cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Cost of propane vs gas generator.

TenOC
Nomad
Nomad
I have read a lot about the pro/con of gas/propane generators. I have an almost new champion 75537i 3100 watt remote start inverter gas generator. I am in the process of purchasing a used FW that comes with a built in Onam Marquis 5500 Propane generator. I am not paying extra for the Onam generator -- it is part of the deal so in effect it is free.

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
Please give me enough troubles, uncertainty, problems, obstacles and STRESS so that I do not become arrogant, proud, and smug in my own abilities, and enough blessings and good times that I realize that someone else is in charge of my life.

Travel Photos
48 REPLIES 48

CJW8
Explorer
Explorer
I have a Champion dual fuel rated 9000/8000 gas, 7000/6300 LPG. My intent was to never put crappy corn laced gas in it unless I had to. This is for home backup power. I recently has to use it for camping when my Onan failed. I wasn't concerned about the noise because most folks were running open frame generators but it sure is loud. Normally for camping I use a smaller inverter generator because my 5500 Onan is simply more than I need unless I need both AC's. Since my new Champion 3500/3100 has remote electric start, it is just as convenient as starting my Onan. My TH has a 30 gallon gen tank and a 30 gallon fuel station so I can go 3-4 days if I run the Onan 24/7. I only do this once /year when we go to the lake and it is 110+. LPG is 1.50/gallon where I live.
2003 Forest River Sierra M-37SP Toy Hauler- Traded in
2015 Keystone Raptor 332TS 5th wheel toy Hauler (sold)
2004 Winnebago Vectra. 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee toad

pnichols
Explorer II
Explorer II
discovery4us wrote:
Also the LPG generator doesn't seem to be effected by elevation or weather like my other gas Onan.


Hmmmm ... I've never heard anyone mention elevation or weather affecting their gas Onan. What vintage was your gas Onan generator?

Our 2005 RV's Onan has a real convenient altitude adjustment knob just behind it's removable side cover ... which is light years ahead of having to mess with changing jets like has to be done with portable generators. I've never had to adjust this, though, as it has always started right up at any altitude we've used it at (so far not above around 8500 ft.).

We haven't camped yet in weather under 35 degrees, but our Onan has always started up in a second or two. I use only synthetic oil in it and the last few years I have used an E3 spark plug in it - so maybe these two things have helped it to start under all conditions (knock on wood!). I do exercise it about once a month while in storage between trips.
2005 E450 Itasca 24V Class C

discovery4us
Explorer
Explorer
My MH has the 6.5 LPG generator and I was worried but it has been a mute point. I have a 40 gal. tank just for the generator and depending on load I get 70 - 90 hours of run time. Low, low maintenance and to my ears it seems quieter than the gas generators. Finding LP has yet to be an issue. Also the LPG generator doesn't seem to be effected by elevation or weather like my other gas Onan.

In the long run I think cost will be about the same. While I pay more for the LPG I make up for it in maintenance. Longer service intervals and I have yet to buy a fuel pump, carb or fuel additive as I had to do with my previous gas generator.

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
There is a lot to say for a small remote start LPG generator. Start it up, flip on the microwave oven, get out the powerful vacuum cleaner, push down the toaster lever, push the make coffee button and 5 minutes later, shut it all down. Forget about maintenance and gasoline going bad, oil turning dirty.

Like most other things in life it is two lists. A compromise. Positive and negative points. It's up to the owner to decide which outweighs which. Inform the person asking. It's foolish to try to decide for them.

road-runner
Explorer III
Explorer III
In any given geographic area the price of gasoline is fairly consistent, while the price of propane can be "all over the place". Within 20 miles of my house, propane can be found anywhere from about $1 to $3 per gallon, making it less or more expensive than gasoline. I have a dual fuel eu2000i. For backup power at home I run it on propane, mainly because I have a 500 gallon tank anyway. When I take it camping it runs on gasoline. With what I pay for propane at home, it's cheaper to run it on propane, but that had little to do with the decision. It was all about having the big tank already there.
2009 Fleetwood Icon

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
Salti
I said nothing about your neighborhood

and you say the rental outlets where you fill your bottles have generators
meaning they have power for the lp pump

all of which has nothing to do with RV use,
so why are commenting about it.

everybody agrees LP stores longer with out going bad

has nothing to do with RV inconvenience
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad
Done is done. If you plan to run the A/C for extended periods you may want to carry a couple extra bottles. Otherwise to minimize run time for battery charging consider 200 to 400 watts solar.

joebedford
Nomad II
Nomad II
I was glad to get a gas generator. I really didn't like running the propane generator with my heat source fuel. Easy to blow through two tanks in a night then the furnace goes cold.

red31
Explorer
Explorer
Bulk propane on Sunday! I got better mpg at altitude with 100 octane propane, not more than reg gasoline.

Lantley
Nomad
Nomad
pianotuna wrote:
I would argue that since propane is much harder to find that it is both more expensive and less convenient.

