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ETQ TG1200 1,200 Watt 2 HP 2-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator by Eastern Tools & Equipment
Product DetailsManufacturer: Eastern Tools & Equipment Brand: Eastern Tools & Equipment Edition: Lawn & Patio Release Date: 2007-04-01 Model: TG1200 Color: blue and black Publisher: Eastern Tools & Equipment Studio: Eastern Tools & Equipment Music Label: Eastern Tools & Equipment Product features: - 1000 running watts/1200 max watts
- ETQ 2 stroke air cooled OHV engine
- 1 gallon fuel tank provides 5.5 hours of run time at 50% load
- Less than 65 db
- Non-CARB Compliant/Not For Sale In California
Accessories:
Description of ETQ TG1200 1,200 Watt 2 HP 2-Cycle Gas Powered Portable GeneratorThis generator is ideal for camping and powering small-scale household appliances like TVs or computers. 2-stroke, 63cc engine has recoil start and transistorized ignition. Meets EPA standards. Surge Watts: 1,200, Rated Watts: 1,000, Start Type: Recoil, Engine Displacement (cc): 63, HP: 2.6, Engine: 2-Stroke, 63cc, Run Time: 4.5 Hours at 1/2 Load, Receptacles (qty.): 1, Noise Level (dB): 69, Fuel Type: Gasoline, Fuel Capacity (gal.): 1, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 15 x 16 x 13 Take power anywhere with the affordable ETQ TG1200 Gas-Powered Portable Generator. Combining robust performance and a lightweight design, this generator is ideal for camping trips, hunting, traveling, and light residential use. It provides enough power to simultaneously run several household appliances. | The ETQ TG1200 Gas-Powered Portable Generator offers:- 2.2 HP, 2-cycle engine with easy-pull recoil
- Compact, lightweight, easy-to-transport design
- 1-gallon fuel tank provides 8 hrs. of power with a 50% load or 5-1/2 hours with a 100% load
- Quiet operation (65 dB) and with minimal running vibration
- Produces 1,200 maximum watts; 1,000 continuous watts
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 |  A standard 120-volt connection lets you run common household electronics anywhere. View larger. | Powerful Two-Cycle Engine with Easy Pull Start The TG1200 features a 2.2-horsepower, two-cycle engine that is capable of producing up to 1,000 continuous watts and 1,200 maximum watts. This is enough power to run an entire campsite. And with quiet operation at just 65 decibels and low running vibration, the TG1200 is a discreet addition to any setting where noise level is a consideration.The one-gallon fuel tank will allow the TG1200 Portable Generator to run for up to eight hours on a 50-percent load and up to 5-1/2 hours on a 100-percent load. And with its recoil pull start, this generator is easy to get up and running. 120-Volt Connection for Versatile Use The TG1200 features one standard 120-volt connection for running common household electronics, such as fans, TVs, computers, lamps, portable air conditioners, blenders, and microwaves. Safely Delivers Electricity to Your Appliances The TG1200 produces total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than six percent, which means that your electronic components get the cleanest electricity possible. THD is a measure of the quality of the electricity produced by a generator, and THD above six percent can damage electronics and components over time. With low THD, the TG1200 Portable Generator ensures high-quality, safe delivery of electricity from the generator to your electrical components. Compact, Lightweight Design for Easy Portability You can take the TG1200 Portable Generator just about anywhere. Measuring 12.5 x 14.38 x 14.5 inches (LxWxH) and weighing less than 45 pounds, it's compact and lightweight, so it's an ideal choice for traveling. And the generator's small size makes it easy to store in a garage or shed. The ETQ TG1200 is backed by a one-year manufacturer's warranty and national service network. What's in the Box ETQ TG1200 Portable Generator
 Click on the graphic for a table that shows how many watts many common tools and appliances require. View larger. |
Tools and Hardware Reviews of ETQ TG1200 1,200 Watt 2 HP 2-Cycle Gas Powered Portable GeneratorCustomer Review: Great value for the price Summary: 5 Stars
The unit arrived undamaged and on time, despite being flown from Arizona to Kentucky, and then back across the country to Washington State (weird shipping routes).
I was SHOCKED and DISMAYED to find that some assembly was required! The product description did not mention that! OK, OK, just kidding. It was just the handle. It was an easy assembly (two screws/washers, and they provide a toolkit).
