# Second thoughts about buying Generac 24kW standby generator



## Ground Fault (Jun 9, 2020)

Thanks guys for investing your time reading this. I was just about to buy a Generac 24kW air-cooled standby generator this week until they told me that they had sold so many that they could not install it until the 2nd-3rd week in November. Knowing that it wouldn't happen before the end of hurricane season this year I decided to slow things down a bit and think this through a little better. Glad I did. The sales rep was fantastic and knew his stuff, but the reviews I found on the net showed that the Generac standby product had some issues that were compounded by (1) generac support, (2) dealer support, (3) Generac replacement parts service issues, and (4) dealer commitment to stock the necessary parts that usually are at issue in the warranty claims. And I already know from personal experience that the words "Generac" and "quality customer experience" do not belong in the same sentence.

I've had portable generators since the 80's: Coleman 4000-watt, now a backup to my Generac XP8000E, and a Honda EU2000 to run my sensitive office equipment after hurricanes (insurance office). I've also had two air-cooled 1800 rpm Onan's in RVs that are my yardstick by which I measure all other generators. I'm a little older now, about to retire, so I wanted to get a standby because I no longer want to hassle with two barrels of gasoline and their attendant fire and liability risks. That, and if the Lord takes me, I do not want my wife to have to hassle with it either after I am gone. We've previously survived fifteen days without power in Rita (2005) and thirteen days in Ike (2008). In lieu of central A/C, we lug out two 12K Btu and one 6Btu window units and cool the office and bedrooms to be comfortable in the 90-100 degree, 85%+ humidity of coastal East Texas Big Thicket woods. She knows the gas/oil/air filter drill for extended runs like that, and factoring in the window A/C set-up it is a BIG hassle, so why subject her to having to do that? 

So my question is this: _What is the general consensus as to the quality ranking of the various standby generator manufacturers? _ Kohler better than Generac? Cummins better than Kohler? Onan? I can tell you that it won't take much to convince me to buy something other than a Generac. After a 6-month routine start-up of my XP8000E I noticed gas dripping from the petcock under the gas tank. Turns out it was a crack in the casting of the neck of the on/off valve, ostensibly from running vibration(?). Whatever the cause, can't have that. Called their customer service: WORTHLESS as **** on a boar hog. It's a call center staffed by kids. Not a tech among them. They don't know squat about anything. They couldn't help me unless I had the part number. I had it, but tested them to see if they could find it. After 20+ minutes I gave up and gave it to them. Part arrived. I'm holding the petcock to prevent it from spinning while tightening it to the tank...and it breaks off at the same place! It appear that the wall thickness of the cast downtube is less than 20 thousands. Call them back and tell them to ship me another one, just duplicate my previous order. _They could not find my previous order. _ I give them the part number. It arrives. NO confidence in it, so I used brass fittings in place of it.

And ABSOLUTELY NO CONFIDENCE in doing business with Generac on a standby generator as a result. So, whose should I buy? Thanks!


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## ToolLover (Jan 13, 2020)

It appears you have thought this install out very well.
I for one would look elsewhere.
Reason? My 11 year old 14 KW Standby generator died for lack of a Automatic voltage regulator.
I looked everywhere. The black market price was in excess of $1200.
The Generac was only $3100 new and that included the Transfer Switch.
Generac dealers had none in stock.
Now I did buy a new 16 KW Generac due to changing out the previous install.
I would warn you about buying a V twin air cooled unit.
You are in the price range of the four cylinder and it is quiet and maybe less trouble sum.
Look around Generators Direct. com maybe before taking the leap.
I have watched 10 go in our neighborhood.
Two have failed, plus mine.
Take heed!


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Very curious about the responses to this. Generac seems to have the whole house units conquered due to price point and coasting on past glory. I've also watched several go into the area and more failures than I would have thought. We're not in a Hurricane area but did have a freak storm that took out power for 13 days and lots of folks jumped on the Generac wagon. 

I guess that it comes down to how much are you willing to pay for something which, potentially, may sit for extended periods with no use?


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## Ground Fault (Jun 9, 2020)

Thanks guys, but the question remains: If not Generac, which manufacturer? I'm already looking at $10K - $11K with the long natural gas line run, plus it has to be bored under the road too. Then I am putting the generator 105 feet from the transfer switch, back behind my shop so the sound will be deflected away from the house. All of that adds cost. So I'm in to it deep just to do it at all. If I have to spend a little more money for greater piece of mind, to get a product that is more robust, that has excellent parts support and that hopefully, doesn't NEED parts because I made the right choice, I'd spend a little more for that confidence. Can't imagine spending $10K and it go bad when I needed it most. 

