Buying Gas Generators

Buying gas generators can be fairly straightforward: gas generators are among the smallest and lightest electrical generators available. They’re designed to be used for camping, hunting, construction, and in other places where there is no regular electrical service. If you're going to depend on the generator for any significant periods of time, it's worth getting a quality unit that is easy to service and has features such as an hour meter installed. You want one that can easily supply you with the power you need so it does not have to work as hard and will last you longer. It is always better to get one a little larger then what you think you will need.

All electric generators have two main components. A motor burns fuel to supply power, and a generator head turns that power into electricity. It’s important to note that generator manufacturers don’t actually build their own motors. They use engines from well-known names such as Launtop, Koso and Honda to power their generator heads.  Picking one that is electrically approved will also insure its quality as those who are not often use sub standard wiring and poor quality components.  You will notice Aurora brand generators are often approved by the CSA and ETL.

When choosing a gas generator, remember to look for one that you can easily find parts and service for. All the ones we sell here we stock parts for and ship them free of charge that are under warranty. Not even your local hardware or automotive store can do this.  Others will often force you to deal with the manufacture directly and can't support you after the sale.

Like any motor, a gas generator motor creates quite a bit of heat and needs a cooling system to prevent overheating. Gas generators are typically air-cooled, which makes them lighter and easy to maintain, but also means they run louder and not quite as cool as larger liquid-cooled generators. We have added larger mufflers to our gas generators so they generally make less noise then what you may be accustomed too with other brands.  Gas generators also run at 3600 RPM, which makes them smaller and lighter than larger 1800 RPM models.

The result is that gasoline generators pack a lot of power into a small package – but they sacrifice the ability to run for long periods of time. The air-cooled, high-RPM motors aren’t suited for supplying power continuously for days. That’s why gas generators are not typically used as backup power systems. It’s more common to see diesel, natural gas or propane used as fuel in standby generators. We also carry kits to convert your gas generator to propane and the process is very simple. If you will be using your generator for very long periods of time, consider diesel. They will often last 4 times longer and are far easier to maintain then a gas engine.

If your gasoline generator will be used for longer stretches of time, or in critical situations, choosing the right one is an important part of the purchasing decision. Remember all we sell is generators and generator products. Our staff are experts in what we do and often have some valuable information that can help you.