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Mower Fuels: Looking for Alternatives09-29-06 | News

Mower Fuels: Looking for Alternatives

By Erik Skindrud, regional editor

A city employee fuels up a Kubota riding mower at Rock Hill, S.C.?EUR??,,????'?????<Photo: City of Rock Hill, S.C.

The price of gasoline and diesel is prompting a growing number of maintenance departments to explore alternative fuels. Several options promise cost savings?EUR??,,????'?????<

It?EUR??,,????'?????<

Today a new segment of the population is turning to the so-called biofuels. They aren?EUR??,,????'?????<

The new pioneers are groundskeeping departments for schools and municipalities in the country?EUR??,,????'?????<

Propane is a promising technology already used by the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies to achieve very low emissions. Those aren?EUR??,,????'?????<Photo by Erik Skindrud

Rolling in Rock Hill

One such place is Rock Hill, S.C., where the maintenance department operates its own filling station with ethanol and a soybean-oil/diesel-fuel mix.

The city fleet using the fuels includes dump trucks, cars, utility trucks, three John Deere tractors and close to a dozen Kubota ride-on mowers.

Since the fuels are mixtures, and not pure vegetable oil or ethanol, there?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Many workers were unaware that any change had taken place.

In addition to saving money on fuel, the fuel blends have lower emissions. You wouldn?EUR??,,????'?????<

The school district in Henderson County, Ky. is on the cutting edge of progressive fuel technology. This is the second fall that local students have ridden to class on busses fuelled with a soy-oil/diesel blend. District mowers and tractors use the same, unless they?EUR??,,????'?????<

As in South Carolina, drivers and operators in Kentucky say they can?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Over the next few years, biodiesel and ethanol blends will become available at many more locations across the country. Whether they will offer big, or more moderate savings over ?EUR??,,????'?????<

And more restrictive emissions rules look likely, especially for lawn mowers. The numbers vary by maker, but many lawn mowers are relatively ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Kentucky?EUR??,,????'?????<Photo: Henderson County (Ky.) Schools

Homegrown Oil

The advantage in Kentucky is that the soybean oil going into the busses and lawn mowers grows right down the street, eliminating the need for expensive and waste-emitting transportation.

Henderson County farmer Andy Sprague actually grows part of the oil that goes into the school district?EUR??,,????'?????<

Several years ago, Sprague applied for a $200,000 grant from the Kentucky

Consortium for Energy and the Environment. He used the money to build a soy diesel refinery on his farm. The first three months he sold the product he moved 175,000 gallons. The next three he sold 825,000 gallons.

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Not far away, Kentucky?EUR??,,????'?????<

This diesel-powered Kubota tractor is a Rock Hill, S.C. workhorse. Here it?EUR??,,????'?????<Photo: City of Rock Hill, S.C.

The Ethanol Option

Not everyone has biodiesel available in the neighborhood, although that may change soon. More commonly available is ethanol, or ethyl alcohol. In Brazil, many car engines have been modified to run on almost pure ethanol. Racing fans have long been familiar with alcohol as a fuel, used with dramatic results in funny car drag racing.

Next year, Indy cars will start running on pure ethanol?EUR??,,????'?????<

Unlike racing, most ethanol burned on American highways is in the form of E10, a blend of 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol. The product is commonly available in the center of the country, less so on the coasts. Over the past two years, it?EUR??,,????'?????<

Ethanol blends have the advantage of burning cleaner than pure gasoline, reducing emissions.

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According to Jeff Devine, E10 mixtures are ideal for small engines like lawn mowers. In fact, engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton recommends that small engines don?EUR??,,????'?????<

If ethanol content is too high, engines can burn hot and actually melt plastic components in the fuel system.

Devine, who runs Como Mower Service in Columbus, Ohio, offered LSMP readers some advice about using E10.

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Since ethanol is hotter and more volatile, it burns more rapidly. The difference with 90-10 mixture is slight, but ethanol blends get slightly poorer fuel mileage.

In most cases, the lower cost of ethanol blends will offset their slightly lower mileage.

Finally, small engines should not be stored for long periods with ethanol blends. Doing so can attract water and cause corrosion.

Athletic field superintendent Kent Hauser (left) rides the John Deere while Jon Douglas rides the orange mower at right. Both use diesel-powered engines fuelled with 20-percent soybean-derived biodiesel. Photo: Henderson County (Ky.) Schools

Small Engine Fuel Guidelines

From www.briggsandstratton.com

The following information is reproduced from engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton?EUR??,,????'?????<

Recommended Fuels

Use clean, fresh, regular unleaded gasoline for Briggs & Stratton spark ignition internal combustion engines.

Fresh fuel prevents gum from forming in the fuel system or on essential carburetor parts. Purchase fuel in quantity that can be used within 30 days to assure freshness and volatility tailored to the season.

Unleaded fuel is required in the USA. Engines fitted with exhaust catalytic converter require unleaded gasoline. Leaded gasoline will foul or damage the exhaust catalyst and will void warranty on engine emission control defects.

The use of unleaded gasoline results in fewer combustion deposits and longer valve life.

Clean fuel, free of dirt and water, is required for optimal engine operation. Inspect portable storage containers to make sure gasoline is free of dirt, grass debris, rust particles, and water.

Fuel Blends and Additives

B&S allows the use of oxygenate blended gasoline where the oxygenate content is up to 10% ethanol (gasohol) or up to 15% MTBE (Methyl tertiary butyl ether) by volume. However, ethanol blended gasoline can attract moisture which leads to separation and formation of acids during storage. Acidic gasoline can damage the fuel system of an engine while in storage. B&S strongly recommends removing ethanol-blended fuels from engine during storage.

Use of gasoline containing higher than the EPA approved limits, or volume percentage of ethanol more than 10%, or MTBE more than 15%, may cause engine damage and will void engine warranty.

In some areas, state or local laws require that the service pump be marked indicating the use of alcohols or ethers. However, there are areas in which the pumps are unmarked. If you are not sure whether there is alcohol or ethers in the gasoline you buy, check with the service station operator.