12500 Peak Watt Home Backup Portable Generator, Remote Electric Start with Auto Choke, Transfer Switch Ready, Gas Powered, CO Sensor

I live in Southern California and as of late, with the wind and fires our power gets shut down periodically for days at a time. Finally fed up with losing food, no lights or showers for extended periods of time, I decided to do some research on generators that could run my 4,000 sf home during outages. This Westinghouse kept popping up in my search. Took the leap and purchased it (had it shipped to my Daughter in Oregon because for some unknown reason, it isn’t approved in California) even though it will run on propane and natural gas. She was coming down for Christmas so she loaded it up and brought it to us. Took me all of about 45 minutes to wire it up to back feed my panel through a 220 volt 50 amp auxiliary circuit I have in the garage for charging my wife’s car, and since my electric service is right next to my natural gas meter, I plumbed it in to hook up to the gas line. Well, it didn’t take long before the recent fires had our power shut down for several days. I fired it up and it ran flawlessly for 3 straight days and ran everything in the house including the home heating units. I did disconnect my pool sub panel and did not attempt to run pool pumps, not necessary for a couple days anyway. I tried it with propane as well and it ran just fine. No need for gasoline unless I have my natural gas cut off as well, but I have a backup 5 gallon gas can for emergency. Very impressed with the quality and ease of use and starting options. Super easy, super handy and great piece of mind. The generator comes with both natural gas and propane hoses for simple easy connections. I was out of town when the most recent power outage occurred and my wife was able to easily roll it out of the garage, make the connections and get I going. Time will tell, but I’m loving the piece of mind and uninterrupted power when we need it. Great piece of equipment. I’m a general contractor so I know how to make the electrical connections, I understand most folks should and will need to contact an electrician to set it up, but it’s simple if you watch some YouTube videos and are not afraid to do a little work.. easy DIY. job if inclined.

I purchased the Westinghouse 12500 Peak Watt Tri-Fuel Generator for home backup, and overall I’m extremely impressed. The build quality feels solid and well-designed right out of the box, and setup was straightforward with clear instructions. One of the biggest selling points for me was the tri-fuel capability—it gives great flexibility to run on gasoline, propane, or natural gas depending on the situation, which is a huge advantage during emergencies. The unit also seems thoughtfully engineered for home use, with plenty of power capacity to run major appliances without concern. I haven’t had a chance to test the remote electric start yet, but it’s a great feature to have and adds a level of convenience that not all generators offer. So far, everything about this generator gives me confidence that it will perform when I need it most. If you’re looking for a reliable, high-capacity backup generator with versatile fuel options, this is a fantastic choice.

