Propane outboards?
- Thread starter BayMan
- Start date
Are you talking about the small green canisters? That is 1 lb. or about 1/4 of a gallon. Find out what the propane burn rate for the engine is and do the math. While propane is widely available in the US it is not easily found at marinas; some may help with transportation to a refill station and in others you may be on your own to call a taxi. The concept of propane fueled engines really works and dependability depends largely on the engine manufacturer. The ones I have seen are mostly small outboards; I do not think carrying a tank larger than 5 gallons of propane is a good idea aboard a boat for space and safety concerns. If you are going to cruise the US, gasoline or diesel are still the fuels of choice.
I have seen quite a few around SoCal. If I recall, the range on the one pound canisters is about a half to a full hour. Many of the ones I see use a fiberglass five gallon propane tank to fuel the motor. In SoCal, propane is readily available near marinas, but not typically at fuel docks. Don't know regarding reliability yet. I know they did some modifications to the carburetor at a model update a couple of years back.
we've been using 2 of the 2.5hp Lehr outboards for several years now and they work really well. 1/2-1 hour on a 1 lb bottle depending on speed and load. reliable, easy maintenance, no ethanol issues. The early Lehrs had a less than optimum plug, made for hard starting sometimes, but that's been fixed by a new plug model. They come with a remote tank hose so it's really easy to use a larger tank.
Some marinas have onsite propane, but most refer you - or get you to - a local facility. Since propane is used for cooking, you could use your large tank in a pinch. I just carry plenty of the small bottles onboard - and use them as a backup for the cooking tank
Some marinas have onsite propane, but most refer you - or get you to - a local facility. Since propane is used for cooking, you could use your large tank in a pinch. I just carry plenty of the small bottles onboard - and use them as a backup for the cooking tank
Something else to consider if you are interested in "alternate energy" is one of the Torqeedo travel models. They are all electric powered outboards. They have a 1.5hp and 3hp models. I bought the bigger one a year ago and love it. Zero maintenance... truly "plug and play". It has built in GPS that will tell you how fast you are going and how much further you can go at that speed before you're out of juice. Of course the downside is once you are out of battery power it takes about 12-16 hours to recharge... so it can induce a bit of "range anxiety".
Take care,
-Levin
Take care,
-Levin
I have a 5 HP Lehr and it runs good. Had some initial problems but there is a regulator diaphragm on the side that bleeds air out of the line. You insert a small paper clip for a second or two at first start and the line is bled and it starts on the first or second pull. I get about 1/2 to 1 hour on a small cylinder. They are available at Walgreens,,Walmart, camping stores but not marinas I have visited. Just get several cans. A 4inch PVC tube, capped on one end and with a clean out screw plug on the other will hold 4 cans. I made two and have plenty of fuel. I throw one in the back of the dinghy and don't worry about fuel. No worries anymore about clogged carbs. Ethanol fuel has ruined small gas outboard 4 stroke engines. I had a 10 year old 4 HP Yamaha I sold and bought the Lehr. I was constantly having fuel issues. No more frustration.
The engine itself is manufactured by Parsun in China. They have a good reputation and seem to be good reliable engines. They are not widely marketed here in the USA but the Lehr folks may change that. The Lehr folks install a propane "carburetor" and the new top cowl/cover that holds the small propane cylinders onto the Parsun outboard engine.. I don't know who's "carburetor" the Lehr folks are using, but there are several available. More aptly called a pressure demand propane injector(?)
This spring I am planning to get one for my Zodiac, just the 5hp standard shaft. The only run time numbers I got from another user is a J-24 crew that uses the 5hp long shaft. They said on average about 3 hours of run time, but that is pretty contradictory to what others have said above. My assumption is that getting out of and later back into Dana Point is the only run time they are talking about, 30 to 40 minutes each way. Regardless, they always have 4 bottles onboard.
On my C-22 I have a 6HP Tohatsu long shaft. I was going to use a transom riser I made to run the long shaft on my Zodiac. That brings up the royal pain of having to switch the motor from the zodiac to the C-22 motor bracket. To heck with all that mess, I'll just get a LEHR 5 hp in the spring. For dingy operation using the small bottles is nice because you don't have a separate fuel tank on deck to deal with, and several fuel bottles fit nicely in the bow bag.
On my C-22 I have a 6HP Tohatsu long shaft. I was going to use a transom riser I made to run the long shaft on my Zodiac. That brings up the royal pain of having to switch the motor from the zodiac to the C-22 motor bracket. To heck with all that mess, I'll just get a LEHR 5 hp in the spring. For dingy operation using the small bottles is nice because you don't have a separate fuel tank on deck to deal with, and several fuel bottles fit nicely in the bow bag.
And yes, propane burns very clean. I'm not sure about noise level, but I believe they are a tad bit quieter. Do some internet research on how diesel engines can use propane 'boost' to burn cleaner, get more power, and more fuel mileage. You can also run an engine completely on propane (LPG), then when find out why the EPA won't allow you to convert your vehicle to LPG you'll just be pissed off.
I've had the 2.5 for a little over a year. I failed to replace the plug after the recommended interval and it eventually died but I switched the plug and no issues now. I usually get about an hour on a little green canister but I rarely run at more than 50-60% throttle because it doesn't gain me much speed.
I don't think there is much difference in the noise level, maybe just slightly less. The ad nth is clean full and no clogged jets.