WEN 2000-Watt Inverter Generator

Deal Chatter Clearance
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Well, at least WEN likes the attention. The deal comments are now officially flaming hot on the front page.

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Pretty much what all the other responders said. Only thing to add is oil weight. If you’ll be running at really low Temps, you might want to use 10w 30. It’s a little Thinner in cold Temps but will still provide the protective lubrication you need.

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Clean compared to coal maybe.

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Bought one of these from Woot! a few years ago. Runs great, starts right up and is very quiet.

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I did my part … when would the shirts be $10 if we made the goal - asking for a friend bc I surely do not need anymore tees

I personally like the pumpkin spice Kool-aid guy - then again I love any of the retro inspired ones

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I’m not actually sure about that. I’m guessing soon-ish so we’ll have them for fall.

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Ran a medium sized fridge/freezer, wi-fi, television, and small window A/C (set on low) for almost 2 weeks for me. Life saver and work horse.

To this day this thing comes on in a few pulls and still runs like a champ.

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If I wanted to crank up the A/C I did need to lighten the load.

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Not to pick nits, but your statement: “These gens only provide 110 volts, but if you need 220 volts you can purchase a parallel kit and link two together.” is not correct - at least using any parallel kit I’m aware of. The parallel kits sync the sine wave outputs of the two gens which means you get more current, not more voltage. So 2 x1600watt gens will give you ~3200 watts but still at 110 volts. It won’t, unfortunately, give you 1600 watts at 220 volts. While someone could potentially create a kit to give you 220 volts, it would need additional circuitry to protect against providing 110 volts one one leg of a 220 appliance should one generator fail (feeding a 220 motor (well pump, electric clothes dryer…) could be bad news - leading to motor burn out and expensive repairs…

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You are correct! And I modified my original post to indicate only for RV use. If you link two of these gens with a parallel kit you will still only get 110 volts but it will be 110 volts on each leg, and while many RVs do accept 220 volt power supplies (which are by definition 110 on each leg), they only have 110 volt appliances - even the water heater and the AC units - so there will be no problems like you describe.

In an RV setting (and ONLY in an RV setting) you will get the total watts of both generators, but each gen is only powering certain circuits. If you lose one of the two gens then only the circuits hooked to that leg will go out while the other gen (and whatever it is powering) will continue to soldier on. There are no two circuits that are combined to power 220v items because an RV doesn’t use anything that runs on 220v.

I hope my clarification helps!

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i do not recommend the cheap magnetic dipstick, because there’s a flaw in the design. the magnetic part is cylindrical and glued at the tip. so when the glue gives out, the magnet falls into the oil.
if the magnet was conical shape, then it wouldn’t only rely on glue to hold the magnet to the dipstick. so even without glue, the conical shape would still be wedged in.

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I mean, you might be right, but I’ve had mine for ten years with no problem. And I haven’t really read about anyone’s else’s tip (magnetic or otherwise) falling off. So probably not a very common occurrence.

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I purchased the “WEN” brand magnetic dipstick. Model 55201, about $10.

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I did it, I finally bought one. May I never need it.

I am going to practice with it.

Question: where do you all store your extra gasoline during the winter?

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Five gallon gas can. Store in garage or shed. Buy some fuel stabilizer and it will be good for a year or more.

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I only store during hurricane season, july-sept. three five gallon cans in the garage. Was thinking of getting a big deckbox to store outside. After the season, I fill up my cars.

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Great idea - can you do that after putting fuel stabilizer in them?

I am in the Midwest were we are going to head into winter soon, so I need mine for the ice and snow storms

You have 15 gallons of gas on hand so that would be approx 90 hrs of run time? If the power would go out for an extended period, would you unplug your fridge for a few hours or just keep it running (of course depending on how much food is in there)

Are there any generator type units that you can use inside or would I use my computer battery backups to run things like heated blankets/space heater (I am guessing I could do this) and rotate the batteries for charging?

Tbh 1st time home buyer and 1st winter coming up and want to make sure I am equipped and have a working plan.

I should build a survival binder of what advice I get bc if the power goes out, so will my ability to recall all this info.

Hey, at least I am trying :thinking:

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As far as I know, there are no Generators that can be used inside. They all produce carbon monoxide which WILL kill you. There are really big battery backups you can buy, but it probably wouldn’t make sense to charge them with a generator once they run out. It would be more efficient to just run a cord into the house from generator.

I wouldn’t worry about unplugging the fridge. They actually don’t run constantly and don’t use as much electricity as you might think. Plus, if it’s cold out, it won’t be working that hard. However, if you were using an electric space heater, you’d probably have to unplug everything else from this particular gen. Many heaters use 1500 watts, which is practically the limit for constant running on this unit.

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Also note that you shouldn’t run them in inclement weather unless they are appropriately sheltered. And even then…

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Your questions certainly are legit if you are a new homeowner. Here are a few answers:

  1. There is no generator that uses fossil fuel (gas, diesel, propane, whatever…) that you should operate inside your house. Neither should you operate it inside your garage nor any other attached structure. Period. Full Stop. Any gen should be kept around 10’ away from your home and you can connect your electrical items either with the proper extension cord or with a professionally installed transfer switch. Why is that? Two words - CARBON MONOXIDE.
  2. This generator is not enough by far to power your entire house. It will be good for one or two items at a time but nothing over a total of 1600 watts for extended use.
  3. If you mow your own lawn then simply purchase a few 5-gal gas cans and rotate your fuel into your mower. Keeping the cans filled will provide you with enough fuel to last through most outages.
  4. In the winter you can either add a few ounces of fuel stabilizer to each can during storage or preferably use the gas in your car and refill the cans monthly to keep them fresh.
  5. Whether it’s a snowstorm or torrential rain, the best way to keep your generator protected while it’s outside is an inexpensive dog house with lots of ventilation and a removeable roof. Keep it stashed away (or let your dog actually use it) when it’s not needed.
  6. If it’s a priority for you, inverter generators such as this one are perfect for running anything electronic (TV, computer, LED lights, etc.) as the power is as clean as you can get to what the utility company provides.

Hope this helps!

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