# Propane or diesel and why



## tuney443 (Nov 9, 2015)

Hi everyone,just joined your club.Hoping some knowledgeable electrical guru types can set me straight on my power needs.Here's the scenario: I'm a small excavating contractor who has an electric service at my shop now,have used it for years but I'm in a flood plain,the last flood 3 years ago had water 6'' above my meter.Yes I can repower,of course,increase in height for this to never happen again but now between the power company and an electrician,the re connect is pricey plus the future high monthly bills.So I just installed a new 30'x30' fabric shelter garage and I'm leaning on either a propane or diesel generator for all my power needs.I'm thinking app.8-10K watts,would like something fairly quiet,most of the time the generator will only run when I'm at my shop,sometimes continuous to keep a block heater and/or a space heater on.I would like at least 6 120V outlets--20 amp. and at least 1 220/240- outlet for my welder.What brands can you guys suggest please?

Thanks,
Wayne


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## aandpdan (Oct 8, 2012)

Both propane or diesel fuel will store for long periods so as long as you have a reliable supply that isn't a significant concern.

"Fairly quiet" is subjective. The "better" generators usually are 4 pole units running at 1800 RPM. An inverter generator would be quieter, and more fuel efficient, but sizing one to power your needs and the welder may be costly. A diesel powered welder/generator set may be more practical.

To power a block heater overnight, or a space heater, you might consider an inverter generator. 

Spend some time to really calculate your needs. A quality generator is not cheap and the cost to produce power is usually significantly more expensive than it would be for the POCO to provide it.

Just some thoughts.


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## tuney443 (Nov 9, 2015)

The cost of re hooking up to the power co. will surpass the cost of my new generator so I'm definitely going generator.Looking for advice on quality brands such as Generac,leaning more to propane.I can actually run my 220 V welder on my Honda gas generator the few times I need it.


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Do you use propane for any other purposes, e.g. heat? Here in SE Ohio you can get 'dinged" by your propane supplier for "insufficient" usage and have to pay a yearly rental for a big tank. If you tell them you're only running a generator they'll try to put in bottles which are a PITA. You can get a tank, but they'll charge you additional for the installation in additon to the yearly fee. 

I have experience with the propane Generacs in whole house back up scenarios. You'll have to wire your existing circuits to the "back up load center" they provide as they don't have outlets like a regular portable genset. Also, the ones I'm familiar with are set up to be back up and charging the battery comes from your regular utility supply so you'll have to dedicate one of the breakers to that purpose. So you'll be using an electrician for that wiring if you're not handy. Also have to see if you can modify the transfer switch circuitry so it isn't auto start. 

Generac does have a 5500W propane set up to run off 20lb. cylinders, nice unit, except the cylinders only last 3-4 hours. I looked into that one for my house, planning on connecting to my 350 gallon tank. Discovered that wold immediately and irrefutably void the warranty!! To get battery start and "legally" connect to a bulk tank you're suddenly in the whole house, transfer switch, and I think 12KW size. That was what I found out about 6 months ago talking to local dealer and Generac direct.

You already have a honda, you're used to a cadillac, so why not see what they have for your application? 

Personally leery of diesel gensets, only because my diesel experience is limited to the big tractors we have here on the farm and getting them running below freezing can be character building. 

I think that aandpdan nailed it with his comment about "not cheap." Propane gensets for your application don't seem to exist unless you get bigger and more complex than you need and then modify which immediately voids warranties. That was my experience trying to find a 5-6KW propane for critical circuits in my house.

Good luck,


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