Pulsar 2,200W Portable Dual Fuel Quiet Inverter Generator with USB Outlet & Parallel Capability, CARB Compliant, PG2200BiS

I managed to snag this for $300 while it was on sale from Camping World. This is my first generator, so I have nothing to compare it to, but it works well for my purposes of charging a battery backup to use during a power outage. It is fairly lightweight and portable, runs on gasoline or propane, and seems relatively easy to maintain.When I got it, I took the recommended advice on YouTube to run the generator at varying loads (500W, 1000W, and 1500W, using a radiant space heater with three settings) and then immediately changing the oil. I used the small bottle of oil it came with, which contains just the right amount to fill the reservoir. Although the product page recommends 10W-30, the manual shows that you can run the generator in a wider temperature range if you use 5W-30. (I used a cheap full synthetic type.) I also checked the air filter, the spark plug, and the spark arrestor. All looked brand new.I am taking the advice to only run this generator on propane to avoid gumming up the carburetor or having gas in the tank get stale and go bad. It is easy to start on propane. In fact, I bought a 30lb propane tank on Amazon just for running this generator and filled it up at Tractor Supply. This should save me money over tank exchanges. Although the manual says to pull twice with the choke on, and turn off choke and pull twice to start, I have also started it without the choke on at all. It always starts with four pulls either way. The engine struggles a little at first with loads over about a 1000 watts, but it does stabilize, even in ECO mode. The generator stays put if it's on level ground and doesn't move around.The only load this generator struggles with so far is my Anker Solix C1000, a battery power station with the capability to set the charging rate. It does fine up to 1000W, but when I try to crank it up to the 1300W ultrafast charging mode, the Anker resets everytime and will not charge. It would be nice if it would, but I think this has something to do with the fancy circuitry of the Anker. I am still happy that will charge at 1000W, which should still be sufficient to get me up and running in and outage pretty quickly.I recommend this generator if you need something small to power small loads during an outage. It would also be good for transporting to a jobsite or for camping/van life, since it's very lightweight.

Review of Pulsar PG2200BiS 2200W(peak)Inverter, dual fuel (gas and propane)$421 in Oct 2023. (for gas-only comparison Pulsar 2300W was $349, or 4000W for $431)Nobody paid me anything to write this. This is info I was looking for when I was reading the reviews.I examined the packaging and contents to see if it suggested this was a return. There was a small scrape on the case, and oil on dipstick (hopefully) from factory testing. Overall impression was that this was a new item. Included in the box: generator, regulator with hose, user manual, 3yr warranty, container of 11.8oz oil, spark plug wrench, and a small funnel which is threaded for the oil port. (see pic)The 3yr warranty requires you to pay for "all transportation costs" (presumably both ways) to them for repair or replacement. After the first year you also pay for labor, so in most cases it's at best a 1 yr warranty. If you buy one, I'd recommend testing it within the 30 days of the Amazon return period.I weighed the generator without gas or oil. 47.1lbs. Amazon page says 44lbs. Nope. Manual says 47.1lbs. Adding a gallon of gas at 6.1lbs and 12oz oil makes it about 53.9lbs. The side panel of the generator(see image 6 on the Amazon page) says 24.5Kg, which is 53.9lbs.Regarding the problem a few reviewers had starting it, I read some possible reasons why in the manual.1. The engine switch must be turned to "On"2. The vent on top of the fuel cap must be turned to "On" (for gasoline only).3. Nothing can be plugged into the generator when starting. It loads the engine to keep it from spinning freely, and is bad for electronics. Note: It also says unplug everything before stopping the generator.4. needs proper oil level(ships without, so add oil). If too low(or tilted too much) it activates "low oil" shut-off.5. Using propane(LP), according to the manual, you should push the purge button on the regulator(see pic) for 3-5 seconds, fully open the choke, pull twice (purges air in hose?), close the choke and pull twice.If you miss any of these steps you could have a problem.I added the oil. You should make sure the generator is level when checking the oil level. A very small tilt is the difference between a dipstick reading of "full" or "empty". I stuck a little circular bubble level ($5 on Amazon) on the flat space next to the gas cap to help verify level. It's hard to get all the oil out of the corrugated funnel, so I'd recommend storing it in a 1-gallon zip lock bag.Before starting the generator, I installed a magnetic oil dipstick ($10 on Amazon). Strong magnet, but almost impossible to read oil level with it. Keep the original dipstick for checking oil. (I might put it back in if I don't find any tiny metal bits at the 5hr break-in period)The spark plug gap was good. It's a Torch E6RTC. You could upgrade to a NGK BPR6ES, but this one worked fine.To connect the LP hose to the generator the dial must be set to LPG. There are prongs on the dial that fit around the hose connector to keep it from being switched to "gas" when set on propane.(see pic) You need to connect the line inside the prongs. It makes it a bit difficult to get a wrench on it to tighten. Of course, it's a flare fitting so you don't need any teflon tape. You could put a little gas pipe dope around the flare end if you find a leak. I didn't have a problem.I started the generator on propane without adding any gas. The wattages listed below were measured with a Kill-O-Watt meter(recommend getting one). Weighed LP tank -TW =4.0 lbs propane. Turned engine switch on >choke on >2 pulls >choke off >2 pulls, started right up. Changed to ECO mode. Slight drop in noise. The power rating for propane is 1600W running/ 1800W peak.On a 50ft (12ga?) extension cord and a power strip, I attached 2 fans and a space heater, 1300W total, continuous. Tried Eco mode off/on but no change in sound or speed, so Eco off. Ran 20min. Everything was turned off. Weighed disconnected LP tank and found I used exactly 1lb. It ran at 1300w for 20min. which equates the same amount of fuel generating 433w for 1hr (1lb propane generating 1300W x 1/3hrs = 433 Whrs/lb). So about 1lb LP/hr at 1/4 load (400W) seems reasonable. For 20lbs of propane that's 20hrs at 400w, 10hrs at 800W, or 5hrs at 1600w. I'm planning to run it on propane only, for now. When I run it on gas later I'll add an update.In conclusion, I like this generator so far. It seems to be well built and at a good price point for what you're getting, inverter, dual fuel and 2200 peak watts.

Super light, super easy to assemble. Great for RV or elderly or disabled people. Comes with everything you need to hook right up to a propane tank, includes regulator, etc.Tested out dead of winter 0°F worked great, quiet enough and seemed to last forever on one 20lb propane tank. Truly a great little machine and can’t wait to test it out camping.