Believe it or not, every single year somewhere north of 60 million Americans use propane to power a backup generator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Propane is one of the most popular fuel sources for generators today, and for good reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are a lot of benefits to using propane. It\u2019s reliable, it\u2019s consistent, it\u2019s affordable, and it\u2019s easy to store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, not everything about propane generators is \u201csunshine and roses\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are definitely some downsides and some drawbacks to using propane as your generator power source. Some of them are going to be pretty obvious, but some of them are going to surprise you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this detailed breakdown we cover (almost) everything you need to know before you decide to use a propane generator as your dedicated backup or emergency power source.<\/p>\n\n\n
Let\u2019s kick things off with highlighting all of the benefits that propane generators have to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For starters, propane generators are very convenient to use \u2013 mostly because finding fuel for these generators is almost effortless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Propane generators can run off of dedicated propane lines to be sure. But they can just as easily run off of propane bottles and canisters that power grills and outdoor kitchens all across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not hard to find propane<\/a>, even in an emergency. The same cannot be said about other fuel sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On top of that, you don\u2019t have to worry about fuel degradation issues the way you might with gasoline or diesel fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those two fuel sources in specific are going to degrade over time. They might be fresh and ready to roll when you add them to your stockpile, but sooner rather than later those fuels are going to lose their effectiveness \u2013 and maybe even present a safety hazard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Propane doesn\u2019t have that problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It doesn\u2019t degrade, it doesn\u2019t lose effectiveness, and it doesn\u2019t become more dangerous as time goes on.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Propane generators aren\u2019t a nightmare to get started, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are real \u201cset it and forget it\u201d kinds of generators that just sort of work the way you expect them to, even in some really nasty and harsh conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Propane setups can even be configured to power on automatically the second that a constant supply of power from your municipal source isn\u2019t available \u2013 and then shut off instantly when your regular power supply comes back on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Propane is a really clean fuel source for generators, allowing them to sometimes go months \u2013 if not years \u2013 between service dates or cleanings without any ill effect whatsoever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just try and pull that off with a traditional gasoline or diesel fueled generator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You wouldn\u2019t make it a week or two without consistent cleanings!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold temperatures are another challenge for gasoline and diesel powered setups, but that\u2019s not a problem for propane, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNo Fuel Degradation Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Easy to Start<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Next to No Extra Maintenance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n