Have you ever tried to spend an extended length of time in your RV making do with a gasoline generator?
Trust me, it’s not at all ideal. But thankfully, there’s an easy solution.
There are several notable benefits of using a propane generator for your RV over using a gasoline one. There are no interruptions to worry about, there are lower operating costs, propane is a clean-burning fuel, perfect for those with allergies, and it’s much more reliable.
But it's star feature is how propane’s shelf life is limitless. You can keep a propane generator in your RV and forget all about it until the time comes. And whenever that time does come, you’re good to go.
We’ve been checking out some of the best propane generators for RVs around, and after much deliberation, we were able to handpick our top 5 favorites. Our reviews on these are coming up very shortly.
But, if you’ve never been in the market for a propane generator for RVs before, you may be unsure of what to look for. Which is why we’ve also put together a handy buying guide for you that will walk you through all the key points to consider before you buy.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it...
OUR TOP PICK
Westinghouse is hands down one of the most well established brands in the industry that continues to innovate to keep up with the needs of today.
This is one of their latest models, a portable generator that can run off either gas or propane.
On propane, it can provide up to a whopping 4650 watts at peak power, while on gas it can provide at still very high 3600 watts.
So you don’t need to worry about having too many appliances running at the same time - the generator can handle it.
It has a 212 cc engine capacity, which means that it won’t go through your fuel too quickly. And at a 50% load, it has a run time of a whopping 13.5 hours.
It’s well suited for use with an RV because it has a dedicated 120 volt, AC 30 amp outlet. (It also has two other outlets besides.)
It’s also very portable, with a large fold-away handle, and two large wheels with rugged never-flat polyurethane tires that can get over just about any terrain.
All the controls you need are positioned together on a small and intuitive control panel.
Here you will find such things as a one-touch push button start, two emergency circuit breakers, a fuel selector switch and an engine shut off switch.
Or if you prefer, you can use the included key fob to remote start the machine.
It comes with some very hand little extras, including the likes of a propane regulator hose, and even a little tool kit for the minor assembly that’s required.
We love that it automatically shuts down when the oil gets too low - an important safety feature.
And there’s a handy built-in fuel gauge, so you can see when you’re starting to run low. Very convenient.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular generator, simply click on “Check price” to see if there’s a deal on now.
But even if you don’t manage to snag a deal, it’s worth bearing in mind that there are many more expensive propane generators out there that don’t pack nearly as much power as this baby.
Pros
- Can be powered by propane or gasoline
- Provides up to 4650 watts at peak power
- Has a 212 cc engine that won’t waste fuel
- At 50% load, it has a run time of 13.5 hours
- It’s portable & RV ready with a dedicated RV port
Cons
- There is some minor assembly required
EDITORS CHOICE
Now, this is an excellent RV ready portable generator that really has a lot going for it…
It’s a dual fuel generator, which means it can be powered by either gasoline or propane.
It has an excellent peak power wattage, coming in at 3400 watts (more on this in our buying guide later) which means you will be able to have several appliances running at the same time.
It also has an engine capacity of 192 CC which means it won’t work through the fuel too quickly (more on this in our buying guide, too).
It’s easy to get the generator going, thanks to the convenient electric start. It will even work in cold weather.
And once running, it’s very easy to operate, with all the controls, indicators and ports you need all on the same side of the machine. Very convenient.
And it can run for up to a whopping 14.5 hours on propane (7.5 on gasoline). And there’s a handy economy mode to make your propane last longer.
What makes it RV ready is the dedicated RV outlet, which is set at 120 volts and 30 amps. And there are also two standard household ports to supply 12 volts of DC electricity.
One of the great things about this particular generator is that it doesn’t run too loudly.
It runs at a volume of 59 decibels, which is slightly less than the volume of a standard conversation.
It’s very portable and easy to maneuver around, thanks to the two carry handles on the top and thanks to the two wheels on one side.
It comes backed by a lengthy 3-year warranty, and, better yet, lifetime tech support, free of charge.
But, and it’s a big but, this generator is quite expensive.
So please don’t buy it unless you're 100% sure that you have the budget and that it meets all your needs. (Please refer to our buying guide for more info on this.)
You can also buy important accessories to go with it, including a weatherproof cover to keep it safe from the elements.
Pros
- Can be powered by either propane or gasoline
- Delivers over 3000 watts of power and is RV ready
- It can run for up to 14 and a half hours on propane
- It’s portable and easy to maneuver around as required
- Backed by a 3-year warranty, and lifetime tech support
- Weatherproof cover also available to buy
Cons
- It’s not as quite as quiet or as lightweight as we would like it to be
BEST VALUE
Now, this is an impressive portable generator - it can supply up to a whopping 12,000 watts of peak power at a time. Pretty neat, huh?
This generator has been awarded the title of Amazon’s Choice for the category of generators.
Such a title is only given to products that are both of excellent quality and are also available at a good and reasonable price.
And while we would agree that the price is reasonable, it’s certainly not cheap.
But if you can afford the hefty price tag, and you need to keep a lot of systems and appliances running in your RV, it could well be worth it.
It can run off either propane or gas. If you use propane, you don’t get quite as much power as you would with gasoline.
Specifically, propane buys you 11400 watts of peak power, with 9025 running watts, while gasoline will give you 1200 watts at peak, and 9500 running watts.
This is thanks to it’s very powerful 4-stroke engine with its super high engine capacity, coming in at 457 cc. And it has a large 8.3 gallon fuel tank. No wonder it’s nicknamed the “Beast”!
Although it’s intended primarily as a home backup generator, we can confirm that it’s RV ready, with the right RV outlet in place for you. And it has several other outlets besides.
We were assured to learn that it also comes backed by a lengthy, 3-year warranty.
