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97windsor · 08-10-2013, 06:32 AM

Hi We left Ohio yesterday morn and are in Va at a Wal-mart. We started the 6.5 Onan propane genny about 11am. We have run 1 a/c all of the time with both a/c units running a few hrs. It has run about 22 hrs and my tank shown between 1/2 and 1/4. When The gage shows 1/4 it will take about 15 -16 gal to fill. The manual says I have a 30gal tank. I have ran it below 1/4 a couple times and have never put more than about 18 gal to fill.
Is there 30 gal of usable propane and my gage is on the safe side ,or is there only about 20 or 25 gal available? If anyone has ever ran it out and how much did it take to fill. Just wondering how long my gen will run on a 'full tank'. Thanks in advance.. This is a 97 Windsor

Skip426 · 08-10-2013, 08:39 AM

You should have a manufacturers info plate 5" X 7" welded to the side of the propane tank. The gallon capacity listed on that plate is a complete liquid capacity; water fill for factory pressure testing; when filled with propane , this tanks capacity is 80% of the total gallons listed.
So if the tank plate says 30 gallons , then propane capacity is 24 gallons.
In that case 1/4 tank = 6 gallons remaining= 18 gallons to fill , makes perfect sense.

97windsor · 08-10-2013, 10:03 AM

That answers that.. Thanks for the quick response ..

mel s · 08-10-2013, 10:49 AM

This subject brings up a another question.

My Onan genset runs on "liquid" propane from the same tank that provides the "vaporized" propane for the other appliances.

Those other appliances are supplied with the necessary LP vapor via a valve/outlet located near the top of my LP tank.

My tank has second valve/outlet near the bottom, (at about the 1/4 tank remaining level), through which liquid propane flows to the genset.

My question is this:
Will my genset run out of fuel, (stop), when the liquid propane drops below that level, thereby providing a reserve supply of LP vapor for the other propane vapor burning appliances, (cook top, WH, furnace, refrigerator).

I don't want to deliberately run the level of the liquid down to that level to find out.

Thanks
Mel
'96 Safari, 6.3 kw LP genset

BFlinn181 · 08-10-2013, 11:07 AM

As long as there's pressure in the tank above that of the setting in the regulator, the gas should flow. If you want to really take it to the limit, build a small fire under the tank, heat will increase pressure and get the last bit of propane from the tank.

(Tongue firmly planted in cheek)

mel s · 08-10-2013, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

As long as there's pressure in the tank above that of the setting in the regulator, the gas should flow.

Running a LP tank "completely empty" can cause problems.

A friend of mine ran his empty, which "gunked up" his regulator and LP lines, (with sediment? from the bottom of the tank).
He had to disconnect all the lines and blow them out, from the appliance end, and replace the regulator to get things working right.
Mel

BFlinn181 · 08-10-2013, 01:39 PM

I don't see how a regulator can be 'gunked up' by running the tank to empty. Propane comes out of the tank in gaseous form from the top of the tank. Running the tank to empty wouldn't allow contaminates from the tank bottom to be drawn into the regulator. Liquid propane comes from the bottom of the tank, or as noted, from a line at the 1/4 tank level. Again, liquid propane would flow through the line until no more liquid pushed into the line from the pressure of evaporating LP in the tank. Propane fuel is usually very clean because of the way it is delivered from storage tank to RV tank.

mel s · 08-10-2013, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I don't see how a regulator can be 'gunked up' by running the tank to empty. Propane comes out of the tank in gaseous form from the top of the tank. Running the tank to empty wouldn't allow contaminates from the tank bottom to be drawn into the regulator. Liquid propane comes from the bottom of the tank, or as noted, from a line at the 1/4 tank level. Again, liquid propane would flow through the line until no more liquid pushed into the line from the pressure of evaporating LP in the tank. Propane fuel is usually very clean because of the way it is delivered from storage tank to RV tank.

BFlinn
You may be right!
However, "propane fuel is usually very clean" does not mean it is "always very clean".

As an experiment, why don't you run your LP tank "completely empty" and post again to let me know how that works out for you.

I'll continue to NOT run mine "completely empty" and post how that works out for me. <smile>

BTW, I've already not run mine empty over 20 times in the last 12 years, and it has worked quite well.
Mel
'96 Safari

sc3283 · 08-11-2013, 10:51 PM

my tank is the long horizontal mounted (side to side tank) 42 gals if I remember correctly...I've run genny (6500 onan) 36 hrs so far starting with a full tank....If member serves correctly...34 gals was the refilled amount

97windsor · 08-17-2013, 05:03 PM

Update to this thread .. We ran our onan 6500 30.5 hrs .. 1 a/c all the time and 2 a/c's for about 8 10 hrs of that.
We filled the propane, the guage was right on the E mark and it took 23.5 gal to fill.
The manual says it uses .66 gal per hr and my actual was .77 per hr.

mel s · 08-17-2013, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97windsor

Update to this thread .. We ran our onan 6500 30.5 hrs .. 1 a/c all the time and 2 a/c's for about 8 10 hrs of that.
We filled the propane, the guage was right on the E mark and it took 23.5 gal to fill.
The manual says it uses .66 gal per hr and my actual was .77 per hr.

Good information.
Thanks
Mel
'96 Safari

sc3283 · 08-17-2013, 08:33 PM

Mel are you sure your genny runs on liquid LP? My LP tank has a dedicated genny port...and it is labeled "vapor"

My genny has unregulated pressure LP flowing to it from the tank...the reg for the genny LP is on the genny(6500 Onan)

mel s · 08-17-2013, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc3283

Mel are you sure your genny runs on liquid LP? My LP tank has a dedicated genny port...and it is labeled "vapor"
My genny has unregulated pressure LP flowing to it from the tank...the reg for the genny LP is on the genny(6500 Onan)

sc3283
I'm not sure of much.

All I can say with certainty followings:
1.) The valve on the LP tank through which the genset is fueled is labeled "LIQUID".
2.) The valve for all the other appliances is labeled "VAPOR".
3.) My Genset is a 6.3NHE, 6300watt ONAN
4.) Onan sells a "liquid to vapor conversion kit" for the 6.3NHE
5.) My 6.3 NHE does not have that kit installed.

Otherwise, you know as much about my generator as I do.

Mel
'96 Safari

flcountryboy · 08-22-2013, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97windsor

Update to this thread .. We ran our onan 6500 30.5 hrs .. 1 a/c all the time and 2 a/c's for about 8 10 hrs of that.
We filled the propane, the guage was right on the E mark and it took 23.5 gal to fill.
The manual says it uses .66 gal per hr and my actual was .77 per hr.

Am i missing something here? At.77/hr, you would need to refill you tank every 30 hours and every 35 hours at .66/hr.

How often do propane generators users in 5th wheels have to refuel?