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Running Watts product guide

Westinghouse WGen11500TFc 14,500-Watt Tri-Fuel Portable Generator

Whole-circuit home backup on gasoline, propane or natural gas via transfer switch

The WGen11500TFc makes 11,500 running watts on gasoline, 10,500 on propane and 9,500 on natural gas from a 550cc engine, with electric and remote start, a bonded neutral, and L14-30R and 14-50R outlets. It is not CARB compliant, the natural gas hose is not included, and labor is covered for one year.

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Published specifications

  • Manual: 11,500/14,500 W gas; 10,500/13,500 W propane; 9,500/12,000 W NG
  • Maker: two 5-20R GFCI, L14-30R, 14-50R, ST Switch, two USB; 120/240V
  • Maker: 9.5 gal, 19 h at 25%, 9.5 h at 50%; propane 7 h at 50%
  • Maker: 230 lb dry; electric, remote and recoil start; battery included
  • Manual: bonded to frame; maker: CARB No, THD 5% or less
  • Warranty: consumer parts and labor 1 yr, parts only yrs 2-3; commercial 1 yr

Fit and limits

Strengths

  • Runs on three fuels with watts listed for each
  • L14-30R and 14-50R outlets, listed as transfer switch ready
  • Electric, remote and recoil start; propane hose and oil included

Caveats

  • Not CARB compliant according to Westinghouse's own table
  • Natural gas hose not included; 230 lb to move
  • Written warranty covers labor for one year only

What you get: a 550cc tri-fuel open-frame generator

The WGen11500TFc is a Westinghouse open-frame portable generator, not an inverter, with a 550cc OHV engine that runs on gasoline, propane or natural gas. It has push-button electric start, a remote key fob and a recoil backup. Westinghouse lists it at 230 pounds dry and 27.2 by 26.1 by 26.5 inches, and the manual warns never to lift it by the handle.

The manual's included list covers wheels, axles, washers, hitch pins, stabilizers, bolts, the key fob, a charger, a propane hose, a bottle of SAE 10W-30 oil, a funnel and a spark plug socket wrench. The maker's table says a battery is included. The manual's natural gas warning refers to a natural gas hose as not included, so budget for a hose and a proper gas connection if you plan to use natural gas.

Watts for each fuel, and the run time numbers

The manual rates running and peak watts at 11,500 and 14,500 on gasoline, 10,500 and 13,500 on propane, and 9,500 and 12,000 on natural gas. Running current on gasoline is 47.9 amps at 240V or 95.8 amps at 120V. Output drops about 3.5 percent per 1,000 feet of altitude and about 1 percent per 10 degrees above 60°F, per the manual.

Westinghouse gives gasoline run time on the 9.5-gallon tank as 19 hours at 25 percent load and 9.5 hours at 50 percent. Its table lists propane at 7 hours at 50 percent load, and the Amazon bullet ties the propane figure to a 20-pound tank. No natural gas run time is listed on the product page.

Outlets, bonded neutral and a 14-50R not listed as RV ready

Westinghouse lists two 120V 5-20R GFCI duplex outlets, a 120/240V L14-30R, a 120/240V 14-50R, an ST Switch connection and two USB ports rated 2.1 amps. It calls the generator transfer switch ready. The manual says a building connection must isolate generator power from utility power, and output should be verified by a qualified electrician.

The manual and maker table list the grounding system as bonded to the frame. The maker's table also answers RV Ready with No, despite the 14-50R outlet, so check with Westinghouse before using it for an RV. Discuss the bonded neutral with the electrician wiring your transfer switch.

Not CARB compliant, and THD and noise as stated

Westinghouse's specification table lists CARB Compliant as No, and Amazon's bullet calls it EPA compliant. If you live where CARB compliance is required, this model does not meet it according to the maker. The table and description list total harmonic distortion at 5 percent or less.

Noise is listed as 74 dBA without a measuring distance or load, so it cannot be compared with figures measured at 23 feet. The manual says it must always run outdoors, well ventilated and far from doors, windows and other vents.

Break-in, oil and the maintenance chart

The manual's break-in asks you not to exceed half of rated running watts for the first five hours, to use the supplied oil until the first oil change, and not to use full synthetic during break-in. Oil capacity is 1.26 quarts of SAE 10W-30.

The chart calls for inspecting 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 work is recommended for an approved Westinghouse service center and is not covered by warranty. The manual's storage page covers longer lay-ups.

Placement, CO sensor and a warranty split by years

The manual asks for at least five feet of clearance on all sides including overhead, children and pets kept 10 feet away, and at least 5 feet from combustible material. The CO sensor shuts the engine off when CO builds up, flashes red for at least five minutes, and does not replace home CO alarms. After a CO shutdown, remote-start units must be restarted from the panel button.

Amazon's bullet describes three years of service, labor and parts coverage. 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, prime power use is excluded, and a receipt with model and serial number is needed.

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Primary sources

  1. Westinghouse product page, WGen11500TFc tri-fuel generator with CO sensor
  2. Westinghouse WGen11500TFc user manual
  3. Westinghouse three-year limited warranty for portable generators and inverters

Primary sources checked .

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