It’s expensive but worth it. Everything will run as it normally will and there’s no worry in the middle of a storm or extreme temperatures when power is out for hours or even days.
Thank you for the detailed video. I just a brand new house in Florida which is still under construction. I will have the builder install it prior to my being completed.
Added the new 26 kw to our house couple months ago already had 2 power outages worked flawlessly still need to get Wi-Fi set up on but overall very happy!!
Had appointment with Kohler Installer last week, called Him today to proceed with install of a 20KW unit like this one. 30 installs are ahead of us, could be a couple of months. Looking very forward to the two day install, Kohler over Generac, not really even close.
Just got this delivered today! Electrician here next week, along with propane gas company Gonna sign up for yearly maintenace We have central a/c , but will shut off if we lose power. Less stress on Kohler
You should have no problem running your central AC. Typically the air conditioner is put on a load shed so if a lot of high demand electrical stuff is running and the AC tries to come on it will hold it off until he safe amount of power is available. I have no issue running my central AC unit
@@EnthusiastsGarage Agree. LET THE EXPERTS DO THIS ! A home caught on fire near our home Home owner installed, or tried to install propane generator himself Issue with the transfer switch Cost of Kohler is not the real cost It is a QUALFIED electrician that adds cost, plus the costs of propane tank installed, and yes town permits from town gas inspector We live near Boston Ice storms, and tropical storms, and time to get the Kohler !!
They have a Kohker 20kwRCA model out now. What size generator did you get? Any questions I should ask the sales guy you'd recommend to ask when he comes for a quote?
they have a 26 KW coming soon, I got a 20kw. make sure he breaks everything down and show him where you want it placed. the price should include a base, battery, and cold weather kit if you live in a northern climate. I recommend an aluminum housing so you can tuck it closer to the house. prices have gone up a lot if the last few years so prepare yourself for a 15k quote.
@@EnthusiastsGarage He came out wasn't quite 15k but in the ballpark however cash discount knocked it down a bit. I wonder how much more the new Kohler 26kw will be? His quote didn't include on cue though, not sure if I should get it. He also isn't adding rock under the pad just removing sod and leveling which I don't think is wise.
@@shanew7361 I would expect the 26kw to be $2,000 more. you would probably only need it if you have a big house or electric everything, your electrician should be able to audit your usage and see if you need to upgrade. on cue is good to have, lets you know whats going on with the generator and whether or not you lost power. I would definitely add paver stone and tamp it down or the vibration of the generator will level itself out. not an expensive thing to do. upgrade your meter as well.
Thanks for the video! Can you please do a video and show us how to manually switch on this generator from the inside of the house if it doesn’t kick off automatically? Thanks!
There's another thing to consider as well: it increases the value of your home. When you go to sell your home, people will appreciate that you've already gone through the trouble of setting this up.
Good review. However the cost can easily be double the $15K if the unit, for boundary spacing requirements, needs to be located on the side of the home opposite the gas/electrical service into the house. Also consider that if you reside in an HOA community you will need their approval.
Apparently Kohler needs updated firmware, which was never done to mine. It stopped during an outage, couldn't get a hold of them since the company lost phones and power. Few days later, came out and said firmware has quarterly updates. Not on the maintenance list. Never done to mine. Not happy with them. Should have gotten a Generac.
@@EnthusiastsGarage thanks sir. I can run my cable the same way and hook it to my Google wifi extender in our garage which is right inline with the generator.
had my kohler 20 kW installed 3 months ago it's been exercising weekly just as it should we had a power outage last night and it did not kick on multiple fault codes I have no idea who to call, the electrician that hooked it up hooked it up correctly but it appears it's an internal problem so now I got to figure out how many hoops I've got to jump through to get an actual generator technician out here right now I've got about an $8,000 lawn ornament now that $8,000 that include everything the hook up and all that but this is ridiculous. I thought I had peace of mind I thought it was going to kick on I knew the power was going to go off last night cuz we had storms coming through instead nothing but darkness.
