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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

a dumb question about LP gas tractors

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Jonathan

10-20-2003 07:37:57




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I was wondering what farmers did when they needed a refill?. Did they have some kind of gas bottle with a transfer apparatus for out in the field or how do they do it?.
thanks!




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Jim

10-21-2003 11:11:08




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 Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to Jonathan, 10-20-2003 07:37:57  
The liquid line is what you normally use. you only use the vapor if it is cold and you need to try to start it. For filling I have a hose on my tank. Try to fill before you get the tactor hot as this makes for a problem. Propane will flow when the temperature of the tractor tank is less than the temperature of the holding tank. Opening the valve a little drops the temperature of the tank. Problem to fill in cold weather.
If the tank is out in the sun and the tractor has been in the barn it works great!
Propane tractors last! The fuel burns so clean that the engine last much longer. No problem with varnish as in gasoline or acids using diesel.
I once let my JD 730 setup for 2 years and it just cranked off after a few turns.

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John A

10-20-2003 19:09:34




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 Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to Jonathan, 10-20-2003 07:37:57  
Jonathan, First, ? about filling in the field...a nurse tank, that is talked about by every one else. LP WILL NOT run out of fuel, like a gasoline engine. There is always residuial vapor in the tank that will usually get you back to the house, providing it isn't over a mile or 2. As soon as the engine looses power, chop your throttle to 1/2. Get your plow unhitched. Grab Hi gear and head to the house where your main tank is. In Hi gear keep working the throttle up, to the point where it looses power. Then ease back on it, till the engine levels off. Sit back and enjoy the ride to the house. Knowin you won't have to walk home!!
I have done this with a 4020-PS- LP more times than I can count.
Next ? you asked, LP runs cleaner than gas or DSL. Will require less maintence too. So an Lp engine should last longer than a gas engine.
Hope this helps.
John A.

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Larry

10-20-2003 18:46:36




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 Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to Jonathan, 10-20-2003 07:37:57  
I've sure enjoyed reading what you all have wrote. I'm a hobby farmer and I've got a JD propane. I've got a "nurse" tank on 4 wheels...like a wagon with only a propane thank on it, I rarely move it, usually I know about how much fuel I need, so I'll pull my tractor up beside it and fuel it. This is the first propane tractor I've ever even been around, so I'm not speaking from much experince, so take this as such. Filling it is kind of "different"...scary when you first do it...but once you kind of get over the initial fear of it, its easy (although, you get these blow flies all around while you're fueling--apparently the smell of the gas attracts them) The guy I bought the tractor from told me how to fuel it (which I don't recommend). Hook the liquid line up...screw in the fitting for the vapor return line...and let it vent into the atmosphere and then open the bleed valve and let it vent into the atmosphere...and when liquid comes out the vent line...shut off everything, I can vividly remember him telling me, "hell, you won't waste a half a gallon of propane (letting the vapor escape) and its cuts filling time by hugely... As far as it goes, I don't know if he's right or wrong, I do know this, you need to have a whole lot of respect for propane. I keep a pair of leather gloves in my tool box and a big pair of Channel Lock pliers to unscrew the liquid line. Tractor economy...I really can't say, I'm just playing at farming and can't really say how economical it is, or isn't...I'll tell you what I do like is that I can go out and start my JD anytime, winter or summer and she just starts up and runs like a top (but, after all its a JD). This winter propane prices are pretty high around here, supposedly a shortage, so if you ask me again (this time next year), I'll probably say...don't buy one. But, I really like my mine. She's got over 10,000 hours on her, this spring I put in new pistons and liners and bearnings, and had the head redone (surfacing, guides and springs and new valves), I fired her up and run up and down the road and warmer her up and retorqued the head bolts again and reset the valves, used her all summer and never added a drop of oil, NOT ONE DROP...and she's running like a top! I'd say this...if you feel like buying a propane tractor...go for it...post back on here if you need any thing, I don't claim to know, but I've got one and I'll give you my honest opinion.

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greenbeanman

10-20-2003 22:02:54




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 Re: Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to Larry, 10-20-2003 18:46:36  
Please consider ditching the use of the adjustable pliers as a safety measure.

