The WEN 56200i is a moderately priced portable inverter generator in the very competitive 2000-watt section. Is the WEN 56200i a winner or a loser? I review its engine, power switch, wattage, receptacles, economy mode and noise level. I also compare it to both the 56202i and the 56225i.
What size engine does the WEN 56200i have?
The WEN 56200i has a 79.7 cc, single cylinder, four-stroke, CARB-compliant, gasoline powered engine with a forced air cooling system and a recoil pull starter. Its fuel tank has a 1-gallon capacity and a very basic fuel gauge. The oil capacity is 0.37 quarts and the engine is protected by a low-oil automatic shutdown system. The run time at 50% power load on one tank of gasoline is stated to be around 6 hours.
Power Switch
The WEN 56200i has a 3-in-1 power dial engine switch that makes it easy to start or stop the inverter generator. The knob has three positions: OFF, ON and CHOKE. However, the manual shows another position between OFF and ON and calls it the “Fuel Shut-off Position”! Why is this position not marked on the control panel?
It seems like you can turn the engine to a position just before OFF which cuts the fuel supply, but still keeps the engine running until the carburetor is dry. We wish that the manufacturer had marked this position on the control panel to avoid confusion. The manual should also state this information more clearly because it is easy to miss.
The Honda EU2200i has an engine switch that also has three positions: OFF, FUEL OFF and ON. The FUEL OFF position closes the fuel valve, but the ignition system is still active. This FUEL OFF position is clearly marked on the housing, in contrast to the 56200i where the position is not marked. The Honda EU2200i has a separate choke lever, unlike the WEN 56200i that has the choke position integrated with the engine switch.
Wattage
The WEN 56200i has a rated wattage of 1600 watts. Its maximum surge wattage is 2000 watts. Please remember that the WEN 56200i can sustain a 2000-watt power surge for only a few seconds. Do not connect an electrical appliance if its rated wattage is the same as the surge wattage of the generator. Furthermore, operating this generator at its maximum rated running watts of 1600 for hours at a time is not a good idea.
Receptacles
The main receptacles are the two 120-volt duplex outlets (three prong). The rated voltage is 120 and the rated amperage is 13.3A. Frequency is 60 Hertz.
The 12-volt DC output is rated at 8.3 amps and 100 watts. The DC plug is used for 12-volt tools such as rechargeable lights or battery charging cables.
A single 5V USB port provides a convenient to way to charge phones and tablets.
Parallel Connection
The WEN 56200i is capable of supporting a parallel connection between two of these portable inverter generators. There are parallel connection ports on the control panel where you may plug in the WEN 56421 parallel connection kit.
Eco-Mode
The WEN 56200i has an Eco-Mode idle control switch that automatically controls the engine speed according to the power load of the connected appliances. However, the generator will go up to full engine speed if the power load is in excess of 1000 watts. Consequently, do not use the Eco-Mode throttle control switch if the total wattage required exceeds 1000 watts. Turn the idle switch off before starting or stopping the generator. The Eco-Mode throttle control might increase run time while decreasing operational noise when used for low power loads.
Inverter
The inverter system produces clean power with a total harmonic distortion of less than 1.2 percent when under load. It is safe for running a cellphone, computer, tablet, television or other sensitive electronic appliance.
Noise
The WEN 56200i instruction manual provides specifications on the noise rating. The noise output from 22 feet away at 50% load is 52 dB. People comment that it is almost as quiet as a Honda EU2000iS or a Yamaha EF2000iS.
WEN 56200i vs. 56202i
This model is very similar to the 56200i, but it provides 1700 running watts and has two 5V USB ports instead of only one. The rest of the specs are probably exactly the same, so there is very little to say about it.
WEN 56200i vs. 56225i
The WEN 56225i increases the maximum surge power output to 2250 watts. Its running watts are 200 more at 1800 watts when compared to the 56200i.
These WEN portable inverter generators both have 120V duplex receptacles, but the 56225i does not have a 12V DC outlet. The WEN 56225i has two 5V DC USB outlets in contrast with the 562200i which has only one USB port and a 12V DC outlet.
The WEN 56225i has more wattage output: because of that, the Eco-Mode throttle can be engaged for power loads less than 1350 watts. The Eco-mode on the 56200i can only handle loads that are less than 1000 watts.
There is a small retail price difference of about 50 dollars between these two WEN inverter generators. You can view online offers for the 56225i on Amazon (paid link).
Where is the fuel shut-off setting?
The WEN 56225i is advertised as a super quiet portable inverter generator with a fuel shut-off. Does this mean the engine switch has a position that is labeled “Fuel shut-off”? Unfortunately, the answer is no! It has the same 3-in-1 dial switch knob. So, where is the fuel shut-off?
There is also a separate manual engine shut-off switch located beneath the CHOKE/RUN/OFF dial knob. This is even more confusing than the unmarked fuel shut-off position of the 56200i! What this means is that there are two ways to turn off the generator: either fuel shut off or manual shut off.
The recommended way to shut down the 56225i generator is to turn off and unplug all the electrical appliances. Next, turn both the engine switch and the fuel cap vacuum relief valve to the OFF position. The engine should then keep running until most of the fuel in the carburetor is gone. The engine will stop when it runs out of fuel. Therefore, it seems like the OFF position of the 56225i engine switch acts like a fuel shut off position!
The manual shut-off switch is useful for shutting down the generator without emptying the carburetor. First, turn off all devices before unplugging them from the receptacles. Then, press and hold the MANUAL SHUT OFF switch for about 10 seconds until the generator’s engine stops.
As discussed, I think the fuel shut-off positions on these WEN generators are not user-friendly because it is not properly labeled on the control panel.
WEN 56203i With Fuel Shut Off
Please note that there is another WEN 2000-watt portable inverter generator model that looks like an updated version of the 56202i. This model is called the WEN 56203i and it actually has a fuel shut-off position. The engine knob has three positions that are printed besides the knob: OFF, FUEL OFF and ON. This is a very small but significant update. You can read more about this model at the WEN products website.
If you want to buy it online, then you may view reviews and pricing for the WEN 56203i portable inverter generator with fuel shut-off on Amazon (paid link).
Conclusion
This 2000-watt WEN portable inverter generator is a popular low price alternative to the much more expensive Honda or Yamaha models.
However, it does have its idiosyncrasies. The fuel shut-off position on the WEN 56200i (and the 56225i) seems more like a design flaw when compared to the clearly labeled FUEL OFF position adjacent to the engine switch of the Honda EU2200i. Significantly, this problem has been rectified on the 56203i model with its clearly marked “Fuel Off” position next to the engine knob.
The WEN 56200i has all the features you would expect to find on a portable inverter generator such as the Eco-mode throttle, parallel operation ports, 120V Duplex outlets, 12V DC outlet and USB port. The 2000-watt Honda and Yamaha inverter generators do not have USB ports. The noise level loudness is comparable to the Honda and Yamaha inverter generators, even though the WEN is slightly louder. The WEN 56200i is definitely a winner when it comes to its retail price (check price on Amazon – paid link).