HISTORY, ITEMS PURCHASED AND THEIR INTENDED USE: We’ve owned and operated portable generators for years in connection with Texas farm and ranch operations. We’ve also owned several RV’s. We ordered 2 of these Westinghouse 9500Tfc (12500 peak) watt tri-fuel generators through Amazon to power essentials on the ranch (home, well, poly tanks, and guesthouse) during emergency outages. DELIVERY: Both items were delivered at the same time in separate boxes. The simultaneous delivery was appreciated, but the delivery was 8 days late. Not an extreme delay, but Amazon purchasers should plan accordingly. The final delivery process went well. We received a text the day before that provided a delivery window (2-5pm); then we received another confirming text the morning of delivery, and finally a phone call upon arrival - so be sure to carry your phone. The delivery truck was not oversized. No pallet was needed or utilized. The delivery people were polite and arrived early. They took directions courteously, dollied and placed each boxed generator into our garage work space for subsequent un-boxing, inspection and assembly. CONDITION, WEIGHT, AND START-UP: Packaging was good. Using a box cutter, we cut all the way around the bottom and lifted the box off. Each unit was clean and undamaged. Assembly was easy. The wheels are sturdy and roll well. However, the units are not lightweight, even heavier with a full tank of gasoline. I feel sorry for those who plan to regularly roll them around. Do yourself and your back a favor: Place the unit close to where you plan to ultimately use it. The generator engine batteries were fully charged. The battery wiring harness attaches easily, and each generator started on the first try. Be sure to fill the oil, and use EF fuel, if running on gasoline. The location of the “choke” setting (and lack of definitive markings on when it is open or closed) is an oversight on the unit. HOWEVER, the choke appears to be automatic (that is, we are finding that it automatically begins in the full "choke" position; then automatically moves from choke to run after the engine fires up; then returns back to choke again after shutdown). Nevertheless, be sure to confirm that the “choke” is open for cold starts, then confirm that the choke moves to run after the engine fires up. It would help if generator manual chokes (such as this one) had bold and conspicuous indicators of which position is the “choke” position and which is not, as well as panel-level visuals (or reminders) of choke status that cannot be ignored. The engine will run rough and stumble if it remains on choke continuously. Operators may not notice a forgotten choke left “on”, especially when electrical loads are being systematically applied and released (which can stumble the engine momentarily themselves). Nor is one constantly monitoring a generator during the entire operation in the same manner as one would be if he were operating a lawn mower (which, if it begins stumbling, alerts the operator that the choke may still be on). BTW - A great unpacking and assembly video is at: https://westinghouseoutdoorpower.com/blogs/westinghouse-blog/westinghouse-wgen9500-and-st-switch-review-by-randy-richard-in-the-shop ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOURCES AND CONNECTION LINES: A 6 ft, 3/8” propane hose and regulator is provided for attachment to a small portable propane tank, and a longer (25 ft, 1/2") natural gas/propane line is also included for those intending to run on NG (or on propane attached to larger home tank storage). Our initial start up testing was conducted using EF gasoline, but we may ultimately draw from our large home propane tank which has hose connection points close to where each generator will be located. NOISE LEVEL: The noise level is acceptable. We would estimate the sound as probably quieter than many other generators in the same class. But don’t fool yourself: generators of this size and wattage are not quiet. In my opinion, the noise level of this unit is equivalent to a quality, new and smooth, well-running, push lawnmower. The sound is not bad, and its operation outdoors is actually hard to hear indoors unless you plan to operate the unit right up against your building exterior. It’s louder than your outdoor central AC condenser unit, but nowhere near as loud as an average running air compressor unit (the kind used to fill tires, etc). Although some users build styrofoam box covers to dampen the sound, I believe the effectiveness of doing so is questionable, and material cost high. A slight or barely noticeable “drone” from the outdoors during emergency use is of little consequence to most of us. CO SENSOR: At the time we ordered, we were concerned that the units' CO sensors could be too sensitive, and we did not want to have to deal with random shut downs. However, none of these concerns were realized, the units operated perfectly outdoors side-by-side, not more than a few feet from one another, and no problems were encountered with the CO sensors. KEY FOB: Unfortunately, on one of the 2 units, the key fob appeared to be used, and the fob battery (one of those small 3V, 2032 numbered, round shiny flat batteries) was dead. However, not a big deal. We installed a new fob battery, and it worked fine. So far, we are pleased with both units, and look forward to fully testing them over the next 12 months, including on propane. We may further update this review as circumstances warrant. We hope this helps everyone.

Best generator - tri fuel (!!) - works great with propane, natural gas and gasoline. Best part is the Westinghouse Smart Switch power module which makes the unit fully automatic - I know of no other portable generator that is compatible with the smart switch . Once the Smart Switch senses no current in household outlet, the generator auto starts and switches the attached appliances from house current to generator current - brilliant and no electrician needed. (Note: Smart Switch max output is 20 amps). This is my second Westinghouse generator (upgraded from 7500 to 9500 and from dual fuel to tri fuel) - very reliable - had the previous one for 3 years without any issues - starts every time. When running on fuels other than gasoline the max output is less than 9500 so take that into consideration when sizing the right unit for your needs.

