We are coming to the later stages of an amazing summer. I know, I know…I have a little tear in my eye too. In talking with some friends about the upcoming close of peak travel season and the approaching start of storm season in the Pacific Northwest, the topic of generators has come up lately. I get asked my opinion as a retailer of some hard-working generators and a user of them as well. Lots of folks would love that magic machine that works for home and travel, works reliably, is whisper quiet, and is able to be powered by whatever fuel you have handy.
The ability to avoid a dependency on something you cannot directly control is something we all seek at one time or another. It is always nice to have options. Whether it is having an alternate route to get around that construction zone delay or having another event you “have to get to” in order to avoid that party you do not want to be stuck at right now, options are awesome. Flexible fuels in power generation systems are not all that new, but their availability in terms of consumer-friendly options is increasing. The military has long had flexible fuel engines to let the most austere fuel available allow them to operate successfully. This is often the domain of very large format diesel or gas turbine engines which are not typically a great fit for that weekend camping trip for your family.
In many parts of the world, gasoline is still king when it comes to useful, portable fuel for small engines. It is often readily available, offers good energy density, and is easy to pour and go. The problems can come with inconsistent quality of gasoline depending on your source, the issues of water contamination inherent in the magical fluid, and the mess potential with combustion cleanliness, transport, stable storage, and fueling (especially when it comes to terrible container pour spouts) phases.
Propane ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to storage (decades versus months of stable storage), ease of refilling with secure threaded and sealed connections, and is still readily available for most travelers.
We have several power generators available to consumers and professional users that add compressed natural gas to the capabilities list. Some of these units can switch modes with the flick of a switch while others require some reconfiguring with simple tools to achieve the variety of operation modes.
This flexibility does come at a premium when it comes to cost. These machines also wear based on the type of fuel that you use in it. The clean-burn of propane or natural gas can lead to significant service life of a unit. That same unit subjected to bad-quality gasoline will require more maintenance and likely a lower longevity overall. Flexible fuel options are a great consideration if you have access to a variety of fuel sources and the means to store enough of the fuel (or fuels) for your next adventure.