Generator Fuel Calculator
Enter how much your generator burns per hour, how long you run it, and the price of fuel. It tells you the daily spend, the cost of the whole outage, and how many trips to the station to expect.
Check the manual, or time how long a tank lasts
Cost for the whole outage
$120.00
Per day: $24.00
- Gallons per day
- 6
- Gallons in total
- 30
- Hours per tank
- 6.7
- Tank refills
- 6
Consumption is asked for rather than derived, because the same generator burns very different amounts depending on load — a fridge is not a fridge plus air conditioning. Use the figure from your manual or measure it yourself. Oil and maintenance are not included.
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About this calculator
How this is calculated
Gallons per hour × hours per day gives gallons per day. Multiply by the price for the daily spend, and by the days without power for the total.
Refills round up: half an empty tank still sends you to the station.
Why consumption is asked for
Because the same generator burns very different amounts depending on what is plugged into it. Keeping a fridge and some lights running is not the same as adding air conditioning. Deriving it from nameplate watts would produce a number that sounds precise and is not.
Manuals give consumption at half and full load. If you do not have it, measure: fill the tank, note the time, see how long it lasts.
Important limitations
- Oil, filters and maintenance are not included, and in a long outage they add up.
- Real consumption rises with load; the figure you enter is an average.
- It does not estimate wear on the unit or the risk of running it for long stretches.
Learn more
Guides explaining the context behind this calculation.
Frequently asked questions
This calculation runs in your browser and is never sent to a server. Your last values may be saved on your device only, for convenience. Results are estimates and are not financial, tax, accounting or legal advice.