Home Generators
Home generators provide power when the utility cannot. Most fall into two classes—home portable generator or automatic home standby generator. Choose the right generator for your home & family.
Automatic Home Standby Generator
The automatic home standby generator runs on either natural gas or propane. Most can produce more power on propane versus natural gas, but a few have the same rating. As the name indicates, they are fully automatic and turn on whenever the power shuts off, restoring power within a few seconds. When the utility restores power, the power source transfers back to the utility and the generator shuts down.
Pros | Cons |
Fully automatic. Works even when you're not home | Initial cost is higher than a portable of the same capacity. |
Doesn't require frequent refueling. Never for Natural Gas. Days or weeks for propane | Requires professional installation. |
Utility grade power. |
Portable Generator
The traditional portable generator runs on gasoline. Dual Fuel models add Propane as a fuel, and Tri-Fuel generators can use Gasoline, Propane, or Natural Gas. Gasoline provides the most power, but costs more than either propane or natural gas. A generator using natural gas will produce less power than a generator running on propane, which makes less power than gasoline.
Almost any generator can provide some power for necessities during an outage. If the main purpose of a portable is home backup, choose one with specific features that enable to do the job better.
Feature | Reason |
5000 Running Watts or More | Your furnace, refrigerator, and sump pump will total almost 2400 watts or more. Anything less than 5000 will leave you wishing for more power. |
120/240 Volts | With 120/240, the generator can connect to a transfer switch for safe and efficient connections to your home's electrical system. |
Run times of 8 hours or more | To avoid frequent refueling and trips to the gas station. |
Maintenance interval => 50 Hours | Changing the oil once or twice every day is inconvenient which leads to avoidance and eventual engine failure. 50 hours is about every 2 days. |
THD <= 6% | The distortion of the power signal is damaging to some electronics and appliances including some motors. Although not necessarily a requirement, be aware that some appliances won't run on power with a THD < 6%. |
Idle control | Slow the generator to idle saving fuel and making less noise during periods of no power use. |
Dual Fuel or Tri-Fuel | With Dual Fuel and a large tank, generator run times can stretch into days. Natural gas is a virtual endless supply. Generators run for weeks without refueling, but still require daily oil checks and on-time maintenance. |
Electric Start / Remote Start | No more repeatedly yanking a recoil start cord on a cold day. Electric start gets you running fast. Remote Start allows you to turn the generator on and off from inside your home. |
Read the generator specifications before you purchase. Verify the generator running watts and starting watts, sometimes called max watts or surge watts.
The right portable generator doesn't necessarily have every feature listed. If you only want to run your fridge and a few lights, then a smaller generator will do the job. If you want run a permanently wired appliance like a furnace or central air conditioner, choose a larger generator with 120/240 volts that connects to a transfer switch.
Be sure to see our sizing guides and power calculator to choose the right generator. Find Portable Home Generators or select the generator TYPE (Portable or Standby) in the BLUE Filter Menu> at the top (mobile) or left side(desktop).
Home Generator Options
Inverter Generators : Low THD, Low Noise, Fuel Efficient.
Dual Fuel : Runs on Propane or Gasoline
Tri-Fuel : Runs on Natural Gas, Propane, or Gasoline
Remote Start: Start and Stop Your Generator from Inside Your House
Electric Start : No More Pull Cords. Push the Starter and the Generator Starts.
