Inverter/Generator

[jspringator]

The $450 Champion tested pretty well, except the CO issue. It was 4s and 5s in everything else.

That Wen, or something like it with an app for starting would be a good Onan replacement. I suppose there would be a way to weld in a carrier, hook up the fuel line and route the exhaust. Sure would be quieter. I like that the Wen burns the fuel out of the bowl before shutting down. That is a good feature.

[Azmarlin39a]

I’ve been researching inverter generators for months, and settled on the Wen 56380I. I ordered online at Home Depot for $750, with tax it totaled $820. I need to install the high altitude jet, as my use will be between 4000 - 6500 ft. Check reviews on YouTube.

[jspringator]

Are you going to permanently mount it in the generator compartment? The app starting lets you bypass having to adapt all the interior controls.

[MicroMinnie]

Funny you bought the WEN generator.
I just bought the pretty much identical generator branded Champion 4500. WEN been around loooong time.

Would have bought at homedepot.com but..they don’t take Canadian credit cards.. went with amazon instead..$940.00 tax incl. came on a skid.

Same as your 56380i but with remote start/auto choke.

Coming from a predator 3500 which is a great generator. sold!

The WEN version starts immediately in sub zero weather and requires almost no choke. comes with standard RV plug and fuel gauge.

like the design on how it sits on 4 rubber legs when “parked” but when you tilt it it rolls on the wheels.

noise level is great and seems to have lot of torgue. doesn’t speed up much under load.

Here’s ours. (note orange bolts are for shipping)
Any Canuk want to know how to get it accross the border to Ontario easy (during covid) shoot me a PM

[Greg Morrow]

I looked at both that wen and champion, but I needed something portable. I bought the champion 2500w. onsale at lows, and my brother in law got a veterans discount. $360 out the door. Only weighs 39lb. I bought in in Nov2020, it's still the box in my basement. Looking to use it soon!

[Sky]

There is an issue with the Harbor Freight Predator 3500 one needs to be aware of. I found that the internal 12V 7AH battery was continually depleted. The generator draws 570uA of current from the battery when the generator is off. A little math shows that this will deplete the battery by 50% in about 3 week of no use. One needs to add a battery disconnect switch on the generator battery if the unit is going to be unused for weeks. I drilled a hole in the plastic housing on the upper right of the battery cover and mounted a SPST 20A toggle switch. The 3500 easily runs the A/C on a Minnie Winnie 1700BH.