Clarke IG1200D 1.1kW Inverter Generator

Review: The Clarke IG1200D in action

The Clarke IG1200D generator arrived well packaged with plenty of protection - because the box is substantial you can keep it to store the generator in, and transport it etc if you like. It was very simple to get going, you just must remember to fill it with oil before you do anything else! It uses SAE30 oil which is widely and easily available, and of course you just then need some unleaded petrol to run it. It is based on a 4 stroke petrol engine, which means there's no complication of needing to add oil or lubricant to the fuel, and it means it is quieter than 2 stroke engines.

Once we'd filled it, it was time to give it a test, so we took it with us on a planned trip out to a local campsite with no EHU facilities. Because it can provide 12v DC 12V (4A output) as well as 240v AC, it can be used to charge your battery, which came in very handy when our fridge drained our leisure battery (forgot to charge it before we left!) A few hours running during the day was enough to give the battery a good boost.



Of course, we usually want a generator to run mains equipment, and this machine includes a standard 230V 13A socket with a maximum power of 1100W, and continuous output of 1000W. It features "sine wave constant voltage technology" which has a frequency stability of +/-1%, this is more stable than the normal mains supply and is therefore ideal for powering sensitive equipment such as computers TVs etc. You can of course use plug your mains lead into the IG1200D with an adapter, and then back to your van to use your built in 240v equipment - ideal if you have a built in battery charger in your van or want to run a mains TV etc.



It features an "ECON switch" which means the generator will idle when no power is drawn. With this turned on the engine speed varies according to the load connected, and results in decreased fuel consumption and less noise! This feature should also prolong the lifespan and reduces running costs of this device. The spec states it has a noise level of 91db at 7 metres (1/4 load) and we found it quite acceptable running during the day without disturbing the wildlife or neighbours, just a gentle throb in the background.



The fuel tank has a capacity of 3 litres, and at 3/4 load it will run for 5 1/2 hours before you need to think about refilling it. In practice we got a bit longer as the load was lighter, which is great. At 12.4 KG we found it easy to load into the van, and then move it around.

Conclusions

To summarise, once again Machine Mart have come up trumps with this new model. It's a very affordable and practical generator, which is ideal for providing a ready source of electrical power when out camping or caravanning, or for motorhomes and campervans. For those who want a little bit more power, don't forget to read our review of it's big brother, the Clarke IG2000D 1.8kW Inverter Generator