No good serach results so let me ask
What is a fair estimate of the amount of fuel my Kubota will burn per hour?
If its a diesel and anything like my garden tractor with Kubota diesel -- You should be able to run lots of hours before worrying. With my old gas tractor, I was always filling it up, and with the diesel I can mow 5 or 6 times before filling up. 5 or 6 times is like over 5 or 6+ acres. Same with plowing the snow during the winter months. It runs and runs and runs, and only sips the fuel. Wish I had a diesel generator!!!
My Isuzu 7 KW Genset consumes approx .5 gals/hr when running both A/C's while on the road. Compare that to the consumption of 7.5 gals/hr for the Cummins 325 mechanical engine at 60 mph speed. That is, I normally get 8 mpg w/o genset running and 7.5 mpg with genset running...roughly.
Hi George,
Our 10K gen, 1997 U 320, uses about .5 gallons per hour. This is with both roof airs running.
Raymond & Babette Jordan
1997 U 320
.5 gph is about right. I have the same 4 cylinder Kubota
Happy days, You will have a real hard time burning more than 10 gal per 24 hr day. That would be bout .41 gph.
This is not a guess, not an opinion, have run these RV genset diesels for over 20 years and when using a separate fuel tank, it is easy/simple to get a real good number over 8,000 hrs running time.
Enjoy and let it run, you will not wear it out, unless you ignore it.
Smile :)
Dave M Va
Thanks, guys. That is most helpful and I have written it down. On paper. In a notebood.
One small point I should make. If you start to add up the hours on the generator, we have found that before 5 k hours, need to replace the sealed ball bearing that holds the end of the generator, not engine end. Not a big deal to replace.
Very costly when that bearing goes bad and drops the rotor into the stator.
Dave M Va
Dave, I have heard this before but I am not sure of what the process would be to replace this bearing. Can it be done with the genny in the coach ? Mine is mounted in a side compartment but I have never looked at access to the front end of it.
Thanks
Dave,
What do you mean by
not engine end? Would this be the end with the fan?
Thanks,
Gary, the generator will need to slide out enough to remove the end with the bearing , not a big deal.
George, picture the left end of your generator, that is the generator end where the said bearing is located, not on the engine.
Dave M Va 01 320
Dave - Are you saying passenger side being left end re: Kubota accessible out of front of coach??
OK, As you are looking at the generator AFTER you have the door open.
Yes it would be the passenger side.
Yes, my generator will slide out after you remove the bolts in the exhaust and the slide frame work, then you can slide it out a ways, to total remove it will require disconnecting the fuel lines and electric wires both AC and DC and a method
of supporting it.
I have not replaced the bearing on my unit yet as it only has about 1400 hours total, but about 4500 hrs IF I am still living and still have the coach and still using it, I will then either replace the bearing OR have a generator shop replace it. Will not have a happy do everything mechanic with a tool box and a hand full of rags touch it.
Proper mechanic will know how to get to it and what I am talking about.
Dave M Va
How much fuel per hour with 10KW generator?
___
best, paul
"Thriving not surviving" <(*¿*)>
Paul Schaye (at 2008 NYC Marathon)
See our blog at LazyDazers.com
.4 - .5 gl depending on load
Per Power Tech 10 KW Owners Manual, they say the hourly fuel burn is ;
LOAD % = GPH fuel burn as follows
25% = .26 GPH :))
50% = .47 GPH ::)
75% = .74 GPH :-X
100%= 1 GPH :o
Maybe someone is wondering.
For my operation, I would guess I am running about 40% load, having one 194 gal fuel tank, that is supplying all three needs, it is impossible to give an exact number for the fuel burn, so you need to have a realistic guess as to % load.
Using the numbers I had when I used the MCI conversion and had a separate tank for the genset, running it 24/7 it averaged 10 gal per day using a 12 kw that was lightly loaded.
FWIW
Dave
2000 U320 generator shut off at 1/2 full. We were surprised. :o In fact we were going to stop today to take on fuel, but could not find a station we could enter.
Where does yours cut off?
My genset cuts-off at the 1/4 mark. Make sure your fuel gauge calibration is right. At 1/2 tank, when you fill next, see how far off it is from being really at 1/2.
Modified: If you have to drive...say 100 miles...to the next fueling station...approximate the consumption to adjust your fuel calculation back to the 1/2 tank level.
Peter,
That is an excellent suggestion. We will stop within the first 10 miles to fill the tank. I will report our findings.
Our fuel gauge is pretty accurate I think. We can operate the generator down to at least 1/8 tank. We have the 191 gallon tank in our coach.
- Roger Berke -
2000 Foretravel U320 42'
I consider it prudent to keep the tank above 1/2 full. I calibrated the tank so that when we use 70-75 gallons of the 140-150 gallon capacity, that gauge is at about 1/2. We fill frequently to: 1) stay safe in case there is some emergency that precludes getting fuel; 2) add fuel blended for the climate in which we are traveling; 3) cut down on condensation; 4) avoid the issues associated with introducing air or other foreign material into the fuel system.
I am going to add fuel some time. I prefer to add close to the time we are going to park for the night, or for the month. I know the generator will run with at least 60 gallons in the tank. I don't plan to test for lower levels. I am very satisfied to let you good folk test that limit for me.
