Propane vs Gas Generator? 20 yrs later
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 พ.ค. 2024
- Should you buy a gas or propane generator? It depends ;)
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Five hundred gallon propane tank in my yard, it doesn’t go bad. No carburetor issues, very consistent flow, 9000 watts for three weeks.
Nice!
another intresting point would be what is cheaper to run in terms of kwh/$
thats great how much does that cost you and are you living off of it?
Did you run a line straight off the 500 gallon tank to the regulator on the generator? My gas company won’t help.
What is your tank housed in?
Great video. I have an old Kohler L600 6.5 kw propane generator from the 50’s maybe 60’s. It’s tied into my homes propane pig. Couldn’t be happier with it.
Most clear and sensible start of video on this topic ever.
Down to earth Explanation on all the questions I didn't think about. I live in a big city and no one has any backup.Thanks, now I can make a smart decision.
Just subscribed. This is the first of your videos I’ve seen. No idea what other videos you have, but I really like you presence, personality, and clear communication. Great job sir. And thank you for the video.
I’m new to Texas and we are dealing with winter blackouts and would like the piece of mind in having a genny. I recently bought the Westinghouse 9500 dual fuel to replace my 11 year Briggs (I’m repairing it).
Very informative. Thanks✌️
I live on the gulf coast. I converted to natural gas. Been thru some catagory 4 hurricanes and have never lost the natural gas. Ran 24/7for 68 days. If you have natural gas I highly recommend looking into it. Good video!
As someone who lived in NY on Long Island, we'd have power outages when hurricanes hit. Propane was a far superior fuel. one primary reason, gas pumps are electric. Propane refueling is gravity fed. There were lines around the block at the few gas stations that would run out of gas. Because everyone was getting fuel for generators and cars. filling jerry cans. The propane only had people getting gas to run grills mostly. no lines , plenty of fuel. Secondly, without a electric starter. Propane started the first pull EVERY time. Gas not so much. and As you said, propane stores so much better and is readily available. That's my take
Propane is not gravity fed. Propane operates on pressure to run your appliances. In order to fill a 20lb bottle, they have to be pumped. Those pumps are electric.
@@hardtaill70I’m not an expert on the subject, but I’ve been told they can fill without the electric pump, because it just requires equalizing the pressure across the two tanks. The pumps just make the process faster and fill more completely.
@@atomicsmith Yeah so not so much Gravity fed, but rather the big propane tank is already at high pressure. But most propane generators are dual fuel anyways, so you can store lots of propane without having to switch it out for fresh, and when SHTF you can use whichever fuel you have access to. Any backup generator should be dual or tri fuel.
@@hardtaill70 So long as there is a dip tube, the pressure of the gas can flow liquid into another container. Electric pumps aren't required. The system is under like 15+ bar at all times.
My starter battery went bad on propane power creator and I learned no need for electric start. Genny starts first pull every time.
Having options available is a plus.
Thank you. I've learned more from you about generators and backup power than from anyone else. I love the idea of dual fuel. We almost never lose power and it's been three hours at most, not to say that a longer outage isn't coming, but we have no gas powered lawn equipment so storing gasoline doesn't happen here but it's always best to have options.
Completely off-topic: My Halloween decorations are up because of you. Every year I want it to be just-so and I spend so much time planning I don't get it up until the week before and no one gets to enjoy it for very long. I've really embraced 'Done is Better Than Perfect' in many aspects of my life (and kind of ashamed it took me this many years to do so) so lots of projects are done, not perfect and I'm thrilled. Halloween is especially dear to me as it was my Mom's favorite holiday and an outlet for her creativity. Many years ago we were the hit of the neighborhood because of her and now I get to carry on her tradition. People stop by, honk and wave, the local grade school teachers will bring the kids for a quick walk past to admire the display. It's really not as good as what many people do, but it makes everyone happy and that's enough. Anyway, thanks for sharing that. Somehow your message resonated with me, despite all the years of me knowing the truth of it, I still got stuck in 'perfect' so nothing was 'done'. All the best to you and yours and the pups.
wow, you must have quite a to do, where do you live? not address, what state?. Lots of that goes on in North Central Jersey, and for an encore its Christmas extravaganza!!!