And everybody in this neighborhood it seems is buying the 22kW air-cooled Generac. Like lambs to the slaughter. 

So, point me in the direction of the best 22kW to 30kW standby generators on the market please.


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## ToolLover (Jan 13, 2020)

I was recently on Craigslist.com just looking.
I came across an interesting generator. The brand was new to me, North American Tools. 14.9 KW. The owner claimed very quiet. I captured the page in Craigslist for you.





charlotte for sale "generator" - craigslist


charlotte for sale "generator" - craigslist



charlotte.craigslist.org




I was amazed at the size. He had bought it for a specific reason and that fell thru.
Even if not interested, it is worth a look.
Go to Craigslist.com, select North Carolina, then select Charlotte. Then enter Generators on the search line.
It is a neat unit in red. The hour meter shows .7 hours and is asking $4000.
I bet it can be bought for less.
Take a look just for the hey of it.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

look in to cat commercial generators, pricey but they work ok!


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## ToolLover (Jan 13, 2020)

Then I remembered this company:








Powerhouse Diesel Generators


Rugged, Reliable Diesel, Natural Gas and Propane Generators




www.pdgenerators.com




Select Generator under the heading to see the NG generators.

I surfed the web for the North American Tool generator.


Account Suspended



I have for some time now thought about bidding for one of these Generac 15 KW generators.


https://www.auctiontime.com/listings


But there again they are 20+years old. The most attractive thing about the generator being sold at auction is that the Transfer Switch is built in. Meaning Two utility wires and a neutral going in and two generator lines going to the sub panel. That is a very simple install. But 20 years plus is not to my liking knowing how Generac does not show a schematic of the listed serial number. Typical Generac!


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## Ground Fault (Jun 9, 2020)

Thanks! I'll check those out. Anyone owning anything other than Generac standby that could chime in? It appears from reading many other threads on here that Generac does not have sufficient repair parts inventory nor speed of servicing those parts as being very high on their list of priorities. It also appears that they use planned obsolescence to drive repeat sales. I hope that is not the business model of the other companies in this industry. Again, current Generac owner with one of their generators in pieces in my shop, so I am qualified to make such a statement.


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## ToolLover (Jan 13, 2020)

Take note on the HOME | pdgenerators.
They offer enclosures for silence. However; I like the idea of adding an enclosure onto the garage for ease of access.
I like the idea of having the TS in the generator enclosure.
You can simply install a 100 amp breaker in your panel, run the utility feed to the generator, make the connections, then return the generator feed (or utility feed) back to a sub panel that has the items you want to power during an outage. My pick is the NG Ford 21KW.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

As far as air cooled gaseous fueled standby generators go, generac and Kohler are the most common. I’d choose Kohler personally. Briggs and stratton and champion have made an appearance on the market but I’m Leary.

Its double the cost upfront but an 1800rpm water cooled unit is way quieter, more robust and can be placed closer to the home without driving you nuts reducing some of the installation costs.


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## Ground Fault (Jun 9, 2020)

Who makes an 1800rpm water cooled standby unit to which you refer?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Generac and Kohler are The big names. @toolovers link to PDGenerators shows some too.


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## CME4ELECTRICAL (Oct 18, 2021)

Ground Fault said:


> Thanks guys for investing your time reading this. I was just about to buy a Generac 24kW air-cooled standby generator this week until they told me that they had sold so many that they could not install it until the 2nd-3rd week in November. Knowing that it wouldn't happen before the end of hurricane season this year I decided to slow things down a bit and think this through a little better. Glad I did. The sales rep was fantastic and knew his stuff, but the reviews I found on the net showed that the Generac standby product had some issues that were compounded by (1) generac support, (2) dealer support, (3) Generac replacement parts service issues, and (4) dealer commitment to stock the necessary parts that usually are at issue in the warranty claims. And I already know from personal experience that the words "Generac" and "quality customer experience" do not belong in the same sentence.
> 
> I've had portable generators since the 80's: Coleman 4000kW, now a backup to my Generac XP8000E, and a Honda EU2000 to run my sensitive office equipment with after hurricanes (insurance office). I've also had two Onan's in RVs that are my yardstick by which I measure all other generators. I'm a little older now, about to retire, so I wanted to get a standby because I no longer want to hassle with two barrels of gasoline and their attendant fire and liability risks. That, and if the Lord takes me, I do not want my wife to have to hassle with it either after I am gone. We've previously survived fifteen days without power in Rita (2005) and thirteen days in Ike (2008). In lieu of central A/C, we lug out two 12K Btu and one 6Btu window units and cool the office and bedrooms to be comfortable in the 90-100 degree, 85%+ humidity of coastal East Texas Big Thicket woods. She knows the gas/oil/air filter drill for extended runs like that, and factoring in the window A/C set-up it is a BIG hassle, so why subject her to having to do that?
> 
> ...


