Generator Fuel Types and Their Pros and Cons

Different Fuel Types Generators Run On And Their Pros And Cons

Generators use several different kinds of fuel which include gasoline, diesel, propane and natural gas. What type of fuel burns cleanest and is most economical? Fuel consumption varies depending on the brand of generator, electrical capacity, weather conditions and generator fuel type.

Gasoline Generators

According to Best Generator, inverter models are manufactured to be compact and lightweight. They don’t have a big, heavy fuel tank and the obvious result is a shorter run time. Inverter Generator’s fuel-efficient engines and their ability to adjust the engine speed means they use fuel more efficiently. Their savings in fuel can be as much as 40%. Their run times are 8 to 10 hours and are generally more than adequate for their applications.

Gasoline is a familiar energy resource and easy to obtain but it is highly combustible and unsafe to accumulate in great volumes. The cost of gasoline is expensive, and using gasoline is an inferior method of operating a generator over a long period.

Most movable generators will conveniently use gasoline. A 5,000-watt Conventional Generator will burn about 18 gallons of gasoline in a 24-hour period. This extended amount of time makes gasoline use unrealistic and expensive for long periods of time.

The expense of gasoline is the reason many people are choosing Inverter Generators. These generators offer an economical way of running which varies based on fuel consumption demands. These are a notably well-designed generator fuel type. One tank of fuel – usually 1 to 2 gallons should last you eight hours, or even up to 10.

Diesel Gas Generators

Diesel isn’t the most common fuel for generators. However, it is more efficient as a power source than gasoline. It also costs less to run and is safer because it’s not as flammable as a lot of other fuels.

Typical fuel efficiency for diesel generators is a little more than one and a half gallons of fuel for each hour of operation. Diesel generators serve a variety of purposes: construction site power, emergency backup, or even as a permanent power source for recreational vehicles.

Propane Gas Generators

Propane fuel is the safest generator fuel type for the environment. Propane can be stored for long periods of time, burns cleanly, and is effortlessly kept in various-sized cylinders. Having it delivered to your home makes storage uncomplicated and trouble-free.

Propane burns more quickly. The exact burn time depends on the wattage of the unit. The efficiency of a 20 kilowatt generator is about 3 and a half gallons every hour. Compared to a little over six gallons for a 35 kilowatt machine.

A disadvantage to the propane generator is the maximum storage amount of the cylinders. One regular propane tank could be used up in a 24-hour time frame. Usually, people with a propane generator have two or even a threefold supply of cylinders as an added supply. This type of generator fuel reduces carbon emissions, and everyone wants to have a greener Earth.