After watching a few videos on this generator i think you have the two side panels backwards. the one with the two rows of holes should go on the exhaust side i think. Wonder if it changes the volume of the running machine at all.
@@EnthusiastsGarage ah ok cool thanks. I also just noticed that yours has what looks like two identical panels where a lot of these other videos have two different ones on each end. thanks for letting me know they're labeled!
Nice video good information I am from New Jersey also can you please tell me what contractor you’re used to install your Kohler generator. Thank you for your help.
@@EnthusiastsGarage do your contractor provide the kohler generator and combine the cost on installation and labor or do you have to purchase the generator and just get them for installation?
I'm super super nervous of basement flood.. I've lived at my home for 2 years and had 1 outage for 12 hours.. luckily I have a backup on my pump so I was saved.. you think this is overkill for me? I'm a freak when it comes to outages but in my area in the Midwest outages are not very common
A cheaper way to go would be a portable generator but you have to be home to turn it on and fuel can become an issue for a very long duration of power outages. This will not only run your sump pump but it should be able to run your entire house as well. Basement floors were one of my biggest concerns as well.
I thought the same thing. But what’s different is the oil drains out of it when the engine is not running so when you take the oil filter off no oil comes out. It’s actually the cleanest oil change I’ve ever done.
Yeah, I've had my 20RESC for 5 years and the oil change is fairly easy and clean. No issues with the filter in that position, just drain most of the oil first, open the two rubber oil covers and take out the dipstick. A lot of car engines have the oil filter just like that (my wife's Subaru) and it's not a problem.
Where do you come up 10 to $15,000? The generator is around $4500, the transfer switch around $1200, installation should be no more than $2000. Not trying to bust balls, but am I missing something?
If you have the ability to do it yourself you could probably get it done for about that. This is above the capabilities of most people so you're going to need a professional plumber and electrician. Every house is different so everyone's setup is different. It took 2 electricians a day and a half and it took the plumber about 6 hours. Now add in permit fees, a base, carb heater, piping, wiring, taxes, and all the other little things and it adds up fast. I was not willing to cut corners for something this important and you can see the quality of work that was done in the basement. not cheap but well worth it. Ive seen several other similar setup's and they were all in the 10-15k setup and mine was right in the middle of that estimate.
There is a BIG difference about what you people pay in the states for a installation of a standby generator vs what we pay down here in the carribean PR. Back in december 2017 a few months after we were affected by category 5 hurricane Maria I bought a Champion 8.5kw standby generator with ATS and after the installation was done I only invested only around $4,000.00 dollars for everything including the price of the generator. I bought it in sale in my local Sams Club store for only $1,998.00 plus tax for a total of $2,227.00. Then I bought a refurbished 100 gallons propane gas tank for only $850.00 dollars installed and hired a person to make two concrete pads one for the generator and the other for the gas tank. At the end I only paid around $4,000.00 dollars for everything including the installation that was done by a professional electrician. But to be fair my install process was much more easier and less complex than this one. And because my house doesn’t have a swimming pool neither a 5 ton central a/c and my water heater is solar I can power my whole house during a power outage with this small unit. I can power two split unit inverters a/c one 22,000 BTU and another 18,000 BTU, my washer, microwave, air fryer, two fridges, my electric cook top, two electric garage doors, my water cistern 3/4 hp automatic water pump, all my house lights , my 48” tv and my wifi internet rauter. I just avoid to use them all at the same time durring a power outage. But compare to the price of a solar system that can power all this electric items, all this standby generator are a bargain, 👍😉
No one is going to install this for $2000. I’ve had five companies come out to my house and all of them are doubling the price of the generator and transfer switch.
I just had this exact generator quoted out for me today. $11,877 and that includes a 10 year warranty. I also talked to a guy I work with who is certified to install these, he said $3500 is the base price for an install.. Then it depends on where you want it and how much extra materials/labor it will take and it goes up from there. So his $10-15k statement is very in line with what I have seen and heard.