@@ooohlaa13 We're in Ohio. We live on a corner so there's lots of frontage to fill. Thanks to Eric we've got a scarecrow farm stand, witch's hollow, entirely too many airblown decs, a cemetery, spiders, and 80 feet of spider webs on the fence. I usually rotate the displays but this year I got them all out. We have a lot of families who decorate and their creativity is outstanding. I love driving around and seeing all the great displays (and stealing ideas).
Happy Halloween!
glad i found your channel !!
Great ideas, Thank you Sir.
Awesome content, especially coming into storm season here our propane can only be filled when the power is on, our gas station is gravity fed. We have both about 190lbs of propane and 120L or gasoline. One of our neighbours has a big whole house propane generator with a “short or something” and has been trying to get a repairman out for over two months. We live on an island and although I’m off grid, every year there’s at least one week long power outage.
Great see which was beat generator great tips
Beautlifully explained. Props
I was always told for a gasoline powered generator, when finished always allow the carburetor to run till "dry" (turn off the fuel valve and let the engine run until it stops due to lack of fuel. that way the gas doesn't gum up the carbonator.
Also regularly go and run the generator say every other month and allow the engine come to its working operating temperature to make sure parts are lubricated and any built up moisture is expelled from the engine.
Have a high water table with 2 sump pumps in my basements, so when power goes out I need a working generator so I don't get any flooding.
Shut gas tank valve and run till dry, then pump some ATF through the carb and you can forget about it for years with no problems. If you know you're only gonna use the gene once a decade or so, this is way more economical and convenient. Trick from the old homestead folks.
Propane NEVER goes bad.
20 pound tank of propane is good for about 8 hrs run time in a 6500 watt generator.
Thx Tim, appreciate the info. Eric.
Hey, thank you so much I live in Florida and I just got a generator for the first time. I’ve been watching your videos and they’ve been super helpful. I really appreciate it. You’ve done a good job on explaining pretty much everything only thing I have a question on is, if I buy a 12 gauge extension cord for my generator to run upstairs does a week in the power is I plug a extra 12 gauge extension cord to it and do I need a surge protector if it’s grounded I would appreciate your help
For the type of tree work I do I’ve started using my Sawzall with “the Ugly” pruning blade; I gave away my Stihl gasoline powered saw, it scared my up in the tree. My other tools are battery powered. So a propane tank would be more efficient for me. I like the longevity of that over gasoline, too. Thanks for sharing Eric
😎
Great vid!
Good info! I only run my dedicated portable generators on propane. I don't want to deal with gasoline and the generators not being used for 6 months.I have five 30 lb tanks, two installed on the camper and three to take with me to run the generator.
I put the Sta-bil in when I empty the gas jug. Just so I don't forget.
I have a small dual fuel portable generator that I use once in a blue moon when the power goes out. I prefer using the propane since it's easier / safer to store. I have an electric car so no need for jerry cans of gas. The generator is a supplement to my DIY solar panels and portable battery set up. And the car has a reverse plug so I can use it to run things in the house if need be. I like diversification in my preps.
Smart except owning ELV.
If you add Stabil to gas it will keep for a year which is longer than the 6 months you say.
5:20 The propane regulator on mine has two chambers with a rubber sheet pressed by a spring.
It's dead simple, but the rubber gets stuck at times.
Many regulators can be rebuilt, kits are available and it's simple. The issue as I see it is that a propane leak is invisible so you have to be vigilant and more careful rebuilding in that regard. Easier and safer to just purchase a new or rebuilt regulator or carb and bolt it on if you're not so good at DIY.
How about a Labrador tail wag generator?
