More Advantages and Uses For Propane Generators

A propane generator is an excellent way to go for many uses from recreational to residential. Small businesses that need a portable electricity solution can use propane instead of gasoline as a more environmentally friendly option. It can also be set up as a standby emergency generator.

Propane is made using natural gas crude oil refining. It burns with less emissions than liquid fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel. Propane is actually stored in a liquid state and as it returns to a gas it evaporates out of the tank, causing the outside of the cylinder to frost up during heavy usage. These propane cylinders are easy to get refilled and safe to store away from sources of ignition and combustibles. Gasoline is known to have a fairly limited shelf life, unlike propane which will be fine for quite a long time unused.

It is important to note that using propane still introduces carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, just less of it than with gasoline and diesel. For this reason a propane generator could be considered less harmful to the environment, although not a perfect solution.

A propane generator can provide reasonably efficient energy output compared to cost and can be set up to run over a long period of time using a large household supply tank. A large propane generator would be capable of supplying the electrical needs of many appliances at once, as a standby generator for use in a power outage or emergency. Since many homes have propane tanks in use for water heaters, kitchen stoves, outside barbeques and home furnaces, it is not too much of a stretch to imagine installing an emergency propane generator that would be activated on a moment's notice.

Propane Generator Advantages

Here are a few of the many advantages a propane generator has over a regular old gasoline power plant. After reading this, you will be hard pressed to make do with a gas burning generator!

First thing we will discuss is how much cleaner burning the fuel is when you use propane. The toxic fumes and atmospheric pollution is much higher from gasoline than it is from propane. Propane by itself is odourless and non toxic. The smell associated with propane is added to it to assist in finding or noticing leaks, and it is called Mercaptan.

Another big advantage to propane generators is storing fuel in cylinders versus in a jerry can. Storage of small amounts of gasoline in plastic jerry cans is a real pain, as well as a fire hazard. Comparatively, a propane bottle such as the ones used on barbeques rarely leak. In any case, a propane leak will disipate if it is in an open area, whereas a gasoline leak will leave a big stain on the floor or ground.

If your house has a propane tank to supply the furnace with fuel, then a propane generator can be plumbed in directly to the household propane. Then, in the case of an emergency need for electricity, your generator can quickly swing into action and will have the large propane tank as fuel. This would enable a household to maintain power for extended periods of time with their standby emergency generator. Propane generators are also more cost effective, depending on how much propane costs at the time.