Here's how I calculated it:
240v X 7a= 1680 watts
1680 X 10hrs to fill is 16,800 watts or 16.8 kilowatts.
16.8kw X $0.25 (ave. kw charge)=$4.20

 

My bad, When I looked at the spec, I gave you the full load current draw. That's probably what it draws when it's near 3600 psi. the average power consumption is .9 to 1.2 kWh. I called home and had them look at the bill, my electric company charges $0.18. So, I guess that would be around a $1.80 per tank?

 

Yes that sound about right with the new information you just provided. I'll take $1.80 to fill a 10 gallon tank instead of $4.20 any time!

 

Hi, I have a 74 F-250 with a 360 and a 76 with a 460, gas is killing me.

I've done a bit of research and :

1. CNG conversion kit for motor - around 550 bucks from outfits out of Utah on Ebay. just type in "cng conversion kit". Or you can get a chinese kit on ebay for around 150 (probably the same as the one from Utah, but with unitelligible translated instructions). Installation is pretty simple. These kits include the lines, etc

2. Tank- Xpensive. at least 1600 bucks for a type one with enough size to have any range. But, these are new. if you can find an old one, you can get them recertified for around 20 bucks in the Phx area - so swap meets are the way to go,

3. Refilling. there are very few of these in my area- 7 miles away - so a gallon to get there an back . its 2.20 GGE. Home refilling stations in US are 4000 bucks, so this is the real killer - but home price of Nat Gas is around 1.20 per GGE

3a- solution to 3 is to buy a chinese or other refilling station for 1-2K off of Alibaba.com which comes complete. Many of these are made from a mix of german, us and other parts, not just chinese. Many countries have been using CNG for years and the cost of filling stations is alot less - and they refill at higher rates. There are lots of countries like Russia, Ukraine, Pakistan where they use alot of CNG. But, they are not the quietest of compressors, and they do run at high amps, so you will use more electricity to fill up the truck Most of these are CE certified and safe. If you wanted to add belts and braces, could install a nat gas detector shut off valve- which, if you are on the FTE site, you are handy anyway at working on your truck, so not much different than hooking up a Mark VIII fan or 3g alternator.

so, all in all, I'm getting ready to go for it, if I can find a decent price on a tank that holds at least 12 GGE. I've got space under the truck where I can pull the 2 extra gas tanks, leave a piece of metal plate on the side for extra protection in case someone side swipes me, and see how she does.

 

You can get used tanks here pretty cheap
This where i got my kit

Prices- CNG conversion kits cylinders tanks

 

thanks. next question

natural gas home prices in Arizona are around 20 usd per 1000 cubic feet. If a GGE is 127 cubic feet, that means 1000/127= 7.9 gallons of gas (equivalent). So that means I am paying 2.6 per gallon- doesn't seem so great?, not including electricty to run the pump, amortization of the filling station, etc?

something must be wrong with my math, anyone help me out here?

 

That doesn't sound right. I just kept track of my meter readings every time I filled my tank. When I filled an empty tank, the meter went up ten units, 10 CCF . My gas company charges .49 per CCF . But once you add the distribution charge and tax, it's around a $1 a gallon + .18 a gallon to run the fueling station. So, about $1.20 total.

 

Now that I think of it. If your gas cost $2.00 per CCF, your not that far off. Our gas prices in Pa. have been going down, due to all the Fracking in the area.

 

Thx, maybe I will look at propane. It's about the same price if you buy 500 gallons and can have large tanks at home, unlike CNg. And car tank cost is lower. Hope they start frakin in Arizona soon, CNg seems like our long term solution to keeping our trucks on the road.

 

There is a company in W.Virginia that makes conversion kits for home generators that are 3 way, propane, natural gas and gasoline. I was looking at these and then got on the track of CNG for my family's cars and trucks. It really looks promising once you get past the cost of the home filling station and the in vehicle gas tank. I'm now considering the unit/products that Ali Baba sells for a conversion.
With 5 cars and trucks to keep fuel in it would be a great money saver but, the initial outlay is a tall hurdle to going forward.

 

I own a FlexFuel and believe that is the best dualfuel for me. With a 105 degree day I even see an increase in performance using E85 with better tail pipe emissions. Granted it burns more $3.25 a gallon fuel, but it also gives more HP. So it's good for me when it is so hot you melt. With a properly designed motor you can use any fuel. Mine is designed with a higher capacity fuel injection system and compression for it. The added cooling effect of alcohol injection adds to the fuel air charge. Like having an intercooler on the engine. I speak with many years of experience with propane and CNG powered vehicles. It takes a system and many man hours to run them. The system just isn't there to use em by the millions. The fuel availability by the millions is also questionable. It is more of a novelty. Workable of course just a constant fill problem.

 

I am ordering a new E150. For around $300.00, I can order the CNG/LPG Prep Package, which includes hardened intake & exhaust valves, etc. Question: If I order this package and then decided not to do the conversion, is there a downside to having these hardened valves, etc. in a gasoline engine? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

A motor designed for CNG/LPG is a tougher motor. It will run the equivalent of many 1000 of hours, possibly 20 on LPG. If you can average 30 miles per hour you see that is near 600,000 miles. The seals wither and fall out. The radiator crumbles. With gasoline it is still the wash down of the cyls on cold start up that is the hardest thing on a motor. With the dry fuels every thing else falls apart around you and the motor keeps going, just gets a little dirty on the top end with compressed CNG. U loose power with these fuels and gas mileage comparable to E85. To simply state it, you make your life a lot more complicated. If you are lucky you get 75,000 miles before you need to buy another fuel system and the tank nears the end of its certification. Certification, is the real deal. Nothing jury rigged.

 

A looong time ago I worked at a shop that installed CNG conversion kits on the Super Shuttle vans in Phoenix, Az. Those kits were expensive and the gasoline equivalent tanks were enormous! Like carrying Fat Man and Little Boy (the first two nuclear bombs!) in your vehicle! All lines and connectors were Stainless Steel and the instructions on the line connectors were hillariously wrong! Following the instructions would allow the connectors to fail! Usually at the fueling station and at or near full pressures! It doesn't take long for a fuel system to empty at 3600 PSI! Usually requires a change of underwear too!

With the availability of a fueling station, the mileage driven, the Govt. subsidies, and the lower cost made it all worth the effort to Super Shuttle.

I don't see the benefits in a home system being worth the effort and up-front costs! You would have to drive a LOT to make it worth the effort and difficulty.

Just my $.02! Adjust for inflation!

 

Dude! What's up with the exclamation points?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Sometimes two in the same sentence! Huh?!