Diesel vs. LP Generator

As far as efficiency some may say propane is better. In my opinion having the same fuel for the genset and engine outways any efficiency you may calculate by using propane. One stop. Fuel up with diesel and your set to go.
I had a motorhome with a diesel engine and a propane genset. I found it to be a pain. Finding diesel and then finding propane. A propane genset can greatly limit your ability to boondock for long periods of time.

mthockeydad wrote:
Mr. Mark, are you also running a diesel cooktop and furnace? I know of both from marine applications--didn't know they were found in RV's...or do you use electric for both?

Yep, the diesel stove gets a little smokey but we work with it! LOL! Kidding.:p

Our coach is all electric. Even our grill is electric.

We have electric heat pumps on the roof, diesel fired Aqua-Hot or the two electric elements in the Aqua-Hot for furnace heat and/or hot water. We often use a small electric heater to knock the chill off of the room.

Mark

Empty Nest, Soon wrote:
OP here.

We’re looking to buy our first MH. We find a number of them with acceptable floor plans. Some have Diesel generators; some have LP. I’m trying to decide if the difference between the two is enough to influence our decision on which coach to buy.

I’m inclined to prefer Diesel for the generator, since we dry camp/boondock a lot. But in the past that has usually been in cooler weather, so running the AC would probably not often be a big factor.

Trying to decide if I should rule out the MHs with LP generators. Or if I should prefer LP for some reason that has not occurred to me.

Either way, we will be using LP for cooking, etc., since we dry camp/boondock a lot. In my experience, cooking, heating water and running furnace doesn't take too much LP. I'm afraid that feeding a generator with LP could get to be a problem when boondocking.

Thanks again,
Wayne

Personally, I would rule out the LP generators mostly due to the fuel tank sizes. Using the large diesel tank gives you much longer run times while saving your propane for other uses. Those on the sprinter chassis have smaller diesel tanks but others are nice sized.

OP here.

We’re looking to buy our first MH. We find a number of them with acceptable floor plans. Some have Diesel generators; some have LP. I’m trying to decide if the difference between the two is enough to influence our decision on which coach to buy.

I’m inclined to prefer Diesel for the generator, since we dry camp/boondock a lot. But in the past that has usually been in cooler weather, so running the AC would probably not often be a big factor.

Trying to decide if I should rule out the MHs with LP generators. Or if I should prefer LP for some reason that has not occurred to me.

Either way, we will be using LP for cooking, etc., since we dry camp/boondock a lot. In my experience, cooking, heating water and running furnace doesn't take too much LP. I'm afraid that feeding a generator with LP could get to be a problem when boondocking.

Thanks again,
Wayne

Efficiency aside, I would think having a genset using the same fuel as your engine is far more easy to deal with as MM indicated. One fuel, one stop, pump yourself and a lot more of it. You'd have to have a prety large LP tank to compete with the size of the fuel tank on the MH. I have a whole house LP generator on the sticks and bricks and it runs fine. But it's hooked to a 500 gal tank. I chose not to have diesel in that application because it would be a pain to fill myself and the length of time the fuel would sit un-used. So that application is the total inverse of a MH where you can share the fuel and it does not sit. I am with MM, go with what's easier.

jorbill2or wrote:
I have always believed generators need to be run monthly not for the engines sake but for the generator windings to be kept functional. If that's true the fuel wouldn't make a difference. Propane may be cleanner fuel but I would think it would go through fuel pretty quickly especially with a limited supply that Rvs have on board. A pita to deal with.

Yes, that is true. While propane will reduce (not eliminate) many of the fuel problems with a generator, it still needs to be run on a routine basis to drive out moisture and avoid issues with the electrical parts...

Mr. Mark, are you also running a diesel cooktop and furnace? I know of both from marine applications--didn't know they were found in RV's...or do you use electric for both?

I have always believed generators need to be run monthly not for the engines sake but for the generator windings to be kept functional. If that's true the fuel wouldn't make a difference. Propane may be cleanner fuel but I would think it would go through fuel pretty quickly especially with a limited supply that Rvs have on board. A pita to deal with.

Hi Wayne,

We only wanted one fuel to deal with which was diesel. No other stops to make or worry about. We purposely didn't want propane on the coach. Not all coaches give you that choice.

As far as reliability regarding diesel vs. propane, I really don't know. I was more concerned about MY convenience obtaining the fuel. When we had a rental unit a couple of times before purchase, it was hard finding propane and you had to wait for someone else to pump it.

We are generally from 'plug to plug' as we don't boondock very often (once a year in Quartzsite for 3-5 days). Friends that had propane in a Sprinter Class C had to get propane every 3 days so they had to break camp to refill.

Our diesel tank has 150 gallons so I could run it quite a long time if I had to run the genny (only needed for air conditioning on a constant basis). Our battery bank will run everything else that would require the generator 2 hrs. in the morning and 2 hrs. in the evening to keep the batteries topped off.

Good luck,
MM.

Go with the diesel