Hi Chris, these two wag their tails non-stop. Stuff gets knocked over in house ;) Eric.
that is almost as good as a perpetual energy system
I don't have propane so it's gas for me. Of course I will be using mine frequently living in typhoon alley and with scheduled all day power outages for maintenance so gas will be rotated. These new generators with the compression release are easy, even for a beat up 57 years old medically discharged veteran like me. Electric start isn't really a necessity. Also, if your generator doesn't start easily? Then you haven't been maintaining it properly. I also will add a little 2 Cycle oil to my gas for upper cylinder lubrication and corrosion control with fuel that has some slight amount of ethanol. Other than multiple oil changes in the break in, using motorcycle rated synthetic oil after break in, changing 25% sooner than recommended I will be fine with my 3 generators in rotation. Adding STP to the oil is also helpful. Running diesel oil with higher Zinc additives can be helpful in a splash oiled engine. Seafoam as mentioned in the video is a good idea, proportionate to the fuel tank capacity. Generators run rich because they can't run lean long before they are severely damaged so guess which side the manufacturer is going to err on. Running at no or very low load often results in a dirty plug, it's normal. If you are seeing it, clean it with a wire brush and put it back in.
Before buying a propane model generator, check to make sure that the "demand regulator valve" (that's not the pressure regulator) is internal to the unit. Otherwise you won't be able to attach it to a plumbed outlet on your house. You don't want one that is slug on the side of a BBQ bottle. That's the valve that only opens when the generator is actually running and functions off the manifold vacuum.
Propane looks like a good plan it is the clean fuel 🤷 I would think it would be more maintenance free maybe ? Hope all is well been awhile ? Thanks for sharing !
LPG NG and Propane cause more wear to engines, require hardened seats in the head or the seats of the exhaust valve will burn, cause more wear on the piston/bore & rings and require more frequent oil changes.
Last year I replaced my Westinghouse 7500 generator with a 9500 Westinghouse dual fuel. With the new gas, non ethanal, after just 1 year the carburetor needed work, the repair person said it had junk in the gas. Westinghouse said new fuel is a problem, they have so many additives. Dunno if this is so, but passing it on. I start it up for 45 minutes once a month so the fuel doesn't mess up. My last Westinghouse lasted impeccably until recent gas so I think there may be something to it. I had it about 8 years with no problem. I think its a v good brand, the dual fuel through Home Depot was $1000. last August 2021. North Central FL I would not be without a generator, my house is wired for it, just plug and play whenever the power goes down. Gasoline $$$$ pisses me off.
I use a few ounces of acetone and transmission fluid for my fuel stabilizer. Ive had gas sit in my 81 chev truck fuel tanks for 5 years and all through the system with no glitch. Fired right up without hesitation.
That is insane ! Can’t image. Was the tank filled full?
@@spcox76 nope about 30%
Me encanto la forma en que haces tus videos. podrias hacer uno sobre como hacer una transferencia automatica para generador vs energia de la calle?
Si lo quieres conectar al tablero de la casa hay un video de como hacerlo en yt
Get a quote from you local gas fitter to install a house outlet if that is how you plan to operate on propane. You may even ask for a second quote as some fitters want to use all black pipe, but modern flexible pipe is alloed in private residences. There was a staggering price difference of $1000.
I couldn't make my mind up so I baught one that runs on gas and propane. So far I haven't ran it with gas yet. Stay safe out there it's going to be a stormy week it looks like.
I'd go the propane route and plumb it into natural gas supply at the house. I'd do so using quick connect fittings for air lines. I know, probably a better way to do it but it would be simple.
In my area, after the hurricane, there was no gasoline in almost the entire city for over a week.
And there would have been no propane either.
But... I know I'm imprecise and I would come back to a gummed up generator and a can full of bad gasoline.
I used a borrowed generator last time for 7 days. I ran one 5000btu unit, my fridge, cable modem, a couple lights, a fan, and the tv/laptop. So I only need about 2000 watts in survival mode.
I have a backup solar generator for lights, modem, laptop. Could use it for 8 hours of fridge or 40 hours of chest freezer instead. But no air conditioning! And if cloudy, not much power.
A cheap propane generator ($600ish) and 3 small tanks ($180 but $60 to refill) is the current plan.
