Briggs & Stratton 30651 P2200 is a medium-sized generator suitable for small RVs, camper vans, or to power electric tools at a site. Founded over 110 years ago in Wisconsin, USA, Briggs & Stratton have gone on to supersede the competition from abroad.
Briggs & Stratton lead the way with their designs and innovations. And their units sell in over 100 countries. The brand has local experience in each country that keep the parts at hand for maintenance, and for general troubleshooting.
The design of the P2200 is smart, and the engine is made to the highest level of quality. The 111cc inverter has features that make it safe for sensitive electronics and for high-power appliances.
Contents
Fuel Type
The 1-gallon fuel tank will give the generator a full 8 hours of run-time at quarter load. And since it is a 4-stroke, which tends to run cleaner, there is no messing around with mixing oil into the fuel.
A large fuel filler cap with a fuel strainer makes refueling easy. There is an overfill-ridge at the front to guide excess fuel to the sides of the machine.
Engine (The heart of the Generator)
This inverter uses a 4-stroke 111cc gasoline engine, which comes from the companies own line of bespoke power blocks. These blocks will cope with demanding conditions and rough treatment. Briggs & Stratton use their blocks across their line of machines.
There is a separate oil funnel positioned behind a convenient maintenance cover, fixed with two screws. A low-level indicator illuminates yellow, if the oil drops below a safe level, and shuts down the engine.
The oil spout also has an excess guide to drain any overfilling away from the internals of the engine. The maintenance cover also presents access to the air cleaner.
World’s bestselling small engine!
The P2200 uses an OHV engine, where the valves are above the rest of the engine, helping to make it quiet and more dependable. And because of these points, competitors use these engines in their generators. As a result, Briggs & Stratton are manufacturers of the world’s bestselling small engine [1].
Recoil start
Starting a P2200 is a simple process for a recoil start engine. All sockets need to be clear, and the engine switched to ON. There is a choke lever for use in cold weather. And this engine uses a recoil cord, which needs pulling to start the engine.
Quiet Power Technology
A user can get more from the engine by switching the Quiet Power Technology feature on. QPT will both reduce noise emissions, improve efficiency, and make the fuel last longer. Stopping the engine is as simple as turning the power switch to OFF.
Maintenance & Service
Being a 4-stroke gasoline engine, there is a finite lifespan for the fuel, less than a couple of months. There is no simple method of draining the fuel from the carburetor.
But Briggs & Stratton do make a fuel stabilizer they claim will take the fuel through a seasonal storage period. An alternative to a fuel stabilizer is burning off the remaining fuel by running it to empty.
Take a look at the TOP 10 Portable Generators Here!
Noise Levels
Another reason these engines are so popular with other brands is the low levels of noise they produce. 59 decibels is around the same level as the background music in an elevator, so this will be fine in a campsite or outside a home
This is also a directional noise since the muffler is at the back of the unit.
Power Output
The Briggs & Stratton 30651 P2200 will make 1700 watts during normal running conditions, with a peak surge power of 2200 watts. At 120 volts, this limit works out to a running power of 13 amps, and up to 18 amps in a surge.
Pure Sine Wave Inverter
A Pure Sine Wave inverter creates the alternating 120 volts that the engine generates. This form of AC production prevents spikes and is safer for your sensitive appliances.
Sockets & Outlets
The P2200 comes with a good choice of sockets to cater for general usage, to more specific tasks. All power comes with surge protection to keep all electronics, large or small, running smooth and safe.
Hooking up to the active grounding mount on the front panel helps with the safety of using larger appliances.
Rate to 20 amps
A duplex of 120-volt standard-pin sockets, each rated to 20 amps, will more than cover an electric oven or a 10000 BTU air conditioner.
And if you intend to use this for work on a site, you can – and run several power tools at the same time. The AC stator on the P2200 is a floating neutral and will not work with GFCI devices.
One of the sockets is a 12-volt receptacle, rated for 5 amps or 60 watts. The inverter comes with a 12-volt adaptor that converts to a 5V USB socket so that you can power smaller smart appliances.
And if you need more — there is a parallel connecting socket.
Safety Aspect
- A spark arrestor on the muffler helps to reduce any sparks from leaving the engine that would become a fire hazard.
- Each socket, even the 12-volt socket, has a trip switch and a mains breaker to protect from overloading the inverter.