To the great list below about driving in the top half of your tank, I would add to get out and walk around, and maybe even defeat a blood clot...
___
best, paul
I usually keep my 180 gallon between half full and completely full, but there have been exceptions. I have run to just above quarter full, and the generator did run. I really don't want to test this and fuel-starve the genset on purpose.
Before my last FT appointment I ran the fuel tank as low as I could because I suspected a tank leak. The needle on the gauge was at empty. The low fuel light came on. The generator still ran. When I refueled, it took 148 gals, which cost $452.47!
My 92 GV with an Oskosh frame and a 460 gas has the generator pickup about 2" above the fuel pick up for the engine. I have had the tank out 4 times trying to figure out a fuel pump problem. If FT designed the complete system, they would have a spec sheet for the tank mfg and would know how high the pickup is suppose to be above the engine pickup. They should know from that how may gallons were left when the generator starves out.
Have driven with the gauge down a needle width above the "E" and the generator still ran. Another example of the great documentation Foretravel has in their manual. Each Foretravel must be like a snowflake.
Pierce & Gaylie
93' U300/36
O.K. here is what we learned. Our generator runs out of fuel at about 1/8 to the left of the half full mark. With the needle in that position we took on 80 gallons and I was repeatedly adding fuel after the automatic shut off.
This was the first time since March of 2009 that we have ever let the needle get that low. We follow the "rule"of driving on the top half of our tank. In this instance we wanted to burn up as much of the fuel that had been sitting in the tank for the past nearly two months during which time we have not driven very much. This seemed like a prudent thing to do because as of 12/31, we are staying in the same campground until April 1, 2011. Yes, we have a FULL tank and we will exercise the coach monthly, taking it our for a run and a sip of fuel.
I think it would be safe to say that the fuel gage indication on many FT's could be different as there is an adjustment on the sensing unit in the tank. I suppose the factory would try to set each identical model the same, but maybe it didn't turn out that way. Also a previous owner may have changed the adjustment or vibrations could have altered the adjustment. In addition the sensing unit on my tank is located on the right side, if the vehicle is not perfectly level left to right, that alone should produce an incorrect indication. The one thing that should be fairly constant though is the size of the tank and the location of the pickups. I found that the pickups on my tank are located close to the center of the tank both fore and aft and laterally. FT states that the generator pickup is higher than the engine pickup, so that the generator can not use up all the fuel and leave you stranded. I doubt, but am not sure, that the engine pickup goes all the way to the bottom of the tank. This should help to prevent picking up any water that might be in the bottom of the tank. This should only be a problem after a stop of a day or more, and then only if someone got some bad fuel. It would probably never happen under normal circumstances. Water in gas separates readily, but water in diesel is slow to separate and mixes rather well when agitated as in driving, and can pass through the engine.
In the past I have thought that FT did not do such a good job on the design of the fuel tank, as there is about 20 gallons of the 148 gallon tank that is unusable. Now, I am not so sure about that. Fuel is used to cool the injector pump on the engine or generator. Hot unused fuel is returned to the tank, so the unusable fuel may be needed for that reason. I believe it was Brett Wolfe that pointed out that our tank in an insulated compartment does not dissipate heat as well as the tanks on a truck. Some folks have installed coolers in the return line.
On my first trip, I filled up in Knoxville, TN and just before Dallas the low fuel light came on and the fuel gage showed slightly less than 1/4 full. It took 94 gal to fill the tank in Dallas. I keep my tank mostly full when in storage. I buy fuel when I spot a good price, but I try to stay away from stations that do not have many diesel customers. So far I have not had any fuel problems. My generator has never quit for low fuel, but I have not tried to see how long it would run with low fuel.
In my opinion, and compared to other coaches we have owned, I find Foretravel's documentation is excellent. At least on our '98.
I sent Barry Beam a layout diagram of the fuel tank, it shows each pickup and return.
Thanks for the drawing of the fuel tank. The fuel sender, vent, and returns are all on the right (passenger) side on my tank. I did some calculations in which I adjusted the outside measurements for the thickness of the walls and the baffles. I used a conversion site found on the internet to convert cubic inches to US gallons. Using 25 inches for the height of the fuel which leaves some space for air at the top, I did indeed arrive at 148 gal. I didn't make any allowance for holes in the baffles. It only takes 2.5 gal to reach the engine pickup and 15 gal to reach the generator pickup with the tank perfectly level. In practice though the tank would rarely be level and require 3 to 4 times (a guess) those amounts to keep the pickups covered. I think I read somewhere that 1/4 tank was needed for the generator to operate. 1/4 tank of fuel is 37 gallons. If that is the case the pickup should be 6.25 inches above the bottom of the tank not 2.5 inches. Has FT made a change in the height of the generator pickup? It is very possible that they did. If the generator pickup in your tank really is 2.5 inches above the bottom of the tank, you could be in trouble if you use the fuel down to that level. If the pickup is at 6.25 inches and the tank not level you will need more than 1/4 tank to reach the pickup. This doesn't really prove anything for those that have questions about how much fuel is in the tank when the generator quits for lack of fuel. With the tank level, I think one would have to fill the tank almost to the point of overflow in order to have 148 gal. Most fuel pump nozzles will probably shut off short of 148 gallons with the tank level (IMO) and if tilted the wrong way even less.
231 cu. in. per 1 US gallon