Briggs & Stratton 30742 Spec Review

In a nutshell, the Briggs & Stratton 30742 is a portable generator mostly geared towards:

• Food truck owners who want to ensure that their business is fully self-contained and does not rely on potentially unreliable external power
• Professionals who want to ensure that a power failure will not prevent them from working

The following sections will present you in detail its power characteristics, the different outlets it offers, its overall portability, the extra features it benefits from, and any relevant emission compliance details.

Power & Run Time

The Briggs & Stratton 30742's engine, 420 cc Briggs & Stratton OHV 4-stroke, fueled by gasoline, can deliver 120/240V. It provides a running wattage of 8000W and reaches a peak wattage of 10000W.

This generator features a conventional pull-start mechanism, but also a convenient and easy-to-use electric starter (battery included).

The fuel capacity of 7.5 gallons allows the 30742 to operate for around 9 hours at 50% load with a full tank (fuel consumption around 0.83 GPH).

Outlets

The control panel provides the upcoming 5 AC outlets:

As it features a twist-lock L14-30R receptacle, the 30742 is transfer switch ready: in case of a power outage, you will be easily able to connect it to a breaker box and power your household.

Portability

The Briggs & Stratton 30742 has the following dimensions: L28.4 x W30.5 x H29.1 in. In combination with its conventional, open frame design, they provide support and allow the generator to be raised above ground level. The featured design is ideal for the outdoors and all tough environments.

While the generator is considered to be technically 'portable' (in the sense that you can move it), manually lifting and transporting it may be challenging, due to its high weight of 246 lbs. However, this lack of maneuverability is compensated by its wheel kit (⌀12") and its folding handle, with which you can conveniently shift it, once it's on the ground.

Features

Thanks to a built-in fuel gauge, the generator allows you to quickly, conveniently and easily check the gas level at a glance.

From a security standpoint, the product offers an automatic low oil shut-off and an overload protection (circuit breaker), allowing you to use it with a peace of mind.

The 30742 also benefits from Briggs & Stratton’s CO Guard™ (opens in a new tab) carbon monoxide shutdown. This new patent-pending technology uses advanced algorithms to shut down the generator when harmful levels of carbon monoxide accumulate in the generator's operating area. It’s a welcomed additional security feature, but don’t forget to always take your generator outside (opens in a new tab).

Besides the usual set of documentation and owner's manual (opens in a new tab) to get you promptly started, Briggs & Stratton also included some oil in the 30742's packaging.

InfoHub™ Portable Power

The InfoHub™ app gives you real time information

Briggs & Stratton’s InfoHub™ Portable Power technology (opens in a new tab) allows you to monitor your unit’s vital information such as power usage, run time and fuel level in real time, and directly from your computer or smartphone (via the InfoHub app for iOS or Android).

Besides its monitoring features, InfoHub can also keep you informed about your 30742 status and maintenance needs by sending you scheduled service reminders. It also lets you customize the way your generator communicates with you and can send notifications to your local certified dealer.

Emissions

The Briggs & Stratton 30742 is EPA approved, but NOT CARB-compliant. Thus, it cannot be purchased or sold in California.

However, it features a spark arrestor, making it usable in forested areas.