- Hinged socket protectors over the 12-volt and parallel socket to keep out dirt and water splashes.
- An automated shutdown switch will turn the engine off if the oil or fuel gets too low.
Parallel Connectivity
The P2200 is available as a two generator and parallel kit combo. This inverter can connect to a P2200, or P3000, in parallel with a bespoke synchronization unit.
The parallel kit will increase the watt output to a massive 3000 watts in normal use.
A parallel kit connects two generators with 8 feet (2.44 m) of cable, to combine the power of both machines. The box also provides a 120-volt 30-amp twist-lock camper socket and a 30-amp RV outlet, each with a circuit breaker. The parallel kit is designed to fit into the dip on the generator’s H-handle.
Check out the parallel kit on Amazon here!
Weight
Considering the amount of power and size of the engine, it would be fair to assume that the weight would be double the 54 pounds that the P2200 stands at. And this is a reasonable weight for a single person to carry.
Small and lightweight
Being an H-handle design, you can invite a helping hand to get it to the desired location. This model does not come with wheels, only four adjustable feet. But this generator is small and lightweight enough to sit on any light-duty garden trolley.
Specifications:
- Output Power: Starting 2200W — Continuous 1700W.
- Engine: Recoil start 111cc 4-stroke OHV.
- Fuel Type: Gasoline.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 1-gallon (3.79 l).
- Tank Run-Time @ 25% Load: 8 hrs.
- Noise Level @ 25% Load: 59 dB.
- Weight: 54.6 lb (24.77 kg).
- Dimensions: 22.4 × 14.4 × 19.9 in.
- Sockets: 2 × 120V AC, 12V DC, Parallel port.
- Warranty: 2-Year.
- Parallel Connect: Yes
Minor Issues
- There is no Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. It is possible to add a GFCI if you want to add some more protection to your electronics. You can find GFCIs built into third-party extension cables [3].
- Wheels would help, but because of the low weight, lifting it solo a short distance is possible. And in the worst-case scenario, a regular trolley will do the job as if the generator had attached wheels. Plus, attached wheels are two more things that can be broken off.
- The run time is a little limited, at 8 hours at 25% load. The P2200 will have enough fuel in it to run a fridge all night or a small air conditioner for a good part of it.
- This model is not compliant with Californian carb laws.
Its big brother!
Briggs & Stratton make a 3000-watt big brother to the P2200, the P3000, which also has more power, weight, and cost. In fact, the P3000 is close to double the cost of the P2200, which for most domestic purposes, is more than enough.
- The P3000 has wheels and a retractable handle for ease of movement and a mechanical fuel gauge.
- There are more sockets on the P3000, including a USB and RV socket, with an LCD gauge showing the engine load.
- A light above the socket panel makes it easier to see how well the sockets are plugged in at night.
The cost of running a larger inverter
- If you were to choose the P2200 from this portable generator review, to discover that you need more power, then the possibility is there. It is easy to get another P2200 and parallel cable to connect it when you need it. Rather than the alternative of going straight to a P3000 and accepting the cost of running a larger inverter at idle.
Conclusion: Would I buy the Briggs & Stratton P2200?
As one of the quietest generators in its class, there is no reason to look further than the P2200. This unit could run in a campsite 20 feet (6.1 m) from your trailer, and you would barely hear it over the buzz of whatever device you would happen to be powering.
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The engine is very efficient and has a fuel tank large enough to power a small fridge through the night. This is a very able inverter and would be enough to power a large RV. The size of the engine is small and smooth enough so that the pull starter is not an issue. Though an electric starter would round off the P3000 nicely.
And if you could run it in parallel with another generator, 3000 watts is enough to run a normal home in a blackout. With a smaller generator comes more portability and simplicity. And having something like this that you can have running in minutes, is far more important than trying to power all your appliances at the same time.
Not having wheels seems like a quick and easy fix. But Briggs & Stratton felt that this was not needed considering the weight. This machine is for those who want simple and inexpensive, and you get both of those with the P2200.
See the latest customer reviews of the Briggs & Stratton on Amazon here!
What you get in the Box:
- The Briggs & Stratton 30651 P2200
- USB 12-volt adaptor.
- Operator’s manual.
- Engine oil bottle.
- Oil funnel.
- Screwdriver.
