Forum Discussion

howardwheeler's avatar
Aug 24, 2013

Converting Onan from LP to gasoline

I have a Onan 5500 propane generator in my fifth wheel. It eats propane at a prodigious rate. Has anyone converted from LP to gasoline? What I'd actually like to do is make it dual fuel so I could hook up auxiliary gas tanks when I need an extended run. I can handle a few five gallon gasoline tanks but dry camping with only propane simply does last long enough.

18 Replies

  • Right now its just hooked up to the two 30 lbs tanks on the 5th wheel. I was hoping to be able to run it also off gasoline when I need it go extended times. I know they make dual fuel units, but I have not found a conversion kit. I know propane is much better from a maintenance point of view, but it just blows through propane, and gas cans are a lot easier to fill and transport than taking out the propane cylinders and lugging them to the local propane dealing, if there's one around.
  • I also have a Onan 5500 LP and I agree it uses lots of propane. As mentioned above propane burns much cleaner than gas. Propane gensets tend to be more reliable than gas because you do not have to deal with carb or fuel issues that plague built in gas gensets. Have you considered simply carry more propane vs. converting to gas. My rig came factory equipped with 80 lb propane capacity.
    A more viable solution maybe to plumb one or two additional propane tanks to your genset.
  • howardwheeler wrote:
    I can't run the generator more than a few hours without it sucking a 30 lbs. cylinder dry.
    Is the gen running to spec on propane consumption? I suspect any conversion will be big $ and may involve more than just the carb.

    Have you considered swapping it for a gas gen or a bigger propane tank? 30 lbs is a very small tank.
  • howardwheeler wrote:
    I can't run the generator more than a few hours without it sucking a 30 lbs. cylinder dry.


    Hum I have 3500 Generac I wounder how long it will take to run out my 30 pound bottle. I have run it a couple hours with the ac so far on one bottle. I think I will run out that bottle with the AC on and see what I come up with.
  • I just bought a truck camper with a propane genny. It is 15 years old and has 26 hours on it. It starts and runs perfectly with no maintenance. You will lose that advantage when you go to gas. That being said I have a gas honda eu3000 that I would take with if going to use the genny for a extended purpose - for days and days at a time. How about bringing along a hundred pound bottle or I have seen permanently installed propane tanks on trucks. Just a thought.
  • I can't run the generator more than a few hours without it sucking a 30 lbs. cylinder dry.
  • Different set up in the carburetor, thus switching from one fuel type to another is not possible. Oh it is possible i guess, but it might be big $$$ to do it.
  • I dont know but I like the "prodigious rate". Guess that means a lot.