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Old 01-23-2015, 04:37 PM   #1
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Generators

Im thinking of buying a skinny mimi 24j. Im trying to decide if I should order a diesel generator or a propane generator. What are the pros & cons of either one?
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Old 01-23-2015, 05:44 PM   #2
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Well based on the fact that you have a 13 gallon LP tank and a 26 gallon diesel tank, I would get the diesel generator. This leaves all of the LP fuel for the furnace and cooking.....and you are able to run the generator many more hours with a 26 gallon tank (main diesel tank).

Diesel generators generally last longer and are many times quieter as well. Didn't look up the specs on the Onan 3,200 watt diesel which is listed as optional....but many diesels run at 1800 rpm vs the gas and LP units which run at 3600 rpm.
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Old 01-23-2015, 07:12 PM   #3
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Also trying to decide if the overhead bunk is something I should order even though we only travel as a couple.
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Old 01-23-2015, 09:26 PM   #4
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It also depends how many hours you will use it. Diesel,better for more frequent use but cost more and requires more maintenance.
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Old 01-23-2015, 10:11 PM   #5
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If you don't plan on using it much, propane is nicer as it is simple and doesn't gum up. But if you are using it much (for example, to run the roof air while driving in summer) I think you definitely want a diesel generator so it becomes simple to refill the fuel supply

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Old 01-23-2015, 10:25 PM   #6
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Im thinking of buying a skinny mimi 24j. Im trying to decide if I should order a diesel generator or a propane generator. What are the pros & cons of either one?

If you run it a lot - no contest if you have the money - diesel.

The other guys left out economy- propane is the second lowest yield fuel you can get just above natural gas. This is the reason propane generators swill the stuff like drunken sailors. Combine that with the always smaller tank and fewer places to fuel and the diesel runs away with it.

Natural gas has about 20% less energy per unit than propane.
Propane has 20% less energy per unit than gasoline.
Gasoline has 20% less energy per unit that diesel.

Although propane gensets tend to outlive gasoline one because the fuel burns clean they are still built on gasoline reciprocal assemblies (with higher compression pistons) and wont run as long as a diesel will with its beefy lower end.

The diesel will run longer on a gallon of fuel and require less maintenance in the long run.

If you just go from campground to campground and use hook ups all the time or only put a few hours at a time on - harder to justify the cost.

I run the thing for a week straight powering several trailers or for 8 hour stretches of driving at a time- the propane units just wont cut it for me.

UD
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Old 02-02-2015, 08:37 AM   #7
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We too had the same question you have put forward. I think the main question you must answer is how much time you will put on generator. For light use, get propane.

Diesel for heavy usage. We have a Winnie view 24 ft. with 30,000 miles showing, and generator (propane) shows under 20 hours use. Salesman at dealer steered us correctly (Lichtsinn) telling us their trade in units almost never had many hours on generators, and that is why they order their views with propane. Propane cleaner than diesel, no smell, doesn't gum up, and now is readily available at big truck stops like Flying J or Love's. And cost of propane generators much less initially.
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Old 02-02-2015, 12:56 PM   #8
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Diesel is easier to find
Diesel is easiter to carry in a fuel can
You have more diesel capacity than Propane
Diesel has more watts per gallon than propane.

Do you see a theme here?
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Old 03-01-2015, 03:02 PM   #9
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diesel gen set much more efficient, diesel easer to find, propand can be difficult to find in smaller towns and you will need to fill every other day if you are running gen set to cool on the road.

I speek from experance becouse i bought a diesel pusher one time that had propane gen set. I used it in summertime for one trip from houston to colorado and back. some towns were nearly impossible to find propane. would fill up with diesel then spend a hour going all over town trying to find propane. I came home and sold my propwne gen set and bought a diesel set, so much better would run two ac's for 1/3 gallon of diesel per hour.
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Old 03-01-2015, 06:24 PM   #10
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How does a diesel gum up??
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Old 03-02-2015, 11:23 AM   #11
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How does a diesel gum up??

I think geoffpruet was referring to gasoline generators with the "gum up" situation. However diesel fuel doesn't remain stable forever, but since it's feeding from the main fuel tank in this situation, it's not likely to have been stagnant for years and years. If so you might have an issue with the chassis engine as well.
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Old 03-03-2015, 07:36 PM   #12
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Generators

Run it every month for an hour or so, with a load. It will be fine.
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Old 03-15-2015, 09:37 AM   #13
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Diesel Generator! Don't even think about a propane generator. As to the bunk over your head you can order it with an entertainment center or just have it converted for storage. Leaving it as a bed means that you have a great deal of storage and a place to sleep if you want to use it as a tailgate machine!
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Old 03-16-2015, 01:52 PM   #14
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Generators

Good topic;good feedback from everyone. On a recent trip to the UK I spoke to a ice cream vendor running a MB Sprinter large van with a diesel generator. He told me he runs both the engine and generator 20 hours a day to keep his business going. He had no problems with the diesel units and would not have propane.
The MB Sprinter with diesel generator is the combo for my next RV.
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