Running Gen for short amounts of time
I have a new to me toy hauler with an Onan 4000 Microquiet, I don't have the manual and was wondering if there was anything specifcally to look out for. Also is it ok to run it for a few minutes at a ...
Forum Discussion
If I had the choice of fuels, just choosing by the fuel, I'd go with propane every time. It burns cleaner than gasoline (doesn't need fancy emissions systems), doesn't foul up the carb with varnish, and it isn't toxic to the environment should it vent (assuming no flame sources nearby, of course.)
However, propane has less energy than gasoline and in my neck of the woods (which is ironic being in oil/gas rich Texas), finding refills close to where I live is hard. Of course, there are always Extend-a-stay mechanisms and such since getting a bottle exchange at 1:00 in the morning is a lot easier than finding a filler open that late. So, for convenience factor, gasoline is hard to beat even though propane is a cleaner fuel.
Then there is diesel, but a diesel generator has to have so many more subsystems than a gas generator that the price and upkeep are a lot higher. A gasoline generator I can change the oil and air filters, perhaps blow out the spark arrestor, and be good to go.
However, propane has less energy than gasoline and in my neck of the woods (which is ironic being in oil/gas rich Texas), finding refills close to where I live is hard. Of course, there are always Extend-a-stay mechanisms and such since getting a bottle exchange at 1:00 in the morning is a lot easier than finding a filler open that late. So, for convenience factor, gasoline is hard to beat even though propane is a cleaner fuel.
Then there is diesel, but a diesel generator has to have so many more subsystems than a gas generator that the price and upkeep are a lot higher. A gasoline generator I can change the oil and air filters, perhaps blow out the spark arrestor, and be good to go.
