Review of the Champion 100891 Open Frame Dual Fuel Portable Generator

Should You Buy It?

As owners generally give 5-stars to the 100891, it does look like an excellent, versatile, and powerful generator for some serious home backup and jobsite work. Champion are normally known for their affordable and robust products, and in general any of their generators are a good buy providing they match your power needs.

Key Points about the Champion 100891

Overview of the Generator

The 100891 is a powerful generator that has an electric start as well as the flexibility of dual fuel. It is an ideal solution for home backup during power outages and other emergencies. It's also a fine choice for powering tools and equipment on job sites. 

Like the gasoline-powered Champion 100813, this model is comparable with the similarly powered Westinghouse WGen7500.

Controls and Features

A digital (Intelligauge) display monitors voltage, frequency, and run-time hours. It also shows power output and keeps track of maintenance intervals, helping owners to ensure a longer engine life.

 A low oil shut-off sensor shuts down the engine automatically when the level is too low to operate safely and won't restart until topped up.

A selection of outlets is available, with a 120v 30A locking outlet (L5-30R), a 120/240v 30A locking outlet (L14-30R), as well as 2 Duplex 120v 20A GFCI protected household outlets (5-20R). All these outlets need either extension cords or adapters. And to get the most out of a connection to a home's electrical system, a transfer switch is needed.

There is a patented fuel selector which allows you to safely switch between gasoline and propane, although obviously you can't use both at the same time.

As this model is EPA Certified and CARB Compliant it can be used in all 50 states.

Champion's Voltguard and Cold Start Technologies are used in this generator to protect equipment from overload and make starting easier in cold weather.
 
Champion offer a 3-year limited warranty and free lifetime technical support. They also have a nationwide network of service centers.

If you're going to use the generator at higher altitudes Champion can provide a high-altitude carburetor main jet. You'll need this because engine power and generator output reduce by about 3½ percent for every 1000 feet above sea level. Their Technical Support Team can give you instructions on how to install it. More information on this and other aspects of the 100891 can be found in the manual, here.

The generator is not equipped with a carbon monoxide (CO) sensor. Make sure you are aware of what this means.

Power Output

On gasoline, the big 439cc Champion engine produces 9375 starting watts and 7500 running watts. It runs for up to 10 hours at 50% load on its 7.7-gallon tank. Using propane, it outputs 8400 starting watts and 6750 running watts, and runs for up to 5.5 hours at 50% load on a 20lb tank. The generator is suppled with a 6-foot propane hose that contains a built-in regulator.

This model is NOT parallel capable.

As this model is built with traditional technology, the recommendation for connecting sensitive electronics is to use a line conditioner/UPS.

Weight

The 100819 weighs just over 207lbs. A never-flat wheel kit is provided as standard to make it easier for you to move the unit around, though not everyone likes this kind of wheel. There's some more information about these wheels in our blog post, which you can find here.

Noise Level

Our perception of sound and noise is subjective. What might sound loud to one person may be acceptable to someone else. And as there are no established standards on how to measure generator noise levels, some companies don't even publish numbers for any or all of their models.

However, buyers will often look for information about how loud a generator is because it can, for example, be an important consideration for those living in neighborhoods. This is possibly why most manufacturers do provide noise measurements, and the majority appear to be taken from around 23 feet.

But noise levels can change a lot depending on how and where the generator is placed. For example, if the exhaust is facing away from the measuring device the measurement is low.

Champion specify that the 100891 has a noise level of 74 dB at 23 feet, which they say is a bit louder than a vacuum cleaner.

What Most Buyers Like

Surprisingly, we have been unable to find any reviews for this model.

What Some Buyers Like Less

Unfortunately, we have found no information on this.