How importers specify gasoline-LPG dual-fuel generators: fuel-switching, LPG derating, hardware, certification by market and a complete RFQ field sheet.
In this guide7 sections
For a gasoline-LPG dual-fuel order, compare rated and peak output, switching instructions and supplied LPG hardware for the same model on both fuels. Require the matching manual and destination documents before comparing price; leave the offer on hold while a fuel path, rating or document scope is unresolved.
Decide whether dual fuel fits your channel
Answer the channel question before the product question. Dual fuel earns its extra cost when your buyers value fuel flexibility: LPG for cleaner storage and long standby, gasoline for availability and portability. It adds little when the destination has poor LPG supply, when the load needs a diesel duty cycle, or when your customers only ever run gasoline.
This checklist covers gasoline + LPG/propane portable and transportable sets. Keep the following requirements separate when writing the supplier brief:
- Natural-gas / tri-fuel operation changes the fuel-supply design and field-installation scope — treat it as a separate category.
- Diesel gensets have a different engine, fuel logistics, emissions profile and selection logic; compare fuels with the gasoline vs diesel comparison method.
- Stationary standby systems (transfer switches, site gas piping, permits) are an installation topic, not a portable-sourcing topic.
Pass the fuel-parity gate before comparing price
Do not compare a gasoline output figure from one offer with an LPG figure from another. Each offer needs separate rated and peak values for both fuels on the exact model being quoted.
Apply the same gate to every quote. A failed row does not get a low score; it returns to the supplier for evidence or correction.
| Field | An offer can pass when | Keep on HOLD when |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel capability | The set runs on gasoline and LPG as built, with no user conversion kit required. | "Convertible", "kit available" or a third-party adapter is implied. |
| Rated output per fuel | Rated and peak are named separately for gasoline and for LPG. | Only one wattage is shown, or the fuel it applies to is unstated. |
| Switching method | The document states whether fuel changes require a shutdown or can be done while running. | Switching is only shown in marketing, not in the manual. |
| LPG hardware | Regulator, hose, connector and cylinder interface are named and included/excluded. | Accessories are "typical" or left for the buyer to source. |
| Rating basis | Values reference the complete set at one output point, per fuel. | Engine power, alternator size and net set output are mixed. |
| Documents | Data sheet and manual match the exact model and revision, for both fuels. | Files cannot be tied to the quoted model. |
The rating labels themselves follow the same logic as any set — see the rated versus peak guide — but here you need each label twice, once per fuel.
Confirm the fuel-switching mechanism and its safety rule
"Dual fuel" describes several designs. Ask the supplier to confirm, in the manual, which one applies to the exact model:
- Whether the set starts on gasoline, LPG or either.
- Whether fuel can be switched while the engine runs, or only after a full shutdown.
- What the safe sequence is for connecting and purging LPG.
General portable-generator safety practice — for example the guidance behind the ANSI/PGMA G300 portable generator standard and national safety notices such as the US CPSC generator safety guidance — treats fuel connection, ventilation and carbon-monoxide risk as installation-critical. Cite these as general context only; the binding instruction is always the model's own manual.
Treat LPG output as derated until the supplier proves otherwise
For most spark-ignition sets, usable output on LPG is lower than on gasoline, and the exact figure depends on the model, the regulator and ambient conditions. Do not print a fixed percentage in your listing. Instead, capture the maker's declared LPG rating and the conditions it was measured under.
Usable output also falls in high heat, at altitude and in some cold-start LPG conditions. Size the set from the LPG rating your buyer will actually run, then apply site correction, using the same load discipline as the voltage and frequency checklist for the destination supply. If the supplier gives no valid LPG rating for the exact build, record HOLD — LPG RATING NOT PROVEN.
Match certification and documents to the destination market
A mark that appears in a catalogue is not proof that the set is compliant for your buyer's country. Emissions rules, LPG appliance rules and electrical-safety marks differ by market, and dual-fuel adds LPG-specific requirements on top of the electrical ones.
For each order, confirm which certificates and marks genuinely apply to the destination and to both fuel paths, then require the matching documents before shipment, as covered in the import compliance by market guide and the documents-before-order checklist. Do not accept a general brochure claim as certification evidence.
Build a dual-fuel RFQ field sheet
Turn the checks above into one request. A complete RFQ removes most back-and-forth and lets suppliers quote the same thing.
Include at minimum:
- Destination country, voltage, frequency and phase.
- Rated and peak output required, and which fuel that requirement is based on.
- Fuel-switching behaviour needed (start fuel, in-operation switching or not).
- LPG cylinder convention, regulator, hose and connector standard for the destination.
- Certificates and marks that must apply to the destination, for both fuels.
- Warranty scope for the LPG fuel path (regulator, hose, mixer/carburetion) and for user-installed accessories.
- Intended use and duty (backup, prime, rental), forecast quantity and any acceptance test.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Quoting the gasoline wattage as the set's output while the customer runs LPG.
- Assuming a universal LPG derating percentage instead of the model's figure.
- Accepting "conversion kit available" as equivalent to a factory dual-fuel build.
- Treating a catalogue mark as destination certification for the LPG path.
- Leaving the regulator, hose and connector out of scope, then discovering they are not compliant on arrival.
Send your completed field sheet with the destination, both-fuel rating basis, LPG hardware standard and required documents to request a quotation. BEAR confirms the exact model configuration, applicable documents and acceptance terms per order; figures and certificates are verified for the quoted build rather than assumed from this guide.