The manual is good and is extensive but lacks in one area: the chart that explains the oil mixing cup doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I called tech support at Eastern Tool, and the guy was kind of a jerk about how to mix the oil. He said I should use a separate mixing cup with markings on it. But I held firm to wanting to use the mixing cup that attaches to the underside of the fuel cap and therefore needing to understand the chart in the manual, which is what I asked him about. He is tech support for many products that Eastern Tool sells, not just this one, so he really didn't know what I was talking about until he went and grabbed a manual for one of these units and looked at the chart to see why I might be having a problem with it.
It is difficult to pour the oil from the included mixing cup into a full gas can without spilling it all over the place. A better method is to pour it into an empty gas can, so you can tip the can sideways to meet the lip of the cup.
The unit is fairly light for a generator. I can pick it up and move it with one hand (not comfortably but do-able). I know that doesn't tell you much, but the product weighs about 43 lbs, so you can decide for yourself. The handle felt solid and smooth, did not chafe my hand, and was big enough for me to use two hands if I needed to.
Easy to start. Took a few extra pulls the first time, but:
1. The cylinder had oil in it to protect it, which blew out in the first few second of operation
2. Didn't need choke but the manual said to use it. Started right up when I turned off the choke.
These seem to be perfectly acceptable reasons for a few extra cord pulls on initial startup.
A few hours later, I got around to doing a load test. It took a few pulls to start it up, this time because it DID want the choke on (it's colder outside now). Once I flipped the choke lever to "On", it started right up. I flipped the choke back to "Off" as soon as it started, like the manual said to do, and it stabilized right away.
I hooked it up to the RV, and the engine pitch changed somewhat. It had been kind of "rough idling" where you could tell that there was no load on it. When I plugged the RV in, the RV started to draw some current to run its inverter and battery charging circuit. Also the fridge and the microwave were plugged in. The microwave draws a teeny bit of power for the clock when not cooking, and says it draws 1050 watts otherwise. Anyway, when I plugged it in, the engine settled down to a "OK, now someone's taken up the slack and we're purring along" sort of sound. It didn't sound like it was working hard, just that it knew something was up.
I put some cold water in a mug and placed it inside the microwave. I set it for 5 minutes on a power level of 8 (out of 10) and ran it for a while. It had an initial surge where the lights dimmed and the generator changed pitch to a "now we're getting serious" engine tone. That lasted for 10-15 seconds, then it sort of leveled off a bit but was still working, and the lights were still a bit on the dim side. After about 30 seconds or so, the engine changed pitch again and the lights got brighter, and that lasted for about 15-20 seconds, and then things went back to the engine sound and light dimming that had previously been happening. It cycled back and forth like that. After about 2 minutes, I stopped the microwave and pulled the mug out. The water was somewhere between warm and hot.
So I think the 700-watt microwave could run on this generator on something less than full power. I wouldn't want to run the microwave on full power, even if it says it only draws 1050 watts for input voltage. Also, I would only use this if I had run out of propane, I think. Otherwise I think I'd use the gas stove to heat up water, or the gas oven to heat up food.
I disagree with the product's claim of less than 63 dbA noise levels. Of course, there are many ways to measure dbA and they do not specify which method they used. I used the method that park rangers use to measure off-road motorcycles. I put the meter 20 inches away from the muffler, level and at a 45-degree angle, with the meter pointing at the muffler. At idle, it was 87.9 dbA. Under full load, it was 93.3 dbA.
With the generator sitting on the ground right behind the bumper, and the doors/windows closed, it's audible from the kitchen table in the RV as a subdued hum. Not annoying at all. I could probably watch a movie with it running. I imagine that if I attach an extension cord to the RV's shore power cord and put the generator on the ground about 30 feet from the RV, it will hardly be audible at all.
This unit's primary function for me will likely be recharging the RV's house battery during the day, on the odd occasion that I am camped somewhere that does not have shore power. Also, it will be available to run the fridge and the wood pellet stove in my house on the rare occasion that our power goes out for more than a few minutes.
All in all, I think this generator is a great bargain. I paid $135 and free shipping (Amazon Prime), and it's hard to go wrong for that price if the unit works as advertised, which it does.
Lawn & Landscaping
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