Champion 201513 6500W Inverter
The short answer
This generator makes up to 5,000 watts and can start motors that briefly need 6,500 watts. It runs on gasoline.
It supplies both 120 and 240 volts, so it can run a well pump or other 240-volt equipment through proper transfer equipment. Of the 15 household loads we track, it can handle 16.
It must run outside. The exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which you cannot smell and which kills.
Judged in: The best portable generators for home backup.
Outdoor use only
This generator burns fuel and produces carbon monoxide. Run it outdoors only, well away from doors, windows and vents, with the exhaust pointed away from the building. Fit working CO alarms indoors. CO Shield; manufacturer says this is not a substitute for an indoor CO alarm
What it can run
| Load | Draw | Starting | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi router and modem | 15–40W | 40W | Will work |
| Phone charging and small USB devices | 10–40W | 40W | Will work |
| A few LED lights | 15–80W | 80W | Will work |
| Laptop and monitor | 45–150W | 150W | Will work |
| CPAP | 30–100W | 100W | Will work |
| Refrigerator/freezer | 100–700W | 2,900W | Will work |
| Chest freezer | 80–500W | 2,200W | Will work |
| Gas-furnace blower | 400–1,200W | 3,500W | Will work |
| Sump pump | 700–1,500W | 4,500W | Will work |
| Well pump | 700–2,000W | 6,000W | Will work |
| Window air conditioner | 500–3,250W | 7,200W | Might work |
| Microwave | 800–1,800W | 1,800W | Will work |
| Coffee maker | 700–1,500W | 1,500W | Will work |
| Television | 40–250W | 250W | Will work |
| Garage door opener | 300–800W | 1,800W | Will work |
| 12 V compressor fridge (camping) | 25–110W | 320W | Will work |
Runtime for a generator is a fuel question, not a capacity one — see the table above.
Living with it
What the maker’s own pages and manual say about owning this unit, and what owners report in public. Each line links to where it was read. Nothing here is our own test.
- Noise
- 64 dB(A) at 23 feetchampionpowerequipment.com
- Size
- 25.2 in (L) x 20.5 in (W) x 22.6 in (H)championpowerequipment.com
- Weight
- 102.1 lb (46.3 kg)championpowerequipment.com
- Warranty
- 3-year limited warranty plus free lifetime technical supportchampionpowerequipment.com
- Starting
- Recoil (pull-cord manual start; no electric/remote start option on this SKU)championpowerequipment.com
- CO shutoff
- CO Shield (Champion's carbon monoxide auto-shutoff technology)championpowerequipment.com
- Runtime at quarter load
- 18 hours at 25% (1/4) load on a full 4.5-gal tankchampionpowerequipment.com
- Tank
- 4.5 gallons (steel tank)championpowerequipment.com
- On propane
- not applicable — gasoline onlychampionpowerequipment.com
- Outlets
- ['(2) 120V 20A Duplex household outlets (NEMA 5-20R) — 4 individual plug positions total per the manual', '(1) 120V 30A RV outlet (NEMA TT-30R)', '(1) 120/240V 20.8A Locking outlet (NEMA L14-30R)', '(1) 12V DC Automotive-style outlet, regulated, 8A per manual']championpowerequipment.com
- Oil
- 0.8 qt per spec sheet (manual lists 27.0 fl. oz. / 800 ml); 10W-30 recommended for typical/moderate temperatures, with 5W-30 full synthetic, 10W-40, or 5W-30 recommended at temperature extremes per the manual's oil chartchampionpowerequipment.com
- Low-oil shutdown
- Yes — automatic low-oil shut-off includedchampionpowerequipment.com
- Parallel
- No — not parallel capable; no parallel port or compatible parallel kit for this unitchampionpowerequipment.com
- Wheels
- Included (not optional) — solid never-flat wheels, 5.5 in. diameter, plus a foldaway U-shape handlechampionpowerequipment.com
Output
Sustained output. This is what the generator can hold indefinitely.
- Continuous output
- 5,000W
- Starting / surge
- 6,500W
- Output voltage
- 120/240V
Supplies 240V, so it can run a well pump or other 240V load — through correctly installed transfer equipment, never a cord into an outlet. - Starting method
- Recoil
- Weight
- 102 lb
Fuel and runtime
| Fuel | Running | Starting | Tank | Runtime at 50% load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | 5,000W | 6,500W | 4.5 gal | not stated |
Runtime is quoted at half load. Your actual runtime falls as load rises, and refuelling a hot generator is itself a burn and fire hazard — let it cool first.
Outlets
- two 120V 20A duplex 5-20R
- 120V 30A TT-30R
- 120/240V 20.8A L14-30R
- regulated 12V automotive
Outlet configuration decides what you can plug in directly. Powering house circuits instead of appliances requires a transfer switch or inlet installed by a licensed electrician.
Buying the right one
No exact base-unit listing resolved
We could not confirm a retail listing whose own title states the same capacity and output as our record, so we are not linking one. Every candidate we checked is listed below with the reason it was rejected.
Listings we rejected
Searching for this model returns bundles, sibling models and refurbished units alongside the bare product. These are the ones we checked and did not link, with the reason.
| Listing | Price | Why it is not this product |
|---|---|---|
| Champion 4000-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator | $740 | Listing's model number is '201050' and the title does not carry the part number '201513'. |
| WEN 2800-Watt Inverter Generator, Quiet, Portable, and Lightweight with Fuel Shu | $386 | Listing's model number is '56280iX' and the title does not carry the part number '201513'. |
| WEN 2500-Watt Inverter Generator, Quiet, Portable, and Lightweight with Fuel Shu | $385 | Listing's model number is '56250i' and the title does not carry the part number '201513'. |
| Champion 4000-Watt RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator | $649 | Listing's model number is '100809' and the title does not carry the part number '201513'. |
| WEN 6800-Watt Dual Fuel RV-Ready Electric Start Portable Inverter Generator with | $798 | Listing is an accessory or part that names this model, not the unit itself. |
Safety boundary
- Outdoor only. Carbon monoxide from this unit is lethal and undetectable by smell.
- Backfeeding is prohibited. Never run a cord from this generator into a wall outlet. It can kill line workers restoring your power.
- Any connection to building wiring requires a licensed electrician and, in most places, a permit and inspection.
- Store fuel safely and away from the running unit. Let the engine cool before refuelling.
Source
Champion product page for the 201513 6500W Inverter
manufacturer specifications, measurements, downloads and outdoor-use warning · captured 2026-08-11 · Manufacturer documented