Portable Generator for Sale, Cheap Genset Buying Guide

Looking for an affordable generator for your camping trips, fishing trips, charging phones or any outdoor activities? A portable generator is ideal for you. Compared to stationary generators, portable generators are cheaper while offering enough energy to meet your power needs. In addition, they are easy to transport. When it comes to buying a portable generator, many factors need to be considered. This article will help you figure it out.

About portable generator

As the name implies, a portable generator is a generator that is easy to transport. Portable generators are used for providing a source of temporary electric power and giving you consistent power and performance. They are compact and easy to use. Typically, a portable generator can be commonly used to power a job site, campsite, home, outdoor events, etc.

Although there are many different models and versions available on today’s market, the fundamentals of how they work are similar broadly. Generally, primary components of a portable generator include: internal combustion engine, alternator, starter, fuel tank, control devices and panels, including power outlets and safety devices.

Portable generators provide electricity by running a gas-powered or diesel-powered engine that turns an on-board alternator, which converts mechanical energy into electricity, to generate electrical power. You can start up a portable generator and plug extension cords, electric-powered tools and appliances into the power outlets on the unit when the power goes out.

Different types of portable generators

There are many different types of portable generators. Below are some of the most common types of portable generators on the market:

Diesel-Powered Portable Generator

Gas-Powered Portable Generator

Solar Power Portable Generator

Portable Power Station

Portable Inverter Generators

Dual-Fuel Portable Generators

Portable generators usually use gasoline, diesel or natural gas and some even rely on propane. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Read more about the comparison of diesel generators and gas generators. Consider your needs and choose the one that can best suit your requirements.

How to choose a portable generator?

Portable generator come in a wide variety of different power ranges and the prices range from $500 to $1,500 depending on power output. You need to determine your wattage requirements and choose the right size generator. For example, if you intend to buy the generator to power your home during outages, make a list of the essential appliances need to be powered, such as your fridge, microwave, oven, and air conditioner and so on. Check and record how much wattage each appliance uses (including both running watts and starting watts), then add the running wattages together. Find the device with the highest starting watts and add that number to the total running watts. That’s the minimum wattage needed for your generator. If you don’t know the starting watts of the appliances, add together the items’ running wattages and then multiply that number by 1.5 to account for the extra power your appliances need to start up.

In addition to the size of the generator, you also need to consider how long the generator can run on a tank of fuel. If your home experiences occasional power outages, it's a good idea to select a portable generator as backup power source. It’s recommended that you look for a generator with a run-time of at least 10 hours at half-load if you lose power for days at a time. Avoid choosing those which run just a few hours. Otherwise, you have to get up in the middle of the night to refuel.

Portable generator come in different features besides larger fuel tanks for extra runtime, such as low-tone mufflers for quiet operation, integrated fuel gauges to help prevent power interruptions, fold-down handles and wheel kits for easy portability and so on. Anyway, select the right type of portable generator for your needs.

It should be noted that avoid using portable generators in the snow or the rain without sufficient protection. It's recommended that you regularly maintain and test generators for readiness.  

Where to get a portable generator?

Generally speaking, generators are not cheap. A portable generator is the simplest and least expensive backup power system. Here at Dingbo Power, we can offer a wide range of generators to suit your specific needs. We have portable generators and diesel generators from world leading manufacturers like Cummins, Perkins, Volvo, MTU, Deutz and more which can fit both your needs and your budget. Browse our cheap generators for sale and find a particular brand of generator you prefer. If you have any problem in choosing the generator, feel free to contact us.