Is converting your petrol generator to run on gas really safe for you?

With practically his first major act as president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu yanked off the petrol subsidy. As expected, fuel prices skyrocketed immediately, from N185 per litre to an average of N500. In some places where it used to sell for N200/litre, it went as high as N600 per litre. 

Nigeria is heavily fuel-dependent and citizens panicked after the subsidy removal. People need petrol for the transportation of themselves and their goods, and due to the poor power supply, for powering electricity generators.

To make matters worse, the prices of petroleum products are expected to rise even further as the FG is set to impose a Value Added Tax (VAT) of 7.5% on petrol, diesel, kerosene and other petroleum products.

Finally, the cost of erratic electricity is also set to rise by 40% following the upward review of electricity tariffs by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. This is inevitable in light of the recent Naira floatation and how the higher exchange rate affects the commission’s Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).

This is amid ever-rising inflation which currently stands at 22.41% with some experts projecting that it would hit 30% by the end of June because of the floating of the naira and subsidy removal on PMS. The minimum wage is still N30,000, organisations are unable to increase salaries, and the dropping value of the Naira means those salaries are losing their value by the day.

To save themselves from these harsh effects, Nigerians are beginning to look at cutting costs. While many no longer go out with their personal cars, choosing to hop on public transportation, many are resorting to converting their petrol-powered electricity generating set to the far cheaper liquified petroleum gas (LPG) better known as cooking gas.

But how safe is this? 

How safe is converting your petrol generator to gas?

Cooking gas is becoming widely popular in Nigeria, especially in the cities. According to this report, as of June 2022, the roughly 9 million households that use clean cooking fuel are concentrated in urban areas and overwhelmingly rely on LPG (cooking gas) as their primary cooking fuel.

The advantages inherent are that cooking gas is generally cheaper and overwhelmingly cleaner than the other options of kerosene stoves, firewood and charcoal. And while the price of petrol keeps going higher, it appears the price of cooking gas is getting lower as several users have noted.

According to Asiko Energy Holdings as reported by Nairametrics, “the cost and consumption rate comparison shows that using a 12.5kg gas cylinder to power the generator offers approximately 15 hours of electricity at a cost of N500 per hour while using petrol for the same duration requires 30 litres and costs N1,050 per hour.”

The overall benefits of using LPG against fuel include:

• It is overwhelmingly cheaper which is the main consideration now.
• It is cleaner and doesn’t produce the black smudge which burning fuel would produce
• It is less harmful to your generating set and won’t damage its parts quickly
• It is not as noisy as the fuel-generated ones so it reduces noise pollution and is ideal for residential and business areas

But how safe is it really? The Lagos State government, through the Director-General of Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola, has warned Lagosians to be cautious about converting petrol generators to run on cooking gas.

While admitting that it offers a far cheaper alternative to petrol usage, Mr Mojola however, expressed concerns about various ways it could become dangerous. They include:

• Spark or heat from the generator can cause a fire outbreak.
• An explosion could occur if the generator house is not properly ventilated; 
• LPG has the potential for explosions if not properly handled and the risk of gas cylinders falling down and releasing their content if not placed on even flooring.
• Corrosion of gas cylinders can occur when left in the rain or in a humid environment;
• Exposure to direct sunlight can expose cylinders to excessive temperature with an attendant risk of explosion;
• Poor installation of the hybrid carburettors on generators can increase the risks of an accident;
• The use of CNG should be discouraged for household generators
• The use of sub-standard, dilapidated or expired cylinders substantially increases the risks of a gas explosion.

In essence, in itself, converting petrol-powered generators to cooking gas-powered ones may not be dangerous, (except for compressed natural gas). However, the circumstances around its use, including installation, placement, maintenance etc could make it dangerous, especially since most of them are not regular activities to look out for when using fuel generators. 

So what cautionary steps could be taken to make it safer?

• Ensure that your conversion is done by a qualified and possibly certified engineer/expert. 
• Never use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for home-generating sets because their main use is as substitutes for diesel in vehicles
• The generator house where the gas would be kept should be properly ventilated
• Gas cylinders shouldn’t be exposed to sunlight which could overheat it. It shouldn’t be exposed to rain or water either as it leads to rust and possible leak. LPG is very flammable 
• Proper and constant maintenance of the generator itself to prevent sparks
• Avoid substandard cylinders, carburettors and other parts and equipment