Generator: ALP Next-Gen Propane Generators

Overland Expo Staff
December 1, 2020

When it came time to pick a portable generator to throw into the 4Runner, we had to go back to our old friends at ALP and ask for one of their propane generators.

The ALP generator offers all the on-demand power generation of a gas generator but without the drawbacks.

For example, the ALP is spill- and fume-free. This is the nature of a propane generator. Without noxious gasoline sloshing around inside its tank, it doesn’t suffer a lot of the drawbacks of a gas-burner.

Propane is much more stable when stored. Unlike the three- to six-month shelf life you get with gasoline, propane can store for 30 years without going bad. Similarly, without old gas being pushed through the carb, you’ll never suffer gummed up fuel-system components.

The ALP portable propane generator churns out a reliable 850 Watts of power with a peak surge power output of 1,000 Watts. To put that into perspective, that’s enough juice to run a fridge, freezer, TV, coffee maker, small air conditioning unit (up to 8,000 BTU), electric blanket, lights, small fry pan, or small space heater (not at the same time, obviously).

On a 20-pound propane bottle, you’ll get 60 hours of runtime pulling 500 Watts the entire time. Pop on a small one-pound (16-ounce) bottle and you’ll be looking at 2.5 to 3.5 hours of runtime.

The face of the ALP features a 12-volt charger regulated at 13.8 volts as well as two USB ports. In Economy mode, this 12-volt port put out 4.0 amps but can put out as much as 8.6 amps for faster device charging. There is also an incorporated parallel port enabling you to tie two ALP generators together generating 2,200 surge Watts and 1,900 running Watts.

The panel face also includes an LED light that makes finding the outlets easy in the dark. What’s more, the LED light is bright enough to illuminate the scene — it’s ideal for changing a flat tire in the dark, for example.

ALP generators are available in orange, blue, and green — each with either gray or black panels. So you can tailor the unit to compliment your rig or gear color scheme.

The ALP runs quiet and doesn’t vibrate much either. The low vibrations are thanks in large part to its aluminum chassis and rubber mounts and feet. The lightweight nature of aluminum cuts down on mass and the rubber mounts absorb a lot of the vibration thereby limiting vibration associated with generators.

Don’t forget, though: Just because it’s quiet and doesn’t vibrate much doesn’t mean you can run it inside your RV or any other inclosure.

One of the best parts of the ALP is that it runs on propane — a fuel most of us overlanders are already bringing with us on our journeys for cooking. This makes the ALP a great addition to your kit. It’s lightweight, relatively compact, easy to stow, quiet and efficient to run. Plus, because it doesn’t require anything you don’t already plan to bring along in the first place, it doesn’t add complexity to your preparation or journey. And when you don’t plan to use it for a while, you can store it just about anywhere — inside or outside.

ALP generators are affordable, low-maintenance, easy to use, easy to store, and efficient. We’re confident that an ALP would make a great addition to your overlanding setup.