Shop Generac Portable Generators

That depends entirely on the wattage you buy. A small generator at 3,600 watts is enough for the basics in an outage: a fridge, lamps, chargers, maybe a fan. Step up to the 6,500 to 8,500-watt range, and you can add a well or sump pump and run more of the house at once. The big GP units, at 15,000 to 17,500 watts, can carry most of your essential circuits through an outage when wired to a manual transfer switch.

Pull start means yanking a recoil cord, the same motion as a push mower, and it is standard on the lighter units. Electric start swaps that for a battery and a button, which is a lot friendlier on a big generator. Plenty of the Generac portables we carry come with electric start built in.

The bulk of Generac portables burn regular gasoline through an air-cooled OHV engine; the XD diesel model is the exception, and liquid propane is an option on certain units. Want something that never needs refueling? That points you toward a natural-gas standby instead, which we also sell and install. On a portable, run time comes down to tank size and fuel consumption, which climbs with the load you put on it. A full tank holds enough gasoline to run for hours before a built-in fuel gauge tells you it is time to refill.

Yes, but it has to go through a manual transfer switch and inlet box that an electrician wires in. That setup lets the generator safely feed the circuits you picked, like the furnace and refrigerator. What you should never do is run a cord from the generator into a wall or dryer socket, because that pushes power backward and can injure you or a lineworker.

Keep it outside on firm, dry ground, with plenty of clearance from windows, doors, and vents, and never tucked in a garage or under a porch. The exhaust carries carbon monoxide you cannot smell, and at high levels it can make you sick or be deadly, which is why you keep the generator outdoors and well away from windows and doors. As an added safeguard, Generac’s CoSense models monitor the air and shut the unit off on their own when they sense a dangerous buildup. If the weather turns, shelter it with a generator-rated cover made for the job, never a tarp that traps heat and fumes.

Each one ships with a Generac factory warranty, though how long it lasts varies from model to model. We will go over the specific terms for whatever unit you land on before you buy. Just know that letting maintenance slide can cut that coverage short, so the service schedule is worth keeping.