Quote:
Originally Posted by mswlogo
Good info. So how do they freeze. I did look it up and it seems it can happen.
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On looking further, it does seem that there is some disinformation out there, or perhaps just poor explanations. First, the propane itself will not freeze until its temperature gets to around -306 F. The actual freezing point will vary a little, because the "propane" delivered isn't pure propane, but has small amounts of lighter gases, including ethane, and heavier gases, such as butane.
That reference (
https://bepreparedforit.com/do-propa...-cold-weather/) that refers to propane freezing at -44 F is a good example if misuse of words, in this case "freezing." That -44 F is the approximate temperature of propane fuel at which the pressure it exerts within the tank is one standard atmosphere (14.696 psi). At that pressure, propane from the vapor space above the liquid can't flow out to the generator, since there is no pressure difference to cause flow. Actually, flow will cease a bit before the tank gets that cold, because the gas line and pressure regulator both induce pressure drop.
In certain atmospheric conditions, icing can occur at the carburetor. On my Kohler 14KW standby, I installed their carburetor heater kit to prevent this. It runs off AC power from the house and activates when the temperature goes below 32 F. Other cold weather protection can be installed, such as a battery warmer or crankcase oil heater. I opted for the carburetor heater, figuring that cars left outside overnight in subzero weather usually start readily the next morning. In the 4-5 years I've had the generator, it's never failed to start when needed or for the weekly self-test.