Westinghouse 28000 Peak Watt Home Backup Portable Generator, Electric Start with Auto Choke, Transfer Switch Ready 30A & 50A Outlets, Gas Powered,Blue

What a huge BEAST!! I been running 7550 watts Generac generator past few years, only issues I faced was not able run AC, Dryer what runs 220 volts. We able to cook on stove with only 2 burners. My Golly, this beast is something! Being heavy equipment mechanic, this thing not as loud as my 7550 Generac. I was able do ANYTHING in my home even 5 tons AC. The positive thing it contains breakers on each plugs., lots of plugs to run cords to my shop nearby. Moving it not bad with the solid wheels, weights 680 lbs. loaded with gas and oil. I added rack on top hold my cords and such. Starting this thing really different. Like a robot self start once button was pushed. I put synthetic oil in it instead using factory as I live in cold climate and stat any temperature. This thing runs GREAT!! I put it together was a breeze as I didn’t read the instructions, I just knew what I’m doing. I was lucky enough to own a cherry picker to get it off the pallet. I know some customers not prepare for that. Lol. I was, knew gonna be heavy. Love the frame around it. Xcel energy was so pissed I was prepared to have power when they don’t want me not having power. We people should always be prepared. I’m happy to have this BEAST!! 20k running watts is just more than I need. Those who curious, my house 3,300 square foot.

I bought this generator a few years ago. Living in the Houston area we do experience storms and power outages more frequently than others. Last year hurricane Beryl hit and we were without power for 6 days, but luckily this beast kept us up and running. We were able to also run our downstairs AC unit and pool pump for 6 days. I was able to keep my sanity during a very rough time. We were even able to run lines to our Nextdoor neighbors house so that they could keep the fridge going and one of them had an oxygen tank. It took a lot of gas and that was the most challenging part (finding gas) but I was successful each day and was able to keep it going. Changing oil is simple. Very impressed and pleased that I we purchased it. So worth the $$$. It also starts up so quickly every time. We just pulled it out to test it this year now that it is hurricane season and it started right up.

For the WGEN20000: 1. Initial start-up (in cold weather) was worrisome. I had just put in gas and oil for the first time. A shot of ether fixed that. Has started with no problems since. 2. Cannot see the oil on the dip stick; it’s there, but the oil is clear and very hard to make out on the shiny dip stick. Also, I couldn't find any marks on the dip stick. Once the oil is used and turns a little brown it should have contrast and be fine. 3. The 50 amp receptacles are too close to the tire and make it hard to plug in the large cords. Worst you’ll have to do is pull a cotter pin and remove the wheel. 4. Cannot tell yet if this generator has a low oil shutoff feature. I hope it doesn’t. A light or alarm would be nice but not a complete shutdown. My older generator had one and it was 3 years of really bad trouble until I figured out the low oil sensor was bad. I cut the wire to it and no more problems. The angels came out and sang. Btw, I’m always checking the oil. 5. Overall it seems very well designed, things are easy to get to and there’s lots to like about it. I just hope it works well over the years with the sporadic use that is intended. 6. Mine says it is made in Vietnam, not China. So I consider that a step up.

This generator is huge - over 500 lbs. The frame is way undersized for the weight of this thing. The first - and only - time I lifted the generator by the included lifting bar it buckled (see pic). When the bar bucked the frame flexed. I can see multiple places where the paint scraped away from bolts slipping as the frame shifted. I can only hope that didn't do damage that will shorten the lift of the unit. The wheels are also too small. They are fine for flat concrete, but forget about gravel or grass/dirt. The panel is flimsy. The 30a and 50a receptacles are really tight (which is a good thing) and when I go to insert/remove a plug I'm worried that the receptacle is going to rip off the panel. The fuel shutoff literally pops out of its holder when you turn it on if you don't hold onto it. Finally, the design of the screen on the fuel filler makes gasoline splatter all over the place when filling. I want to love this generator. The price per watt is incredible. But I feel like Westinghouse ruined it by cutting corners in the build quality. I have serious concerns about the long term reliability of the product. I don't feel safe lifting it and the wheels make it impossible to roll, so I'm left with a portable generator that I can't get where I need it without extra equipment. I would have gladly paid a few extra $100 for a more sturdy frame, bigger wheels, and a beefier panel. Update 2021-11-7: Reducing to 2 stars due to continued manufacturing issues. I went to move the generator and found one of the four nuts that holds the engine to the frame on the floor. No thread lock on a part that vibrates like crazy… Update 2022-5-1: 1 star. Generator has a parasitic draw that drains the battery and there’s no pull rope, so when the battery is dead you can’t start the generator. What good is a generator that you can’t start when the power is out? Clean it up, Westinghouse.

We ordered the WGen20000 4 months ago and, luckily, have not had to use it to power the house yet. It arrived on time without any issues even though it is a big, heavy item (600 lbs). With the help of a certified electrician, we were able to set it up ready for the next hurricane. It is loud, but it easy to start and should be able to deliver power to our entire house. The only reason I gave 4/5 stars is that the low power mode does not work. I will call the customer support number to see how to correct this issue. It is less than half price of the most popular brand and does everything that the other is advertised to do.