 Chevy 1/2 ton, 350 that logged over 300,000 miles on propane before it broke a ring. This was in N. Washington State and I never missed a day of work because it didn't start. I DID, however, need to keep it running constantly when the temps dipped below -20. Not because it wouldn't start but because it would run with no oil pressure because the oil was too thick. ANY fuel has to vaporize before it will burn. That's why wood fires are so hard to start. Propane is already vaporized (in this application) so, honestly, it is easier starting. Now, running a vapor system in freezing temps and below is another story... Propane develops a pressure at -44 degrees but cannot vaporize enough liquid to run larger engines... There are many Companies (Tru-Green, Terra-care) using propane and are extremely happy. Propane is the third-most used motor-fuel in the world. In Europe and Australia one out of three vehicles run on propane. Ironic that the US is one of the worlds largest producers of Propane yet they don't embrace it as such.

I don't think we are opposed to running propane mowers. The issue i have is convenience there's only a few fill up points in area i service with hours that really aren't conducive for me to switch to propane. My truck is diesel our hand tools are gas and adding a couple propane mowers isn't worth the hassle.

True green and terra care are huge national corporations, I'm sure they can get propane delivered to their facilities. Also i don't believe these companies actually put mowers on ground.

Propane is neat just not very practical,at least in the geographic region i live in. I believe diesel is the leading fuel in the eastern block Europe.

 

[Terry CleanFuel]

I don't think we are opposed to running propane mowers. The issue i have is convenience there's only a few fill up points in area i service with hours that really aren't conducive for me to switch to propane. My truck is diesel our hand tools are gas and adding a couple propane mowers isn't worth the hassle.

True green and terra care are huge national corporations, I'm sure they can get propane delivered to their facilities. Also i don't believe these companies actually put mowers on ground.

Propane is neat just not very practical,at least in the geographic region i live in. I believe diesel is the leading fuel in the eastern block Europe.

I don't understand "put mowers on ground". Terra Care will have almost three hundred lawn maintenance units in service come (hopefully) next summer. US Lawns has substantially more than that. I have a company in Snohomish, WA with two units and a pickup. It runs the gamut.

Just about ANY commercial cutter can have a rack installed at their shop stocked at no extra charge. I know this because I help set it up.

If it's not practical, it's not practical. That doesn't mean it's not cost effective and Patriotic.

There was a time when steam was the status quo.:laughing:

Cheers!

 

[txzrider]

I keep looking at a outboard boat motor that runs on propane... with the big selling point being no carb maintennance caused by fuel left in carbs. I have a brand new 15hp diesel sitting in my back yard waiting to be installed in my 30 footer... And honestly i would rather convert my big boat to electric, but the commercial solutions for electric are running 3 times the cost of a new diesel. However I had never thought much about converting my lawn mower. I would consider converting to propane at home if there was a reasonably priced well engineered kit to do it...

 

[Terry CleanFuel]

I keep looking at a outboard boat motor that runs on propane... with the big selling point being no carb maintennance caused by fuel left in carbs. I have a brand new 15hp diesel sitting in my back yard waiting to be installed in my 30 footer... And honestly i would rather convert my big boat to electric, but the commercial solutions for electric are running 3 times the cost of a new diesel. However I had never thought much about converting my lawn mower. I would consider converting to propane at home if there was a reasonably priced well engineered kit to do it...

Electric in not a clean energy, in fact one of the worst.(acid rain)

Unless your mower is OHC I wouldn't convert.

Outboards like this?:

 

[LoCo86]

I don't think we are opposed to running propane mowers. The issue i have is convenience there's only a few fill up points in area i service with hours that really aren't conducive for me to switch to propane. My truck is diesel our hand tools are gas and adding a couple propane mowers isn't worth the hassle. True green and terra care are huge national corporations, I'm sure they can get propane delivered to their facilities. Also i don't believe these companies actually put mowers on ground. Propane is neat just not very practical,at least in the geographic region i live in. I believe diesel is the leading fuel in the eastern block Europe.

Also I would like to add that Tru Green, U.S. Lawns, and Terra Care being some of the largest companies in the country received huge tax breaks switching their mowers to propane. And on a side note I'm sure they switched to propane to give the image of going "green" to make themselves look more environmentally friendly.