Natural gas powered k301

[sparkys toy 76]

Just acquired a k301 powered by natural gas and want to change it to l.p. is there a different orfice in the carb to change or just carb adjustments required

Edited December 4, 2021 by sparkys toy
Added picture

[8ntruck 7,016]

Might be a different head, too.  The ideal compression ratio for natural gas is probably different than for gasoline.

[Handy Don 12,235]

I've helped one friend convert a B&S generator to natural gas using a kit from this company. Went very smoothly and no changes to head needed.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

Pretty sure just an orifice change.  Not sure how to determine the correct size, but the orifices should be readily available.

[sparkie333 265]

Hay --that thing don't look like a K301 that I ever seen.--- O I was looking first at your air compressor--- You do mean the red one?

[Pullstart 62,906]

2 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

Pretty sure just an orifice change.  Not sure how to determine the correct size, but the orifices should be readily available.

heating value of natural gas I believe is 1050 or so and LP is 2500.  LP Runs 10” of water column generally and natural is about 4 or 4.5”. That should be enough to figure orifice size, shouldn’t it?

[sparkie333 265]

45 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

heating value of natural gas I believe is 1050 or so and LP is 2500.  LP Runs 10” of water column generally and natural is about 4 or 4.5”. That should be enough to figure orifice size, shouldn’t it?

 

Well u going to let us know what size it would take?  I Just didn't get that far in school---Just saying---  2+2 = for sure not a 2x4

[Pullstart 62,906]

That’s about all I remember on the topic @sparkie333… sorry!  

[Handy Don 12,235]

You'll also have to figure in the regulator which might be different for the two gases and probably results in having similar pressure going into the carb oriface.

In the kit there was a gadget that required the engine turning and pulling air through the carb before it would hold the gas valve open. It had a manual override for starting.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,046]

LP fuel starts on page 6-23

 

[sparkys toy 76]

Thanks for all the input hadn't thought about the regulator differents this one does have a prime button and a watercolum gauge on it as well, it should be fun having a l.p. powered wheel horse will be interesting how fast it will run through a 1 lb can of lp

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

18 minutes ago, sparkys toy said:

1 lb can

 

Ya mean the little tanks for propane torch?  Ten, fifteen minutes? If yer lucky.

[sparkys toy 76]

6 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Ya mean the little tanks for propane torch?  Ten, fifteen minutes? If yer lucky.

At idle I suppose,lol

[kpinnc 12,087]

Well, you could fab up some axles and a hitch on a 100lb bottle. 

 

The good thing about our tractors (should you use the engine for one) is that they have the gearing to pull a huge tank behind them!

 

And the internals of an LP or NG engine will be very, very clean! 

Edited December 6, 2021 by kpinnc

[Handy Don 12,235]

11 hours ago, kpinnc said:

Well, you could fab up some axles and a hitch on a 100lb bottle. 

 

The good thing about our tractors (should you use the engine for one) is that they have the gearing to pull a huge tank behind them!

 

And the internals of an LP or NG engine will be very, very clean! 

@ebinmaine, what size are the gas bottles on the forklifts you tool around on? How long do they last? Propane, right?

[ebinmaine 67,596]

1 hour ago, Handy Don said:

@ebinmaine, what size are the gas bottles on the forklifts you tool around on? How long do they last? Propane, right?

 

We have two types of fuel for two different types of forklifts here. The ones I run on a daily basis are diesel powered and they are for outside use ONLY.

 

The other ones are propane, yes.

I believe the tanks on those are around 30 lb capacity. I don't know how long they last because I don't change them out. I'm not certified by the company to do so.

 

They are the same size and shape as the larger of the two tanks that I commonly see on an RV.

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

22 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

larger of the two tanks that I commonly see on an RV.

 

I think that may be 50 lbs.  The small ones for the gas grills are 30 lb.  Then there's the taller ones at 100 lb.

 

As I recall the FL that I drove for a few years back in the late 1900s had 50 pounders.  They would last for a few days of two shifts a day.

 

[ebinmaine 67,596]

8 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

I think that may be 50 lbs.  The small ones for the gas grills are 30 lb.  Then there's the taller ones at 100 lb.

 

As I recall the FL that I drove for a few years back in the late 1900s had 50 pounders.  They would last for a few days of two shifts a day.

 

 

That may be regional or state law differences.

Here the smaller ones are referred to as 20 lbs and the bigger ones are referred to as 30. 

 

Of interest is the fact that I've known for years and 30 lb tank as we call them, weighs a heck of a lot more than that...

also seem to get heavier as I get older.

😂

[kpinnc 12,087]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Of interest is the fact that I've known for years and 30 lb tank as we call them, weighs a heck of a lot more than that...

also seem to get heavier as I get older.

 

Can't remember who said it- but similar to the theory of relativity: as time passes gravity increases or something?

 

What was I talking about? 

[ebinmaine 67,596]

31 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

What was I talking about? 

Baked beans?

[SylvanLakeWH 25,600]

6 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

Can't remember who said it- but similar to the theory of relativity: as time passes gravity increases or something?

 

What was I talking about? 

 

5 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Baked beans?

Theory of too much Relative-ity:

 

As more time passes with relatives, the need for baked beans increases, until they succumb to the fumes and leave. At which time you can resume talking about ‘s.

 

[ebinmaine 67,596]

2 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

 

Theory of too much Relative-ity:

 

As more time passes with relatives, the need for baked beans increases, until they succumb to the fumes and leave. At which time you can resume talking about ‘s.

 

 

For me that time is usually about 4 to 6 hours. Maybe less.  😂

[Ifixoldjunk 778]

honestly a propane powered wheel horse would be pretty cool. I think a regular bbq sized propane bottle would do the trick. Forklifts seem to run quite some time on the little 30 gallon tanks they have, and they usually have much bigger engines too. Id imagine you'd at least get your grass cut before running out of juice

[Handy Don 12,235]

12 minutes ago, Ifixoldjunk said:

honestly a propane powered wheel horse would be pretty cool. I think a regular bbq sized propane bottle would do the trick. Forklifts seem to run quite some time on the little 30 gallon tanks they have, and they usually have much bigger engines too. Id imagine you'd at least get your grass cut before running out of juice

 

 

9 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

The small ones for the gas grills are 30 lb.

 

My gas grill uses 20 pounders. The more oblong ones you often see paired on a trailer tongue are 30's. We use 30's for lighting, refrigeration, and cooking at my son and daughter's camp as those are the largest size we can easily transport to get refilled.

 

Propane costs $3-4 per gallon for refills (less in bulk delivery) and compares favorably to gasoline in overall cost of operation when maintenance is factored in. Plus it can be used (mostly) safely indoors in large buildings, as @ebinmaine pointed out.

[kpinnc 12,087]

1 hour ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

As more time passes with relatives, the need for baked beans increases, until they succumb to the fumes and leave. At which time you can resume talking about ‘s.

 

 

That's exactly what I was saying!!!!