What is a Gasoline Engine Driven Generator's Average Efficiency?

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Anonymous Poster	What is a Gasoline Engine Driven Generator's Average Efficiency? 01/20/2011 5:49 PM
	what is the average efficiency of a modern 4 cycle gasoline engine driven generator. For example a 10KW rated gen-set. If I were to put 1 BTU equivalent of gasoline into the tank, waste 60%-80% of that through mechanical and heat loss in the engine, and then spin the generator with the remaining, what percent of the original 1 BTU could I obtain through usable electric power? I apologize if this is too elementary of a question.
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PWSlack Guru Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In the bothy, 7 chains down the line from Dodman's Lane level crossing, in the nation formerly known as Great Britain. Kettle's on. Posts: 32175 Good Answers: 839	#1 Re: average efficiency 01/20/2011 6:01 PM
	Er, the answer is in the question: 20-40% of a BTU. __________________ "Did you get my e-mail?" - "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" - George Bernard Shaw, 1856
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crabbass Participant Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1	#2 In reply to #1 Re: average efficiency 01/20/2011 6:08 PM
	are you saying there is no loss through heat, etc. at all? This would mean a 1hp elctric motor could power a 1hp generator. We all know this is not true.
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lyn Guru Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 42355 Good Answers: 1693	#4 In reply to #2 Re: average efficiency 01/20/2011 8:20 PM
	crabbass, Do your self a favor. 1. Re-read the OP carefully. (Since I doubt that you know what OP means, it's the original post) 2. Reconsider your reply to post #1.
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Join Date: Oct 2008

Posts: 42355

Good Answers: 1693

01/20/2011 6:12 PM

Have you not gone to a web site for gen sets and looked at fuel consumption figures?

It looks like that's what you want.

A gallon gas equivalent is 114,100 BTU.

Oh, and 1 btu=(I copied this from somewhere)

Energy unit	Equivalent
1 BTU of energy	1 match tip 250 calories (International Steam Table) 0.25 kilocalories (food calories)
1,000 BTU of energy	2 5-ounce glasses of wine 250 kilocalories (food calories) 0.8 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
1 million BTU of energy	90 pounds of coal 120 pounds of oven-dried hardwood 8 gallons of motor gasoline 10 therms of dry natural gas 11 gallons of propane 2 months of the dietary intake of a laborer

129CBRider Guru Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 989 Good Answers: 14	#5 In reply to #3 Re: average efficiency 01/21/2011 9:13 AM
	That's a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to eat in two months...
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129CBRider (1); crabbass (1); lyn (2); PWSlack (1)

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