Alternative fuels

[GotSmart]

Rather than hijack another thread, I would like to hear of anyone that has a non standard (Gas & Diesel) fuel source.  Electric cars (Yes Susanne) are of interest.  

Do the plug in stations cost? How quick can they charge up a drained battery?  I know Tesla just installed a Supercharger down the road from me.  Free electricity.  https://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger  

What does French Fry oil cost?  

Does anyone have an idea for a Flux Capacitor?  

 

[LowTech]

I run "Oil Burners", diesels that will burn most flammable oils.
Not all will.

 

[Gary68]

i use this unleaded gasoline stuff,it is refined from oil which is 100% natural and is made by the earth,in fact the earth is making more as we speak

 

[flying kurbmaster]

anyone using LPG, just test drove small motorhome, seems to go well, no carbon at all at the end of exhaust, clean as.
meant to be cleaner, and half the cost of fuel. I been reading that the conversion pays for itself fairly fast. I wonder why more people don't use it.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

anyone using LPG, just test drove small motorhome, seems to go well, no carbon at all at the end of exhaust, clean as.
meant to be cleaner, and half the cost of fuel. I been reading that the conversion pays for itself fairly fast. I wonder why more people don't use it.

Can't get LPG just any where for a vehicle. Because of the fuel tax is not added to it for road use in vehicles.

 

[blars]

LPG (propane) has 80% as much power per gallon as gas, the tanks are heavy, and frequently isn't much cheaper than gas even before considering road tax.

Quartzsite has an EV charge station at the Carl's junior.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

I think the hybrid car is about the best right now, until the electric car batteries can get better range. There are no other alternative fuels that are economical. All current alternative fuels produce less carbon thus the push to go to them. However they cost more per mile than gas and diesel.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

I don't think you can get the fry oil behind your favorite burger joint any more because the biodiesel producers are buying it from them. It used to be a wast product and they had to pay someone to haul it away, now they sell it.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Can't get LPG just any where for a vehicle. Because of the fuel tax is not added to it for road use in vehicles.

there are 1,536 filling stations scattered around all parts of the US with most vehicles having dual fuel, as propane needs to be started first on fuel I don't see this being an argument for not using it, in Europe there all kinds of incentives to go propane because of the lower polluting factors.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

LPG (propane) has 80% as much power per gallon as gas, the tanks are heavy, and frequently isn't much cheaper than gas even before considering road tax.  

Quartzsite has an EV charge station at the Carl's junior.

I guess you are right it is not cost effective in the US, everywhere else in the world where gasoline prices are much higher it would be. the only reason you would do it would be to get a longer range and cut down on polution

 

[Willy]

My rig runs on propane only. Less frequent oil changes, and a longer lasting engine are some of the benefits of propane. Unfortunately, the engine on mine hasn't been modified to have a higher compression ratio (due to the higher octane rating of propane), so there IS the power loss. Still and all, due to the price of propane here, I end up paying less per mile, with a considerably larger rig, than I did with my FI pickup. I'm not out to win any stop light drags and can put up with gearing down for steeper hills.

Over here, in B.C., near every small town has an LPG distributor, so it hasn't been a burden running on it. I've also got 2x 50gal tanks, so plenty of range. A friend of mine went down to AZ with her propane powered mini-schoolbus last winter and had no problems finding propane down there, and she ended up cruising down to Texas too. It's even easier now than it was, finding propane, due to the internet.

Another benefit with propane is the relative simplicity of the setup. No fuel pump(s) or all the pollution control setups. It's also pretty damned easy to convert back to gas if I wish to do so. ..Willy.

 

[johnny b]

i use this unleaded gasoline stuff,it is refined from oil which is 100% natural and is made by the earth,in fact the earth is making more as we speak

I also believe in the Abiotic oil theory.

Prices could be reduced even more if we'd stop wasting resources making Ethanol for use as an oxygenate. With today's computer controlled engines and catalyst scrubbed exhaust, an oxygenate is no longer really needed. Our cars are 97% cleaner than they were 40 years ago...we have passed the point of return on investment. Just make one formula of 'regular' and one of 'Premium' for all climates and get off the 'Designer Fuel' merry go round that stresses our refining and distribution systems.

BioDiesel from waste fry oil is a good alternative fuel for those engines that can use it.....BUT...in Europe and Asia where diesels make up a much larger percentage of total vehicles, the market for clean biodiesel has resulted in the clear cutting of rain forests in the far east to grow palms for 'palm oil'. Kind of a 'rob peter to pay paul' kind of set up---destroy one ecosystem to try and help another.

Gasoline (and diesel) is clean enough, cheap enough, plentiful enough, and is the safest so far to transport and utilize as a fuel....until something better is found.

The alternatives are welcome to compete and do their part in blazing the paths to the next era of transportation. Which path wins is a toss up, but it will come eventually. And Mother Earth will survive.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe...the invention that allows its use economically will spur the next evolution....

then Warp Drive, Teleportation, etc.

Just my Humble Opinion.

BTW-- did anyone catch Jay Leno the other night (he has a car show now)?
A small company came to his garage, set up a 3D printer about as big as a van, and 'Printed' a car chassis made from a carbon fiber reinforced resin. They bolted on suspension, electric drive train, and steering wheel (that was Jay's part)....and he drove the thing out of the shop and down the street.
The 'Future' is just around the corner.

 

[johnny b]

Won't be converting my truck to propane but I am going to convert my generator. External regulator feeds to a fitting sandwiched between carb and intake port.
Allows use of either gasoline or propane once installed.

 

[Willy]

For anyone interested IMPCO training manual.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

Things may have changed. I remember a time when some guy wanted to get propane for his propane pickup and they absolutely refused to fill it, said they were not allowed to fill a tank for vehicles. Fleets have their own tanks to fill up from so it's not a problem for them.

 

[Willy]

There are still places that can't fill vehicles cuz they're set up with a just POL (maybe even an ACME) filler, for barbecue tanks, and a small weigh scale. ..Willy.

 

[B and C]

I just filled the propane tank on the Roadtrek at a Blue Flame dealer Saturday.  He wanted to know if it was used as engine fuel or just for personal use.  I told him that it ran the refer, hot WH and the cooktop.  He asked me to pull to the other side of the little fill shed as I had parked on the side that they collected road taxes on.  Some places sell for both.

 

[ahh_me2]

Won't be converting my truck to propane but I am going to convert my generator. External regulator feeds to a fitting sandwiched between carb and intake port.
Allows use of either gasoline or propane once installed.

I plan on doing the same thing.
I looked at 3 different web/sellers/types and this is the one I thought is the best:

https://www.propanecarbs.com/honda-eu2000-tri-fuel-conversion.html

 

[johnny b]

Same site I picked as well....I have the EU3000IS though:

https://www.propanecarbs.com/honda-eu3000-tri-fuel-conversion.html

 

[MrNoodly]

Alternate fuels sound great until you need to find some in order to fill up. Do you want to be anchored only to places where your alt fuel is available, or do you want freedom of movement?