How does my GB110 generator know which fuel to run on?

Caryc

Well-known Member
I have a GB110 generator that was given to me. It is dual fuel so it can run on gasoline or propane. Running on gasoline, I just set the gasoline petcock in the on position.

But how does it know when I want it to run on propane? I hook up the tank to the little regulator, but do I close that gasoline petcock? I closed it and started it on propane but it ran for like 30 seconds and died.

So is that gasoline petcock supposed to be open also for it to run on propane? That's what I don't understand. How does it know which fuel to use?

I have an operators manual that I printed off the net. But it doesn't say to close that gasoline petcock to run on propane. It just says to hook up the propane bottle and start it up. So why did it die on propane when I had that gas petcock closed?

This post was edited by Caryc on 04/23/2023 at 02:14 pm.
 
Two possibilities right off the top of my head:

1. Some are propane, some are natural gas and there's different hardware for each.

2. It should have a propane regulator. It may not be working right.
 
(quoted from post at 15:16:48 04/23/23) Two possibilities right off the top of my head:

1. Some are propane, some are natural gas and there's different hardware for each.

2. It should have a propane regulator. It may not be working right.

Thanks but the question still remains...should the gasoline petcock valve be closed when the propane tank is hooked up? Is that how it knows to use the propane?
 
Caryc

Dual fuel, but one source of fuel
at the time.
Gas on, propane off
Gas off, propane on,

Guido.
 
I would definitely turn the gas off when running on propane. Other thing to think about--if this is a generator of any size at all, you're not going to run it from a 20-lb grill tank. Propane needs to vaporize in order to be used as fuel, and a typical grill tank won't vaporize fast enough to keep the supply up, which may explain why it quickly dies.
 
(quoted from post at 16:33:22 04/23/23) Caryc

Dual fuel, but one source of fuel
at the time.
Gas on, propane off
Gas off, propane on,

Guido.

I may have found the problem. My nephew gave me the propane hook up line. It has a small regulator on it at the tank hook up. He got it off a Bar B Que. But, the generator has it's own gas regulator where the propane hooks up. Maybe two regulators is the problem.

With the gasoline petcock turned off, it should know to use the propane, right?

This post was edited by Caryc on 04/23/2023 at 05:37 pm.
 
I know nothing about that particular generator but I
would guess if propane is connected at a proper
pressure the unit will operate on propane. Shut off
propane or pressure drops and it will switch to gas.
Just my guess.
 
My 10,000 watt Pulsar runs just fine on a grill tank. It has a big knob to turn on the front to choose between propane or gas.
 
(quoted from post at 19:31:56 04/23/23) My 10,000 watt Pulsar runs just fine on a grill tank. It has a big knob to turn on the front to choose between propane or gas.

This is a 9000 watt Pulsar dual fuel as well. No such knob to switch fuels on this thing.

This post was edited by Caryc on 04/23/2023 at 07:46 pm.
 
(quoted from post at 19:31:56 04/23/23) My 10,000 watt Pulsar runs just fine on a grill tank. It has a big knob to turn on the front to choose between propane or gas.

But, your Pulsar has it's own LP regulator on it right? NO need for a regulator on the LP tank?
 

A second regulator will be reducing the pressure from the first . Only one is necessary.
As with dual fuel cars it can often help to start and warm up the engine on gasoline , then once started to change over to propane .
 
Caryc, is there a slide that will only work when you turn off the gas petcock? My 9000 Champion has a yellow plastic plate that will only slide across when the gas petcock is in the off position. When you slide it over the gas petcock handle, it triggers a micro switch that I assume turns on the propane valve.
 
(quoted from post at 20:15:54 04/23/23) Caryc, is there a slide that will only work when you turn off the gas petcock? My 9000 Champion has a yellow plastic plate that will only slide across when the gas petcock is in the off position. When you slide it over the gas petcock handle, it triggers a micro switch that I assume turns on the propane valve.

No such thing on this one. I downloaded the manual for it from the net and it says nothing about running on propane. All it says is hook up the LP gas tank and start it the same way one starts when running on gasoline. I imagine that it only knows to run on propane when one turns off the gasoline petcock valve.

I think the two regulators is the problem.
 
No knobs to turn or slides to slides to select different fuels.


Here ya go. How to switch fuels should be in the owners manual.





mvphoto104957.jpg


This post was edited by Mule Meat on 04/24/2023 at 02:23 am.
 
I would think that the gasoline valve should be turned off, otherwise it will be on full feed of fuel and run rich and die.
 
I thing the regulator for a gas grill is 13 WC, and that might be too low for the propane system to work
properly. But you need to find the proper instructions for the generator.
 
(quoted from post at 06:19:21 04/24/23) I thing the regulator for a gas grill is 13 WC, and that might be too low for the propane system to work
properly. But you need to find the proper instructions for the generator.

I printed the instruction manual right from Pulsar's website.
 

Looks like the GB110 is an orphan for Pulsar now.
No online manuals for download on their website for old models.

The current G65BN, a 4500watt dual fuel shows an on board regulator. Then the assembly parts list shows a two stage regulator that screws onto a conventional bbq tank.
(Lower left in pic)


mvphoto104961.png
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top