Great video bro You’re entertaining😅 thanks Let peeps know how destructive ethanol is hoses too beside carb Find ethanol free gas Also good info Funny that you mentioned a furnace I’m 62 years old living in way south Florida I’ve heard of theses things Furnace’s My folks from years past made mention of them
Propane, as long as the vessel is properly maintained will last an indefinite amount of time.
Gasoline begins to degrade after 8 months and will cause clogged injectors and sputtering after a year and a half unless you pour in a stabilizer. And even then you'll be lucky to get 3 to 5 out of it.
I am currently using up gasoline we have stored for over a year to power our riding lawn mower. It seems to work fine even without ever using the stabilizers. I think gas will last longer than 6 months especially if you use a stabilizer.
Temperature is a big variable with propane. You'll get about twice the runtime in the 100 degree desert than you will in 30 degree snow.
I could not figure out why my dual-fuel generator kept cutting out on propane this fall, but wouldn't on gas. And it had worked in the past. Turned out I had put on a gauge to keep tabs of how much propane it had left, and it was this gauge's safety turning off. I took off the gauge and it runs fine. Thank God!
I love using a gauge like this on my grill so I know when to change out the tank. A generator uses more propane than a grill does, must be so much that the gauge's safety thinks it's an open line.
I’ve seen allot about the kit that you install on small Honda generators that convert it to a fuel fuel generator. Does this work good or hurt the generator?
i've seen those also. have not heard anything negative. but a google search would be good. thx!
what one do i buy
I had a small tailgate r. And it kicked my ass trying to start it.
You can't "top-off" a propane BBQ bottle but you can gasoline. You'll end up with a mix of partial BBQ bottles if you don't want to fail a continuous run.
The WGen3600DFv Is Small & Compact.
I have 2 identical Honda EU2000 gensets, one propane converted, one gasoline only. Despite always using gasoline additives, the gas unit ran for a little over a year (200 hrs.) and the propane unit lasted over 12 years (1,000's of hours). The energy output was a problem sometimes because the gas version was a bit more powerful....when it ran.
good to know, thx! Eric.
I just saw Harbor Freight just came out with a 5000 - quiet-ish (62 dB) 3900/ 3600W dual fuel generator for $1000.
Not as quiet as the much quieter (52dB) slightly less powerful Westinghouse 4500 @3700/ 3330W dual fuel for $900.
I have the Westinghouse, but have a hard to start issue.
I'm going to let you in on a secret about storing gas with some ethanol in it. Fill the can up and keep it full. The water comes from the AIR. The less air space you have, the less water your fuel will have. This applies to your car/truck/motorcycle, whether it be gas or diesel. Black mold will grow in diesel that gets water in it. You can denature a tank of diesel by adding about 2% by volume gasoline and the mold will not grow.
As long as you have natural gas, get a trifuel generator. Normally natural gas utilities are available during a disaster and then you don’t have to worry with getting fuel for your generator.
If the power is out, in your neighborhood and you need to pump gas and there’s no power to pump gas then you’re out of luck but with propane it comes in a tank add I found out to be more beneficial as a backup
I have a gas generator. It ran 24/7 in 2012 for 7 days when we lost power do to a Derecho. Haven’t used it since. I think 5 gallons of gas a day. Unfortunately the day will come when a garage full of 3-5 year old stale filled gas generators will never start. I choose propane for the same reason most home generators run on natural gas. It’s clean.
There are generators that will run on all three fuels. Gasoline, propane and natural gas. I wonder if you can connect them to a natural gas supply line.
Does Westinghouse have a dual fuel that's also an inverter?
I have a dual fuel Westinghouse, what do you mean by inverter. It hooks up to my house which is wired for power by generator???
@@ooohlaa13 It is a type that provides cleaner power to sensitive electronics (very low harmonic distortion).
Will 20 years later propane would start right up with the same 20 year old propane
Dual fuel squad. Propane preferred.
If you live in NH and during the winter you will not be shutting it down and starting it up. Propane has a very short life running a generator even a 500 gallon tank. You can burn through it fast.
