Lehr propane outbourds
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I'm thinking you should have a LARGE supply if you are going any distance.
You could get a ROM if you knew the quantity of propane in a can.
2.5 HP is xxx BTUs/sec but you will have to burn 4 times that many to actually do some boat moving (dang Carnot) and a bottle has yyy BTUs so that would give you seconds of run time MAX. Then estimate how fast a 2.5 HP motor would push your boat and us the D=R*T to get how far you would be able to go.
You could get a ROM if you knew the quantity of propane in a can.
2.5 HP is xxx BTUs/sec but you will have to burn 4 times that many to actually do some boat moving (dang Carnot) and a bottle has yyy BTUs so that would give you seconds of run time MAX. Then estimate how fast a 2.5 HP motor would push your boat and us the D=R*T to get how far you would be able to go.
Taked with a companyh rep. Expect to get about 45 min on a 1 lb can at half throddle-about 30 min at full throddle. That makes it cumbersome and expensive to operate. Those cans cost at least 2.50 each.
The good thing is those 1lb cannisters can be refilled with an adapter. Ace hardware has them for under $20. Since you do not have to replace the cannisters your cost for the propane goes to around $1.25 per lb. My experience has been that the re-filled cannisters do not last as long as the new ones and that is likely because we lack the machinery to be able to pump more into the can. The adapter manufacturer recommends you place the empty cannisters in a freezer for a couple of hours before filling but I have not noticed any significant difference for doing that. I do like the idea of those motors as it would eliminate the gasoline fuel problems.
There is a hose connection on the front I believe that allows you to connect to a regular 20 pound propane tank like you use with a grill, You should be able to get plenty of run time from that. You don't have to use just the small green can. I would think propane would store better on a boat than the equivalent amount of gasoline. I saw this engine on Ship Shape TV and I think I would like to have one. I'll bet they are pretty expensive though.
If all you are doing is low speed short distance runs get some oars.
No fuel to store or batts to recharge
Light weight
No maintenance
Instant start, no warm up
No prop hazard
Gets you a little exercise for those beach pictures
Totally green and 100% recyclable
Unlimited range
No draft limitations
Can be used to probe port and starboard for deeper water when the mother ship runs aground
Makes a handy “repel all boarders” weapon that will not cause concern with foreign police organizations
Stores on the stateroom wall or overhead
Zero turning radius
You can build them out of scrap lumber
No fuel to store or batts to recharge
Light weight
No maintenance
Instant start, no warm up
No prop hazard
Gets you a little exercise for those beach pictures
Totally green and 100% recyclable
Unlimited range
No draft limitations
Can be used to probe port and starboard for deeper water when the mother ship runs aground
Makes a handy “repel all boarders” weapon that will not cause concern with foreign police organizations
Stores on the stateroom wall or overhead
Zero turning radius
You can build them out of scrap lumber
LOL that's what I'm using now and it works however sometimes against the current and wind I find myself rowing forward but going backwards!!!!
The excitement over a no-name outboard which kind of looks like a Yamaha but has no-dealer network and when i visit there web sight there is at best small amount of spare parts available for the various propane products they make leaves me rather confused as to why people think it is so great
Bill, lets look at this in terms of the engine behind the oars. That would be me..
Originally Posted by Bill Roosa
If all you are doing is low speed short distance runs get some oars.
No fuel to store or batts to recharge
Light weight
No maintenance
Instant start, no warm up
No prop hazard
Gets you a little exercise for those beach pictures
Totally green and 100% recyclable
Unlimited range
No draft limitations
Can be used to probe port and starboard for deeper water when the mother ship runs aground
Makes a handy “repel all boarders” weapon that will not cause concern with foreign police organizations
Stores on the stateroom wall or overhead
Zero turning radius
You can build them out of scrap lumber
If all you are doing is low speed short distance runs get some oars. ..Fime but the oars have to be powered by a human engine..me
No fuel to store or batts to recharge..yes fuel is required for a shore trip I will require at least 3 beers and 2 sandwiches.
Light weight....who you calling a lightweight???
No maintenance...my wife would disagree..she says I'm very high maintenance.
Instant start, no warm up.....nope gotta do at least 15 minutes of warm up and stretches before even climbing over the side
No prop hazard...true but I have been know to cause major mayhem with oars, boat hooks and 2x4s when I pick one up people clear out.
you a little exercise for those beach pictures... we don't want to even go there, they don't and won't ever exist.
Totally green and 100% recyclable....I'm only green in heavy seas and I doubt that any of my parts will be usable to recycle by the time I'm done with them.
Unlimited range ...not true.. range is limited by the amount of beer and sandwiches that will fit in the cooler...
No draft limitations...this part may be true..to get anyone else to row the dinghy you will have to impose a draft.
Can be used to probe port and starboard for deeper water when the mother ship runs aground.... This is true although I usually just use it to flag down the towboat.
Makes a handy “repel all boarders” weapon that will not cause concern with foreign police organizations.....True in my hands it has been known to be very dangerous.
Stores on the stateroom wall or overhead...but is usually stored in the bottom of the lazaret underneath 500 pounds of other stuff.
Zero turning radius.....true.. going in a straight line is sometimes the problem though.
You can build them out of scrap lumber True ...the oars are the cheap part its the expense and unreliability of the propulsion unit that's attached to them that's the problem.
Originally Posted by Bill Roosa
If all you are doing is low speed short distance runs get some oars.
