Hello from East Tenn

[senior]

Hello

found this site after an exhausting search for information about natural gas. Been looking for a bifuel pickup and refuel equipment but was shocked on the prices..there are no natural gas stations in Tn. I have my own gas wells but still not sure if a conversion would be worth the effort.

Senior

[Andy-Paul]

Re: Hello from East Tenn

Welcome Senior!

We are few and far between in this part of the country. Not sure how far you are from Asheville, NC, but there is a remanufacturer there called TransECO Energy. They are good guys, and won't try to put anything over on you.

Right now, probably the biggest thing holding us up is

1. The amount of red tape that needs to be run through to get a vehicle converted, and

2. The used CNG vehicle market becoming completely distorted by gasoline prices.

The blessing of your own gas wells will vary somewhat depending upon several variables...these are the ones I can remember off the top of my cracked (and pointed)head.

1. It has to be dry--NG in a fuel-injected system should have less than 5% water vapor in it.

2. There may be combustible gases mixed in that will make your methane too "hot" with regard to engine combustion. I forget exactly what problems that would cause, but my best guess is that it might blow the engine apart.

3. Some NG deposits also have hydrogen sulfide impurities in them. There are strict limits on how much of this is acceptable to the EPA, and there are pretty close limits on how much a CNG fuel system can handle, as well.

I'm sure there's a lot more I am missing in my response, but welcome all the same. Dig around in the forums and don't hesitate to ask any questions if there is something you don't get. I haven't been on the site too long, but have been helped immensely by the amount of experience these folks have.

Andy-Paul

PS A big help for all of us, you included, would be to take a few minutes and send your congressmen and senators a note supporting Senate Bill 3281, Drive America on Natural Gas Act of 2008. If we can get that one passed in its current form, it will simplify the legal side of conversion very quickly.

[freedml]

Re: Hello from East Tenn

While most people can buy a car/truck and use it while they get their fueling station going, you will have to do the opposite.

"Hot Gas" is not a problem with modern 'closed-loop' engine systems.

Don't try to get a vehicle converted. Pay the price and buy a vehicle that already uses CNG. Hey, you're going to get the gas 'for free.'

Until, of course, you start paying to install a compressor. Absolutely, removal of water vapor is the biggest problem (and the H2S will come out with it). You need perhaps two coalescing filters (one to knock most out, one to 'polish' and backup the first). Then a Fuelmaker FM series of some kind (240vac). Since it won't be odorized I'd definitely have a gas detector shutoff.

Then you should be ready to go!