Since E15 fuel got the green light, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, a trade group for power equipment manufacturers, has been working for more effective signage requirements to help prevent consumers from putting the biofuel in their lawn mowers, string trimmers and similar equipment.
Courtesy of Choose Ethanol

Ethanol has been a controversial motor-fuel additive since its inception, and E15 may be its most highly contested formulation, producing more conflicting traffic than E10, or even E85, a mix of up to 85 percent ethanol and only 15 percent good ol' gasoline. Ethanol's once-presumed environmental benefits have hit a stretch of rough road in recent years, and the government is considering reducing the amount of ethanol that must be blended into our gas supply in 2014 compared to last year's minimum.

Today, there are more gasoline choices for consumers than ever before. No longer can anyone pull into a gasoline filling station and assume the fuel from the pump is safe and legal for their specific small engines, UTVs and outdoor power equipment.

Currently, most fuel sold today at gas stations contains up to 10 percent ethanol (E10). However, in the past year, more stations are selling ethanol gasoline blends greater than 10 percent – such as 15, 30, 50 and 85 percent ethanol "?u often from a gasoline blender pump. And, higher ethanol blends are likely cheaper.

But, price is no longer the way to choose gas for outdoor power equipment such as mowers, garden tractors, chain saws, snow throwers, trimmers, power washers, blowers, chippers, grinders, generators, concrete saws and other compact construction equipment, as well as small engine applications such as water pumps and irrigation systems. Consumers need to choose the right fuel.

Higher ethanol blends can harm outdoor power equipment. Equipment manufacturers, dealers or sellers know that most outdoor power equipment was not made for ethanol gas blends higher than 10 percent ethanol (E10). Greater than 10 percent ethanol in outdoor power equipment can corrode metals and rubber and cause engines to break down more quickly. Most outdoor power equipment was not built, designed or warranted to run on fuel greater than E10. Using higher ethanol blends can damage or destroy it.

Consumers might be tempted to use a higher ethanol blended fuel since it may be less expensive. But the fact is that the higher the ethanol blend, the lower the fuel economy. Ethanol contains 33 percent less energy per gallon than gasoline, so engines fueled with higher ethanol blended gas will attain fewer miles per gallon than those running on conventional gasoline (E10). This means consumers must fill their gas tanks more frequently when using higher ethanol blended fuel. For more information go to https://opei.org/ethanolwarning/dealers/#sthash.RXEog0dp.dpuf.