COMPARISON OF PORTABLE AND RV GENERATORS FOR HOME STANDBY USE

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COMPARISON OF PORTABLE AND RV GENERATORS FOR HOME STANDBY USE

This is a comparison of a 3,000 and 5,000 watt portable generator compared to the same sizes in Onan RV generators. We used our experience and costs based on Santa Rosa, CA. Not all areas of the country will be the same or have the same conditions.

Cost is only one factor. Carefully consider the safety, security, setup and storage issues shown on the chart. Please read the summary at the end of this chart as too! Whether you agree or now we want you to be informed. No matter what you decide to purchase we would like to have your order.

We have RV generators from 2,500 watts (2.5 kW) to 12,000 watts (12 kW), in gasoline, propane and diesel. We have portable generators from 1,000 watts (1 kW) to 15,000 watts (15 kW) in gasoline, diesel, propane and natural gas. The majority of portable generators are gasoline powered.

We will be offering portable kits which include a generator, transfer switch, cord and outlet box for one low price. To see our kits click Portable Kits. COMING SOON!

If you are considering a portable for a residential use, see our chart at Portable vs Stationary. For more information about fuels see Generator Fuels.

COMPARISON OF CATEGORIES BETWEEN PORTABLE AND RV GENERATORS
Category	Typical	Portable	RV	Portable	RV	Winner
		3,000 Watts	2,800 Watts	5,000 Watts	5,000 Watts	2,800 Watt	5,000 Watt
Models	Portable vs RV	Honda EB5000	Onan MicroLite 2800	Honda EB5000	Onan Marquis Gold 5000
Time of Need	On Road and Parked	Can't be used while mobile.	Usable always	Can't be used while mobile.	Usable always	RV	RV
Size	Compact is Preferred	26L x 18W x 21.1H	24L x 16.5W x 12.3H	26L x 18W x 21.1H	24L x 16.5W x 12.3H	RV	RV
Weight	Lighter is Preferred	134.5 lbs	113 lbs			RV	RV
Remote Control/Start	Automatic Preferred	No Auto-start	Auto-start Standard	No Auto-start	Auto-start Standard	RV	RV
Auto Choking	Automatic Preferred	No Auto-choke	Auto-Choke Standard	No Auto-choke	Auto-Choke Standard	RV	RV
Remote Panel and Cables Available?	Start GenSet from inside RV	No	Yes, Option	No	Yes, Option	RV	RV
Move In/Out	Permanent Desirable	Required to Run in Open Air	Operates in Closed Compartment	Required to Run in Open Air	Operates in Closed Compartment	RV	RV
Setup or Connecting	Permanent Desirable	Pull Out, Reconnect with Each Use	Always Connected	Pull Out, Reconnect with Each Use	Always Connected	RV	RV
Transfer of Power	Manual	Manual Only	Manual Only	Manual Only	Manual Only	-	-
Unattended Operation	Unattended desirable	Short Periods Only	Runs Unattended	Short Periods Only	Runs Unattended	RV	RV
Operation by Family	Desirable	Usually difficult	Automatic Operation	Usually difficult	Automatic Operation	RV	RV
Weather Protection	Desirable	Requires shelter or move out/in	Operates in Closed Compartment	Requires shelter or move out/in	Operates in Closed Compartment	RV	RV
Security	Desirable	Easy to steal if left out	Locked in Compartment	Easy to steal if left out	Locked in Compartment	RV	RV
Security During Operation	Highly Desirable	Must go outside to start and refuel	Runs Automatically in Compartment	Must go outside to start and refuel	Runs Automatically in Compartment	RV	RV
Fuel Tank Type	Strongest Preferred	Usually plastic	Usually steel propane tank or built-in RV Tank	Usually plastic	Usually steel propane tank or built-in RV Tank	RV	RV
Fuel Tank Size	Larger better than smaller	3.4 gallons	50+ gallons	4.5 gallons	50+ gallons	RV	RV
Run Time per Tank	Longer is better	at 1/2 load 10 hours at full load 57 hours	at 1/2 load 160 hours at full load 80 hours	at 1/2 load 11.2 hours at full load 5 hours	at 1/2 load 83 hours at full load 40 hours	RV	RV
