Stand-by Generators

WESnIL · Dec 21, 2018

We are considering replacing the PTO generator with a stand-by unit. My knowledge of them is practically nil. What should one look for in brands to avoid,
brands to seriously consider, features one must have, etc. I guess it is fresh in our minds as when we came home earlier in the week from the wife"s out patient
eye surgery the power was out, hence no lights or heat.

jm. · Dec 21, 2018

All you have to do is just search this site. This topic has been beat to death on here several times.

ejr-IA. · Dec 21, 2018

I have a Generac noted to be good unit,mine is a 16000 kw electric start gas.Would like to convert to LP.Takes pretty good of the house and well.

jeffcat · Dec 21, 2018

One neighbor has a Kohler unit and like 6 or 7 have Generac units. I have several size gaoline units. All of these units work fine. All of the Generac units work fine. Depends on what you want to spend. My little 3500 Generac works just dandy. Almost first pull everytime does it. Ask friends and neighbors, reviews on internet, and also most important, DEALER Suport! !!

Billy Shafer · Dec 21, 2018

Stay away from Generac. Some people like them and have had good luck with them. Some find out they bought junk. They do have some large standby units. But the home units are hit and miss. What you bought today may be obsolete in the morning. What size are you looking for.

johnlobb · Dec 21, 2018

You would do well to listen to Billy Shafer. He has about 40 years of experience working on and repairing generators of all sizes and types. He KNOWS what he's talking about.

jm. · Dec 21, 2018

I did not want to post till after Billy gave you his Generac speech. Built this house new 7 years ago and installed a 20kw propane Generac. To date it has over 400+ hours . Moat outages are 2 to 3 hours but two instances of over 72 hours each. It has been trouble free and I feel it was a good buy or I got what I paid for and more. Guess some folks have had bad experiences. Have neighbors that have followed me and so far no problem. We do have a good servicing dealer nearby. Auto transfer switch is the only way to go. Photo before we got the gas hooked up

Billy Shafer · Dec 21, 2018

jm I am only telling what I have had to put up with over the years. I have known guys like you that have never had a problem. Have had very good luck with their unit. The main thing you point out is that you have a good dealer. Which is the key to having good service. Doesn't matter what generator you buy. If the support is not there.

It is up to the person to study all the specs. Before the purchase of any generator. Gather as much information as you can. Before spend any money.I have been in this business since 1973. I have seen the good and bad of most generator OEM's.

Bob · Dec 21, 2018

You didn't say how much power need.

If a significant amount, you mite want to look into low-houred "removed from service" REAL gensets being resold.

Hospitals, law enforcement facilities, phone/cell companies etc., etc., etc., routinely update (and move out) quality equipment that's been used very little 'cept for the hours accumulated on weekly test runs.

WESnIL · Dec 22, 2018

I am thinking something in the 10 K to 12 K size. We want to be able to run the whole house less the washer, dryer, computer, and microwave. My understanding is that the power from stand-by units is not clean enough for computers and the like.

showcrop · Dec 22, 2018

As jm. posted this has been a very popular topic so you can get lots of input from the archives. I will make the observation here that while most of the responses will be about personal experiences with 2-3 generators, Billy Shafer's experience is with thousands of generators. While hundreds of guys can have very good experience with any of hundreds of cheap Chinese units, Billy's advise is obviously worth a thousand times more.

Billy Shafer · Dec 22, 2018

That is true of some units. Some can produce power as clean as what comes off the line. That is why you need to check out the specs before you buy.

Just to show you I am not picking on Generac.
Onan Techstar,KV,KY junk
Some small Kohler units junk.

Dean · Dec 22, 2018

I thoroughly researched this several years before buying a 20 KW Kohler in 2014.

The local Generac dealer was great and the local Kohler dealer was awful but I bought the Kohler anyway, knowing that I could do my own service and repair work after warranty if necessary. I also established a relationship with the nearby Kohler distributor who helps me when I have questions.

I've had no problems with my unit.

At the time when I bought mine, the Generac engine did not have hydraulic valve lifter whereas the Kohler engine does. The warranty requires that the rocker arms in the Generac engine be adjusted periodically in order for the warranty to remain valid. This is time consuming to do one's self and expensive to have the Generac dealer do it. Not certain if the Generac engine(s) now have hydraulic valve lifters these days.

Generac is picky about warranty work.

I've had no warranty claims with my Kohler unit.

Dean

Destroked 450 · Dec 22, 2018

Bought a 4500 watt Generac back in 03, it's been a decent unit but don't think I'd want a new one.
Our stand by generator for the poultry barns is a 75 KW Katolight, the barns are computer controlled and we've had no issues, even when the generator ran for 10 days straight during the 09 ice storm we had.

