Dual Fuel Portable Generator Benefits & Reviews
There are many benefits to owning a dual fuel generator. The main one of course being that if one of the fuel sources isn’t available to you at a certain time, you can always use the other source and the generator will function perfectly normally for you. If you do have both of the fuel sources available, then you can choose which one to use depending on the task at hand.
With two types of fuels to choose from, how do you know which one is best? What is the difference between them? Do they affect the environment and how?
There are many questions to ask and we’ll try and explain everything you need to know on this page.
Fuel Types
A standard generator will typically run on just one fuel source. But there are also now models that can use two or even three types of fuels. The most common fuels used are gasoline, diesel, liquid propane and natural gas. You can buy the first two quite easily from your local gas station. The other two you have to buy from specialist outlets but they are still quite common and easily available.
Do You Need A Dual Fuel Portable Generator?
When deciding whether or not you do require one that has the dual fuel option, it’s important to know what the differences are between the fuels themselves. When you know that, you can then decide whether you do in fact need one or not.
Diesel is of course a very common fuel source. You can buy it direct from your gas station and use directly in your diesel generator. But you can also mix Bio diesel into the diesel which means your generator will not produce as much emissions as normal, so you get the exact same power but without damaging the atmosphere.
Propane can come in two different forms, liquid or vapor. The liquid is taken from the bottom of the gas tank and the vapor from the top of it.
Natural gas is what is found in most homes.
Our Reviews
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Champion Power Equipment 76533 | Click Here |
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DuroMax XP10000EH | Click Here |
Popular Generator Options
Diesel generators are the most expensive models you can buy, that’s why gasoline generators are the most commonly found because they are cheaper to buy. If you are only going to use the generator on the odd occasion then a gasoline or propane generator makes a lot of sense. But if you need one that will be used very often, then a diesel generator will be more cost effective in the long run. Diesel is by far the most efficient type of fuel.
You will also need to think about how you are going to store the type of fuel for your generator. If you’re not using it for an extended time, then you could just go and buy some gas from the local station in a fuel can. But if you use the generator often, you might want to consider getting a storage tank and putting it on your property. The same can be said with propane too, you can buy storage tanks to hold that fuel too and use for your propane portable generator. It just comes down to how much fuel you are going to be using.
The most popular dual fuel portable generator uses gasoline. It’s a cheap enough fuel to buy and the generators have a built in fuel tank to store it. You don’t have to carry around a separate gas bottle to use your generator. Just add the gasoline and you’re good to go. They are also much lighter in weight than a diesel portable generator.
So now you know all about the types of fuels and which is the most common, let’s look at what features you should be aware of before you buy.
Common Generator Features To Check Before Buying
Types of Fuel – Obviously, when buying a dual fuel generator you need to check which fuels it uses. Most commonly these will be gasoline or propane but you should always make sure.
Power – How much power the generator produces is also important to know. Some of the best models will run at 3800 Watts but others will be different. So decide how much you will need and make sure the generator will provide it.
Run Time – You need to make sure it will run for the length of time you need it to. Run time will depend on fuel capacity and how much power it is using. The best models can run for 8-9 on a single tank of gasoline or even longer on a single full tank of propane.
Outlets – Some will have lots of different outlets but others may only have a few. Be sure that the model has enough for your needs.
Engine Size – More power will be created by a larger engine. Some of the top models have 200+cc engines and those can deliver a lot of power and reliability.
Surge Protection – Having a surge protection feature means that it will protect anything you plug into the generator just in case there were a surge of electric. This can be a really handy feature and protect your appliances or tools from damage.
Weight – Whilst most of the best dual fuel portable generators will have wheels built in, you should also check the weight of them if you will be lifting it in and out of your vehicle.
Best Place To Buy
Because these portable tools can be large and not the cheapest items to buy, your local tool store probably won’t stock a wide range of them and if they do, they probably won’t be the right ones you need. That’s why we recommend you buy your generator online from a site like Amazon.com.
They have dozens of different makes and models to choose from, you can quickly and easily see what features each one has, look at which of them fall in between your price range and also read real customer reviews from buyers of the products. Once you have done all that, you’ll find it almost impossible to NOT choose the right model you need.
Check out our portable generator ratings and reviews, we have found the most popular 3 generators on Amazon and reviewed them for you.
Summary
Having a dual fuel generator can be beneficial for many reasons. You can choose which fuel to use for the type of situation you need the generator for. This means it will prove to be more effective in the long run and well worth paying a little bit more for the dual fuel option than a regular single fuel generator which is slightly cheaper to purchase.
Be sure to check out what models Amazon has and the features of each model before you buy.
