Questions,
answered.

We sell direct. Most major brands move through a chain of distributors and dealers, each adding 30–50% margin. We skip all of that — design in-house, source components from the same Tier-1 manufacturers the big brands use, assemble in Brooklyn, and ship straight to you.

The hardware isn't cheaper. The supply chain is.

Yes. We partner with Affirm and Klarna for 0% APR financing on orders over $500, with terms from 3 to 36 months depending on the cart total. Application takes about 60 seconds at checkout — no impact to your credit score.

Yes. We offer wholesale pricing for orders of 5+ units and dedicated rep accounts for working contractors. Email wholesale@arkhurst.com with your business details and we'll send a price sheet within one business day.

Yes — every model is EPA-certified for legal sale in all 50 states. Each unit also carries CE, TÜV süd GS, RoHS, EURO V, and ISO 9001 certifications.

We ship to Alaska and Hawaii at additional freight cost (quoted at checkout). Currently no international shipping.

Orders placed before 2pm ET ship same day. Most orders arrive in 3–5 business days via FedEx Ground from our Brooklyn warehouse. Free shipping on orders over $499.

Need it faster? Expedited 2-day and overnight options are available at checkout.

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Affirm/Klarna financing. For wholesale orders, we also accept ACH and wire transfer.

No — sales tax is calculated at checkout based on your shipping state. We collect tax in all states where required by law. Resale and tax-exempt customers should email support@arkhurst.com with your certificate before ordering.

We don't have retail locations — that's part of how we keep prices honest. But our 30-day money-back guarantee is built for this: order it, run it, and if it's not what you expected, we cover return shipping. No restocking fee, no hassle.

Add up the running watts of every appliance you'll run simultaneously, then add the highest single starting wattage on top. Starting watts are usually 2–3× running watts for anything with a motor (compressors, fridges, AC).

For most home backup needs (fridge, lights, modem, a few outlets): 3,000–5,000W. For a job site with power tools and a compressor: 5,000–8,000W. For whole-house backup including HVAC: 9,000W+.

Use our model finder quiz for a personalized recommendation.

Inverter generators produce pure sine wave power — clean and stable, safe for laptops, phones, and modern electronics. They're also quieter and more fuel efficient at low loads.

Open-frame (conventional) generators put out higher wattage at lower cost per watt, but the power isn't as clean. They're built for tools, lights, and appliances — not sensitive electronics. Louder, heavier, harder-working.

Yes, on our inverter models that have parallel outlets (the 1000i, 2000i, 3000i, 4500iW, 5500i, and 6600i). You'll need our parallel kit ($89) which links two units together to combine their output. Two 3000i units in parallel give you ~6,000W of clean power.

Open-frame and diesel models don't support parallel operation.

Our quietest model (the Compact 1000i) runs around 52 dB at 25% load — quieter than a normal conversation. Our loudest is the Industrial G7500 at 96 dB at full load — about as loud as a chainsaw at a few feet.

All noise figures are measured at 7 meters per ISO 8528 — the same standard the industry uses, not the marketing-friendly 23-foot or 50% load numbers some brands publish. Full noise curves are on each spec sheet.

Gasoline engines lose roughly 3% of rated output for every 1,000 ft above sea level. At 8,000 ft you'd see about 76% of rated output. Diesel models are less affected (turbocharged), losing closer to 1% per 1,000 ft.

For elevations above 5,000 ft, a high-altitude carb kit ($45) re-jets the gasoline carburetor for proper fuel/air mixture. Order at checkout or ship later.

Our published runtime is at 50% load on a full tank — a realistic mid-load number. Many competitors quote runtime at 25% load, which roughly doubles the figure. We list both on the spec sheet but lead with 50%.

All inverter models produce pure sine wave power with <3% Total Harmonic Distortion — safe for laptops, medical devices, and audio equipment.

Open-frame models produce ~20% THD — fine for tools and appliances but not recommended for anything with a motherboard.