Hey I had a Buick that lasted me 250k,,,😂 if we need a generator for that long we don’t have to worry about having electricity, we got to worry about having ammo and god, but all jokes aside, I have a champion dual fuel 4000, with a 1280 wh solar generator… also a 2560wh lifepo battery … I can charge the solar generator and battery for 1 hour a day and use panels during the day, 1 propane tank is 17 hours, that is 17 days of electricity running a 28cu fridge, a 32 inch tv a modem router and a couple of lights… that is how I do it, got 4 propane tanks and another one in the bbq
I missed your suggestion of which to buy?
Was dependent on your situation.
I heard slowly open propane tank valve so not to deform generator receiving gas diaphragm. pointers
Yep I don't lose power very often so my generator would sit around with ethanol fuel in it even with stabilizer it would go bad Every couple of years would have to drain it and replace the fuel Finally got a propane generator well dual fuel but only run propane Now it can sit around for decades the fuel never goes bad And she's ready to fire Anytime no carburetor gum up problems no bad fuel No worries
I grew up in swampy high humidity, Florida. Hurricane country. What I want to know is, is it safe in a closed garage with no AC ducts to the house. Also, will it have enough power for the fridge, a few electric fans & a TV. That's all I want. Cold food that won't rot, a fan to be more comfortable & a TV for news & updates. Please follow up because I don't have the means to store gallons of gasoline (even if I could get it) or the ability to change/afford the every 10 hours of oil changes! Sigh...
You should never use a generator in a closed non ventilated environment. You can get carbon monoxide poisoning I’m pretty sure it says it on the generators and in the hand books. Keep the generator outside
I get 50 hours of my 200lbs lp cilinder on 10.000 watts generator continues running
I prefer propane I ben using propane for last 10 years guarantee 💯
Here is a great tip run amsoil small engine oil in your generator u can Run 200+ hours between oil changes If you have to during a power outage. I wouldn't run that long if you don't have to but if you're in a extended power outage it's good to have amsoil and know that you can run that long if you have to
Marvel Mystery oil is great too
@@fuzfire yes it is i put that in my fuel in my pickup but my generator is propane cant use in it.
Shoo-in. They sell barbecue bottles everywhere. You CANNOT buy gasoline when the power is off.
I'm lookin' for an A-1 certified freak. Any recommendations?
**A certified refurbished or used generator!!
If I run all the propane out of my generator, can I store it inside my house away from ignition sources. I don’t have a garage and I would like to store it in my office.
Every gas station and hardware store near my house has a propane exchange with a cage of full tanks. Maybe they'd run out, but also maybe the gasoline would run out as well if nobody can get anywhere further than a couple of miles.
Good point!
Just remember these exchange Propane places don't have as much LP in them as you'd like ti think. Always fill up at a real LP refill place. You get more bang for your buck.
If available, a natural gas model or a tri fuel model is the way to go.
Those 100 lb tanks are the worst size because they are too small for propane companies to deliver (refill) at your home and they are heavy to lift up into your pickup truck. They are supposed to only be transported facing up so they have to be very securely strapped in the back of the truck and obviously won't fit in a van, suv, or a truck with a cover over the bed.
Yep! That's why I have 4 30lb tanks and 1 20 lb. I can move them around with a hand truck and get them inti my SUV to transport to refill.
Gas is expensive and the generator is noisy. Did you know generator theft is a thing these days?
Hate to tell you but generator theft has been a thing for over 50 years. That's was even back to their reasonably priced range.
Had a neighbor that lived in a low lying area. When we got heavy rains his house would flood. He built a moat, bought several gas operated pumps, all were operational, during a heavy rain someone stoled all three pumps in the middle of night in the rain. His house flooded once again, he sold out to developer!
I chain my generator to the garage when I run it. Next video on Generator Tips talks about this. 😀 Eric.
The only thing I would ding on this video is comparing carburetor maintenance with gas regulators. Every small engine I’ve ever owned has required carburetor work multiple times. I have gas regulators that are decades old and have thrived out in the weather with total neglect. I would choose a gas regulator any day.
