After testing out a new Wen generator capable of running on propane or gasoline, a Redditor decided to share their thoughts with the r/generator community.
The Redditor's early experience with their Wen DF450i dual-fuel inverter generator had run into a few glitches, but by and large, they said they were happy with the generator and Wen's customer service.
Here's what to know
In their post, the Redditor emphasized that they had selected the Wen DF450i specifically because it could run on two different fuel types. First, the original poster tested the unit with propane.
"The generator delivered flawlessly (and quietly!) on this front," they reported.
However, trouble arose when the homeowner tried to switch the unit from propane to gas.
"Disappointingly, the generator sputtered and died," the OP said. "I could not get the generator to run well no matter what I tried."
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The OP first tried contacting Wen's customer service via email but did not hear back for roughly two weeks. When they tried calling, however, they got ahold of a customer service rep who asked them some questions. The rep diagnosed the issues as a faulty carburetor, and they sent the OP a replacement.
After installing the new carburetor, the OP said the generator ran properly on gasoline and switched over from propane without problems.
More background
The OP said they had seen mixed feedback about the manufacturer's support and wanted to add their own data point. Though they were disappointed that a new unit required a replacement part, they ultimately expressed satisfaction with Wen's customer service and the equipment.
Commenters offered perspective from their own experiences.
"I had the smaller 2500 dual fuel that could swap while running and it performed awesome," wrote one person. "I gave it to my brother after a hurricane we had. … I now have the newer suitcase style 4500 inverter they sell gas only as my backup. It's done great."
A different commenter had a similar experience to the OP.
"It was disappointing that the inverter was defective, but at least all ended well," they said, describing the customer service as "excellent."
Where can I learn more?
If you don't have a generator but do have an electric vehicle, they can work wonders for creating power in a pinch.
• A hurricane-prone homeowner found EV as backup power worked when they preferred not running a generator.
• U.K.-based Zenobē is building battery storage from EVs to support transit fleets and electric grids.
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