Portable generators run on different types of fossil fuels: natural gas, propane, diesel or gasoline. The diesel generator is the most fuel-efficient. A gallon of diesel fuel will last two to three times as long as gasoline. Also, gasoline generators have to be cooled down before you can refuel which isn’t the case with diesel. Diesel generators are designed to run continuously for hours. The engines are cooled by water, very durable and more dependable than other kinds of generators and have the longest engine life. They use direct injection and are much less likely to start a fire as they don’t have spark plugs. Diesel is the least flammable of all the fuels making it safer to store. However, diesel generators are noisy, smokey and hard to start in cold weather requiring heaters. Also, diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline in many places. Diesel generators are usually the most expensive type and normally used for larger, commercial applications.
Gasoline generators are usually the cheapest and gasoline is available almost anywhere. However, they emit harmful carbon monoxide and are noisy. They also require frequent maintenance and the engine wears out faster than diesel, propane or natural gas generators. Gasoline has a short shelf life, gums up, is highly flammable and dangerous to store for long durations. They require frequent maintenance to avoid fuel filter and carburetor problems. However, they are the most affordable and popular choice for a standby home generator.
Propane gas generators are excellent for cold climates because they don’t have trouble starting in cold weather. If you have an existing propane tank for your stove or heater the generator can be hooked right up to that. The biggest disadvantage of propane is it’s a more expensive fuel than gas and produces less energy per unit volume than diesel. Propane has an unlimited shelf life. Propane burns clean and doesn’t gum up. It has the lowest noise level and a longer engine life than gasoline or diesel.
If you live in an area where natural gas is available the advantages and disadvantages of the propane gas generator are about the same. Natural gas is probably the most reliable and dependable fuel on earth. Usually the only time there is a natural gas outage is during a hurricane or earthquake. Of course propane and natural gas generators have a higher installation cost due to plumbing costs and the initial cost is higher than gas generators.
Oil and natural gas companies like, Western Pipeline Corporation, provide a reliable source of supply of all these types of fuel.
