Propane or Diesel generator

[TTrox]

Getting ready to downsize to a class C on a MB Sprinter chassis. Have a choice of a propane or diesel generator. Which is best, most reliable, least maintenance or is there any serious issues one way or the other.

[okcnewbie]

Here ya go;

https://www.generatorjoe.net/html%2Fgenfuel.html

[Isaac-1]

I feel diesel is better by far, but they are more expensive, and for the most part heavier which may cut into your cargo carrying capacity. They are also generally physically larger, and am a bit surprised they are even an option on the sprinter platform.

[TonyMac]

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

I feel diesel is better by far, but they are more expensive, and for the most part heavier which may cut into your cargo carrying capacity. They are also generally physically larger, and am a bit surprised they are even an option on the sprinter platform.

Ditto

[miniceptor86]

I'd go with the diesel for fueling convenience.

[ga traveler]

If you are one of those that never use a generator, You might go with LP. If you plan to use it, As most people do, For sure go diesel. You will spend half your camping time looking for a propane station. Class B's use a small tank and not much capacity. It will payback at selling time.

[Loggenrock]

We've got a propane genny on our Sprinter chassis. One of the deciding factors to go with the Coachmen vs a View was the size of the propane tank. We've got an 85#/20gal capacity propane tank - the extra size minimizes the concerns about running the propane genny. Nice thing about propane is it never goes bad! ST

[Dutch Star Don]

I would not buy an RV with a propane generator. They're louder and you'll spend half of your time hunting for propane.

[S Bradley]

Personally I prefer LP, I don't think the weight is worth it. Additionally fuel capacity of Sprinter is only 26 gal.. If I were going to spend the extra bucks I would install Solar to extend boondocking, even a portable Solar panel is a better use of your money.

[George Schweikle]

Louder?. Really? We have had one of each, and they both seemed to have the same sound levels. They both have the same basic engine with the Propane version downgraded due to lower power from Propane fuel.

Onan Microlite 4000W gas

Onan Microlite 3600W Propane (really a 4000W downgraded to 3600W).

For the original question, we dry camp a lot using the genny for A/C, and it was a pain to frequently locate propane. Much happier with a gas genny that drinks from the main fuel tank. As mentioned earlier for Propane vs. Diesel on a Sprinter chassis, factors like size / weight / cost may alter the decision

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I would not buy an RV with a propane generator. They're louder and you'll spend half of your time hunting for propane.

[ahicks]

Diesel fan here as well. The ones I'm familiar with are liquid cooled (vs. the gas and propane fan cooled), making them super reliable and ultra quiet.

Here though, not familiar with what they would use when talking diesel so it's tough to make a call. Is there a make/model specified somewhere for the diesel option?

[Mr_D]

Had a propane 6.2 KW unit in a 2000 DSDP, never again. In one 5 day period we went through 2 10 gal. tanks as well as most of our 40 gal (32 usable) onboard tank. The unit was noisy enough that neighbors complained plus it shut down twice due to overheating.

[WNJeffers]

The propane generator, a 6300-watt Onan, is the one thing I like least about our motorhome. It consumes about one-half gallon of propane per hour. (Ours runs on liquid propane, not propane vapor, and I do not know how that compares to models that run on propane vapor.) Our propane tank is only 35 gallons, which means 28-gallon effective capacity, so it doesn’t take long to go through it. In my experience, most places that sell propane cannot fill the tank on a motorhome – no accessibility for a large vehicle and a short hose intended for filling portable tanks. Propane is also more expensive per gallon than diesel. It also costs about twice as much per gallon to fill the motorhome propane tank compared to getting delivery to the big propane tank at our house.

Wayne

[garbonz]

Diesel if you use it a lot, propane otherwise. I would estimate that 90 % of the sprinters out there are propane, because of the cost difference