Are you looking for the best generator for food trucks?
Guess what? You’ve landed on the right page.
With a review of 5 Best Generator for Food Truck based on buyers satisfaction, our buying guide will assist you to make an informed choice about the right generator for food trailers.
But there are…
Few Critical Things to Consider:
Quieter the Better. In case you are new to this business, foremost thing you need to know is you’ll require a quiet generator for food truck operation.
Food truck generator size. It is another huge factor and can never be under-estimated; it mostly depends on how much space you have in the truck and how conveniently it can be carried around with minimal effort.
Mobile Food Truck Generator. Depending on what you intend to serve on the food truck; you need to choose a generator of appropriate power capacity. While an ice cream truck generator can be of small size, but if you intend to fry, roast, cook, boil or brew, you will need a robust and powerful machine.
Since we’ve done all the research ourselves, you don’t have to go digging around the internet striving to find the best food truck generator.
Are you ready?
Let’s get started!
5 Best Food Truck Generator
1. All Power America APGG10000GL
With 5-star customer ratings, All Power’s APGG10000GL is a lightweight and portable generator manufactured by All Power America. With 10000 watts of electricity, this device is ideal for the most consumer-cooking and brewing needs of a small food business.
It has a 15 horsepower and a 420cc engine that has pre-installed low oil shut off valve and cast iron cylinder sleeve. It comes in two colors: Red and Black.
The ALL POWER boasts an uninterrupted 8000W power supply with Gas and 7500W power supply with Propane. This is more than adequate as it typically requires 5000 to 7000 watts to cater to a full-truck in peak business hours and 1000 to 5000 watts to power more routine activities. In fact, the generator is enough to power an average sized house, not just a food truck!
Fuel: The capacity of its fuel tank is 8 gallons/30 liters and the type of fuel required to fill it is high octane, 90 or higher gasoline non-ethanol.
Size and Weight: The product weighs 229 pounds, and the dimensions are 28×19×23 inches.
Warranty and Certifications: For commercial purposes 90-day limited parts and labor warranty is given. This product is EPA Certified and non-C.A.R.B Complaint.
Pros
✔ Cost Effective Dual Fuel Generator that runs on both Gas as well as Propane
✔ It includes Electric Start Button and Manual Pull Starter, along with 120 Volts and 240 Volts power outlets
✔ Using Conversion Kit, you can turn Propane into natural gas and vice-a-versa
✔ At half load, the unit can run for around 11 hours with engine noise of 76dB
✔ Wheel kit helps to move the generator around easily without lifting
Cons
❌ Weighs at around 230 pounds
❌ Non-C.A.R.B complaint generator, hence cannot be used in California
2. Rockpals RP 12000ED
Rockpals RP 12000ED dual portable generator is designed, engineered and supported by Caterpillar allowing safe and comfortable operation for you.
Initially, the RP series was launched specifically for the North American population but is now available in other countries too.
With 12000 watts of electricity, it can be the ultimate source to fire-up your food truck to get those hot dogs perfectly roasted or bake the best waffles in town.
It has a 4-stroke, 459 CC air-cooled OHV HD engine. The Engine has better noise insulation system due to the oversized Muffler reducing the engine noise to only 78 dBA from 23 feet allowing quieter operation as compared to other models.
Fuel: Designed with the switch on demand technology; the generator can run on both Gasoline and Propane, while the user can conveniently switch between fuel sources without turning off the generator.
The product has 6.6-gallon large fuel tank giving up to 8.5 hours of continuous operation at half the load gasoline and 20 hours on propane. With run times over 11 hours, you should be worried about your customers rather than needing to refuel the generator.
Size and Weight: The item weighs 220 pounds and has product dimensions of 29.7× 29.2× 25.9 inches.
Warranty and Certifications: Comes with 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support.