Refueling	Automatic Preferred	Every 10 hours @ 1/2 load	80+ hours	Every 5-11 hours @ 1/2 load	40+ hours	RV	RV
Storage of Fuel	Desirable, if safe	Fuel cans outside or inside	In RV Tanks	Fuel cans outside or inside	In RV Tanks	RV	RV
Fuel Tanks	RV manufacturer	No	Yes	No	Yes
Fuel Economy	@ Full Load	Poor	Excellent	Poor	Excellent	RV	RV
Refueling System	Automatic Preferred	By hand with cans, stop generator	Refueled With RV	By hand with cans, stop generator	Refueled With RV	RV	RV
Fuel Type	Propane or Diesel Preferred	Gasoline	Propane, Diesel, Gasoline	Gasoline	Propane, Diesel, Gasoline	RV	RV
Preferred Fuel	Propane or RV Engine Fuel	Propane, No Pourable Fuels	Propane, Diesel, Gasoline from RV Tank Only	Propane, No Pourable Fuels	Propane, Diesel, Gasoline from RV Tank Only	RV	RV
Generator Cost	Lower is better than higher	$1,822	1,766	$2,011	$2,733	RV	*Portable*
Estimated Install Labor (electrician)	Lower is better than higher	$100	$300	$100	$300	RV	RV
Other Parts	Cords, plug	$50	None	$50	None	RV	RV
Total Initial Cost	Lower is better than higher	$1,972	$2,066 ($94 more) Propane or Diesel Higher	$2,161	$3,033 ($872 more) Propane or Diesel Higher	*Portable*	*Portable*
Cost Per Hour to Run @ 1/2 Load	Lower is better than higher	0.34 gallons per hour or $0.60 hr	0.30 gallons per hour or $0.52 hr	1.0 gallons per hour or $2.00 hr	0.60 gallons per hour or $1.20 hr	RV	RV
Estimated Life Hours	Longer is better than shorter	checking facts	checking facts	checking facts	checking facts	RV	RV
Years of Life	Longer is better than shorter	checking facts	checking facts	checking facts	checking facts	RV	RV
Cost Over 10 years	Lower is better than higher	checking facts	checking facts	checking facts	checking facts	RV	RV
Noise	Lower is better than higher	49-59 dBA	< 59 dBA in compartment	72 dBA	< 65 dBA in compartment	RV	RV
Oil Capacity	Larger better than smaller	< 1 Quart	3 quarts	2 Quarts	3 quarts	RV	RV
Adds to value of RV?	According to RV Dealers	No	Yes $2,000	No	Yes $2,000	RV	RV
Even though the Portable is cheaper overall, by almost double in the 5,000 watt size and only $204 more in the 10,000 watt size; you have to ask yourself, is it worth the savings. If you, (or your family members if you are out of town, sick or injured), must struggle one time to haul the portable out, plug it in and refuel it in foul weather at night every 4-11 hours, is it worth the difference in savings. Read the list over a few times and you should conclude that unless you love to get cold and wet, stay up late and play survivor, your better off to have an installed system that is totally automatic. REMEMBER: Cost is only one factor. Carefully consider the safety, security, setup and storage issues shown on the chart. Please read the summary at the enc of this chart as well. Whether you agree or now we want you to be informed. No matter what you decide to purchase we would like to have your order. We have residential generators from 8,000 watts (8 kW) to 45,000 watts (45 kW), in propane, natural gas and diesel. We have portable generators from 1,000 watts (1 kW) to 15,000 watts (15 kW) in gasoline, diesel, propane and natural gas. The majority of portable are gasoline powered. We will be offering portable kits which include a generator, transfer switch, cord and outlet box for one low price. To see our kits click Portable Kits. COMING SOON! If you are considering a portable for a residential use, see our chart at Portable vs Stationary. For more information about fuels see Generator Fuels. We have lots of information for you. Look at all these interesting topics.

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