Looking to get one installed at the house. We don’t have the cold freezing temps or ice storms, but we do have the occasional tornadoes and hurricanes. Longest we’ve been without power was 8 days, but some of our friends were without power for 20+ days. During the winter I can stay warm without power with a fire place. It’s the Summer heat I can’t stand. So who has one or something similar? Any particular issues with Generac or the brand you might have? Would you have done anything different if you do have one?

We have had a 23KW for 7 years with no problems. It runs everything. We have natural gas. The only thing we would do different would be to buy it sooner.

Dad has a 10kw in his house that runs on lp. It runs 30 min a week on Friday to keep everything up to snuff. It won't run th whole house but dose all the important stuff. Enough that you don't notice when the powers out. I was recommendations a 22kw by the salesperson but believe I would stay with a 10 kw. Larger uses more fuel and that 10k gen set will burn a 500gal lp tank in a week or 2 as it is.

I have wanted a back up installed but the fuel used for a long term outage and the 6-8 k prices have kept me from it. I'm thinking a solar system with 1-2 day battery back up and small 5 kw or so sub 1k back up to charge the batteries when needed my be a better use of money. Solar at least has some payback.

We just installed a 13 KW Cummins for mom. Getting it installed was an adventure, but it's working now. Two different sales outfits also told us 90% + of what they sell are the 20 KW versions, but hers will run everything in her small house. Our goal was to keep the lights on, the refrigeration and freezers running and the furnace. Will probably run the AC too, but she has a small house.

I'd guess the majority of residential units sold are Generac. If that who is local and who sells them, best stick with that. You do need local service folks to install it and keep it serviced.

The big decision after generator is if you want it to come on automatic or fire it manually. You also need a transfer box.....a switch box that isolates the generator and your home from the power grid. That can be manual or automatic, but has to be......else you risk frying a lineman when you back feed the line.

Could not have said it any better. Love mine, had mine for 12 years.

And if something happens to ng line what do you do. At least have gasoline backup, and a backup heat source

I plan to go with more than enough to run the house and shop. I don’t want to get in the situation of “I wish” I had gotten bigger. The old saying of “Better to have and not need, than need and not have” would apply here I believe. And yes, I plan to have it “professionally installed” and maintained.

I love my 16 KW Generac, runs everything. I have natural gas. We have quite a few natural gas wells within 5 miles of home.

That of course is a very good point. When they installed mine they put a plug for a gas generator as a back-up.

How expensive is the hook up part is what I was wondering?

Wife asked what they run on I told her 220 it took awhile for her to figure that out.

Every hurricane I have a few policy holders who say they love their Generac and that it paid for itself quickly

Some lpg are dual fuel

I personally don't think a generic is a good idea they don't have a alternator to charge the battery in themselves so if you are out of power for a few days it will quit on you. And they always run on full speed weather you want power or not and burn fuel like 🤔. It would be a small diesel for me hands down no matter what I have seen to many of these generic ones that people are not happy with.

Here my heating and electrical guys told me to stay away from generac and go with either kohler or Cummins for parts, also if using propane make sure it’s using liquid not vapor when it gets cold the vapor can’t flow fast enough.

I have a 5.5 KW Generac ..its loud but reliable

Many years back I stayed at a motel in Michigan's upper Peninsula. They had frequent power outages.
They had a Kohler generator installed and hooked up to 2 1000 gallon propane tanks. I stayed there
several weeks for many years. The power was out a lot but when it went that generator was running
in 10 seconds and everything came back to life. Kohler is King in that area.

I heard the same things as Bob back then so I bought a Kohler 14 KW and it runs everything I have. Seems that
what I remember I can run everything I have but only 2 burners and the oven with everything else running.

I've had it 5 years now, runs 30 minutes a week for a self check. it's so nice to be sitting and Pow out go
the lights and then i start counting 1-2 about when I get to 9 everything is back on. Mine is running on Natural gas.

What I like best vs Generac is if I have my TV on I cannot hear it running and just barely hear a hum when I am in bed.
Love that thing !