Pros
✔ Seamlessly switch between fuels without switching the machine off
✔ A very silent generator and would even allow you to sleep through the operation
✔ With solid rubber tires and high leverage handles it is easier to transport
✔ It has weatherproof covered outlets including 120V 30A (L5-30R) and 120/240V 30A ( L14- 30R) locking Outlets, a 120/240V 50A ( L14-50R) and two 120V 20 A GFCI protected household outlets (5-20R)
Cons
❌ Small Fuel Tank of 6.6 Gallons
❌ 200lbs+ weight makes it a bit hard when required to lift
3. Atima AY2000i Inverter Generator
In collaboration with Yamaha engine with an award-winning Japanese design, Atima portable generator is as powerful inside as it is sleek outside. This little guy might not be the best choice for a heavy-duty food truck, but it works just fine if your business is limited to ice-cream and shakes.
Specifications: Atima inverter generator is powered by Yamaha 4 stroke engine MZ80, one of the best-known engines in the world for their performance and maintenance requirements.
The engine also has a better noise insulation system producing 52 dB noise from 7 meters at 1/4 load. It comes with a 12v charging, spark plug sleeve and an electrical circuit breaker
Fuel: The capacity of the fuel tank is 1 Gallon that can run for 10 hours at 1/4 load.
Size and Weight: Weighs merely 47.41 pounds.
The run time on a full tank is 7.6 hours, and it can run for 50 hours without any problem. It is a powerful portable inverter generator offering 2000W through 120 voltage outlets from its recoil start system.
The startup load of any Appliance is significantly higher operating output. While the industry average goes up to 1.5-2.0 times, Atima inverters offer 2.5 times operating output.
Additionally, it is effortless to operate, and anyone who uses a standard electrical outlet will be able to use it over battery powered or propane generators. It has 1600 watt AC rated output and 2000W maximum output.
If you’re looking for a compact 2000W Inverter Generator, then you may also take look at Honda EU2200i or Yamaha EF2000iSv2.
Pros
✔ Can power small and large appliances as well as sensitive electronics
✔ Its small engine can produce power with low consumption of fuel making it fuel efficient
✔ It comes with the starter kit that helps the user to start it without difficulty
✔ Excellent design compared to other Food Truck Generators in our list
✔ Air cooled engines are long lasting because the engine keeps functioning at the optimum
Cons
❌ Costlier than other models with similar specifications
❌ Not ideal for a large food truck
4. Quipall 5250DF
The Quipall 5250 Dual Fuel electric start portable generator has a powerful 224cc overhead valve engine that can provide the power needed for home, office and outdoors. The generator can run on either Gasoline or Liquid Propane and has easy to use electric start for your convenience.
The generator has plenty of outlets matching all the power needs. It has 120V outlets, 1x 30A RV receptacle and 12V DC terminals to charge automatic batteries. It also has a digital meter that helps to track runtime, so you get to know when it’s time to service.
Fuel: Using Gasoline; 4-gallon gas tank gives up to 9 1/2 hours of continuous run time at 4000 watts rated output and a maximum power of 5250 watts. While using propane the rated power is 3600 Watts with a maximum output of 4500 Watts.
Size and Weight: Weighing 115lbs it quite lightweight compared to other models, and the product dimensions are 24×18.1×19.9 inches.
Replacement parts available from Quickpall includes 5250 Dual Fuel Gas Portable Generator with electric start – 5250 DF, LPG Gas Hose and Regulator, Oil bottle and Funnel.
Pros
✔ Easy and Quick to Start
✔ Well-designed, and easy to use
✔ The choice of Propane or Gasoline is a plus point
✔ A lightweight dual power generator that is easier to move around
Cons
❌ Requires flexible funnel for oil refueling
❌ Tires look good but feel a bit cheap
5. Champion 3800-Watt Dual Portable Generator
The Champion Power Equipment 76533 3800 Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Generator comes with the feature of electric start and operates on both Gas as well as Propane. The 3800-watt dual-fuel portable generator operates at 68 DBA. It has a run time of about 9 hours on a full tank of Gasoline, and 10.5 hours on the 20 lbs propane tank at 50% load.
