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We at Power Equipment Direct do not recommend converting your gasoline portable generator to an alternative fuel and doing so will void the manufacturer’s warranty and may cause damage to the generator itself. These conversions are not recommended by any of the generator manufacturers.
Gasoline has an Ignition Point of 475–536 °F. When a generator is manufactured to run solely on gasoline these temperatures are taken into consideration and the engine components are made to handle these temperatures.
Propane (LP) has an Ignition Point of 920-1020°F and Natural Gas (NG) has an Ignition Point of 900–1500°F. These higher temperatures will cause damage over time on any “gas only” powered engine.
The following guidelines cover Honda engines (Also applies to other engine manufacturers) modified to run on fuels other than the one for which they were designed, such as converting an engine to run on propane (LP) or natural gas (NG).
• Honda gasoline engines are certified to operate on unleaded fuel with a pump octane rating of 86 or higher, containing no more than 10% ethanol (E10).
• Any change to the original configuration of a certified Honda engine is a potential violation of the Clean Air Act prohibition against tampering (40 CFR §1068.101(b)(1)). The tampering prohibition is important because poorly designed and installed modifications can increase emissions.
• The Clean Air Act prohibits anyone from removing or rendering inoperative any device or design element installed on engines in compliance with regulations. These actions are considered tampering, which carries a civil penalty up to $37,500 for each engine or equipment in violation.
• Engines converted by a third party (OEM, dealer, converter, etc.) to run on a different fuel type must be recertified with the EPA on the new fuel to comply with applicable emission standards. The third party must recertify under a new family and notify Honda to not include the modified engines in the original family.
• Converted engines to be sold for use in California must meet CARB requirements and the converter must obtain approval from CARB. EPA certificates or tampering exemptions will not satisfy the requirement for CARB certification.
• Once certified, the third party must remove the Honda emission control label and apply a compliant emission control label for the new fuel indicating the new certifying manufacturer. Honda will no longer assume any responsibility as the certifying manufacturer.
• The Honda Distributor's Limited Warranty does not extend to parts affected or damaged by the conversion to or use of fuel other than the fuel for which the engine was originally designed.
• Honda offers V-twin engines specifically designed and certified for use in LP/NG applications. The engines incorporate special design features that address the higher combustion temperatures and reduced lubrication to the valve guide area (since it is a dry fuel, not liquid). Please contact your sales representative or distributor for additional information.
Disclaimer: The guidance provided is intended for Honda dealer/distributor informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You must contact the appropriate certifying agencies if you require information on how regulations apply to your specific application.
The regulations and additional information can be found at these web sites:
EPA -
EPA
CARB -
CARB
The run times will always vary based on the actual load put on the generator.
