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Running Watts product guide

Champion 201438 12,500-Watt Electric Start Tri-Fuel Portable Generator

Home backup on natural gas with a properly sized gas line

Champion's 201438 makes 10,000 running watts on gasoline, 9,000 on propane and 8,000 on natural gas, with electric start, CO Shield, a 25-foot natural gas hose and 14-50R and L14-30R outlets. The 14-50R is rated at 42 amps, and a 20-pound propane tank lasts only about 3 hours at half load.

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Published specifications

  • Manual: 10,000/12,500 W gas; 9,000/11,250 W propane; 8,000/10,000 W NG
  • Manual: L14-30R 30A, 14-50R 42A, four 5-20R GFCI; 120/240V
  • Maker: 7.7 gal, 8 h at 50%; 20 lb propane 3 h at 50%
  • Manual: NG line 130,000 BTU/hr min at 5-7 in. W.C.; hoses included
  • Manual: 231 lb; 12V 14Ah battery; neutral bonded to frame
  • Manual: 3-yr parts and labor; 270 days commercial use

Fit and limits

Strengths

  • Runs on gasoline, propane or natural gas with hoses included
  • Three years of parts and labor, not parts only
  • Manual spells out natural gas line size and pressure

Caveats

  • 14-50R outlet rated at 42 amps in the manual
  • Only 3 hours at half load on a 20 lb propane tank
  • 231 lb; no CARB statement found

What you get: a 500cc tri-fuel generator with gas hoses

Champion model 201438 is a conventional portable generator, listed by Champion as not an inverter, with a 500cc engine that runs on gasoline, propane or natural gas. It has electric start with a 12V, 14Ah non-spillable lead-acid battery and a recoil backup. Amazon's title calls it 12,500 watts, while Champion names it by its 10,000 running watts; both refer to the same gasoline rating.

The manual's parts list includes 1.4 US quarts of engine oil, an oil funnel, a 6.5-foot LPG hose with regulator, a 25-foot natural gas hose and an adapter fitting, plus wheels and two support legs to assemble. Champion lists it at 231 pounds and 29 by 28.5 by 25.8 inches, the same figures Amazon gives.

Watts per fuel and what natural gas needs

The manual rates it at 10,000 running and 12,500 starting watts on gasoline, 9,000 and 11,250 on propane, and 8,000 and 10,000 on natural gas. Champion's page gives 41.7 running amps at 240V on gasoline. The generator has automatic voltage regulation, and the manual lists the grounding type as neutral bonded to frame.

Natural gas needs its own supply line with a shut-off valve, sized for at least 130,000 BTU per hour at 5 to 7 inches of water column, with gas of at least 1,000 BTU per cubic foot. The manual calls undersized supply lines the number one cause of hard starting and poor output, and says gas connections should be made by a certified plumber familiar with local codes.

Outlets, and a 14-50R rated at 42 amps

The manual's panel page lists a 120/240V 30A L14-30R twist-lock, a 120/240V 14-50R rated at 42 amps, and four 120V 20A GFCI 5-20R receptacles. Champion's product description calls the larger outlet an L14-50R, while its own specification list and the manual say 14-50R. Go by the manual, and check that any cord or inlet you buy is made for a 14-50R outlet.

The manual rates the 14-50R at 42 amps on this generator, so check the amp rating your RV cord or home inlet expects before relying on it. The panel page we read does not describe a transfer switch requirement; ask a licensed electrician how a bonded-neutral generator should connect to your home.

Run time, especially on propane

Champion gives gasoline run time as 8 hours at half load from a full 7.7-gallon tank. On a 20-pound propane cylinder, its figure is only 3 hours at half load. Amazon's runtime field says 8 hours, which matches the gasoline figure. Champion's table does not list a natural gas run time.

Gasoline must be unleaded, at least 87 octane, with no more than 10 percent ethanol; the manual says not to use E15 or E85. The product page gives noise as 74 dBA from 23 feet without naming the load, and Champion's specification list answers Inverter with No and lists no THD figure.

Maintenance schedule and storage

The manual's schedule asks for an oil check every 8 hours or before each use, an oil change after the first 5 hours, air filter cleaning every 50 hours or yearly, and oil, spark plug, spark arrestor and fuel valve filter service every 100 hours or yearly. Valve clearance and combustion chamber work come at 250 hours, and the fuel line and LPG hose are replaced every three years.

Oil capacity is 1.4 US quarts, with 10W-30 for typical use and other grades by temperature. For gasoline storage up to 30 days, the manual says to run the carburetor dry; it notes propane and natural gas do not gum the carburetor. It rates the generator for continuous use up to 104°F and electric starting from 5°F.

Placement rules, CARB status and warranty terms

The manual says never to run it in any building, garage, shed, RV compartment, truck bed or next to walls, and not in rain or snow. It asks for 5 feet from combustible material and 3 feet of airflow clearance on all sides. Champion's page says CO Shield shuts the engine off when CO builds up and is not a substitute for an indoor CO alarm.

Champion's page calls it EPA certified; neither the product page nor the manual pages we read state that this model is CARB compliant. The written warranty covers parts and labor for three years for the original purchaser and 270 days for commercial use. Register within ten days with a receipt, contact Champion rather than the store, and expect to pay transport; starting batteries and prime-power use are excluded.

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Primary sources

  1. Champion product page, model 201438 10,000W electric start tri fuel generator
  2. Champion operator's manual, model 201438

Primary sources checked .

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