The generator comes with a push-button electric start, which includes an internal battery charger to charge the battery when the generator is running. With a standard 30A RV, it is a convenient solution for power outages and emergency situations, with enough power to start and run a 15000 BTU RV air conditioner.
Fuel: The generator is powered by a reliable 224cc single-cylinder OHV engine with a 3.4-gallon fuel tank, 0.6 qt. Oil capacity.
On gas, the generator produces 4750 starting watts and 3200 running watts while as on propane it produces 4275 starting watts and 3420 running watts.
Size and Weight: The item weighs 122 pounds with dimensions 22.8×22×30.7 inches.
Pros
✔ Includes a built-in surge protector to protect appliances from voltage spikes
✔ Its cold start technology optimizes the generator to start promptly in cold weather
✔ The generator comes with a patented fuel selector switch that enables quick and safe switching between fuel sources
✔ It comes with 120V 30A RV (TT-30R), 120V 30A locking (L5-30R) and two 120V 20A household outlets (5-20R)
Cons
❌ The run-time could have been much better
❌ Ideal only for small to mid-size Food Trucks
Frequently Asked Questions
What size Generator do I need for a Food Truck?
Depending on the size of the truck or how many appliances you intend to use, any generator between 3500W to 12000W will suffice.
The rule of them here is; bigger the food truck, the bigger the generator.
Make sure to calculate all the wattage of appliances and devices you will connect to the generator, add them and get a generator that offers 20-30% more wattage than your current requirement.
This will make sure that you can add in a few other appliances without worrying about wattage.
How do Food Trucks get Power?
The most common way food trucks get powered is via the use of a generator. Other than that, you can make use of an electric socket and connect to it via an extension cord
How to Wire a Food Truck?
Most ready-to-run Food Trucks are pre-wired with all necessary wires and extensions.
Most food trucks come with a breaker box that controls all the electrical connection in a food truck.
In case you want to build a custom food truck, then it is advisable to get in touch with an electrician.
There are several local agencies too that offer the service of converting a regular truck into a food truck.
How much Propane does a Food Truck use?
It mostly depends on the size of the generator you are using, the engine inside the generator and load at which the generator is used.
The most powerful generator in our list, i.e. Rockpals RP 12000ED consumes around 6 gallons of Propane at half load and will power the food truck for 20 hours.
However, at full load, this number can go down, and at lower load, you can get extended usage.
Another generator in our list, i.e. Quipall 5250DF can run for 10 hours on a 20 lbs propane tank at half load.
What Size Generator do I need for a Food Truck?
As I mentioned earlier, the bigger the food truck, the bigger the generator required. For a small ice cream truck the Atima AY2000i will suffice; for a medium size truck, the Champion 3800-Watt Portable Generator and Quipall 5250DF will be ideal.
Whereas for a big truck with multiple appliances, generators like All Power America APGG10000GL and Rockpals RP 12000ED will do the job.
How many Generators do you need for a Food Truck?
For most jobs a single generator will suffice; however, if you have a smaller generator and want to add in another unit, then you can do it without any issue.
All in all, you shouldn’t be more than 2 generators at once.
Can you put Gas in a Generator while it’s Running?
Technically you can do that, but it is not recommended because gasoline is highly flammable and should be poured into the generator with the utmost care.
Conclusion on the Best Food Truck Generator
Having journeyed across the spectrum of medium to high power generators for food trucks, the Rockpals RP 12000ED or All Power America APGG10000GL seems like a pretty smart bet for you if you are operating in a busy area where customers keep coming all-day-long.
With very few cons, these two might be your best bet in the long run regarding fuel efficiency and runtime despite being a bit pricey.
If however you are just an amateur, and running a small business with very little power consumption, the Champion 3800-Watt Dual Fuel Rv Ready Portable Generator with its lower fuel capacity might just do the trick for you.
Also, if you use direct power and just need a few hours of backup every day the small and sturdy Atima Inverter Generator Powered by Yamaha might help you save big on backup power.
Last update on 2024-03-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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