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      08-03-2020, 04:03 PM   #4
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Drives: Potato
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: USA

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Natural gas is cheaper than propane which is priced like gasoline. So on that alone I’d go natgas.

I’ve had natgas and propane at two different houses. There was no operational difference, no maintenance difference, etc. Still an oil change a year, new filter, etc. Like a lawnmower.

I would get natgas if the fuel is available at your house. If a disaster disrupts the natgas lines, you’ve got bigger problems than whether your generator will run. Second choice is propane if you have a large tank (ours was 400 gal I think) but it is easy enough to have old Hank Hill tell you how much propane you need on hand to run for whatever duration you’re worried about. Don’t expect propane deliveries in the week after a major storm - high demand and lots of down trees blocking roads mean a safer plan is to have the fuel on hand. If those options don’t work, then maybe gasoline. But again you need to have a supply on hand, probably several cans of reasonably fresh gas ready to go.

And these generators typically start and run for 15 minutes each week so you will have some fuel use to plan for even in good weather.

One other thought is that if you can swing it, just get a generator sized to serve the whole house. It is cheaper to select critical circuits (a TV for news, Modem/Router, a few lights and the fridge/cooking equipment) but a lot more convenient to have everything working. Easier to wire in, too.
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