Lantley wrote:
In short gas will be cheaper to operate. LP will be more convenient to operate

I agree gas is more available than LP.
However If you are off grid neither are available. When you return to civilization. Once upon a time LP may have been hard to find however LP is not that hard to find these days.
The convenience of LP applies to storage as well. There are no gummed up carbs or ethanol issues. No stabil required.
19'Duramax w/hips, 2022 Alliance Paradigm 390MP >BD3,r,22" Blackstone
r,RV760 w/BC20,Glow Steps, Enduraplas25,Pedego
BakFlip,RVLock,Prog.50A surge ,Hughes autoformer
Porta Bote 8.0 Nissan, Sailun S637

SaltiDawg
Explorer
Explorer
MrWizard wrote:


places that fill from a Bulk tank also need electricity for the electric pump that fills the bottle with propane


I guess you know more about my neighborhood than I do. Wow.

I made it absolutely clear that I was making no case for RV usage. I was making a case for my brick and motor location in the MD suburbs of DC.

In the past two years we've had two area-wide outages of electricity that left virtually no gas stations able to pump gas. The few stations that had power, typically from generators, ran out of fuel in short order resulting is solving the long line problem at their station.

The multiple rental centers in Montgomery County that pump propane all have generators. None of them hiked the price on their propane. I have six twenty pound propane bottles that I use for my patio grill and modified generator. A couple of bottles will last me a day or so - without furnace or A/C. No carb gumming issues. No fuel going bad. Arguably safer to store propane. The slight cost premium in my brick and mortar environment means nothing for maybe once a year or more usage. The total confidence that the generator will start immediately in spite of having sat idle for 6 or months is priceless to me.

If it is important to indicate that I am wrong as to what goes on in MY brick and mortar neighborhood when I've made absolutely no comment as to propane use in an RV, please delete my post.

It was only meant to be helpful

Thank God I did not mention what brand my generator is.

Sandia_Man
Explorer II
Explorer II
Our rig came with an onboard gas fueled Onan which is standard for a toyhauler that is equipped with a couple of fuel station tanks. My next door neighbor seen our rig had a onboard genny and took his 5er over to CW to have one installed in his rig which was a propane model. I distinctly remember him complaining about how much propane he used over the first summer he had it, overall he regretted making the investment. In your case you are not paying extra for it and I would use it sparingly unless you need to run a couple of AC units that the Champion 3100 inverter genny couldn't handle. No doubt having an onboard generator is a great feature, we love the peace of mind of being fully self-contained, particularly since we do lots of RVing without hookups.

Although our Onan has performed marvelously over the last decade, I found a deal on the same Champion remote start genny you posted and have been pleasantly surprised at it's performance under extreme conditions. The Champion easily runs our rig's AC unit on eco-mode, and has done so at over 8K' elevation with Champion provided high altitude jet installed. Of course I still fire up the Onan to give it some exercise every now and then, it's just major overkill power-wise most of the time. In steps our Champion 3100 that now handles nearly all our generator duties, and similar to our Onan, a simple press of a button and off she goes, quietly and efficiently delivering clean power to our rig's devices. I believe your Champion will get more use too.

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
SaltiDawg wrote:
pianotuna wrote:
I would argue that since propane is much harder to find that it is both more expensive and less convenient.


Likely not of concern with RV usage,
maybe for a weekend, for anything longer it is a concern
however the statement that propane is more difficult to find is 100% mistaken if there is a area wide power outage.

Again, this is in my brick and mortar suburbs of DC in MD. Propane is easy to find, gasoline and gasoline stations with power can be near impossible.
i assume you are talking about expensive bottle/tank swap at the grocery or hardware etc..


Not making any suggestion re RVs.


places that fill from a Bulk tank also need electricity for the electric pump that fills the bottle with propane
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s

Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Explorer II
TenOC wrote:
I have read a lot about the pro/con of gas/propane generators. I have an almost new champion 75537i 3100 watt remote start inverter gas generator. I am in the process of purchasing a used FW that comes with a built in Onam Marquis 5500 Propane generator. I am not paying extra for the Onam generator -- it is part of the deal so in effect it is free.

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 biggest downfall for a propane generator is the fuel itself. While the FW might have a 100# tank that's only about 25 gallons so you can be out of fuel after only about 50 hours of run time less what you use to cook and keep the fridge running. Less again if you connect a gas grill or fire pit. Since the tank is attached to the FW, the only way to get more propane is to drive to a propane station.
The smell of propane exhaust is also quite different than gas and some (including my wife) just hate this part of it.
What I post is my 2 cents and nothing more. Please don't read anything into my post that's not there. If you disagree, that's OK.
Can't we all just get along?

STBRetired
Explorer
Explorer
One thing to consider. If you run propane and run out of fuel, there is no fuel for your refrigerator, stove, or water heater as well. If you use gasoline as a fuel, then if you run out of gasoline, you can still run your fridge, stove and water heater until the propane also runs out or the batteries go flat.

Having 2 different fuels can have its advantages when they run out, as long as they don't both run out at the same time.
1999 Newmar MACA 3796 F53 6.8L
2016 Ford Edge Sport
Roadmaster Sterling A/T with Brake Buddy Select