Generac is a good product that will last with the proper maintenance. Everything has its planned obsolescence incorporated into all products. Onan makes a great RV/Portable generator try finding parts and manuals or even a service dealer.
We service Onan, Kohler, and Generac the 16KW generac has come out with a new motor where there is no more valve lash adjustment. I guess when that goes then you need a new head. You're right about the politics with Generac being a dealer means you pay a tons of money to take care of customers with little support in the sales end. As a matter of fact generacs lead times have gone from 25 weeks to 41 weeks currently October 2021. As a dealer you're not able to purchase a generator from another source that has them in stock and install them with a 7 year warranty. It is exclusive to "power play" dealers that purchase the app once a year to lead the customer through the gamut of questions. If they do not purchase it through the app then no 7 year warranty either. The prices have increased 2 times this year and generac deems it fair game to charge customers more money after waiting the 20-30 weeks already.
Moral of the story is Generac has most of the residential market and finding parts in a boneyard is easier than the others. 
I have seen many a generac with 980+ hours on them still running strong and leak free. If you maintain your investment it should last you a long time like anything else.
You also did not mention Briggs and Stratton. Which all the above generators used Briggs engines to turn their generators.
We sell those and generac and try to leave the politics out.


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

If I'm going to get a whole house standby generator, it's going to be a liquid cooled 1800 RPM Cummins or Cat. Nothing else is going to cut it, especially for a longer term grid down scenario. An air cooled screamer for short outages is likely fine, but I don't want the noise. This is why I got a quiet, efficient Honda and converted it for tri-fuel use. Half the price of a standby screamer unit, great resale, and I can take it with me when I move.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

cat on the larger gens and honda for the mid sized gens here for us.


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## Ground Fault (Jun 9, 2020)

As the OP of this thread I thought I'd comment and update it fifteen months hence, as a much better informed person thanks to this forum, and as a long-term Generac owner:



> Generac is a good product that will last with the proper maintenance.


 I am a preventative maintenance maniac. My Generac received proper maintenance. It did not last. I have no confidence it will not break again, when I need it most.



> Everything has its *planned* obsolescence *incorporated* into all products.


 Translation: _"Things are engineered to have a determined useful life so that they will eventually break *by design*. It's just a matter of when, and we decide when._" And I suspect that will be...when I need my Generac the most.

CME, if I was a *servicing* generator dealer I'd probably be a Generac dealer too. Seemingly, no other brand I know of generates (pun intended) as much billable shop hour revenue as Generac. 

So with the gift of time to gather perspective here, and some much-needed generator lucidity on my own, which for me...well, that's another story...I backed off the $12-$14K I was being quoted for a stand-by Generac. Rather, I INVESTED $4,330+tax in an _almost non-depreciating_ asset, a portable one at that, a Honda EU7000. So I'm what? $4,600~ in the hole instead of $12,000-$14,000? If I find I need more than 5000 watts I'll take part of that $8,000-$10,000 savings and buy _another one_, have the gas company bore service under the road, connect both to it and still be thousands ahead. Together I doubt they will be as loud as a single 3600rpm air-cooled stand-by. I can fab-up a Helmholtz chamber if they are, but I don't think I will have to. Because I am set. Thanks to this forum.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Ground Fault said:


> As the OP of this thread I thought I'd comment and update it fifteen months hence, as a much better informed person thanks to this forum, and as a long-term Generac owner:
> 
> I am a preventative maintenance maniac. My Generac received proper maintenance. It did not last. I have no confidence it will not break again, when I need it most.
> 
> ...


Similar boat here, I was very close to going with a standby generator. I don’t have natural gas but I do have a 500gaI propane tank for my heat and hot water. Ultimately I decided on 2 eu7000s (one on propane for now) in a remotely controlled operating enclosure. I have fuel diversity, the option to run both or either of the two depending on the situation and plenty of piece of mind. And still for less then one 20kw standby installed.


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## Ground Fault (Jun 9, 2020)

I have been soaking up everything you write about your setup drmerdp. Like a sponge!


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Ground Fault said:


> I have been soaking up everything you write about your setup drmerdp. Like a sponge!


lol, there’s more to come.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

GRIN!
well done guys!


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