Best Budget Generator Review – 2016
This WEN generator is a great cheap generator if you are spending on a limited budget. It generates enough power to run quite a few appliances without breaking the budget. This generator is a great fit if you don’t need too many outlets or gauges on your portable generator. Since it cost considerably less than most generators of it’s size, it is not the quietest generator for rv. Let’s take a look at what you get with this budget generator.
The WEN 56352 is a powerful and reliable portable generator that can produce 3500 starting watts, or 3000 running watts, and is EPA approved. The biggest thing that caught my eye for this generator is its durability. It’s not the prettiest generator to look at but you can tell that its built to withstand a beating. It looks like a generator that you would see on a construction site.
Cheap Generator For Sale
You want a generator that you don’t have to re-balance your monthly budget for. Sometimes, you don’t want to spend a lot on a portable generator. As long as it’s reliable and going to work when you need, who cares how it looks or if its a few decibals quieter. This WEN generator is going provide you with a pretty hefty amount of power for about as many tools/devices as you can think of at 3000 running watts. Its perfect if you want to use it for your primary RV power needs or even as just a backup emergency generator for your refrigerator in case of a power outage. If you run the numbers and are going to need more power, there are other options within the WEN generator family that can produce up to 11,000 running watts!
Rugged Portable Generator
The design of the WEN generator is basic. It has a simple design to be used as a primary RV generator as well as a portable travel generator for camping, emergency backup use, and any other activity where you need substantial power for your electronic devices. It is easy to use and quickly turns on with the push of a button! You don’t have to be a mechanic to know how to take advantage of this powerful companion.
Power
The durable 212cc OHV engine produces 3500 starting WATTS and 3000 running WATTS. This is usually enough to run your fridge, lights, pumps, and several other essential items. You can also run your power tools, event lighting, and event audio equipment. It is important to look for adequate power in a generator. Overall, this amount of power is enough to handle the necessities, so you may want to consider a larger generator if you plan on running a TON of appliances or powering multiple RV sites.
It has the following power outlets:
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- (2) 20 Amp 120 Volt three pronged receptacles
- (1) 240/120V Twist-Lock receptacle
Size & Portability
The WEN generator is a perfect fit for your basic generator needs. Its big enough to provide those much needed 3000 running watts and it is portable enough to lug it around where you need it. Is also comes with a wheel kit which is nice when you need to move it by yourself. Generators are very heavy so you don’t want to have to use a dolly to move your portable generator where you need it.
Fuel Type
It will run on normal unleaded gasoline that you find at a typical gas station. It is preferable that you use at least an 87 octane rated gasoline. Remember to not store gas in the unit for more than 3 months since the old gasoline can cause corrosion. It has a handy fuel gauge so you can easily see when you need more fuel. As an added bonus, it comes with a fuel valve for easy fuel drainage for fuel storage. This WEN generator also has a choke lever to help you start the generator after long periods of inactivity.
With a fuel tank of 4 gallons, it can run for 11 hours at half load. The generator is EPA approved with a muffler and spark arrester, which means it is acceptable for use in National Parks. It also comes equipped with a grounding terminal for safe operation.
Run Time
Since the WEN generator can automatically fluctuate its load based on power needed, you don’t have to worry about wasting fuel. Compared to other generators in its class, having an 11 hour runtime at half load is pretty standard. You will find that this run time efficiency is pretty handy when you are just needing to power one or two devices at any given time.
Maintenance
WEN Power provides a recommended maintenance schedule with its generators that you will want to learn about after purchase. These routines are standard with any portable gas powered generator and it will be important to follow to prolong the life and reliability of your generator. These items include checking the oil after every use, replacing the oil shortly after the first use to break the unit in, periodically checking the air filter, cleaning the fuel filter, replacing the spark plug, etc. The WEN warranty covers the full range of defects in materials and workmanship for 2 years from the date of purchase. From what we have heard, WEN does a pretty good job with customer service and handling the warranty process. Even though this is a cheap generator, they offer a pretty good warranty.
Loudness
Since this generator can reach 74 decibals at full load, you may only want to consider this generator if you don’t plan on utilizing the full 3000 running WATTS all the time. It’s perfectly fine running at a lower load and would be suitable for a campground type setting. It has rubber dampeners between the engine and the frame which help dampen the sound of vibration when the generator is running. If you don’t mind a little noise, then the lower price of this generator is a great fit for your needs. This cheap generator is great for outdoor power tool use.
Inexpensive Generator
Conclusion
After reviewing this WEN generator, it satisfies a great niche for a durable and cheap generator from a reputable company. It doesn’t have all the features of the luxury generators, but it can definitely handle a nice amount of power needs for the price. It can be used with an RV, on a campground , for an emergency backup generator, as a construction secondary generator, or a portable generator to throw in the back of your truck.