Cost of propane vs gas generator.

Personally, I would use the on board Onan just for quick rest stops, and the gas model for extended stays.

For any given power load, using the same size engine
You will burn more propane than gas to carry that load
If LP and gas are the same price, then it's cheaper to burn gas
Also the Onan has a bigger engine
If gas is $3 gal, then LP needs to be $2 gal, for it to cost Less for the same amount of work
This is the conclusions, i have come too
Because
The amount of energy per gallon at price per gallon equals work per dollar
And lp had less energy per gallon
Gas is easier to find, and usually cost less per gallon when going off the beaten path

There is something to be said for pushing the button on the built in Onan on a rainy morning,
There are pros and cons each way
I hope this helps you

My Class C that had an onan genny would shut the genny down when we got to a quarter of a tank, so we wouldnt get stranded, with your 5er can you run out of propane altogether because of genny use? If so it could make propane runs a lot more frequent and bothersome. How much Propane does the 5er hold? and how long do you stay put?
I think I would make a couple trips with both and see if propane outages become a nuisance.
Also how big is the 5er? do you have two AC units? Do you want to use the Micro , coffeepot at the same time as the AC. All these questions come into play.

Pro You don't need add any stabilizer to a LPG tank if the generator is going to sit for a while. Gas you better add some or look to overhaul a carburetor.

My 6.5 LPG Generator uses a average of around 0.75 gal per hour over the 15 years I have used it. In 2016 I paid $1.924 a gal for LPG at my yearly fill up in my 40 gal tank. The most ever paid per gal was in 2008 at $3.101

Wild Card wrote:
Pro. I can get gas a whole lot easier than propane.

Con. Propane not readily available

x2 ... it seems wherever I like to camp, finding someone to FILL propane vs exchange is always a chore. Gasoline is sold everywhere, day or night.

Some say the propane is cleaner, I will concede that point having battled with stale gas in lawn equipment. For my generators, fuel is always run out if a long period of non-use is anticipated.

Pro. I can get gas a whole lot easier than propane.

Con. Propane not readily available

TenOC wrote:


My question: Disregarding all the pro/con of the two generators and assuming I have access to both propane and gas at a reasonable price, which generator will cost less to rum? . . . :h

the good ole days propane was cheaper than reg gasoline!
Not now

use 1 gal of gas ~ 1.3 gals of propane

We have a new truck camper and ordered it with the built in propane generator and had a fifth wheel that we used two Honda 2000I generator's with. We are on our first trip with the onan propane 2500 and it has pros and cons compared to the gas Hondas. The Honda's of course make much less noise and run at low speed when charging the batteries or low loads and even with the two of them together they run at less than full speed to run the AC. The Hondas required carrying the two generator's, Gas can or cans, cables and connectors all of which take up valuable space in our current rig, the propane generator is loud runs at 3600 rpm no matter what your load is which uses more propane, the propane tanks are more of a pain to fill than a gas can however the propane generator can be started form inside and doesn't have to be locked up with cables or chains which is another item to carry. I am not sure about your generator but I know in my case it would be cheaper to run the two gas Hondas than the one propane generator, but more convenient to run and carry the propane Generator . I think in the future I may find a way to carry one Honda for light loads and battery charging that my solar panel can't keep up with and use the propane generator for AC, Micowave duty .

sorry I just saw the , Disregarding all the pro/con of the two generators line, oh well I typed it so here it is LOL