If you don't know how to service an LPG reducer (which is not harder than a carburetor) get a second one as spare
No power to pump propane you need power to pump gas.
Propane, portables. For a buddy heater. It last 4 hours per tank. I'm in lower southern Texas.
what do you mean by portable, do you mean the barbecue tank size? What's a buddy heater?
@@ooohlaa13 Wal-Mart has buddy heaters. Small green tank. Is portable.
@@lauriehudson9493 no I still do not know what a buddy heater is, what is it for? Is it a heater for the cold? I'll look it up. Thanx for responding.
Have you ever tried the E10 mixing with water and canting the water off again method of removing the ethanol from the gas ??
If it gets cold enough that your propane freezes, you’re a goner anyway as it won’t freeze until it is well into the 6 figure negatives. Sure, tanks could freeze, but they likely won’t. We run on natural gas and that has frozen before, had to use propane heaters because we would have froze otherwise. In your case, it isn’t close, propane wins . Stores longer , usually easy to get, no carb issues on the machine, etc. the ONLY draw back I see is the price. It most likely will cost more to run that generator then if it was running off 85 octane. To me ,it’s worth it if I don’t have the headaches
Man kisses from your dog😲scary
In my opinion, propane is a much smarter option. Propane can be stored for a long time in the tank. You can’t store gasoline indefinitely, it goes bad. Propane can be used for so much more than just electricity generation: grills, heating. Propane is the ultimate off grid fuel in my opinion, as it can fuel virtually all appliances as well as electricity. You can get a big tank to last an entire winter.
❤️🐾🐾🐾
Pri-G will allow gas a two year shelf life
I have a propane/gas/ natural gas generator currently hooked to natural gas
I should have talked about natural gas too. Thx for the note. 😀
Christian, do you switch burners? I think I read somewhere that the jetting needs to be changed for propane vs natural gas
@@DanielinLaTuna I bought the champion generator 10,000 watt. It’s ready to go for all three straight out of the box.
If you NEVER run anything but high-octane 91+ (no ethanol) gas it doesn’t go bad as fast. Always run the carb system dry (shut off gas to let carb empty to shut down generator) and run for 20 min/month (per mfg inst.) you’ll have fewer issues. With propane, it come in as gas, so no sitting around with attracted water (ethanol) and a very long storage life. Less octane rating and thus less power.
I run a 9k gas for emergencies at home and am looking for a propane unit for the travel trailer. Already running propane and no need to carry smelly gasoline.
good points Mark, thanks for posting here. I am moving toward propane :)
But you don’t need power to do a tank exchange. But you definitely need it pump gas….
yes, exactly!
Propane doesn't go bad.
Even after 50 years.
Also less smelly exhaust gas
Yes good points. My next generator will be dual or propane. Thinking about a propane conversion to this rig. Thx! Eric.
If you can get yourself an adjustable kit where you can adjust the air fuel ratio.
Also modify the ignition timing.
Propane needs several degrees of earlier ignition for it to run efficient and if you have a wet belt system like the Honda EU10i then change your oil slightly more often as propane does increase the oxidation of the engine oil but no need for overkill.
Also propane is handy for cooking and heating.
If you are concerned about supply when power's out. Gasoline has to be pumped too and you can gravit fill a propane tank depending on the site but there's nothing stopping you to have 10 propane tanks at home and during a storm being heavy is an advantage.
also don't forget your tank might freeze depending on the load
I own dual power generator.
wait...according to the Walking Dead, gas lasts for at least 10 years? I'm looking for a long term storage solution, I guess thats likely propane?
Fyi honda level is not any better .i got a honda n its stsrtd WORSe n sometimes i cant start it..😊
non ox gas gas will last for way over 2 years if treated i've ran tractors, chainsaws and even generators on gas over 2 years old with gas with no alchohol in it
If gasoline is stored under the gas station and they use electric pumps to get it into your car, how will the hundreds of gas stations get gas into your gas can when the power is out for a week.
Dual fuel but prefer propane.