My next home unit will be diesel powered, operates on less fuel and I keep several hundred gallons on hand, only keep a few jugs of gas on hand for lawn mower and atv.
During the ice storm no gas stations within 20 miles had power to pump any type of fuel.

buickanddeere · Dec 22, 2018

Kohler or Briggs.

Destroked 450 · Dec 22, 2018

Mine has a Briggs, I think some the newer ones come with generic Briggs, I don't want one of them.

WESnIL · Dec 22, 2018

My initial thought was a 10 or 12 KW unit. In a brief telephone conversation with a potential dealer he is thinking 10 KW will fit my needs. In some preliminary research it looks like Cummins and Champion make excellent units but they come at a cost. And Cummins starts at 20 KW if I remember correctly.

Traditional Farmer · Dec 22, 2018

I bought a generator with a Honda motor,I work with small engines right much and don't care for the OHV Kohlers but the Hondas have done good smooth running,easy starters and pretty easy on gas.

Billy Shafer · Dec 22, 2018

I would check out Champion. They have a good support system. Stand behind what they sell. They seem to be trying to be what Onan used to be. Before Cummins bought them. With Onan it was customer comes first.

WESnIL · Dec 22, 2018

My preliminary research indicates great specs, including the quietest in the industry. Their price parallels their apparent superiority. I will find out more after Christmas including finding a local dealer or someone willing to travel 50 to 70 miles. Their lowest capacity unit is 12.5 KW which would be acceptable.

Billy Shafer · Dec 22, 2018

True a good unit is going to cost more. But what is better a cheap one that may last a year or a one that cost. But will last another thirty years. I would go for a 15. Better to have a little more than you need. Than not having enough. Best way is to do a total amp load. Then go from there. If a 12.5 is all you need. I would get that.

buickanddeere · Dec 22, 2018

(quoted from post at 22:14:45 12/22/18) My preliminary research indicates great specs, including the quietest in the industry. Their price parallels their apparent superiority. I will find out more after Christmas including finding a local dealer or someone willing to travel 50 to 70 miles. Their lowest capacity unit is 12.5 KW which would be acceptable.

How are you calculating electrical load ? Any motor loads? Are you adding up watts or adding up full load amps ?

WESnIL · Dec 23, 2018

Some of the manufacturer's websites use their own easy version for one to calculate what size generator you need. Just click on this and click on that and it
tells you what model will work for you based on your 'clicks'. We are not a high demand household. Someone said the easier/easiest way is to just use your
monthly utility bill as a guide. I don't know how accurate that would be but our power bill normally runs around $100 per month, more in the summer with the A/C
running.

Bob Bancroft · Dec 23, 2018

What size is your PTO unit?
Maybe we're asking for trouble, but when we're on my Winpower PTO 25/15, we run everything in the house just like any other time. I can even run much of my grain handling system with it.

Texasmark1 · Dec 23, 2018

I have the Generac 11kw, bought in Feb., 2014, on Propane, 250 gallon tank. Auto on/off, runs 15 min once per week to keep things in ready to run order. I did the unit installation and gas co. did the Propane installation. Coop power company checked. Only problem over the years was an oil filter OEM installed too tight, failed a couple of years ago, like most everything I have bought lately with an OEM installed filter......too tight, had a slight leak at the crimp seam....gotta buy the $450 auto/manual transfer switch to go with it if not offered with the unit.

House is on Propane for the big heating things (space heat, hot water, dryer, kitchen range) so I can run the whole house on it.....keeping in mind that you don't need to have everything working all time. Like you don't need the Iron, coffee pot, and microwave all running simultaneously while the AC is running sort of thing. Ref and Freezer no biggie running. Never had a black/brown out.....never tested how much of what it would take. Never had a problem with AC compressor cycling, or a load problem if it, the ref, and freezer decided to kickin together as far as I know...house is well insulated, zone cooled, and about 2000 sq. ft cooled area when on the standby gen.

Texasmark1 · Dec 23, 2018

Mine has a Generac V twin, specifically designed by them for the application. Generac is a world wide corp with over 1 million units sold (www available info.) so they just might know what they are doing!

Billy Shafer · Dec 23, 2018

They sell more because they sell cheap. They will make anyone that applies a dealer. Good luck on getting warranty work done. I don't believe their claim of American made engines.

VancleVector · Jan 7, 2019

Honda, Yamaha cummins and kholer are good.

Stand-by Generators

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