I was debating mainly between Kohler and Cummins. Frankly I feel both companies make a superior product. If you look behind most hospitals and government buildings you will find they almost always have Kohler or Cummins.
Great narration on this video. You have done an excellent job give an overview of the Kohler 20RCAL.
This is what we have and we're literally going thru our first power outage since installation. So far so good
This is the same model I have at my house. Best piece of mind purchase last year.
It’s expensive but worth it. Everything will run as it normally will and there’s no worry in the middle of a storm or extreme temperatures when power is out for hours or even days.
Thank you for the detailed video. I just a brand new house in Florida which is still under construction. I will have the builder install it prior to my being completed.
Thanks for the video. I appreciate the detailed explanation you put into it.
Thank you for your video. I have recently contacted a Koehler dealer and I’m very excited about getting a Kohler generator here in Texas.
👍🏻
What part of Texas? Looking for a dealer.
Added the new 26 kw to our house couple months ago already had 2 power outages worked flawlessly still need to get Wi-Fi set up on but overall very happy!!
this was a great presentation. I am planning to install this type of system.
Had appointment with Kohler Installer last week, called Him today to proceed with install of a 20KW unit like this one. 30 installs are ahead of us, could be a couple of months. Looking very forward to the two day install, Kohler over Generac, not really even close.
Any reasons why? I've been looking at the generac system
@@slowsti0535 Let's put it this way - the big box stores who sell Generac generators use Kohler as THEIR backup generator. Speaks volumes.
What is the total cost
@@dantesinfernopurgatory7826generac is better they are the most popular generator company in the us they sell the most units, that speaks volumes
I put one in today It had a bad gas valve from the damn factory
Wow....its put together and works like a scientist....
Very nice. Thanks for the video.
Just got this delivered today! Electrician here next week, along with propane gas company Gonna sign up for yearly maintenace We have central a/c , but will shut off if we lose power. Less stress on Kohler
You should have no problem running your central AC. Typically the air conditioner is put on a load shed so if a lot of high demand electrical stuff is running and the AC tries to come on it will hold it off until he safe amount of power is available. I have no issue running my central AC unit
@@EnthusiastsGarage Agree. LET THE EXPERTS DO THIS ! A home caught on fire near our home Home owner installed, or tried to install propane generator himself Issue with the transfer switch Cost of Kohler is not the real cost It is a QUALFIED electrician that adds cost, plus the costs of propane tank installed, and yes town permits from town gas inspector We live near Boston Ice storms, and tropical storms, and time to get the Kohler !!
Thank you for getting into the nitty gritty!
Just an update, Kohler now offers and air cooled 26RCA.
They have a Kohker 20kwRCA model out now. What size generator did you get? Any questions I should ask the sales guy you'd recommend to ask when he comes for a quote?
they have a 26 KW coming soon, I got a 20kw. make sure he breaks everything down and show him where you want it placed. the price should include a base, battery, and cold weather kit if you live in a northern climate. I recommend an aluminum housing so you can tuck it closer to the house. prices have gone up a lot if the last few years so prepare yourself for a 15k quote.
@@EnthusiastsGarage He came out wasn't quite 15k but in the ballpark however cash discount knocked it down a bit. I wonder how much more the new Kohler 26kw will be? His quote didn't include on cue though, not sure if I should get it. He also isn't adding rock under the pad just removing sod and leveling which I don't think is wise.
@@shanew7361 I would expect the 26kw to be $2,000 more. you would probably only need it if you have a big house or electric everything, your electrician should be able to audit your usage and see if you need to upgrade. on cue is good to have, lets you know whats going on with the generator and whether or not you lost power. I would definitely add paver stone and tamp it down or the vibration of the generator will level itself out. not an expensive thing to do. upgrade your meter as well.
Thanks for the video! Can you please do a video and show us how to manually switch on this generator from the inside of the house if it doesn’t kick off automatically? Thanks!
ua-cam.com/video/y6nh2jn74nU/v-deo.html
There's another thing to consider as well: it increases the value of your home. When you go to sell your home, people will appreciate that you've already gone through the trouble of setting this up.
