Billy Shafer

Bill VA · Oct 4, 2019

Billy Shafer - if you are out there, could you recommend a reliable (including parts long term) MFG of a whole house back-up generators. This would be run on natural gas.

Thanks!
Bill

Billy Shafer · Oct 4, 2019

Bill.
I can only think of two brands. That I would even look at. Kohler and Onan.Generac is out there.But their support is very bad. I could not in good faith recommend them. There is a company called Power Tech. A small but a good company. But I am not sure they have come out with the NG unit yet.Their number is 1-800-760-0027.

I would guess full house. You would need a 20 KW unit. I would get an 1800 rpm unit. No 3600 screamer. I would get all the information you can. Then talk to Kohler or Onan.

gregww · Oct 4, 2019

Just signed the papers for a 20kw Kohler whole house generator. $8100 for everything. That's a lot of money to me. I hope I don't regret it. I could not find ANY good reviews for Generac on line, except on their website, or their dealers websites. Generac was $500 more.

Philip d · Oct 4, 2019

We found the same thing. We bought a 12KW Briggs and
Stratton. It?s going to be close to $9000 CDN time it?s finally
hooked up.

Gene Davis (Ga.) · Oct 4, 2019

I have a 20 ES Onan on natural gas and it does a wonderful job when called on for power. Gene Davis Tennille, Ga.

Billy Shafer · Oct 4, 2019

That one has what we called the Pinto engine. LSG-423 great unit to have.

Traditional Farmer · Oct 5, 2019

Its not what I'd call a whole house generator but we have a 13,000W generator sold by Northern Tool with a Honda (real Honda not Chinese knockoff) motor cost around $2600 has been great so far.starts easy and runs smooth.

jwmfarms · Oct 5, 2019

Billy, how about a Winco? Do you have any experience with them? We have sold their pto units for more than 40 years, and they are top notch. We've also sold two or three automatic standby whole house units, with no trouble, but that really isn't a large sample. Just wondering if you'd run across many.

Billy Shafer · Oct 6, 2019

Winco is a very old and trusted name. I think they build PTO units for other brands.I think they are the Rolls Royce of PTO units. They also build good engine powered units.As I was told one time. Winco doesn't build generators. They build TANKS.

jwmfarms · Oct 6, 2019

Thanks, Billy. My dad just boughta real nice 8kw Winco automatic standby unit that had been at a communications tower site. It supposedly had low run time. It looks real good, but we haven't gotten it running yet. Haven't had the time.

Also, Winco just notified us that they are no longer building there own generator heads. They are going to be outsourcing them. Quality will go down, no doubt. I had hoped to buy a 25kw pto unit for myself, but they were already sold out!

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Oct 6, 2019

We have a Briggs & Stratton branded standby unit. It's a 12K and auto start/switch over. The generator head is a General Electric.
Whatever unit you choose, if it is an auto start unit be sure to have a surge protector installed with it. We had a lightening strike take out the stove, dryer, and the automatic function on the generator. It still works just fine, just have to manually start it and flip the transfer switch.

Bill VA · Oct 7, 2019

Thanks for the replies, Billy Shafer and everyone else.

Much appreciated!

Bill

Married2Allis · Oct 8, 2019

The Northern Tool generator heads are made in Italy.

Billy Shafer - Whole House Generator Recommendation MFG

Bill VA

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