Frequently Asked Questions

Inverter generators (Newman's Digital Inverter range) produce clean, stable pure sine wave electricity — safe for laptops, phones, TVs, and other sensitive electronics. They're also quieter and more fuel-efficient, with an economy mode that reduces engine speed under light loads. Conventional generators (Newman's Petrol range) produce raw AC power that's great for tools, pumps, heaters, and lighting but can damage sensitive electronics. Conventional models are generally cheaper and offer more power per dollar. If you need to charge devices or run electronics, go inverter. If you're running power tools on a worksite, conventional is fine.

All Newman generators run on regular unleaded petrol — minimum 85 octane with less than 10% ethanol by volume. Standard 91 unleaded from any NZ petrol station is perfect. Never use diesel, E10+, or stale fuel. Fuel tank sizes range from 6L on the compact 1200W up to 25L on the 6500W models. Drain fuel before long-term storage or add fuel stabiliser.

Newman generators carry a 2 year warranty for residential (home) use and a 6 month warranty for commercial or industrial use, from the date of purchase. The warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship under normal use. Normal wear items like spark plugs, air filters, and o-rings are not covered, nor is damage from misuse, neglect, overloading, or failure to follow the manual. Original purchaser only — keep your receipt. Claims are handled by Trade Tested at 0800 800 880 or support@tradetested.co.nz.

Add up the running watts of everything you want to power simultaneously, then add 20% headroom for motor startup surges. As a guide: 1,100W–2,300W suits camping, caravans, and a few lights + phone chargers. 3,500W–4,200W handles a fridge, some lights, and a TV during a power cut. 5,500W–6,500W runs a small house (fridge, lights, TV, router) or a worksite with power tools. 8,000W covers larger homes or multiple high-draw appliances. The inverter models are better for mixed loads with electronics; conventional models suit pure tool/motor loads.

Parallel kits let you connect two identical Newman inverter generators together to double your available power. The 30A kit (SKU 923185) connects two 2300W generators for ~4,600W combined. The 50A kit (SKU 949575) connects two 4200W generators for ~8,400W combined. Both generators must be the same model and both economy switches must be in the same position. This is useful when you need more power occasionally but want the portability of smaller generators day-to-day. Generators can even be stacked for transport.

Yes — but only on the Digital Inverter models (1100W, 2300W, 4200W, 5500W, 8000W). These produce pure sine wave power identical to mains electricity, safe for laptops, phones, TVs, gaming consoles, medical devices, and other sensitive electronics. The conventional Petrol models (1200W, 3500W, 6500W) produce modified sine wave power that can damage or interfere with sensitive electronics — stick to tools, pumps, heaters, and lighting with those.

Check oil level before every use — all Newman generators have low-oil automatic shutoff for engine protection. Change oil after the first 20 hours (break-in period), then every 50 hours or once per season. Use 10W-30 automotive oil (4-stroke). Inspect and clean the air filter every 25 hours, replace every 100 hours. Check and clean the spark plug every 100 hours, replace every 200 hours. Drain fuel before storage over 30 days or add fuel stabiliser. Store indoors in a dry location.

Never connect a generator directly to household wiring yourself — this is extremely dangerous and illegal in New Zealand. Back-feeding power into the grid can electrocute linesmen working to restore power. To safely power your house, hire a licensed electrician to install a transfer switch or changeover switch that isolates your house from the grid before generator power is connected. The 5500W or 6500W models are typically suitable for essential home circuits.

Use 10W-30 automotive engine oil (4-stroke, not 2-stroke mix). Oil capacity varies by model: 0.32L for the 1100W, 0.4L for the 1200W, and larger for the 6500W models. For very cold conditions below -6°C, use 5W-30. For consistently hot conditions, SAE 30 is fine. Do not overfill — check the dipstick. The low-oil automatic shutoff will stop the engine if oil drops below safe levels.

Several Newman generators come with wireless remote electric start — press the button on the included key fob to start the generator from a distance. The 3500W, 6500W (both variants), 4200W, 5500W, and 8000W all have electric start. The 1200W, 1100W, and 2300W are recoil (pull start) only. Electric start models also have a recoil backup in case the battery is flat. The starting battery is a maintenance item not covered by warranty.

The 220-240V AC outlets fit a standard NZ Type I plug — the same plug your home appliances use. The 400V 32A outlets use a 5-pin CEE-type plug, and the 230V-240V 32A outlets use a 3-pin CEE-type plug. Older orange or transparent caravan-style plugs do not fit these outlets — you'll need a standard NZ Type I plug or the matching CEE plug for the high-current outlets. Contact Trade Tested if you're unsure which plug your equipment uses.

Newman generators are designed for outdoor use only and should be protected from direct rain. Running in light rain is generally fine if the generator is under a canopy, tarp, or purpose-built generator tent — but never let water pool on or around the unit. Never spray the engine with water as it can contaminate the fuel system. Never run a generator indoors, in a garage, or in any enclosed space — carbon monoxide from the exhaust is lethal. Operate at least 3 metres from any building opening.