Good review. However the cost can easily be double the $15K if the unit, for boundary spacing requirements, needs to be located on the side of the home opposite the gas/electrical service into the house. Also consider that if you reside in an HOA community you will need their approval.
Nice job explaining a home generator B/U system -
What are the basics maintenance for this system? Do I need to check the oil ?
Oil changes, spark plugs, air filter
Apparently Kohler needs updated firmware, which was never done to mine. It stopped during an outage, couldn't get a hold of them since the company lost phones and power. Few days later, came out and said firmware has quarterly updates. Not on the maintenance list. Never done to mine. Not happy with them. Should have gotten a Generac.
Would you tell me how you did the cat five cable please. I have ordered the wifi for the genset because ATT did not want to run a cable to my router.
I ran the cable itself inside the same conduit that the shore power is running, and the CAT5 is connected to a Wi-Fi extender.
@@EnthusiastsGarage thanks sir. I can run my cable the same way and hook it to my Google wifi extender in our garage which is right inline with the generator.
had my kohler 20 kW installed 3 months ago it's been exercising weekly just as it should we had a power outage last night and it did not kick on multiple fault codes I have no idea who to call, the electrician that hooked it up hooked it up correctly but it appears it's an internal problem so now I got to figure out how many hoops I've got to jump through to get an actual generator technician out here right now I've got about an $8,000 lawn ornament now that $8,000 that include everything the hook up and all that but this is ridiculous.
I thought I had peace of mind I thought it was going to kick on I knew the power was going to go off last night cuz we had storms coming through instead nothing but darkness.
Any update to your situation?
@@columboscandela Guess not lol
He can't get on cuz there's still no power.@@columboscandela
Is there a way to test the unit ?
And this one is the best for a medium sized newer home with electric heat pump ? Better than Generac? I heard Cummins is also good.
Cummins is very good but hard to find installers. We put in a Kohler and we’re informed it’s better than Generac and we shall see.
@@jochimbenschneider1915 Thankyou.
Thank you...excellent video...can u explain how the backup battery for ur wifi works?
www.amazon.com/APC-Battery-Protector-Back-UPS-BE600M1/dp/B01FWAZEIU/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwv_iEBhASEiwARoemvOuTOo1iz55OPPQGFmVWWojKTih4YoTp2PoVN5hyHXEXjMC3k9MPYBoC0WEQAvD_BwE&hvadid=323142698143&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9004025&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=10592054035601202351&hvtargid=kwd-303861367118&hydadcr=978_1012421398&keywords=apc+battery+backup+power+supply&qid=1621002966&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUkZBUk5HQVpQREwmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAzMDkxNjAxWlIyR0tWUElQS1pIJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5MzMxNTgzODFMMFo0VloxWDNRJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
After watching a few videos on this generator i think you have the two side panels backwards. the one with the two rows of holes should go on the exhaust side i think. Wonder if it changes the volume of the running machine at all.
One is labeled exhaust
@@EnthusiastsGarage ah ok cool thanks. I also just noticed that yours has what looks like two identical panels where a lot of these other videos have two different ones on each end. thanks for letting me know they're labeled!
Nice video good information I am from New Jersey also can you please tell me what contractor you’re used to install your Kohler generator. Thank you for your help.
Pormilli electric, they are out of whitehouse nj. If they are to far kohler has recommended installers listed.
@@EnthusiastsGarage do your contractor provide the kohler generator and combine the cost on installation and labor or do you have to purchase the generator and just get them for installation?
@@bradleyparham7821 they provided everything
Can the cabinet be locked?
Yea
I'm super super nervous of basement flood.. I've lived at my home for 2 years and had 1 outage for 12 hours.. luckily I have a backup on my pump so I was saved.. you think this is overkill for me? I'm a freak when it comes to outages but in my area in the Midwest outages are not very common
A cheaper way to go would be a portable generator but you have to be home to turn it on and fuel can become an issue for a very long duration of power outages. This will not only run your sump pump but it should be able to run your entire house as well. Basement floors were one of my biggest concerns as well.
