On Jan 25, 9:03*am, PeterD wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:10:49 -0500, "James"
wrote:

PeterD, *I am not sure of your point in this sentence.....

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Unless you can get the propane tank next to the generator, I don't
think that's an option.

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Why do you think a gas company will not run a line underground to a
generator a hundred feet away ?

James

Technically it may be possible, but it would be expensive, and would
have to meet code. The person who runs the underground line will have
to address his liability should there ever be an accident or problem
as well. Any line burried has to be below the frost line, for example,
so for many areas that is a deep trench.

I guess I'd think that maybe a second tank near the generator would be
the way to go... Almost certainly be cheaper in the long run.

My guess is that the cost of running a 100 ft underground gas line may
exceed the incremental cost of going to a more appropriate generater
(diesel), but I could be wrong.

If you have not guessed, I'm a big fan of diesel generators, followed
by nat gas/propane ones. Gasoline ones are problematic often.

And while we are at it, getting a good generator is paramount! Some
are so poorly built that their running life is only a few hundred
hours! However, I was in Home Depot the other day, and they had two
reasonably well build generators there, one with a Yamaha engine, one
with a Subaru engine. Both would probably give good service. But those
$500 units from China with the unknown engines on them are generally
not a good investment. As well, if one uses a gasoline generator I'd
recommend an annual 'tune-up' by a professional shop. Nothing sucks
more than needing the generator and finding it won't start, runs
poorly, or won't generate electricity!

(My generator is a 15KW diesel on a trailer... It'll put out 20KW if
needed, and run at 15KW as long as you put fuel in it. You can even
check and add oil while it is running!)

Peter

There are a number of factual errors in your posting. Fuel gas lines
do not have to be below the frost line. Under the miss utility laws
of most states the liability is all with the person doing the digging
who disturbs an existing line. We have had a number of propane
installs done and a single central tank has always worked out cheaper
in the long run. When we installed the generator at my firehouse the
cost of the gas line was much cheaper than the additional cost of a
diesel generator even though that was a natural gas and propane
combination unit that needed a gas line run from the street as well as
from the propane tank.

The point is that your own experience; or mine for that matter; will
not, necessarily extrapolate well to another installation in another
location.

--
Tom Horne