In the LP gas industry the correct procedure would be to use a nonferrous brass or aluminum wrench, so that no spark can by created by metal to metal hitting together.

The rubber gasket in the filler valve should allow you to hand tighten the fitting without any wrench at all. Same for unhooking. You may need to use the side of the hose valve for a little extra leverage, but it should never take pliers.

I'm not wanting to pick on you, I would rather have you around to post again however.

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Jonathan....Thanks everyo

10-20-2003 16:02:52




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 Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to Jonathan, 10-20-2003 07:37:57  
your response was greatly appreciated!. Now I have a couple new questions, like what is a "wet line"? are LP gas tractors easy to maintain and still cheap to run today?. Whats the average life expectancy for an LP engine?.
thanks again!.



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Steve from TN

10-20-2003 11:55:43




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 Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to Jonathan, 10-20-2003 07:37:57  
Jonathan, the nurse tank does not require a pump. The pressure in the nurse tank is more than the pressure in the tractor tank because the tractor tank is near empty. We just opened a valve on the tractor tank and let er rip till all the air was out. You would know this when propane started coming out.



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greenbeanman

10-20-2003 11:23:04




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 Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to Jonathan, 10-20-2003 07:37:57  
We had two 500 gallon LPG tanks on four-wheeled trailers to fuel our tractors from. Two tanks because we didn't always work our tractors in the same field. (MM G-705, G VI, M-5, and later on a small MF of ??designation).

During the winter the one tank would be parked about 50 feet from the house so that it supplied the heating LPG.

I also fueled my pickup from the farm tank. I would have the dealer charge road taxes on one out of every so many refills.

For years LPG would drop to 3˘ or 4˘ per gallon during the summer. For decades we never paid more than 25˘ per gallon. Before dad retired at age 86 we were paying more than 60˘ per gallon.

It is a good clean safe fuel if you treat it with respect.

You are correct on the tax. No tax on farm fuel (at least not back then), sales tax on household fuel, and both state and federal road tax on vehicle fuel.

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tlak

10-20-2003 10:24:10




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 Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to Jonathan, 10-20-2003 07:37:57  
Isn’t there a tax difference by having it put in the tractor as opposed to siphoning it off a house tank?



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Jim

10-21-2003 11:15:27




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 Re: Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to tlak, 10-20-2003 10:24:10  
Probably varies depending on State you are in. In Texas Farm fuels are exempt from tax. Same with diesel fuel you can buy it for your tractors and equipment less tax.



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mike-nm

10-20-2003 10:36:14




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 Re: Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to tlak, 10-20-2003 10:24:10  
tlak- yes ,there is a tax difference,but I have a separate tank for my house. mike



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mike-nm

10-20-2003 07:54:20




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 Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to Jonathan, 10-20-2003 07:37:57  
Jonathan, Around here (new mexico) they have a large propane tank on wheels that they pull and park on the edge of the field. and they just refill when ever they wanted to. some farmers just had a tank droped off where they were to be working. I fill my own lp tractor using a "wet line". I have a 500 gal tank for that purpose.
mike



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jal-SD

10-20-2003 08:54:26




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 Re: Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to mike-nm, 10-20-2003 07:54:20  
That was the only drawback Dad had w/his '53 SM LPG-it always had to come home to fuel. He'd fill up the 1,000 gal house tank & the 500 gal tank that he used to heat his hog houses & fill the tractor from one or the other. Both had "bottom" legs in them. He used to buy LP for as little as $0.10 per gallon when he took more than a 1,000 gal at a time. He didn't have a "portable" LP tank on wheels, although the local well driller that ran his well drilling rig (both BIG Buda engine that ran the rig & the truck engine that ran the mud pump) on LP. He bought a new anhydrous nurse tank, filled it w/LP & just pulled it from job to job behind the rig. His son still uses the same rig-it was new in 1960. Last time I talked to him, he was thinking of overhauling the Buda that ran the rig, for the first time ever. IH truck engine was still running strong. (My $0.02 worth. jal-SD)

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mike-nm

10-20-2003 10:40:42




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 Re: Re: Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors in reply to jal-SD, 10-20-2003 08:54:26  
jal-SD- There is still a lot of farmers around here that still use propane equipment. it seems to out last all other types of fuel. I love it personally.-mike



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