It’s quite a big machine to be honest, but lugging it around is easy thanks to the handles and the large wheels with their big rubber tires.
Specifically, it measures 30 inches long by 29 inches wide, and is 26 inches high
Pros
- Can deliver up to a whopping 1200 watts of power
- Won the title of Amazon’s Choice for Generators
- Can be powered by either propane or gasoline
- It features a powerful 4-stroke 457cc engine
- It comes backed by a lengthy 3-year warranty
Cons
- Premium product at a premium price
- It’s rather big to store inside an RV, where space may be limited
RUNNER UP
Here’s yet another super powerful generator that can supply a staggering 13,000 watts at peak power. Impressive hey?
This is thanks to it’s incredibly powerful 500 cc capacity engine.
It’s a dual fuel generator, which basically means that it runs off either gas or propane.
And with a generous running power of 10,500 watts, it can power your RV’s air con, refrigerator, lights, and a lot more besides.
It features a handy control panel, with a wide range of power outlets all laid out, including, of course, one for your RV.
There you will also find an easy push button start, a voltmeter, a low oil sensor, DC charging, and a circuit breaker.
One of the features we love about this generator is how it features idle control.
This lowers the rpms of the generator when it’s not being used, in order to both save fuel, and to reduce any unnecessary noise.
Perfect when your fellow travelers really need to get some shut-eye.
Despite its relatively large dimensions, it’s quite easy to maneuver around into position, thanks to its integrated handles, and very large rubberized handles.
It features all copper windings and is really built to last. True, it’s powerful enough to power your whole home, but there’s no reason why you can’t use it for your RV too.
Pros
- 13,000 watts at peak power, 10,500 watts running power
- Features a powerful engine capacity, coming in at 500 cc
- Conveniently features a digital volt meter, and a low oil sensor
- Special Idle Control feature to stop power when not needed
- Relatively portable and easy to maneuver around into position
Cons
- Premium product at a premium price
- It’s rather big to store inside an RV, where space may be limited
RUNNER UP
This relatively affordable generator (if affordable is ever a word you can use in connection to generators) is designed with RV use in mind.
Thanks to the 224 cc Champion engine, this generator can run at 3,800 watts, which is all you need for keeping your RV systems and appliances running the way you want.
There’s a dedicated 120 volt 30 amp RV outlet, along with two regular household outlets, should you ever need them, and also a 120 volt, 30 amp locking outlet.
The control panel is easy to get to grips with. It’s mostly just a dial to select the fuel (because it can run off gas or propane), the outlets, the ignition switch, and a couple of circuit breakers.
But our favorite thing about this generator is the Intelligauge.
It keeps track of the hertz, voltage, and run time hours to better monitor power output.
It’s a little smaller in size than the types of generators intended as back-ups for entire houses, which certainly makes it more portable and better suited for RV use.
And it also features handles and big wheels to that end too.
We were also reassured to learn that this particular generator is backed not only by a lengthy, 3-year warranty, but also free lifetime tech support.
There’s also a cheaper version of this generator available that produces 3500 watts rather than 3800.
Pros
- Runs at 3,800 watts
- Dedicated RV outlet
- Intuitive control panel
- Monitors power output
- Compact and portable
Cons
- There are more powerful generators out there
Best Propane Generators For RVs Buying Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide. We’ll outline what to consider before you buy.
Peak Power Output
The most important thing to be sure of when buying a propane generator for your RV is whether it provides all the power you need.
It has to be able to run constantly for things like your refrigerator, but will also require additional power for things that you use intermittently, like a gas hob.
We recommend that you check the owner’s manual of your RV for the wattage of all your major appliances, from the AC, to the water pump, to the central heating system, and so on.
And to come up with a baseline of how much wattage you need, simply add up the starting wattage of your 3 largest appliances or systems.
The reason we say just 3, is because you shouldn’t really have them all running at the same time.
Engine Capacity
The capacity of a generator’s engine is given in CC, which stands for cubic centimeters.
Higher CC engine capacity generators offer the best possible performance, but on the flip side these engines will require higher fuel consumption, so will use up your propane reserves quicker.
Engine Power
Engine power is typically given in HP, which stands for horsepower. But, as with engine capacity, while a higher level will deliver better performance, this also results in quicker fuel consumption.
Number And Nature Of Output Ports
The more output ports your generator has, the more appliances you can connect and use at the same time.
But remember, you are looking for generators with RV ports, and not standard household ports.
Portability
Your RV needs to be able to both have the space for your generator and to be able to take the weight of it.
Smaller units typically feature handles, which suggests that they can be carried around. So, if you see one without handles, this should raise a red flag, indicating that it’s not designed for portability and could potentially be quite heavy.
Not so much a big deal if you plan on storing it away in a compartment underneath the RV.
Maintenance
Unfortunately, propane generators can occasionally run into issues, and proper maintenance is key to checking that such issues will not come about.
But in order to address maintenance issues, you will need to be able to access all sides. So portable generators are best for this.
Warranty
The warranty on the generator can often be a good indicator of how long your generator will remain in peak condition. You should look for generators that have a warranty for at least 1 year, but preferably 3 years or more.
Value for Money
Ok, we’re going to level with you here. Propane and dual fuel generators can cost a lot of money.
We’re talking hundreds of dollars, sometimes even over two thousand dollars. Which is why it pays to read articles like this one, and to learn what to look out for in a generator.
We strongly recommend that you check prices as you go along, and get a feel for the typical price of certain features, so you can make up your mind what it is you need and how much it will cost.
Jeremiah Pike
I'm an environment and energy blogger who teaches outdoor and energy enthusiasts how to be better informed when it comes to purchasing or maintaining a generator, solar panel system, or anything else related to your energy needs.