Generators are devices or machines that convert mechanical energy into electrical energy in the form of voltage and current. They produce electrical energy generally based on the principle of electromagnetic induction.
Electricity has become a basic need for human beings. Now we cannot even imagine surviving on the earth without electricity.
Thus, a backup power generator is always a good idea in case of electrical emergencies, such as power outages, electrical fires, electrical shocks, and fallen power lines.
Follow our guidelines to get comprehensive knowledge and understanding of gas generators.
Generators run on gas
Generators do run on gas. Natural gas has become the most preferred fuel for modern generators because of its high efficiency and less greenhouse gas emission. However, some generators are designed to run on other types of fuel such as liquid propane, diesel, and gasoline.
Bear with us and find out if you can run the generator below with gas –
Generac generators:
Generac Power Systems has been producing one of the most reliable, durable, efficient, and environmentally-friendly generators for more than 80 years. They produce several different types of generators including portable, residential, commercial, and industrial generators.
Natural gas has become the most preferred fuel for generators because it has a longer runtime and emits less greenhouse gas compared to diesel and gasoline.
Generac is considered the expert in producing natural gas generators. They received two Frost and Sullivan awards and a recent CSE award for their 500 kW generators.
Generac generators run on gas are generally installed on a strong underground pipeline network that is less likely to be affected by the weather. Generac generators run on gas require relatively less maintenance than diesel or gasoline generators.
On the other hand, generators run on diesel or gasoline require at least one maintenance service per year.
Generac also manufactures hybrid-fueled generators such as dual and tri-fuel generators. These generators are designed to run on two or three fuel types of fuel including gasoline, natural gas, and propane.
In addition to that, Generac also produces home backup generators that are designed to install permanently to protect the electrical appliances of your house.
These generators deliver power directly to your home’s electrical system or to some selected items for backing up the entire home or the selected items.
Inverter generators:
Inverter generators are a device that inverts electricity to provide cleaner, safer power for sensitive electronics. They are very energy efficient and do not need to fill the gas tank more often.
These generators are designed to automatically maintain their engine speed to the current electricity demand, instead of running at a constant speed no matter the load size. This feature of inverter generators makes their fuel consumption significantly low.
Just like the traditional Generac generators, inverter generators are also usually designed as dual fuel and tri-fuel generators. They can run on two or more fuels such as gasoline, propane, and natural gas.
Inverter generators have several advantages over traditional generators such as they are quiet, small, and energy efficient. However, they are relatively more expensive than traditional generators.
However, these generators have very low power output ranging from 2500 watts to 7000 watts. Thus, they are not ideal for industrial use and are only ideal for small household appliances, RVs, and other outdoor equipment.
Do RV generators run on gas or propane?
Most portable and built-in generators for RV are usually designed to run on propane, gas, gasoline, and diesel.
Propane-fueled generators are a great choice for RVs because it is a clean-burning fuel and generates fewer greenhouse gasses per gallon compared to diesel and gasoline. However, gas is relatively less expensive than propane.
Currently, there are commercially available built-in RV generators that are designed to run on two or more types of fuel including propane, gas, gasoline, and diesel. For instance, the Champion 3800-Watt Dual Fuel RV can run on both gas and propane.
Some RV generators can run only gasoline and diesel. They are also a popular choice for RV because of their cost-efficiency.
These generators are designed to be set into the RVs as built-in generators. They are easy to use and do not need refueling, meaning they can automatically get the fuel from the RV’s fuel tank.
What fuel does a generator run on?
A generator can run on a variety of different fuels including gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, propane gas, natural gas, and solar energy.
Gasoline:
Gasoline is the most commonly used fuel to run a generator. Because gasoline is cost-effective and readily available. Gasoline generators are usually small in size.
However, gasoline generators have a short lifespan and they usually produce relatively high emissions. Gasoline generators are also difficult to start in colder temperatures.
Diesel:
Diesel is also one of the most widely used fuels to run on a generator. Diesel is least flammable and readily available like gasoline. Diesel generators typically have a longer lifespan and can withstand heavy, rigorous use as long as they are properly maintained.
Diesel generators are relatively easy to start in the colder environment compared to gasoline. However, diesel generators also produce high emissions.
Propane gas:
Propane is a liquified petroleum gas and it has a relatively longer shelf life than gasoline and diesel when used as a fuel for generators. The use of propane gas in generators produces fewer pollutants.
Propane generators are usually less expensive and have a longer lifespan. However, Propane is highly flammable when kept under pressure and it is relatively more expensive than other fuels like gasoline or diesel.
Propane generators also require a qualified technician to install and the installation cost is higher compared to other generators.
Natural gas:
Natural gas also can be used to operate a gas generator. Natural gas generates less waste and is easily accessible even in the absence of a power outage.
Natural gas is less expensive and easily starts the generator in cold temperatures as it makes relatively less sound than other generators.
However, natural gas generators are typically non-portable and require higher installation costs.
Biodiesel:
Biodiesel used for generators is usually composed of diesel and fuel from a biological source, such as animal fat or vegetable oil. The advantages and disadvantages of biodiesel are similar to those of regular diesel fuel.
However, biodiesel produces less waste and emissions, thus, it is more environmentally friendly than ordinary diesel.
How long will a generator run on one gallon of gas?
How long a generator runs on one gallon of gas depends on several things including the size of the generator engine, the load on the generator, and the type of gas you are using to run the generator.
One gallon of propane weighs around 4.1 pounds and contains 91,500 BTU of energy. For instance, one gallon of propane gas can run a 10,000-watt generator for around 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes.
Whereas, one gallon of propane can run a 2000-watt generator for around 12 to 13 hours.
On the other hand, one gallon of natural gas weighs around 6 pounds, and a 5000-watt generator needs 0.75 gallons of gas to run for 1 hour.
Thus, one gallon of natural gas typically runs a generator for 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the size of the generator and the load on the generator.
How often do you need to fill gas in a generator?
Generally, portable gas generators need a gas refill every 4 to 8 hours. However, this depends on a few criteria such as the size of the gas tank and the power load on the generator.
For instance, if you are using a small gas tank your gas will finish soon and you need to refill the gas more often. Whereas, if the power load on your generator is high, it will use more fuel thus, you need to refill the gas tank more often.
On the other hand, residential gas generators are different from the portable gas generator. Residential gas generators are usually connected with an underground permanent fuel tank typically, 250 gallons to 500 gallons gas tank.
As a result, these generators require gas refill less often. Typically, most modern gas generators need a gas refill after 50 hours to 60 hours of operation.
Final thought:
Generators can run on gas. Because of the high efficiency and low greenhouse gas emissions of natural gas, it has become the most popular and safe fuel for modern generators. Some generators, however, are intended to run on other fuels such as liquid propane, diesel, and gasoline.