Good to know thx Ken.
Almost every argument against a "propane generator" falls apart when it's a dual-fuel or tri-fuel generator. It's the best of both worlds. Store propane forever, and have access to use gas if propane runs out. Any emergency backup generator should be able to take both.
Except repairing a gas+propane generator is even more difficult than one or the other that is dedicated.
The propane is just a regulator and a small inlet past the carburetor. It’s really not complicated at all.
I've read SO many stories... this is a deeper subject than shown here. What are you protecting against? Any adequate decent generator is good for a few days use; you shouldn't run them at 100% capacity for long times. If the event is going to only cut grid power for a short time any fuel will do. If you're running electronics you need an 'inverter' generator and a lot of today's appliances and heaters have circuit boards that may not like standard generators. In floods, propane tanks may float away, or get blown away in high-wind events so the large tanks must be anchored well to a concrete base. Gas will be unavailable until grid power returns, and propane filling isn't always nearby for portable tanks but they don't need grid power to refill your tanks. You'll need a more propane than gas which may be inconvenient to you. Storage of fuel needs to follow safety rules as well as comply with your homeowner's insurance which may require outside-the-house storage, as well as have quantity limits set by building and fire safety codes; portable tank may be an issue. Colt temps reduce the pressure in propane tanks meaning you won't be able access their full capacity. At really cold temps (well below freezing) propane valves and regulators may freeze up; gas doesn't have that problem.
Whole-house generators require service techs for repairs and you can't get that after a disaster. Those fueled by propane also require a fuel delivery truck; again that can be a problem. Natural gas can be disrupted in earthquakes and severe tornado- struck areas. Diesel may be the best choice here but they can also be temperamental so you need to know the basics of dealing with that. In extreme cold diesel doesn't flow well and you have to know how to handle that. Whole-house generators are hard to steal; that problem with portable generators being ran outdoors has become an issue in more urban areas in recent times which might affect your decision-making on what to get. Also your unprepared neighbors needs should be considered as they're likely going to ask you to allow a plug-in, and if they're on any kind of grid-powered medical device may be crucial to them.
With any generator you need to run it till it's fully warmed up under a load at least every couple months to maintain starting reliability and to keep the engine happy. Having an electrical load plugged in matters when you do this, as many generators will slowly lose the magnetism needed to make them function otherwise. That also lets you know everything is working right and gives you a chance to fix any discovered problems before you need the generator. Also you need to have some extra oil for the generator engine on hand, as many have a low-oil shutoff to protect the engine rendering them inoperative till more oil is added. In doing power calculations to determine sizing you need to tale in account that anything using an electric motor may have a high temporary 'start-up load' far exceeding the running wattage listed on the label or in it's paperwork. Many portable generators list a 'surge' capacity to handle this in their name or specs, and many list both surge and running capacity, but numbers can be deceiving; my cheap "3500" unit is it's surge capacity and it will only deliver 3000 watts in normal running.
This may sound complicated but it isn't really; you just need to devote enough thought to making your decisions as you come to understand the pro's and con's of generators and their capabilities, then do a little simple easy maintenance along the way. Portable generators have also become relatively cheap in the low-end models so most folks can at least have something now which is far better than nothing, so do some research and get a generator along with what you need to run it for when life goes sour- you'll be glad you did.
Gasoline
Good video. Annoying music. No music is necessary.
Since the propane gas accident in Japan, the use of unfixed and unpiped propane gas cylinders has been prohibited by the Fire Service Law. It is very difficult to secure heat sources such as BBQ grills and campers. Hagiwara from Tokyo.
Hi Toshifumi! I’ll have to look for an article about that accident. Thx!
Buy a dual fuel.
If and when electricity quits with no heat, there is no need to worry about refrigerator not working. The cold air in the kitchen will keep the exterior and interior of fridge cool. If inside temp of house is below freezing, open fridge door only breifly to prevent food from freezing. Open freezer door to allow free frozen air to enter and food frozen. It is comical to me to hear people worried about food spoiling. Try to sell s frig to an Eskimo.