While shopping for a new generator, a homeowner was surprised by a product description that said a tank of at least 60 pounds was required for use.
Here's what to know
On Reddit, they said they had made it through an eight-day outage with no issues with a propane-powered unit that used 20- and 30-pound tanks. To clear up their confusion, they asked other generator users why a larger tank would be necessary when smaller tanks had worked for them previously.
Beyond holding enough fuel, a propane tank must supply vapor fast enough to keep the generator's engine running.
One person explained, "A larger engine requires a greater rate of fuel delivery, so larger generators require larger tanks."
More background
Commenters described frozen 20-pound "barbecue" tanks as one problem for generators rated at 12 to 15 kilowatts. They attributed that problem to a mismatch between fuel demand and vapor supply: those larger units can consume propane faster than a small tank can vaporize it.
A small cylinder's ability to deliver fuel can become the limiting factor, even when propane remains inside.
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The post did not identify either the model used during the outage or the one carrying the 60-pound minimum. Without those details, it is unclear whether the two machines had comparable fuel demands.
A generator's product description can spell out its propane-tank requirements. While familiar 20-pound barbecue cylinders may seem like a convenient fuel supply, they may not be interchangeable with the larger tank a particular generator requires.
Where can I learn more?
Matching a generator to its fuel supply has tripped up other homeowners, too.
• A generator owner considering two 20-pound propane tanks for a 13kW unit received freezing warnings.
• At 14 degrees Fahrenheit, generator owners warned that 20-pound tanks can freeze before becoming half empty.
• A cabin's 22-kW backup plan was upended by a missing propane tank.
• A homeowner received a 9,600W generator recommendation, but commenters warned about high fuel consumption.
• A homeowner considering a 7,000-watt tri-fuel generator learned that natural gas reduces output to 5,500 watts.
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