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Running Watts product guide

Westinghouse iGen12000TFc 12000-Watt Tri-Fuel Inverter Generator

Home backup through a 50A or 30A transfer switch on gas, propane or natural gas

The iGen12000TFc makes 9,000 running watts on gasoline, 8,100 on propane and 7,200 on natural gas, with remote and electric start, a bonded neutral, and 14-50R and L14-30R outlets rated for transfer switch use. It weighs 191 pounds, is listed as not CARB compliant, and runs only 9 hours on a 20-pound propane tank at quarter load.

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Published specifications

  • Manual: 9,000/12,000 W gas; 8,100/11,000 W propane; 7,200/9,800 W natural gas
  • Maker: 5-20R GFCI duplex, 14-50R 50A, L14-30R 30A, ST Switch; 120/240V
  • Maker: 7.9 gal tank, 19 h at 25%; 20 lb propane 9 h at 25%, 5 h at 50%
  • Maker: 191 lb dry; electric, remote (99 ft) and recoil start; battery included
  • Manual: bonded neutral; maker: CARB compliant No; THD 3% or less
  • Warranty: consumer parts and labor 1 yr, parts only yrs 2-3; commercial 1 yr

Fit and limits

Strengths

  • Runs on gasoline, propane or natural gas with watts listed for each
  • 14-50R and L14-30R outlets listed as transfer switch ready
  • Remote key fob and electric start with battery included

Caveats

  • Short propane run time: 9 h on a 20 lb tank at 25% load
  • Not CARB compliant according to Westinghouse's own table
  • 191 lb, and written warranty covers labor for one year only

What you get: a 457cc tri-fuel inverter built for home backup

The iGen12000TFc is Westinghouse's 12,000-peak-watt inverter generator that runs on gasoline, propane or natural gas, with a 457cc OHV engine, electric, remote and recoil start, and a wheel and handle kit. Westinghouse lists it at 191 pounds dry and 30.2 by 25.2 by 26.6 inches. The manual warns never to lift it by the handle and to always have help lifting it.

Westinghouse's accessory list includes oil and funnel, a spark plug wrench, the remote key fob, a propane hose, a battery float charger, a wheel kit wrench set and a screwdriver, and its table says a battery is included. The manual's own included list is shorter, covering the wheels, axles, stabilizers, handle, oil, funnel and plug wrench, so check the box against both lists.

Watts for each of the three fuels

The manual rates running and peak watts as 9,000 and 12,000 on gasoline, 8,100 and 11,000 on propane, and 7,200 and 9,800 on natural gas. Westinghouse's table converts that to 37.5 amps at 240V or 75 amps at 120V running on gasoline. The manual lists natural gas consumption at 120,813 BTU at full load, which matters when sizing a gas line.

Output drops about 3.5 percent per 1,000 feet of altitude and about 1 percent per 10 degrees above 60°F, according to the manual. Westinghouse gives gasoline run time as 19 hours at 25 percent load and 11 hours at 50 percent on the 7.9-gallon tank. On a 20-pound propane cylinder, it lists only 9 hours at 25 percent load and 5 hours at 50 percent.

Outlets, bonded neutral and transfer switch readiness

The panel has a 120V 5-20R GFCI duplex, a 120/240V 14-50R 50-amp outlet, a 120/240V L14-30R 30-amp twist-lock and an ST Switch connection; the smart switch itself is not included. Westinghouse lists it as transfer switch and RV ready, and says both the 14-50R and L14-30R are transfer switch or interlock kit ready. The manual says a transfer switch must be installed by a qualified electrician.

The manual and maker table both describe a bonded neutral, meaning the neutral is connected to the frame, and the manual says this lets devices that need a grounded receptacle pin work properly. How a bonded-neutral portable should be connected through your transfer switch or interlock is a question for the electrician doing the installation, so share this detail with them.

Remote start, parallel limits and CARB status

The remote key fob starts the generator from up to 99 feet, according to the manual. The starting battery comes with a quick-connect plug that must be joined before first use, and the engine charges it while running.

Parallel operation needs a compatible cord or receptacle-mounted cable sold separately, which the manual lists as part 507096. The maker's table limits pairing to other 240V Westinghouse inverters with 240V parallel cables, and the manual says not to use ECO mode in parallel. Westinghouse's table lists it as EPA compliant and CARB Compliant No. It gives THD as 3 percent or less and noise as low as 64 dBA without a distance or load.

Oil, the maintenance chart and storage

The unit ships without oil, and the manual says to install the stabilizer feet and wheels before adding oil. Capacity is 1.16 quarts of SAE 10W-30. Gasoline must be 87 to 93 octane with no more than 10 percent ethanol.

The chart calls for checking oil before each use and changing it after the first 25 hours or first month, then again at a later chart interval, and monthly under heavy load or high temperatures. Valve clearance is recommended for a Westinghouse approved service center and is not covered by warranty. For two to six months of storage, drain the carburetor float bowl; beyond six months, drain the tank as well.

Outdoor placement and a warranty split by years

The manual says to use it only outside and far from windows, doors and vents, never in a home, garage, camper or truck bed, and to keep at least five feet from combustible material. Amazon and Westinghouse list a CO sensor; the pages we read do not describe its shutoff behaviour, so read that section of the manual.

Amazon and the product page call this a three-year limited warranty. Westinghouse's written warranty for consumer use covers parts and labor for one year and replacement parts only for years two and three; commercial or rental use gets one year. The owner pays transport to a service provider, keeps the receipt with model and serial number, and prime power use is excluded.

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Primary sources

  1. Westinghouse product page, iGen12000TFc tri-fuel inverter generator with CO sensor
  2. Westinghouse iGen12000TFc user manual (PF130060)
  3. Westinghouse three-year limited warranty for portable generators and inverters

Primary sources checked .

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