LP vs Gas vs Diesel Generator

Never had a problem getting propane except in Las Vegas. Propane is readily available everywhere I go. As a matter of fact there are 3 filling stations in our town of 1200 people.

Never had a leak of any kind in my 17 year old Onan. Most MH. tanks I see are at least 25 gallons and mine is 50.




Pogoil.

Diesel 18 turn generators are superior to 36 turn generators. Water cooled is much quieter due to water jacket sound absorption. Diesel really shines in long-term use like running an air conditioner for hours and hours. A good diesel gen set will far outlive a gasoline or LPG unit regarding thousands of hours of use. But they are smelly, noisy, and the used oil is not clean to be around.

But LPG generators have their own issues. One is heat. LPG engines run a hell of a lot hotter than gasoline or diesel. They also leak more lube oil for some reason. Doubters should check with a repair shop for verification. Leakage is notorious. Many mechanics do not work on LPG gen sets. Period. But oil stays clean as do cylinders and combustion chambers.

Now that most gasoline is not all gasoline, I would be cautious about selecting a so-called gasoline generator. I would get a GUARANTEE from the manufacturer that all hoses and components are 100% compatible with Gasahol, and are covered 100% under warranty for possible gasohol degradation. No guarantee, no buy.

LPG is superior when used as WAYNE DOHNAL described...as long as there is a filling station with LPG locally.

Diesel Pros:
Best bang per buck for fuel used.
No issues with carbs.
Diesel doesn't go bad as quickly as gasoline.

Diesel Cons:
Larger, heavier, and vibrate more than gas/lp generators.
More expensive to buy and maintain.

Gas Pros:
Fuel easily available in the US
Good energy/volume ratio.
Least expensive to buy.

Gas Cons:
Need to keep maintained else one will be replacing carbs often.

LP gas pros:
No worry about varnish.

LP gas cons:
Very hard to find in some places.
Can't fill from a Jerry can, which means the whole rig will need to be taken to a filler.
Least amount of energy per gallon of fuel.
LP gas tanks tend to be small, so less run time.
Less wattage than gasoline.

Given my choice, gasoline first (especially if the motorhome is a gasser), diesel second, and LP gas third.

For example (and I'm using rough estimates), if I get an upfitted Sprinter, a Powertech diesel generator can keep stuff going at 1500-2000 watts for 72 hours (0.2 gallons/hour, 24 gallon fuel tank, last 1/4 just for the engine). A LP gas generator might last me 12-16 hours before it runs dry because they usually have 6-10 gallons at most. A comparable gasser chassis with a 26 gallon gas tank would last me about 34-36 hours on a small Onan generator.

Maintaining, the gassers tend to have people who know what they are doing with them almost anywhere. Similar with the LP gas models. The diesels are almost completely different.

Lots of trade-offs. I'd figure out the fuel type around the chassis, so you can use the vehicle's fuel tank to power the generator.

Ours has a 50 gallon propane tank. Propane is also cheaper than diesel in our region by about $1.50 a gallon or more. We use our often and it runs everything in the MH.

Pogoil.

Golden_HVAC wrote:
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Yet a diesel is typically noisier than a gas engine.

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FWIW, I've had 2 coaches with Onan QD gens (one 7500, one 8000) and they were both much quieter than our previous gassers with Onan Marquis gas gens (one 5500 and one 7000)

Personally, given the choice I'd take diesel first, then LP second (even though I hate having to fill LP) and gas in third for a fixed generator on a motor home. If I wanted something portable, I'd probably get a Honda gas gen.

I have a built in propane generator. It's great for running the microwave for a few minutes here or there, or a short stint with the air conditioner. Having a diesel rig, a built-in gasoline generator is not a practical option. A big advantage of the propane generator is to never have to worry about the carb being gummed up. For running the air conditioner a lot, or charging the battery while boondocking, it's not a good choice because it goes through the propane so quickly. When boondocking I carry an eu2000i to charge the battery, and don't go where I'll need much of the air conditioner.

I'm looking at the new Four Winds F550 chassis Super C. Apparently it has a 68lb mounted tank which I believe equals about 17 gallons. The coach also has a residential fridge which runs off the inverter. I boondock a lot so a nice battery bank and solar is probably in my future. I might also weigh the cost of a nice quiet Honda gas gennie or a big auxiliary propane tank.

Pro clean burning
need to exercise less
Con It will eat through a tank quickly
Same fuel you are now using

What type of coach are you looking at? I have a Honda EV 6010 that runs on propane in my 5er (and no, I don't consider it quiet). Most of the year we use it sparingly and I like that it runs off the LP tanks on my 5er. Our one trip to boondock in Moab I hate the LP. It will go through more than one 30 pound tank in a day, and filling with gas would be much easier.

Another pro is LP exhaust is mostly carbon dioxide and water; safer.

We tailgate football games and races and run our genset 40 hours at a time. Have for 15-20 years. Back when many DP's had LP gensets, they grew to hate them; always running out Sunday. Back to back games meant they had to fill the tank during the week. We have gone to FMCA Rallys and folks were running out by the end of the show.

In Florida, you often need to run it to cool the RV while driving in the summer heat.

So it depends how you use your coach. We have taken six week trips up north in the summer and the only time I ran the genset was to excercise it or when we got back to Florida.

There are a few fifth wheels in the RV lot at the football games that use LP and the carry 4-5 30# tanks and swap them in and out all weekend.