Yes. Our inverter series is built for it. The 3000i is our most popular RV model — 30A TT-30R outlet built in, runs a 13,500 BTU AC plus most appliances. For food trucks running larger fridges and equipment, the 6600i is the typical pick.

We focus on three categories where we can deliver real spec-for-spec parity with the brand-name units at half the price: digital inverter, gasoline open-frame, and air-cooled diesel. Dual-fuel adds cost and complexity for a benefit (propane storage life) that most customers don't actually use.

If propane storage matters to you for emergency prep, our diesel units fill the same gap — diesel doesn't go stale either, and you get longer runtimes per gallon than propane gives per pound.

All open-frame and diesel models 4,000W and up ship with never-flat wheels and a folding handle included. Inverter portables (1,000i, 2,000i, 3,000i) and small open-frame units (G700, G1100, G1200, G2200) come with carry handles only.

Three things: oil (we ship a 10W-30 bottle in the box), gasoline, and a 5-minute break-in. Pull-start or push-button electric start, and you're running.

Full setup video and printed quick-start guide are included with every unit.

For permanent home backup connected to your panel — yes, legally and for safety. A transfer switch isolates your generator from the grid (preventing dangerous backfeed to utility workers).

For running individual appliances via extension cords during an outage — no, just plug things in directly.

Run the generator with no load for 30 minutes, then under light load (25%) for the next 5 hours. Change the oil at 5 hours, then again at 25 hours. After that, every 100 hours or annually, whichever comes first.

87 octane unleaded gasoline (or higher). Avoid E15 and E85 — the higher ethanol content can damage carburetors. E10 (most pump gas) is fine but use a fuel stabilizer if storing fuel for more than 30 days.

SAE 10W-30 small-engine oil for most conditions. SAE 5W-30 if running below 32°F. Synthetic is fine and recommended for extended life. Any major brand (Mobil 1, Castrol, Honda Pro) works — there's no proprietary requirement.

30A RVs: use the built-in TT-30R outlet (3000i and up). 50A RVs: use a 50A adapter from the L14-30 twist-lock. We sell both adapters at cost — link is in your order confirmation email.

No — never. Combustion engines produce carbon monoxide. Always run outdoors, at least 20 feet from any building, with the exhaust pointed away from windows or doors. Our units have CO sensors that auto-shutdown if dangerous levels are detected, but that's a safety net, not permission.

Every use: check oil level, fuel, air filter clean.

Every 100 hours or annually: oil change, air filter replacement, spark plug check.

Every 250 hours: spark plug replacement, valve clearance check.

Every 500 hours: full service — fuel system, valves, full inspection.

Two options: drain the fuel tank and carb completely, or run a fuel stabilizer through it (Sta-Bil, Sea Foam) and run the engine for 5 minutes to circulate it. Either works. Store covered, indoors if possible, off bare concrete.

From us, directly. We stock every part for every model we've ever sold — including the 2014 originals. Ships from Brooklyn at our cost plus shipping (no markup gouging). Email parts@arkhurst.com with your model number.

Yes. We've partnered with 280+ small-engine service centers nationwide who can service any Arkhurst unit. Find your nearest one through our locator, or ship it back to Brooklyn for in-house service (we cover shipping under warranty).

With proper maintenance, 1,500–3,000 operating hours for inverter models, 2,000–4,000 for diesel. That's 10+ years of weekly weekend use, or 3–5 years of daily contractor work.

Our service log shows 92% of units sold in 2014 are still in operation today.

For backup units that sit unused — yes, run it for 15 minutes under load every 4–6 weeks. This circulates fuel, lubricates seals, and keeps the battery (electric-start models) charged. Fuel stabilizer reduces the need but doesn't eliminate it.

Every manual is a free PDF download in our docs library, organized by model and serial number. We also keep video walkthroughs for setup, oil change, air filter, spark plug, and carb cleaning on every product page.

Yes — and we encourage it. Carb rebuild kits are $14, instructions are in the manual, and we have a 22-minute teardown video for every model. If you'd rather not, mail it to us with your warranty info and we'll do it free under warranty (or at cost out of warranty).