No fuel to store or batts to recharge
Light weight
No maintenance
Instant start, no warm up
No prop hazard
Gets you a little exercise for those beach pictures
Totally green and 100% recyclable
Unlimited range
No draft limitations
Can be used to probe port and starboard for deeper water when the mother ship runs aground
Makes a handy “repel all boarders” weapon that will not cause concern with foreign police organizations
Stores on the stateroom wall or overhead
Zero turning radius
You can build them out of scrap lumber
If all you are doing is low speed short distance runs get some oars. ..Fime but the oars have to be powered by a human engine..me
No fuel to store or batts to recharge..yes fuel is required for a shore trip I will require at least 3 beers and 2 sandwiches.
Light weight....who you calling a lightweight???
No maintenance...my wife would disagree..she says I'm very high maintenance.
Instant start, no warm up.....nope gotta do at least 15 minutes of warm up and stretches before even climbing over the side
No prop hazard...true but I have been know to cause major mayhem with oars, boat hooks and 2x4s when I pick one up people clear out.
you a little exercise for those beach pictures... we don't want to even go there, they don't and won't ever exist.
Totally green and 100% recyclable....I'm only green in heavy seas and I doubt that any of my parts will be usable to recycle by the time I'm done with them.
Unlimited range ...not true.. range is limited by the amount of beer and sandwiches that will fit in the cooler...
No draft limitations...this part may be true..to get anyone else to row the dinghy you will have to impose a draft.
Can be used to probe port and starboard for deeper water when the mother ship runs aground.... This is true although I usually just use it to flag down the towboat.
Makes a handy “repel all boarders” weapon that will not cause concern with foreign police organizations.....True in my hands it has been known to be very dangerous.
Stores on the stateroom wall or overhead...but is usually stored in the bottom of the lazaret underneath 500 pounds of other stuff.
Zero turning radius.....true.. going in a straight line is sometimes the problem though.
You can build them out of scrap lumber True ...the oars are the cheap part its the expense and unreliability of the propulsion unit that's attached to them that's the problem.
Because the single biggest problem with outboards, particularly ones that hang on stern rails for months at a time between uses, is gummed up carburetors and other issues related to stale fuel. That issue completely goes away with these units. They can sit for a year and then start right up. They don't even have a choke, and I suspect the carburetor is just an orifice. That should mean much less maintenance, which saves $$$. You can safely store them in a lazarette because there's no gas in them to leak and create explosive vapors. Propane burns cleaner with less emissions, which means cleaner engine oil, which should result in longer life. No worries with spilled gas in the dinghy while refueling and the resulting complaints from the Admiral about the smell. The ability to keep a small one lb cylinder mounted as an emergency spare to get you back to the boat if you accidentally run the large bottle empty. That's just off the top of my head.
I started a discussion in this forum last week called "Is This The Year To Switch To Propane?" because I'm seriously considering one of these along with a Yamaha tri-fuel portable generator that runs on propane.
Tommays, I believe that the engine is a Tohatsu that Lehr has converted to run on propane. The only thing that changes is the carburetor .. they have also changed the cowl to accept the little propane cylinder.. Should be no parts worries. Expensive to run.. yes, more expensive than gasoline but in real dollars, not that much to worry about.. Big % difference, but not too many dollars.. 2 hours of running at full throttle on propane would be around $10.. That same time on gasoline would be around $4.50 when ya consider the additives necessary .. if ya have propane left over, it keeps 'till next season.. If ya want longer run time, use a 10# refillable which also makes the $/Hr. cost go down. Much faster to recharge than a battery.. much lighter than carrying a spare battery.. I don't see any reason to not go with a Lehr if your dink use is fairly short hops and not a lot during the season.. I am in a slip, so my total dink motor run time last year was around 2 hours.. I use a 1968 Johnson which runs fine so there is no way I need a new engine.. but if I were in the market for one, I would consider a Lehr.. not saying I'd buy one but saying that it would be in the consideration mostly for the convenient storage and clean fuel.. I wouldn't pay a big premium because the convenience has to be balanced against a little power loss..
I don't know what it is BUT it is NOT a Tohatsu
I would like one also BUT none of the propane converted gensets have OEM factory support and they all chosen NOT to build smaller units despite consumer demand
I do not know what to think but sears is dumping the 269 dollar unit for 99 right now and if your read the reviews its a pretty mixed bad with plenty of issues and if you cant keep your weed trimmer people happy and outboard is a BIG step up in complex
I would like one also BUT none of the propane converted gensets have OEM factory support and they all chosen NOT to build smaller units despite consumer demand
I do not know what to think but sears is dumping the 269 dollar unit for 99 right now and if your read the reviews its a pretty mixed bad with plenty of issues and if you cant keep your weed trimmer people happy and outboard is a BIG step up in complex
I pay 15 dollars for a 20 pound fill up and a full tank weighs about 36 pounds. Storing propane on my boat requires a vented locker and storing gasolne would require a vented locker. I can't find a distinct advantage in propane.
I've run my 2hp Honda for three seasons without issue but this thread got me to thinking why you can't just modify your existing OB to run on propane? I had an old Towmotor Caterpillar gas powered forktruck converted to propane and ran it for 10 years without any problems. I sol it for a Komatsu duel fuel . gas/propane truck. I googled searched and found this,
http://theepicenter.com/tow102899.html
If your capable of rebuilding your carburetor then I think you'd be able to do a conversion. Just my thoughts
http://theepicenter.com/tow102899.html
If your capable of rebuilding your carburetor then I think you'd be able to do a conversion. Just my thoughts
Propane engines are of the 4 stroke variety. Makes me think that a small 2 stroke engine can't be converted. A 4 stroke with crankcase oil is a different animal and easily converted. many cars in Cuba run on both just by changing the carburetor.
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