Lehr propane outboards experience

[Jabs]

Has anyone taken the plunge yet?

It strikes me as the solution to many issues including the pain of having petrol on the boat.

All comments gratefully received

Thanks

Tony

 

[sailorman]

Gas is expensive

 

[sarabande]

not if you decant from the 47 Kg cylinder into the 3Kg one. A 0.5kg Coleman propane #clip on' cylinder apparently lasts one hour at mid revs.

http://sailing.about.com/od/equipmentgear/a/Review-Of-Lehr-Propane-Outboard-Engine.htm

I like the idea of a single fuel policy for the boat. What that fuel is, may be a matter for debate.

 

[sailorman]

not if you decant from the 47 Kg cylinder into the 3Kg one. A 0.5kg Coleman propane #clip on' cylinder apparently lasts one hour at mid revs.

http://sailing.about.com/od/equipmentgear/a/Review-Of-Lehr-Propane-Outboard-Engine.htm

I like the idea of a single fuel policy for the boat. What that fuel is, may be a matter for debate.

arnt those small cartridges £4.50 a pop

 

[sarabande]

oh drat ! Go Outdoors have them at £9.00 each !

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/campingaz-propane-cyclinder-twin-pack-camping-gas-refill-p140136


But you would get 100 fillings of the small 16oz cylinder from a 47Kg propane tank for £58.


I agree with SM, doesn't make sense unless you use the big cylinders.

 

[sailorman]

a 907 refill is now the best part of 30 squids :disgust:

 

[Jabs]

Or use a Gaslow refillable cylinder and fill it at your petrol station at 70p a litre/almost a kg.

Tony

 

[VicMallows]

a 907 refill is now the best part of 30 squids :disgust:

Anyone mad enough to pay GAZ prices can obviously afford it.

The 'american' 400g propane cartridges (commonly used by plumbers) might be a viable option? Can be refilled once you source a suitable adapter; have safety pressure release valve.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Gas is expensive

I'm a wee bit surprised that they seem to be cartridge only. Perhaps they use fuel at too high a rate for gas take-off from the boat's mains. From memory, my LPG-fuelled car needs about 2.5% of the calorific value of the fuel to do the vaporisation.

 

[Mistroma]

LPG has approx. same energy density as petrol so you should get similar range from 1kg of either. However, LPG has a much lower density so you would need more litres than than with petrol. i.e. Larger volume tank/cylinder. for equivalent range.

Local boat show had LEHR engines on display yesterday but I'm afraid that I didn't really pay any attention to them as I was busy anti-fouling in the boat yard. The only thing I did notice was that all the cylinders seemed to be mounted on their sides (Big orange cyls. you get in Spain, not little 907 sized things). This seemed odd as it looked likely they'd be fed with liquid rather than vapour (perhaps that was the idea). I considered asking someone about it but my Spanish isn't up to the task.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Anyone mad enough to pay GAZ prices can obviously afford it.

The 'american' 400g propane cartridges (commonly used by plumbers) might be a viable option? Can be refilled once you source a suitable adapter; have safety pressure release valve.

It's easy to fill a 907 bottle from a larger Calor bottle and it costs a fraction of the usual GAZ prices.

 

[Jabs]

I'm a wee bit surprised that they seem to be cartridge only. Perhaps they use fuel at too high a rate for gas take-off from the boat's mains. From memory, my LPG-fuelled car needs about 2.5% of the calorific value of the fuel to do the vaporisation.

They can be used from 'bulk' supplies, such as patio gas bottles. They come with a hose for that purpose.

Tony.

 

[Jabs]

Has anyone got one?

Tony

 

[lexi]

Buying 47kg propane is still a lot more expensive than pump petrol. Do the maths.

 

[CreakyDecks]

It strikes me as the solution to many issues including the pain of having petrol on the boat.

If your outboard has an external petrol tank and you keep that out of the sun then most of the issues disappear. If you kept propane in a cheapo plastic container and slopped it everywhere filling up a little tank on your outboard then it would probably give you issues as well!
It is also quite a lot easier to buy petrol than propane.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Buying 47kg propane is still a lot more expensive than pump petrol. Do the maths.

Flogas will sell you 47kg (94 l) of Propane for £65.09. The enthalpy of combustion is 50MJ/kg, so that's 2.77p/MJ

Unleaded is £1.37 per litre here. Its density is 0.75kg / litre and it contains 46MJ/kg, making 3.97p/MJ

So, having done the maths, I reckon that petrol is 98% more expensive per litre, 32% more expensive per kg and 43% more expensive per MJ than propane.

 

[Jabs]

Flogas will sell you 47kg (94 l) of Propane for £65.09. The enthalpy of combustion is 50MJ/kg, so that's 2.77p/MJ

Unleaded is £1.37 per litre here. Its density is 0.75kg / litre and it contains 46MJ/kg, making 3.97p/MJ

So, having done the maths, I reckon that petrol is 98% more expensive per litre, 32% more expensive per kg and 43% more expensive per MJ than propane.

Boy did this go off at a tangent!

Has anyone bought a Lehr outboard?

Any experience would be most appreciated.

Tony.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Flogas will sell you 47kg (94 l) of Propane for £65.09. The enthalpy of combustion is 50MJ/kg, so that's 2.77p/MJ

Unleaded is £1.37 per litre here. Its density is 0.75kg / litre and it contains 46MJ/kg, making 3.97p/MJ

So, having done the maths, I reckon that petrol is 98% more expensive per litre, 32% more expensive per kg and 43% more expensive per MJ than propane.

Anyone likely to want to keep 47kg of propane in the boat, or even less likely, in the rubadub? For me the appeal of Lehr is small chuckable LPG canisters, with a spare one in your oilies pocket.

The amount of outboard fuel used every year is but a minute proportion of total boating expenses, so saving a few quid by buying in bulk loses out to convenience every time, for me at least.

As with the OP, I'd love to hear from someone who has one.

 

[sailorman]

Do Origo make one, it would be much safer than gas

 

[lexi]

Quote:

Flogas will sell you 47kg (94 l) of Propane for £65.09. The enthalpy of combustion is 50MJ/kg, so that's 2.77p/MJ

Unleaded is £1.37 per litre here. Its density is 0.75kg / litre and it contains 46MJ/kg, making 3.97p/MJ

So, having done the maths, I reckon that petrol is 98% more expensive per litre, 32% more expensive per kg and 43% more expensive per MJ than propane.
Unquote:


I mean pump Lpg though, not unleaded. Pump it in to your own cylinder retail and count it versus Flowgas retail.
I can't get Flowgas at at the 65 quid.......80 for me and I am there often. £25 quid today for 19kg.