10/04/25 update: updated to 5 stars because once I figured out it wants to start sometimes on RUN, it is very reliable. So far a good purchase. Running on propane only. It will charge the house battery, Anker solar generator. Update: I was following the starting instructions when I just casually pull started on the run, and it started. Perhaps on gasoline, this is the method but needs to start on RUN. It is pretty loud as far as camping goes; and a few feet away vibrates the camper. However, it does keep up with the 110v demands so far which are to the converter, charging the house power which is also powering the air conditioning. So, if it keeps working and gets going on the first or second pull, I will say it is an ok purchase. But, it did run house power easily on my camper, and I expect it will be able to keep up with the 75 amp converter that will be running the 12.v air conditioning, plumbing and electronics. I am not saying this is a negative review; it is a noisier generator that does indeed seem to provide good juice to to my camper which is what the pricetag would indicate. I will follow up to upgrade this if it is reliable (I can still start it by the fourth try with my old shoulder and back) and efficiency is good enough to be off grid which is the idea. Read more
Earlier in the week I visited a Sam’s Club in order to buy the AI 2000 watt (red) generator. Due to a nasty storm in the area, all of these generators were sold out ($349.97). I checked Amazon and found the same generator on sale for 320.00 so I ordered it. The generator arrived in perfect condition only two days after ordering. Upon unpacking I found the box didn’t contain parallel cables or break in oil. After reading many reviews, I followed the lead of others to ensure proper break-in. First I filled the engine with a non-synthetic 10w-30 motor oil and swapped in a magnetic tip oil filler cap. Non synthetic oil may aid in helping the piston rings seat sooner. I added non-ethanol high octane gas with a cap full of gas stabilizer. I then proceeded to remove the spark plug in order to add just a little spray lubricant to the engine cylinder. I found that the spark plug was way over torqued. I was relieved to see that no thread damage had occurred to the cylinder head. I cycled the piston several times in order to spread the lubricant throughout the cylinder walls. After replacing the spark plug it was time to start the generator. I set the fuel dial to the full choke setting and gave the pull start rope a tug. To my amazement the engine fired up on the first pull. The engine smoked for over a minute as it burnt off the spray lubricant inside the cylinder. I let the engine run in the economy mode for 10 minutes and then proceeded to change the oil. While changing the oil I saw one silver flake in the oil and some very fine black material on the magnetic fill plug. The black material was very minuscule and not alarming. After refilling the engine with oil a second time, I started it and ran it for 30 minutes in economy mode and 30 minutes at high rpm. Then it was time for a second oil change. This time I saw no metal flakes in the oil and only saw a light amount of black material on the magnetic oil cap plug. Again the black material raised no concern for me. After refilling the engine with oil for a third time I attempted to start it. Even though the engine was hot it required a full choke to start it. This time I set the engine to high rpm’s and added a slight power load. I let the engine run for one hour and again proceeded to change the engine oil. Once again I saw no metal flakes and only a minuscule amount of black material on the magnetic fill plug. At this point I changed the engine oil over to Amsoil 10w-30 small engine oil and called it a day. Pros: Impressed by the first pull initial start up. Has an easy access gas drain valve at carburetor. Very quiet operation when set at economy mode. Fan system inside generator housing draws ample air for cooling purposes. Cons: Disappointed the generator wants to be choked every start up, even when hot. Finicky recoil starter rope, doesn’t fully retract. Suggestions: Swap out the dip stick oil filler cap with a magnetic filler cap. Many types sold on Amazon. Break in with conventional oil and switch to synthetic oil after break in. Overall it’s a great value for the money. Read more
I have an old Coleman Powermate generator that served its purpose for keeping some critical appliances on when we lost power after hurricanes. However, it is sooo loud and doesn't run off of propane. I wanted an inverter generator for their pure sinewave output as well as the quieter operation. This A-iPower inverter generator was priced within my budget and I like the idea of it automatically switching fuel sources. I ran this for 5 hours for the break-in period with varying loads as well as switching between propane and gasoline. I really like this generator but didn't give it 5 stars as there are a couple of minor annoyances. - First one was that one of the wheels does not turn easily. It seems the axle has bent and the tire rubs against the body making it very difficult to move the generator around. - Second, when the generator switches from propane to gasoline, the RPMs drop for a second and the power output dips. This could be problematic for sensitive electronics. - Third, there is not an easy-to-access fuel shut off valve. I typically turn off heavy duty gas powered devices (like generators and pressure washers) by cutting off the fuel instead of setting the switch to off. This prevents gasoline from gunking up in the carburetor, particularly if you're not using ethanol free gas. - Fourth, you cannot use the 120V outlets and 240V outlets at the same time. There's a switch that you have to toggle to switch between the two. - Fifth, the red start button on the dial is too easy to press. If you accidentally press it while grabbing the dial, you can engage the starter while the engine is running and wear out the gears. - Finally, one tiny detail is that there's a button you can press to turn on or off the low idle mode which is misspelled as "Low Idel". As a generator, this unit works well and I'm willing to overlook the issues that I've had as they are minor and in the big picture don't affect the normal operation of the generator. Read more
Beats costco and whatever else. Yamaha engine and turned on first pull. Got a magnetic plug on it, especially during the break in period. Great buy. Noise isn't very loud but also not the quietest. Can be remedied with placing objects around for camping but performance vise, love it. Read more
