Westinghouse iGen4500

~$849approx. list price

800 WLights, phones, router, a CPAP
2,200 WFridge, freezer and the essentials
4,000 WFurnace blower, sump pump or a window AC
7,500 WWell pump or a small central AC
18,000 WWhole home with central air

3,700 W running, 4,500 W surge — sustains the fridge, freezer and the essentials tier and everything below it.

Best forRVers who want near-Honda quiet, AC-starting power, and long runtimes at a mid-tier price.

A non-Honda RV inverter: 3,700 running watts, a genuine 52 dB at quarter load, a telescoping suitcase handle, and an 18-hour economy-mode runtime. The digital display with remaining-runtime readout and the remote-start fob are the standout features, at half the cost of Honda's discontinued EU3000. It starts most 15k BTU RV ACs, though in high heat owners are advised to add a soft-starter. Grievances from owners: carb trouble such as surging at idle, and a Westinghouse support line that can be hard to reach. The DF dual-fuel variant had a fuel-filter leak recall in 2020 — this gas model wasn't affected.

From the spec sheet

Specifications

Running watts: 3,700 W
Starting watts: 4,500 W
Fuel tank: 3.4 gal
Runtime: up to 18 hrs @ 25% load (3.4 gal)

Type: Inverter Generator
Fuel: Gasoline
Noise: 52 dB
Outlets: 1x 120V 30A RV (TT-30R), 2x 120V 20A (5-20R), 2x USB
Transfer-switch ready: No
Weight: 98 lbs
Warranty: 3-year limited
Model: iGen4500

52 dB with 18-hr runtime·Remote start + data display·RV-ready TT-30R

At a glance

Strengths

+52 dB quarter-load noise embarrasses similarly priced open frames
+18-hour economy runtime on 3.4 gallons
+Starts most 15k BTU RV air conditioners
+Display shows load, fuel, and remaining runtime
+Remote-start fob works from inside the rig

At a glance

Drawbacks

−Carb trouble such as surging at idle shows up in owner reports
−Small rear wheels struggle on gravel and grass
−No 240V and not transfer-switch friendly
−Westinghouse parts and support can take days to weeks
−98 lbs is heavy for one person to lift into a truck bed

Summarised from owner discussions and forums

Owner insights

Running a travel trailer and covering a house's 120V essentials through an RV cord or interlock are the iGen4500's two jobs. Shoppers list it next to the Honda EU2200i, and one shopper whose friends own one calls it quiet. Some work it hard: one runs a food truck on it, and another ran it off-grid for a few hours every winter night for about a year, until wiring melted minutes after loading it following a battery and plug swap.

Battery and carburetor trouble account for most of the problems. Leaving the switch on for the remote fob can drain the battery overnight, one dual-fuel owner's unit started beeping every few minutes, and one person points to the trickle charger on the 12V port. Surging at no load points to a dirty idle circuit, and one travel-trailer owner finds restarting after refueling takes a lot of pulls. Westinghouse support told one dual-fuel owner the fuel shutoff sits behind the five-screw engine maintenance cover, where he found nothing that looked like one. In 110-degree heat one owner's RV AC dropped out each time it cycled, and others advised a soft start on the compressor. The DF variant also had a 2020 fuel-filter leak recall; this gas model was not affected.

Remote start and a fuel readout for a fraction of Honda money are the draw for RVers and owners whose backup needs are 120V only. The Honda EU2200i, the Firman 3342 and Champion units make up the comparison set, and an owner who dealt with both found Champion's support far better than Westinghouse's. Anyone needing 240V for a well pump or electric range is pointed to a slightly larger 240V inverter instead.

What owners like

+The data center shows power output, fuel level, lifetime hours and estimated runtime remaining
+An owner of the dual-fuel twin who skipped the remote-start version came to regret it, and found no retrofit confirmed to work
+Rated at 52 dB at quarter load, and a shopper whose friends own one says it is quiet and very capable
+The TT-30R outlet takes an RV cord directly, and for a house interlock one recommendation is a 3-prong to 4-prong adapter that bridges both legs so every 120V breaker gets power

Common complaints

−In 110-degree heat one RV owner's AC ran for about 30 minutes and then dropped out each time the compressor cycled, the same on a Predator 5000, and the advice was a soft start
−Leaving the power switch on so the remote fob works drained the battery overnight for two owners, one on the dual-fuel twin, whose unit also began beeping every few minutes; one person said the remote receiver module draws the power, and others pointed to the trickle charger's 12V port
−A unit that surges at no load but runs fine under load, was put down to a restricted idle circuit in a carb that needs cleaning
−One travel-trailer owner finds it reluctant to restart after refueling, needing pull after pull on the recoil when the push button refused
−It is 120V only, so with a bridging adapter on a house interlock the 240V breakers see no power, and one suggestion was a slightly larger 240V inverter for anyone needing those loads

Questions owners ask

Can I connect the iGen4500 to my house interlock?

Yes, but only for 120V loads. One recommendation is a 3-prong to 4-prong adapter from the TT-30R that bridges both legs of the panel so every 120V breaker gets power, while 240V circuits see none. Another suggestion is that anyone needing 240V appliances buy a slightly larger 240V inverter instead.

Why does the iGen4500 drop my RV air conditioner after about 30 minutes?

One owner saw this in 110-degree heat with the generator in direct sun, and a Predator 5000 did the same. Someone who had seen the same problem on his own RV blamed the compressor restart: when it cycles off the generator throttles down, and the inrush on restart is too much. He fixed it with a soft start, which others also recommended.

Why does the iGen4500's start battery die overnight?

Two owners found that leaving the power switch on for the remote fob drained it by morning, and one person said the remote receiver module is what draws the power. Suggestions were turning the switch off, or keeping the supplied trickle charger plugged into the round 12V port, which one said holds the battery at about 13V. Another tip is checking voltage while running: under about 13 volts means it is not charging, close to 14 means the battery itself is failing.

Head to head