I purchased this generator the WGen9500Tfc tri-fuel to be a low cost whole home backup. It works great for that. So far good quality components on everything. I've used it with Propane and Natural Gas. I have not run it on gasoline at all. It was easy to assemble and it's not too bad to move with one person thanks to the sturdy fold up handle and oversized wheels. When I first hooked it up to natural gas it wouldn't start but it turned out not to be a generator problem. the manual says that the gas pressure needs to be between 7 and 14 inches Water Column pressure to run. When I measured at the meter it was only 6.5. I called ATMOS and they came out and adjusted the pressure. Since then everything has been fine. The natural gas hose that ships with it is great quality and it runs fine on 1/2" hose. I've run the generator for a few hour to break it in. I have not had to run the whole house on it yet. I currently have it hooked up to a 240V 30amp outlet on the side of my houses that back-feeds back to my main panel. This serves as a manual transfer switch. I have tested running everything, 240V pool pumps, gas furnaces, all lights and outlets. The only thing that doesn't work yet is my HVAC. will install soft start to get that working. For the price this is a great option for home backup power, especially if you have natural gas. The only major issue is that it is very loud. You will need some sort of sound barrier when you use it. Traditional open frame generator makes massive noise. Working on a portable sound shed for mine. Overall I'm pleased with this purchase.

Why did you pick this product vs others?: The value of this generator is unbeatable. The electric start alone is convenient but having remote start is icing on the cake! I have this hard wired to our home and with a soft-start installed on my 2.5 ton central A/C unit, it powers the whole house. We have +/- 30 l.e.d. lights, two chest freezers, two 25 c.ft. French door refrigerators, gas furnace, three this, dish washer, garage door opener and clothes washer breakers hooked up to it. We've tried running all of these at the same time and it works perfect, no bogging down. I installed an interlock on main panel (very easy, user friendly install). Ran #8 awg wire to panel from 30 amp inlet box installed on side of house and NEMA L-14 power cable. I can't run dryer and A/C at same time, but no big deal. I just turn the A/C breaker off and flip dryer breaker on when I need to dry my close. Word of advice, only use recreational, no-ethanol gas and a stabilizer. I use Seafoam. It's a bit on the loud side, but expected with such a large unit. Set-up takes 2 people....or 1 stubborn husband who prefers to not ask for help! This thing started up right out of the box after adding oil and gas.

This Generator is Awesome! Auto start w/ button or remote makes it easy to start. Follow the maintenance instructions and you should be good. Some other generators I have had in the past have carburetor issues so for this one I am only using gas with fuel stabilizer in it and then I am making sure that I either run it dry when I use it or turn off the fuel flow and let it run until it shuts off so that there is no gas stored in the carburetor when it is being stored. I worked on my panel and wired it up so that I can plug into the 240v outlet and then into a plug connected to a 50amp breaker in my panel so I can power the whole house, if needed, rather than run extension cords everywhere. If you do this make sure to have a generator interlock kit installed in your panel for safety. Works Great!

I replaced an old, hand-me-down generator that was at the end of it's useful life. I decided to try the propane route this ime as I had fuel tank problems (twice) with old one. Assembled this morning - everything was labeled, easy instructions, and well-thought out. Added engine oil, attached propane, paired remote (!), started right up. So happy with this purchase, feel more prepared for our upcoming hurricane season.

Delivery was done on time, and I was informed prior to drop-off. It was fairly easy to set up; the instructions were clear for operation. It started up the first time using gasoline; I'm waiting on the hookup for natural gas. It comes with both lines for propane & natural gas. Although this was not clear at the time of ordering, I purchased an additional natural gas line. Everything appears to work and runs well, and I'm pleased with the purchase. Have not had a chance to use during an outage but feel confident it will do the job. Had a Generlink installed so power goes directly through breaker panel.

Service rapide et courtois

Generator Surplus sent the missing Natural gas hose + charging adaptor. That is a good seller in my books. After adding the breaker in oil and testing this it seems to work fine as a power source on propaine. The build quality seems very good and having three fuels makes it good value for the investment. Having the electric start makes it easy to use for those less physically able. l will test natural gas the main reason I bought this power source as in many disasters in North America in recent years the natural gas stays on rather than trying to find gas stations for propaine and gas. As others have mentioned, the generator is quite loud & vibrates the floor if you have it in one. Perhaps it could use a rubber for the wheels and a little shed to dampen the sound. Instead of running a bunch of extension cords, I plan on having an electrician hook up an automatic transfer switch on my main power panel. This will prevent safety hazards for linemen repairing downed power lines and prevent damage to the generator and the devices plugged into it. Now I will make sure to pick up all the maintenance items to keep this running through any disaster. I will update my review after I have done more testing and have everything optimised.

I am very pleased so fare with my product started well in cold temperatures and very easy setup and portability.

Quelle soit au gaz et au propane