Every part, every defect. Engine, alternator, electronics, frame, fuel system, controls — if it fails under normal use, we fix or replace it at no cost. We pay return shipping both ways.

What's not covered: accident damage, modifications, fuel-related issues from bad gas (use stabilizer), and consumables (spark plugs, air filters, oil).

No. The warranty starts the day you receive it. We have your purchase record from the order — no card to mail in, no website to register on.

Email support@arkhurst.com with your order number and a short description of the problem. A real human in Brooklyn replies within one business day with a prepaid shipping label or service center referral.

Under warranty: no. Parts, labor, and shipping both ways are on us. Out of warranty: parts at cost plus shipping, labor at $85/hr if serviced through us.

Yes. We offer 2-year ($79) and 3-year ($129) extensions, available at checkout or up to 90 days after purchase. Same coverage, just longer.

If you don't like it for any reason within 30 days, ship it back and we'll refund you in full. We pay return shipping. No restocking fee, no "must be unused" rule — even if you've run it.

Yes. The warranty follows the serial number, not the buyer. If you sell it within the warranty period, the new owner is fully covered. Just have them email us with the serial and their contact info.

A small in-house team in Brooklyn. No outsourced call center, no chatbot purgatory, no tier-1/tier-2 escalation maze. The person who picks up has personally rebuilt every model we sell.

We'll diagnose for free and quote a fair fix. Most non-warranty repairs are $40–150 in parts plus labor. We'd rather earn a repair customer than lose a generator owner — pricing reflects that.

Email returns@arkhurst.com with your order number and the reason — one sentence is fine. We'll reply within one business day with a prepaid return label and step-by-step packaging instructions. No phone tree, no return-merchandise-authorization runaround.

30 days from the day it arrives at your door (not from the order date). Tracking shows when it was delivered, so you don't have to dig up an invoice.

If something defective shows up after the 30-day window, that falls under the 1-year warranty — different process, but you're still covered.

No. Run it. Test it under load. The whole point of the 30-day guarantee is that you can actually use it on a real job or in a real outage and decide if it's right for you.

The only ask: drain the fuel before shipping it back (federal regulations on shipping liquids), and pack it in the original crate if you still have it. If you don't, we'll send a replacement crate at our cost.

We do. Every return inside the 30-day window ships back on our dime via a prepaid label we email you. No restocking fees, no "deducted from refund" surprises.

We refund within 2 business days of receiving the unit back at our Brooklyn warehouse. Your card or payment method then takes another 3–5 business days to actually post the funds — that part is on the bank, not us.

Affirm and Klarna refunds follow their own schedule (typically 5–10 days).

Yes — and this is usually the right call if you bought the wrong size. Email returns@arkhurst.com with your order and the model you actually want. We'll ship the new unit out before the original arrives back at our warehouse so you're not without power.

If there's a price difference, we charge or credit it once both units have moved. No exchange fees.

Every unit is certified to EPA (U.S. emissions), CE (European conformity), TÜV süd GS (German safety mark), EMC, MD (machinery directive), NOISE, EURO V emissions, RoHS, BSCI, LNE, SONCAP, SASO, and ISO 9001 quality management standards. Certifications are listed on each spec sheet with cert numbers for verification.

Most states have no statewide generator noise law — restrictions are local. Common HOA limits are 60–70 dB at the property line, which our inverter series easily meets even at full load.

National parks have stricter limits (typically 60 dB at 50 ft) — only inverter models meet this.

OSHA doesn't certify generators specifically, but our open-frame G-Series meets OSHA 1926 Subpart K requirements for portable generators on construction sites: GFCI protection, proper grounding lugs, and required labeling. Spec sheets call this out per model.

For portable use — almost never. For permanently installed standby generators connected to your home panel — yes, almost always. Local electrical permit and (sometimes) noise variance. Your transfer switch installer handles this.

No. None of our generators have wifi, GPS, cellular, or any cloud connectivity. They're machines. They run when you start them and stop when you stop them. The only data we have is what's on your order — nothing the unit reports back.