Using the DuroMax 5500EH Duel Fuel for Emergency Charging

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JGR

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2017
Messages
17
Location
Kansas City, KS
I have been experimenting with using the DuroMax 5500 for emergency charging for my 2013 Leaf S with QC. Looks like the best I can get is 14a at 240v on gas and 12a on Propane. Here is a link to a June 3 post. and a video of it running at 14a on Propane.


http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=23899&start=10#p496242

It seems that gas is producing more horsepower as expected. I think the generator is overrated in light of it's 7.5 hp engine. I only want to use it on propane and was thinking of pulling the head and removing about .030 to increase compression. I have all the equipment to modify as much as I want, mill, computerized flow bench, dyno etc. etc. (used to build racing engines for racing karts) trying to decide if raising the compression ratio a couple of points would be worth the effort. I would like to get 16a out of it, but can live with the 12a. I am using an OpenEVSE, is there a way to bump the current while it is charging? If so it might support a higher amperage. If I start at 16a it just bogs down and errors out on both propane and gas. I would appreciate anyones thoughts on the subject.

Thanks !
 
JGR said:
I have been experimenting with using the DuroMax 5500 for emergency charging for my 2013 Leaf S with QC. Looks like the best I can get is 14a at 240v on gas and 12a on Propane. Here is a link to a June 3 post. and a video of it running at 14a on Propane.


http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=23899&start=10#p496242

It seems that gas is producing more horsepower as expected. I think the generator is overrated in light of it's 7.5 hp engine. I only want to use it on propane and was thinking of pulling the head and removing about .030 to increase compression. I have all the equipment to modify as much as I want, mill, computerized flow bench, dyno etc. etc. (used to build racing engines for racing karts) trying to decide if raising the compression ratio a couple of points would be worth the effort. I would like to get 16a out of it, but can live with the 12a. I am using an OpenEVSE, is there a way to bump the current while it is charging? If so it might support a higher amperage. If I start at 16a it just bogs down and errors out on both propane and gas. I would appreciate anyones thoughts on the subject.

Thanks !

Also, generator weight is a primary concern for lifting the unit into the trunk. Another concern is how quiet the generator runs. I weighed the generator without the wheels installed and it weighs 115 lbs. For some people this weight will be to much, for me it was relatively easy. I do not have a decibel meter, but it is surprisingly quiet. Since I only plan to run it on propane , removing the gas tank should save a few more pounds. Fuel efficiency from my first test indicates one gallon of gasoline provides 25+ miles of range. I have not checked the consumption on propane.
 
JGR said:
I have been experimenting with using the DuroMax 5500 for emergency charging for my 2013 Leaf S with QC. Looks like the best I can get is 14a at 240v on gas and 12a on Propane. Here is a link to a June 3 post. and a video of it running at 14a on Propane.


http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=23899&start=10#p496242

It seems that gas is producing more horsepower as expected. I think the generator is overrated in light of it's 7.5 hp engine. I only want to use it on propane and was thinking of pulling the head and removing about .030 to increase compression. I have all the equipment to modify as much as I want, mill, computerized flow bench, dyno etc. etc. (used to build racing engines for racing karts) trying to decide if raising the compression ratio a couple of points would be worth the effort. I would like to get 16a out of it, but can live with the 12a. I am using an OpenEVSE, is there a way to bump the current while it is charging? If so it might support a higher amperage. If I start at 16a it just bogs down and errors out on both propane and gas. I would appreciate anyones thoughts on the subject.

Thanks !

I used my cell phone to send rapi commands to the OpenEVSE using the URL line to access the built in WiFi. The thought being if it was already under load and running perhaps I could set current from 14a to 16a and not bog down....Wrong! so I sent a command for 15a still bogged down and dropped out. It will only maintain 12a on propane, after 10 min or so at 14a it drops out. So looks like a 5500 surge rated generator on gasoline will only reliably do 2880W on propane. Wow talk about overrated. So I got three choices 1. Be happy with the 12a in an emergency. 2. Modify the current engine by raising the compression ratio to take advantage of propanes higher octane rating or. 3. Try to find a larger engine that will fit in the frame and connect to the power head without adding to much additional weight.
 
Your problem may be propane delivery rate since it ran for 10 minutes at 14 amperes before bogging down. It may not help to increase the compression ratio. Years ago, we had some 20 kW trailer-mounted generators at work that would run fine when lightly loaded, but would bog down after a few minutes at full load. The relatively small propane tank would cool off rapidly with high fuel consumption. This caused lower fuel pressure and insufficient fuel flow to sustain full load. The fix was to connect two tanks (with regulator on each tank) in parallel so that the tanks would not cool off as much and fuel pressure (and fuel flow) would remain high enough to run the motor under heavy load.
 
GerryAZ said:
Your problem may be propane delivery rate since it ran for 10 minutes at 14 amperes before bogging down. It may not help to increase the compression ratio. Years ago, we had some 20 kW trailer-mounted generators at work that would run fine when lightly loaded, but would bog down after a few minutes at full load. The relatively small propane tank would cool off rapidly with high fuel consumption. This caused lower fuel pressure and insufficient fuel flow to sustain full load. The fix was to connect two tanks (with regulator on each tank) in parallel so that the tanks would not cool off as much and fuel pressure (and fuel flow) would remain high enough to run the motor under heavy load.

Sorry about the much delayed response for some reason I just missed your reply. The regulator is china of course and is a dual stage in one unit. I am having problems with it and suspect it is faulty. The mods I have made so far to the engine .....milled the head .075, installed 1.3 rocker arms, and retarded the timing 3 degrees from the factory setting. On gas it runs pretty good but will not maintain 15 amps. seems to hold 14 amps pretty well. I am going to do the resistor in the plug mod. Sometimes I get a ground fault error on the openEVSE while it is running, seems to be a random event. I may get another regulator and see if that works better.
 
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