There’s no doubt about it – generators make camping and RV life a whole lot easier.
But toting around a gas can just for your generator is downright annoying… and it stinks, literally.
To make your life easier, we put together these step-by-step instructions to convert your gas generator to propane.
As an RVer or camper, you’re already using propane for your equipment… this conversion just makes sense!
These instructions are for the Honda EU2200i generator.
Keep in mind that modifying your generator may void the manufacturer’s warranty. Modifications may also lead to harm if you don’t follow the kit instructions. Proceed at your own risk.
Benefits of Converting a Generator to Propane
There are many reasons you might want to convert your generator to run off of propane. Here are a few:
Propane Shelf Life
The shelf life of propane is essentially limitless. This is unlike gasoline, which can break down over time and damage your generator. Propane eliminates this worry and the extra cleaning you’d have to do if your gas goes bad.
Can Sit For Months
Because propane doesn’t break down (or gunk up) like gasoline tends to do, your generator can sit for months without being ran. If your propane generator is in storage, there’s no worries about breaking it out every so often to exercise it.
Your propane generator will be ready when you need it, whether you’ve exercised it or not.
Propane Burns Clean
Propane is a much cleaner burning fuel than gasoline. Burning propane releases less emissions into the air. In addition, the exhaust coming out of the generator will be cleaner and the fumes are much less noxious.
Lower Cost
A propane generator has a lower operating cost than a gas generator. Propane itself costs less per gallon than gasoline. Also, you don’t need to do as much maintenance to a propane generator, which lowers costs in itself.
A Better Emergency Resource
Propane, as a fuel, is a more readily available resource in an emergency situation. Think about what you see at gas stations before a major storm – every pump has a line. If there is a natural disaster that knocks your area out for a bit, it’s much easier to get propane for your generator than it is gasoline.
Easier To Store
If you’re an RVer with limited space, sometimes you need to store your generator inside your rig.
This is pretty much impossible with a gasoline generator because of the fumes!
With a propane generator, you don’t have to worry about that. You can store your propane generator inside your rig and breathe easily. Of course, you should never run your generator while it’s inside! But, this makes it easier for transport or to bring in at night for safekeeping.
How To Convert Your Generator To Propane
Converting your generator from gasoline to propane is relatively easy. There are many DIY conversion kits on the market today. Some require quite a bit of work, and some require just a few adjustments.
For this walkthrough, we have chosen the Hutch Mountain Generator Conversion Kit. This conversion kit only requires a few tools and basic knowledge of how to use them. This is a pretty simple DIY project!
What’s Included:
The Hutch Mountain Generator Conversion Kit comes with everything you need to convert your generator to propane – except for the tools and the propane itself.
Tools Needed:
- Power Drill
- Pilot Bit
- Step Drill Bit
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Socket Wrench with 8mm Bit
- 16mm (or ⅝) Wrench
- 2 Crescent Wrenches
- Roll of Tape for marking
Converting Your Generator to Propane Step by Step:
- Remove front engine cover.
- Use tape to mark a line from the edge of the air filter to the plastic generator case. This will help you mark a hole to drill for the propane line.
- Mark your hole and drill. Start with a pilot bit, then increase hole size to 9/16” with your step bit.
- Remove the air filter cover and the 3 nuts holding in the air filter assembly to remove it.
- Install propane line per instructions. Route up through the hole you drilled with included washers. Install the elbow and quick connect fittings.
- Connect the other end of the propane line with included gaskets to the carburetor.
- Replace air filter assembly with included spacer.
- Next, replace air filter and generator engine cover.
- Finally, replace factory operating sticker with sticker included in your kit.
Steps to Take After Converting Your Generator to Propane
If you’ve used gasoline in your generator, you will want to bleed out the gasoline lines after you complete the propane conversion. If you have a new generator, you can skip that step.
To run your generator off of propane, all you need to do is attach your regulator, prime, and check for leaks!
A project like converting your generator to propane might seem daunting, but with the right DIY kit it’s a simple 20 minute process that anyone can do.
Your 2000w Generator can Power Your RV AC
Once you have your 2000w genny up and running, you can actually power your RV AC with it. Here’s the trick, you need an AC soft start.
This little gadget will make your compressor less energy-hungry when it kicks on.
You can learn all the details here.
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I’ll stick with my gas generator that can cut off the fuel supply to run the carburetor dry. It also has a fuel pump to draw fresh fuel from any tank, like my truck gas tank. Best to avoid propane altogether due to extreme fire hazard.
What they either don’t realize or don’t know is, a propane generator uses a ton of propane. Which in the end leaves you with less or no propane to run you heat or your stove for cooking. So you better have at least one extra propane tank for the generator separate from your rigs propane tanks. I personally have never had a problem with our Honda 3000i in 12 years of RVing for 3-5 months at a time. I carry a 5 gallon gas can that I put STABIL in. And I use a fuel pump that runs on two D cell batteries which saves me from lifting that 5 gallon gas can to pour into the generator. Had more than one RV’er tell me after running there propane generator during the day.
Didn’t have enough to run they’re central heat that night when it drop down in the 40s.
Good information but if you are not handy, buy a dual-fuel generator from Champion. Runs for 16 hours. I installed a softstart on the AC and it will run the AC on propane.
Propane is not lower cost to run a generator than gas. Propane has 1/3rd the energy density of gasoline so you’ll burn more propane to get the same power produced than gasoline.
“While propane generally costs less than diesel or gasoline, it has a lower energy density. Diesel has an energy density of 35.8 megajoules per liter (MJ/L), and gasoline has an energy density of 34.2 MJ/L). Propane, however, only has an energy density of 26 MJ/L, almost a third less of that of diesel and gasoline. Therefore, when it comes to comparing costs, you’ll ultimately spend less on fuel in an emergency situation if your generator runs on diesel or gasoline than if it runs on propane.”
I keep asking for the 50 list BUT never seem to get it. Why?
Remember, if you remove, disconnect, detach, deactivate, alter, modify, reprogram, or reduce the effectiveness of any emission control device installed by the manufacturer, or use less-effective replacement parts, then you are committing the act of tampering. Which means, switching from a gasoline engine (which has been epa and carb compliant), to LP which is not been tested for epa and carb compliant is a crime. Be careful what you advise people to do.
Propane does not have 1/3 the energy of gasoline, it has 1/3 LESS energy than gasoline. Therefore it will also only make approximately 70%, the power that gasoline does. A 2000 watt generator on gasoline will not make 2000 Watts on propane. However all things being equal propane will often be approximately the same price to run per kilowatt/ hour as a gasoline generator does.