How long will a Generac Generator Run on Propane?

Who cares about the environment? We do! And that’s the reason you are here! The first thing that we tell about LP gas is-it’s environment-friendly.

If you have just bought a propane Generac generator, it’s time to learn about it a little more! So, how long will a Generac generator run on propane during power outages? That’s why we are here! Let’s talk about it!

Propane and the Runtime

When the goal is to use fuel for the generator that’s environment-friendly, the first name is propane! No matter you are using a Generac whole-house standby generator or a portable generator, propane is one of the most common choices.

Especially, for the people that don’t have any gas pipeline underneath their house, propane is the best solution. Both for commercial and home use, you can use propane for the generator.

Not every fuel runs your generator the same way or the same period. Today, we will check out how long any Generac generator will run on propane. Let’s have a look! If you are using a gas generator, until the propane fuel supply is exhausted, it will continue running.

So, you are ready with your propane generator by adding the necessities like the automatic transfer switch and the extension cords for generator. Now, when it comes to operating the generator, you have to check for the cost. Yes, propane generators will cost you a little extra than the natural gas Generac generators. Let’s learn about it.

When the fact is how much your Generac generator will run with propane, the propane tank comes in between. Not all propane tanks are equal. There are propane tanks recommended for Generac generators are 500 gallons to 1000 gallons.

However, don’t settle for anyone below 250 gallons. Every hour, any regular generator will consume 2-3 gallons of fuel. If you have added a 500-gallon tank to your generator, it will run the generator continuously for about a week or so.

The same goes for the 1000-gallon one too. With this one, you can run the propane Generac whole house generators for 2 weeks at the time of power outage.

Usage of Generator on Propane

If you have a 22 kW generator by Generac brand, it will burn more or less 2.1 gallons of fuel every hour. This is the rating for 50% load. In the case of full load, the propane consumption will increase. While using the full load, 3.6 gallons per hour or so will be consumed by the generator of 22 kW.

When you settle for the larger generators, the propane consumption will increase. For the 38 kW generators run with propane, the consumption of fuel will be 3 gallons every hour. Again, it’s the consumption for 50% load. For a full load, the fuel consumption of the Generac generator will be 5.4 gallons per hour.

We have discussed the tanks that are above 500-gallons. So, how long will a Generac generator run on 5 gallons of propane? The period is 8 hours. It will last 5-7 hours and serve constantly with 5 gallons or LP gas. In the case of natural gas, 5-gallons of gas will provide a continuous generator service of 8 hours.

Natural Gas vs. Propane Runtime

Natural gas has a continuous flow. As a result, you do not need to worry much about natural gas as it has no tank. It is supplied directly. Propane or liquid propane is different. To convert it into gas and store it, you will require a tank. You can add the tank above the ground or below ground. As we have told you before, propane tanks come in 250 gallons size to 1000 gallons size.

You can pick up anyone. And if you connect the generator to the tank, when the power outage occurs, the Generac generator will turn on automatically. It will keep providing the power until the tank’s propane supply is exhausted or gone. So, in the case of propane, you have to check the tank, again and again, to ensure if the tank has gas or not.

Otherwise, you can run out of gas anytime if you do not refill it. A regular propane power generator like Generac will require 2-3 gallons for every hour. So, fill up the tank completely once and you don’t need to worry for the whole week! It will serve you continuously when there is no electricity in your house.

According to the manufacturers of Generac and other generators, they recommend you to limit the generator to 500 hours at most when it comes to continuous usage. Do not use your propane generator continuously for more than three weeks.  

Note: We always recommend you to settle for natural gas for the Generac generator if you are thinking about the price. If you ask which is cheaper to run gas or propane, we will suggest natural gas for generators as it’s highly affordable to use. If the natural gas line is there, you don’t need to invest much in the installation.

In terms of using propane as fuel, add the tank, provide dealer charge and the plumber charge is more here. If you don’t have a transfer switch, you have to add it additionally which will cost you a bit more. Check out the cost to install a generator transfer switch before getting a generator. Then, combine the total cost before picking up one.

Wrap Up

Propane is a clean-burning environment-friendly fuel compared to the Generac generator fuel. With propane, power interruption while outages are less because you will get the service even during the natural calamities!

And not to forget, if you have an allergy, propane generators are the saviors. Keeping all these in mind, if you plan to go for propane generators- you must check the runtime we have mentioned above!