Generators, propane and fuel: Backup power and gas for an off-grid home · Alt Ordo Systems Guide
Almost every off-grid home runs on two fuels besides sunlight and wood. A small generator charges the batteries in a cloudy week and runs the big tools. Propane cooks, heats water and keeps the house warm when you are away. Both are cheap, reliable and well understood. Both can also kill: a generator makes carbon monoxide you cannot see or smell, and propane is a heavier-than-air gas that pools in low places. This guide is about getting the benefit while keeping those two hazards outside the house.
This guide helps you choose and size a generator for the dark weeks, set up propane for cooking, hot water and heat, store fuel safely, and keep carbon monoxide and gas leaks out of your home.
What's inside. 19 pages in 9 chapters (At a glance, Where it works, How it works, Size it, Parts and cost, Set it up, Run it, Rules and permits, How it connects), then the sources and a notes page. 8 numbered figures drawn for this guide. You also get a worked example with a fill-in worksheet, 10 numbered steps, a year-round calendar, and a troubleshooting table.
Three builds, costed line by line (typical US prices, October 2026):
- Bare-bones: $730–$970
- Standard: $3,540–$5,290
- Comfortable: $7,790–$10,560
Sourced and fact-checked. Facts and figures are cited to the 24 sources listed at the back, and the whole guide was fact-checked before release. General guidance, not engineering advice: your county and a qualified pro have the last word on your site.
Pairs with other Alt Ordo Systems Guides: Off-grid solar; Portable power stations; The micro cabin; Wood stoves; Wells and hand pumps; Water storage and off-grid plumbing; Canning and food preservation; Tiny homes, RVs and skoolies. For your county's permits and rules, see our county and state guides.
Instant PDF download. After checkout you get a download link by email. Letter-size pages, made to read on screen or print at home.