Does the Briggs & Stratton Q6500 portable inverter generator have your back during power outages? Can it supply quiet power when the power quits? Read my Briggs & Stratton Q6500 Quiet Power Series inverter generator review to learn more.
Q6500 Goes Up To 6500 Surge Watts
The Briggs & Stratton Q6500 provides up to 6500 starting watts. Its normal running watts for continuous power are 5000 watts. The power is provided by a 4-stroke, 306cc gasoline engine with an integrated alternator and inverter system. You have to pull the recoil starter to get it running because it does not have an electric starter.
Fuel And Oil Capacity
The fuel capacity of its gas tank is 5 gallons. The generator has a fuel gauge, but unfortunately no hour meter. A low oil shut down system protects the engine from running without oil. The specifications do not give the oil capacity. Regardless, it seems like the oil pan can hold about one US quart of oil (0.95L).
Lightweight Design
The Briggs & Stratton Q6500 inverter generator weighs about 130 pounds. The generator’s housing is roughly about 25 inches long, 21 inches wide and 21 inches high. It has a compact design that attempts to reduce overall weight and size. It is more compact, and it weighs less when compared to a standard generator of similar running watts. A telescoping handle and 8-inch never-flat wheels make it easy to push around, even though the telescoping handle might not seem robust enough.
Power Outlets
The Briggs & Stratton Q6500 inverter generator has the following outlets that are protected by covers:
- Four 120V, 20A outlets.
- Two USB outlets.
- One 120V-240V locking outlet.
Quiet Power
The Briggs & Stratton Q6500 is one of the QuietPower™ Series inverter generators. It is supposed to be more than 60% quieter than standard generators of comparable size. The QPT switch (quiet power technology) is located in the upper left corner of the control panel. This is simply a fancy name for an automatic idle control switch. It reduces engine speed down to idle when no power load is connected. As a result, the engine speed and noise will be reduced until you turn on a connected appliance and the engine speed is automatically increased.
The QPT mode is great for reducing noise when no load is currently running off the generator. However, it might be better to turn the QPT switch off before starting any sensitive electronic devices. It takes a second or two for the idle control to adjust to the correct engine speed and output. As a result, sensitive electronic devices might suffer from not getting the correct output voltage at all times. Furthermore, the generator tends to shift sideways when the engine suddenly increases it RPM rate when a power load is turned on. These are small details, but you should be aware of this.
The perceived noise level depends on a few factors that are difficult to determine. Briggs & Stratton says on its website that the Q6500 inverter generator has a noise level of 66 dB(A) when measured from 7 meters away (control panel side) while bearing a 25% load. The all-steel frame of the generator is covered and protected by a plastic shell. The shell not only protects the internal components, but it also reduces excessive noise.
Briggs & Stratton Q6500: FAQ
The Briggs & Stratton Q6500 is not CARB-compliant. For that reason, it cannot be sold or used in California.
The inverter system puts out a clean sine wave at 60Hz. The total harmonic distortion is less than 3% due to pulse width modulation.
This inverter generator has a 4-stroke gasoline engine. Therefore, use 10W30 or a synthetic 5W30 engine oil. Remember to top up the oil before running the generator to prevent it from shutting down due to a low oil level.
No, it does not have an electric starter. You have to start it by pulling the recoil rope starter. This is not as easy as simply pushing a button, but at least you do not have to worry about a battery. So long as the engine is in good working order, then the recoil pull starter will start the generator after a few pulls.
Briggs & Stratton Q6500 vs. Honda EU7000iS
Firstly, the Honda EU7000iS has a larger 389cc gasoline engine with both recoil and electric start. It has its own battery for the push-button engine starter. As a result, the EU7000iS is much heavier at 261 lbs. In comparison, the Briggs & Stratton Q6500 weighs only about 130 pounds. However, it has a smaller engine without an electric starter and internal battery.
The Honda EU7000iS is more powerful and produces 5500 continuous watts and up to 7000 surge watts. The smaller engine of the Briggs & Stratton Q6500 makes it less powerful at 5000 running watts and 6500 peak watts.
The EU7000iS has two 20A outlets, one 30-amp twist lock outlet and a 120/240V 30A outlet. The control panel also has parallel operation outlets for connecting two EU7000iS generators with a parallel kit. The Q6500 has more outlets to choose from: four 20-amp outlets, one 120-volt locking outlet and two USB outlets. It does not have parallel ports, thus it has no parallel connection capability.
Finally, the suggested retail price of the EU7000iS is almost twice as much as the Q6500. The Q6500 is less expensive with a list price below $2000. Of course, the Honda EU7000iS is the more powerful and more reliable inverter generator. Even so, many people do not have so much money to spend and might buy the Q6500 instead.
Conclusion
The Q6500 is definitely lighter and less noisy when compared to a 5000-watt open frame generator. It will work as a home backup power generator, but it might be too big and noisy for camping grounds.
The lack of an electric starter will probably disappoint some potential buyers. The recoil starter works, but it might take a few pulls before the engine roars into life. The quiet power technology switch will reduce engine speed to idle, but the generator might literally kick itself into high RPM when you connect and turn on an appliance or tool.
The Briggs & Stratton is a competitive portable inverter generator, but it has a few small issues. For example, the 306cc engine produces a fair amount of noise. You can use the QPT switch to reduce engine speed, although the RPM will probably increase with power loads above 25%.
The telescopic handle looks like a nice feature, yet we would prefer sturdier folding handles which could take more strain.
The Q6500 is a little too big for camping trips, but 5000 watts are enough to power a few essential appliances during a power outage such as a fridge, freezer, television and lights. Just check if the generator has enough surge wattage for starting appliances with large electric motors, such as an air conditioner.
The Q6500 could be improved by adding an electric starter. Then again, this would require extra space for an onboard battery, which would increase the overall weight and dimensions.
Another improvement is to make adding oil easier. Removing the panel to get to the oil fill hole is not the most efficient design for regular oil checks.
One new feature that has recently been added to the Q6500 is the CO Guard. This is a carbon monoxide shutdown system that shuts down the generator if it detects harmful levels of carbon monoxide. However, this system might cause starting or running problems, so whether this is an improvement or not is hard to tell.
To conclude, the Briggs & Stratton Q6500 inverter generator is a good generator for the money, it is compact and lightweight and not as noisy as a standard portable generator (check price on Amazon – paid link).