Generator: propane, gas or diesel

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I had one in my old 1993 DP and it worked for years without any problem; to tune up for 8 years, not even a clean up !
By memory, it was a GENERAC I think, it was a 5500 WATTS, the model is discontinued http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/Generac-5858/p5208.html


BTW, if I had the chance to buy a newer dp, I'd gofor a full electric dp with a 8,000 WATTS Onan quiet diesel GEN.
 
Advantage Propane: Quiet compared to a Diesel
Disadvantage.  Propane is a low density fuel so Propane generators burn a lot, and you may have a limited supply

Generally you have a lot more Diesel on board.
 
John From Detroit said:
Advantage Propane: Quiet compared to a Diesel
Disadvantage.  Propane is a low density fuel so Propane generators burn a lot, and you may have a limited supply

Generally you have a lot more Diesel on board.
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X2. Whatever powers the rig, get a generator powered by same. Otherwise there will come a day when you've got plenty of gas/diesel and you're out of propane, so no heat, hot water or stove
 
Thanks for the thoughts.  Never thought of that fuel issue.  Propane is certainly harder to come by than diesel or gas.  If you found an otherwise fine coach that met your needs in layout,price etc.  (DP), would you reject buying it because of a propane generator?  apparently diesel genset was an optional upgrade for that model.
Also, my understanding is that propane is essentially a gas genset tuned to run on propane.  Is that basically true?
 
Sailorkane said:
Thanks for the thoughts.  Never thought of that fuel issue.  Propane is certainly harder to come by than diesel or gas.  If you found an otherwise fine coach that met your needs in layout,price etc.  (DP), would you reject buying it because of a propane generator?  apparently diesel genset was an optional upgrade for that model.
Also, my understanding is that propane is essentially a gas genset tuned to run on propane.  Is that basically true?
Click to expand...

Just me but I would not buy a DP with a propane genset.
 
For sure in a motorhome you cannot have gas, propane and diesel !
Communly, you will have 2 of them and why not the new method of having just diesel to run your dp and all of the house, just electric !
In 2016, that's the way to go !
 
I have a propane genset for my stick and brick house.  The nice think is the carb hasn't gummed up like it did with my old gas genset.  Starts very easily.  I don't know how much fuel interferes with diesel gensets.

Agreed with previous posts that say about going through a good bit of propane - you may want to look at the specs and do the math based on your propane tank.  I have two very large tanks at home.

If I wasn't going to use it much (lots of used rv's with hardly any genny hours) I think propane would be easier than gas to keep running smoothly - especially with that darn ethanol in the gas.  Again, I never had a diesel.

Have a pro install or inspect the propane!  Don't ask how I know!
 
One more thought - I left my gas Onan sit for about 6 weeks and man did that poor thing have to crank to get going - I am not blaming Onan, I suspect it is the fuel despite having run some sea foam through it.  Same with all my small engines - ethanol is simply hard on the carbs!
 
I just became the owner of a 2014 Jayco Greyhawk 29MV, it has a 4K Onan genset with 18 hrs. on it. Sucks gas out of the mh gas tank till it gets down to 1/4 tank. The gas cap on the mh says E-10 15 gas. What's that sh!!!!! going to do to the genny? I would think that the small engine mfgers would have the engines capable of handling the E laced gas by now but here in Oklahoma we are fortunate enough to still be able to get E free gas. I run E free in my mower, leaf blower and line trimmer with Stabil and Marvel Mystery Oil mixed in each 5 gallon can of gas I get. So what do you do? Run what you can get and hope for the best?
 
The propane generator would definitely be a deal killer for me, but I run the generator whenever we're traveling.  It keeps the mh cool and wifi on. I just think that finding propane would be a pain. Not to mention that you might well have to add a larger propane tank (on occasion I have run the generator for several days).

Ernie
 
KandT said:
One more thought - I left my gas Onan sit for about 6 weeks and man did that poor thing have to crank to get going - I am not blaming Onan, I suspect it is the fuel despite having run some sea foam through it.  Same with all my small engines - ethanol is simply hard on the carbs!
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Plus ethonol draws moisture/water.  I lost the tank on my generator due to water condensation after it set over winter without use.  Another issue is the EPA now requires additives for specific locations for season changes with gas.  There are locations where premium gas is available without ethanol.
 
legrandnormand said:
Communly, you will have 2 of them and why not the new method of having just diesel to run your dp and all of the house, just electric !  In 2016, that's the way to go !
Click to expand...

Well, the OP asked for opinions, and there are already lots of them here.  We all have one.

But here's one I didn't see mentioned.  Most of us accept that as we drive our RVs over the road, over time, some slight shifting of components and assemblies can occur.  Various plumbing, electrical, and propane connections can be affected by this movement, and we need to constantly be alert for problems.  Sometimes, we only become aware of one when an appliance malfunctions.

Plumbing and electrical issues can be nuisances, but the potential for a propane leak bears special attention.  In addition to the connections at the propane tank itself, an RV with a propane tank will also have propane lines running throughout the vehicle, with connections to the furnace, stove top, oven, hot water heater, and fridge.  The cooling process used by a propane refrigerator requires an open flame inside the box for the absorption process to work, a recipe for disaster if a propane leak develops. 

Search YouTube for "rv propane fires", without the quotes.  You'll get lots of hits, and videos showing what can happen when a propane leak results in fire.  It's not a pretty picture - many are total losses.

We owned several RVs prior to our current Class A DP.  All were equipped with propane tanks and appliances, and we never had a propane-related issue, fortunately.  However, as I shopped for our current motorhome, I became aware of the potential for serious propane-related problems which can result from a leak or a crash.  In a crash, your propane tank is a potential bomb which can explode if damaged.

It is for all the above reasons that, when I found an all-electric motorhome I liked, I bought it.  No propane means never having to refill a propane tank, and some welcome peace of mind.  It also brings with it the side benefit of a residential refrigerator, a huge improvement over a propane-cooled fridge.
 
I purposely chose a propane over diesel or gasoline generator because I seldom use the generator and propane can sit for long periods with no adverse fuel issues.

My MH is diesel and I was offered a diesel generator but refused it. My experience with diesel gen sets 30 years ago did not leave happy memories.

I have not yet had a problem finding propane when traveling through western Canada and US.
 
Yes, a propane engine is a gasoline engine with a different carburetor setup. Much cleaner burn. Almost impossible to foul out plugs.
 
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