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Model #: 201505
Champion Generator 5500 Watt Dual Fuel Portable with CO Shield | 201505
Norwall's Low Price
$849.00 -
Model #: 201160
Champion 12000 Watt Generator with Electric Start + CO Shield | 201160
Norwall's Low Price
$2,499.00 -
Model #: 201494
Champion Generator 9200 Watt Portable with Electric Start + CO Shield | 201494
Norwall's Low Price
$1,099.00 -
Model #: 201506
Champion Generator 8000 Watt Portable with Remote Start + CO Shield | 201506
Norwall's Low Price
$899.00 -
Model #: 201407
Champion 11000 Watt Inverter Generator with CO Shield | 201407
Norwall's Low Price
$1,899.00 -
Model #: 201423
Champion 11000 Watt Inverter Generator Tri-Fuel with + CO Shield | 201423
Norwall's Low Price
$1,999.00 -
Model #: 201417
Champion 11000 Watt Inverter Generator Dual Fuel with + CO Shield | 201417
Norwall's Low Price
$1,899.00 -
Model #: 201509
Champion 8500 Watt Inverter Generator Electric Start + CO Shield | 201509
Norwall's Low Price
$1,699.00 -
Model #: XP16000iHT
DuroMax Largest Inverter Generator 16000 Watt Tri Fuel + CO Alert | XP16000iHT
Norwall's Low Price
$5,499.00 -
Model #: XP16000iH
DuroMax XP16000iH Largest Inverter Generator Dual Fuel CO Alert
Norwall's Low Price
$4,999.00 -
Model #: XP15000HXT
DuroMax Tri Fuel Generator 15000 Watt with Remote Electric Start | XP15000HXT
Norwall's Low Price
$2,999.00 -
Model #: XP15000HX
DuroMax 15000 Watt Generator Remote Electric Start Dual Fuel Portable | XP15000HX
Norwall's Low Price
$2,499.00
Home generators provide power when the utility cannot. Most fall into two classes—home portable generator or automatic home standby generator. Choose the right generator for your home & family.
Automatic Home Standby Generator
The automatic home standby generator runs on either natural gas or propane. Most can produce more power on propane versus natural gas, but a few have the same rating. As the name indicates, they are fully automatic and turn on whenever the power shuts off, restoring power within a few seconds. When the utility restores power, the power source transfers back to the utility and the generator shuts down.
Pros | Cons |
Fully automatic. Works even when you're not home | Initial cost is higher than a portable of the same capacity. |
Doesn't require frequent refueling. Never for Natural Gas. Days or weeks for propane | Requires professional installation. |
Utility grade power. |
Portable Generator
The traditional portable generator runs on gasoline. Dual Fuel models add Propane as a fuel, and Tri-Fuel generators can use Gasoline, Propane, or Natural Gas. Gasoline provides the most power, but costs more than either propane or natural gas. A generator using natural gas will produce less power than a generator running on propane, which makes less power than gasoline.
Almost any generator can provide some power for necessities during an outage. If the main purpose of a portable is home backup, choose one with specific features that enable to do the job better.
Feature | Reason |
5000 Running Watts or More | Your furnace, refrigerator, and sump pump will total almost 2400 watts or more. Anything less than 5000 will leave you wishing for more power. |
120/240 Volts | With 120/240, the generator can connect to a transfer switch for safe and efficient connections to your home's electrical system. |
Run times of 8 hours or more | To avoid frequent refueling and trips to the gas station. |
Maintenance interval => 50 Hours | Changing the oil once or twice every day is inconvenient which leads to avoidance and eventual engine failure. 50 hours is about every 2 days. |
THD <= 6% | The distortion of the power signal is damaging to some electronics and appliances including some motors. Although not necessarily a requirement, be aware that some appliances won't run on power with a THD < 6%. |
Idle control | Slow the generator to idle saving fuel and making less noise during periods of no power use. |
Dual Fuel or Tri-Fuel | With Dual Fuel and a large tank, generator run times can stretch into days. Natural gas is a virtual endless supply. Generators run for weeks without refueling, but still require daily oil checks and on-time maintenance. |
Electric Start / Remote Start | No more repeatedly yanking a recoil start cord on a cold day. Electric start gets you running fast. Remote Start allows you to turn the generator on and off from inside your home. |
Read the generator specifications before you purchase. Verify the generator running watts and starting watts, sometimes called max watts or surge watts.
The right portable generator doesn't necessarily have every feature listed. If you only want to run your fridge and a few lights, then a smaller generator will do the job. If you want run a permanently wired appliance like a furnace or central air conditioner, choose a larger generator with 120/240 volts that connects to a transfer switch.
Be sure to see our sizing guides and power calculator to choose the right generator. Find Portable Home Generators or select the generator TYPE (Portable or Standby) in the BLUE Filter Menu> at the top (mobile) or left side(desktop).
Home Generator Options
Inverter Generators : Low THD, Low Noise, Fuel Efficient.
Dual Fuel : Runs on Propane or Gasoline
Tri-Fuel : Runs on Natural Gas, Propane, or Gasoline
Remote Start: Start and Stop Your Generator from Inside Your House
Electric Start : No More Pull Cords. Push the Starter and the Generator Starts.