Anyone know about the Hyundai HCP 9000 Generator

[solorone]

It is a duel fuel unit, propane and unleaded gas, has no pressurized oil system or filter, DB ratings on their site list 68 DBa, manual PDF says DB is 83!!
has good harmonic ratings, best thing, is it is available now. I am also looking at another Kubota gl6500,but do not really want to go back with diesel, due to $$ of fuel.

[Sunking]

Before you eliminate diesel you had better do some research on energy density vs cost and efficiency. Diesel maybe more expensive per gallon but has 37.3 MJ/L verse LPG 25.3 MJ/L. Deisel engines are far more efficient which when combined with the added energy density has about 100% energy per volume. So unless you LPG cost half of what diesel cost you might reconsider.

[solorone]

I am aware of the power difference, I can't afford to run LP, it's just nice to have the capability if needed.

Hoping someone has a some practical experience with this unit.

[russ]

What is the cost of propane and diesel to you?

[solorone]

What is the cost of propane and diesel to you?

Well the OP question, for me, is now moot, as I am taking delivery of a Kubota diesel tomorrow; too many unknowns with the Hyundai, and the DB question/issue was a big worry.

The big advantage of the Kubota, is they somehow manage to get the entire Amp output, into one outlet, something the gas powered, upper end, <5% HD, commercials, do not do.

As of today, the LP I am using, cost $2.20, and Diesel is 3.67, but normally in the $3.85 range. Typically running about 16%, more than unleaded regular.

Here is part of a post I did not have time to get up this AM.

Well here's a thought. When the economy recovers, the price of gas will go up, maybe near $5 a gallon, making diesel in the 5.85 range. What will happen with propane is anyone's guess, but it will surely follow along in price, as we are exporting a large amount of LP now. Currently, this past August, I paid $2.20 a gallon for LP, and it was 1.85 before that, I have a 1600 gallon capacity, and get a good deal. It might be possible, that LP will one day be half the price of diesel. There is also the convenience, that Americans love so much, of not having to haul and load full about.

Then there is the reliability of LP run machines, I am not very much up on this point, but my prior reading, indicates LP can be less than reliable over the long run. Am I right?

a bit of history.
We used to sell and install PV systems. At shows, in the mid 90s, we carried the literature in our display, for a NG (natural gas) Air conditioner, powered by a Briggs engine. This had been tested, and rated for some 25/30 K hours. I can not recall the name of the unit, but I think it was a York. This unit sold weakly locally, and had problems with the controls.

We hoped it would be supplied in a LP version. I eventually contacted the factory and talked with a R&D engineer, and was told that the same Briggs motor had failed repeatedly at 8K to 10K hours, while running on LP, I remember he mentioned something about white deposits on the piston, for what it is worth.

So all of that, and recent threads I have read, makes me wonder about LP being practical. One would assume they have worked out these old issues..

[Sunking]

Solarone gasoline, diesel, and LPG are all tied together as all three are derived oil. In winter months you will see a price increase in diesel fuel prices because refineries are extracting more heating oil from each barrel of oil. To do that that have to take that oil from diesel production.

What really flip flopped diesel and gasoline prices was 2006 EPA regulations requiring all diesel in the USA to be USLD which requires more refining and cost associated with that.

Point is they all three will trend in the same direction as the price of oil fluctuates. NG is not derived from oil, and not tied to the price of oil. NG prices are th elowest in 20 years which is why the price of electricity has dropped significantly over the last 3 years. Some 27% here in TX and 12% nationally.

[solorone]

My diesel prices have not shown any winter price influence, I am aware of the seasonal heating oil production increase, it cost almost as as much as gas, or at least that was the price in August, in Maine.
The low sulfur fuel is the best thing they could have done, the right motor it is almost smoke free. Now maybe we can get the Euro diesel to power cars here, 40/45 MPG and I was running they at 80 and 90 on the motor ways, love them, they would really get up and go.

[Mike90250]

LP fueled engines have a VERY long service life, I'm not sure where you read they were shorter.

http://alternativefuels.about.com/od/generalmaintenance/a/gaspropanemaint.htm

http://www.acmecarb.com/small.html

There is a little debate about valve guide wear, but again, nothing concrete. (bad air cleaner?) Propane is also used to "fumigate" diesel intake systems, replacing up to 70% of the diesel requirement, but that's a whole different topic.

[solorone]

LP fueled engines have a VERY long service life, I'm not sure where you read they were shorter.

http://alternativefuels.about.com/od/generalmaintenance/a/gaspropanemaint.htm

http://www.acmecarb.com/small.html

There is a little debate about valve guide wear, but again, nothing concrete. (bad air cleaner?) Propane is also used to "fumigate" diesel intake systems, replacing up to 70% of the diesel requirement, but that's a whole different topic.

On another forum, one of the things they we discussing, do not know make or model, but when they failed, the manufacturers were refusing warranty, due to folks using them off grid continues use.
As many whole house units as they are offering right now, they must be reliable, maybe the article I was reading, was about a unit such as the Hyundia type/size.