@@EnthusiastsGarage I do like the piece of mind. Also did it save you on home owners insurance?
@@slowsti0535 some do, mine did not.
@@EnthusiastsGarage thank you for all the fast feedback
is that ATS outdoor rated?
Usually, but I would check the rating.
Kohler generators are great BUT replacement parts are wildly over-priced!
No it’s not 10-15000 dollars! WTH? Ours is a Kohler 20,000 standby rated best and we spent well under 10 grand just recently.
That oil filter location looks terrible. How do you keep from getting oil all over?
I thought the same thing. But what’s different is the oil drains out of it when the engine is not running so when you take the oil filter off no oil comes out. It’s actually the cleanest oil change I’ve ever done.
Yeah, I've had my 20RESC for 5 years and the oil change is fairly easy and clean. No issues with the filter in that position, just drain most of the oil first, open the two rubber oil covers and take out the dipstick. A lot of car engines have the oil filter just like that (my wife's Subaru) and it's not a problem.
Where do you come up 10 to $15,000? The generator is around $4500, the transfer switch around $1200, installation should be no more than $2000. Not trying to bust balls, but am I missing something?
If you have the ability to do it yourself you could probably get it done for about that. This is above the capabilities of most people so you're going to need a professional plumber and electrician. Every house is different so everyone's setup is different. It took 2 electricians a day and a half and it took the plumber about 6 hours. Now add in permit fees, a base, carb heater, piping, wiring, taxes, and all the other little things and it adds up fast. I was not willing to cut corners for something this important and you can see the quality of work that was done in the basement. not cheap but well worth it. Ive seen several other similar setup's and they were all in the 10-15k setup and mine was right in the middle of that estimate.
There is a BIG difference about what you people pay in the states for a installation of a standby generator vs what we pay down here in the carribean PR. Back in december 2017 a few months after we were affected by category 5 hurricane Maria I bought a Champion 8.5kw standby generator with ATS and after the installation was done I only invested only around $4,000.00 dollars for everything including the price of the generator. I bought it in sale in my local Sams Club store for only $1,998.00 plus tax for a total of $2,227.00. Then I bought a refurbished 100 gallons propane gas tank for only $850.00 dollars installed and hired a person to make two concrete pads one for the generator and the other for the gas tank. At the end I only paid around $4,000.00 dollars for everything including the installation that was done by a professional electrician. But to be fair my install process was much more easier and less complex than this one. And because my house doesn’t have a swimming pool neither a 5 ton central a/c and my water heater is solar I can power my whole house during a power outage with this small unit. I can power two split unit inverters a/c one 22,000 BTU and another 18,000 BTU, my washer, microwave, air fryer, two fridges, my electric cook top, two electric garage doors, my water cistern 3/4 hp automatic water pump, all my house lights , my 48” tv and my wifi internet rauter. I just avoid to use them all at the same time durring a power outage. But compare to the price of a solar system that can power all this electric items, all this standby generator are a bargain, 👍😉
The installers want to make $7-8k for the job minimum. 🤦♂️
No one is going to install this for $2000. I’ve had five companies come out to my house and all of them are doubling the price of the generator and transfer switch.
I just had this exact generator quoted out for me today. $11,877 and that includes a 10 year warranty. I also talked to a guy I work with who is certified to install these, he said $3500 is the base price for an install.. Then it depends on where you want it and how much extra materials/labor it will take and it goes up from there. So his $10-15k statement is very in line with what I have seen and heard.
Also...why did u choose the Koehler over the Champion and Generac models?
I was debating mainly between Kohler and Cummins. Frankly I feel both companies make a superior product. If you look behind most hospitals and government buildings you will find they almost always have Kohler or Cummins.
Lol 15 grand 🤣 😂 more like 6 or 7
6 or 7 if you don’t plan on hooking it up.
Thank you for your video. I have recently contacted a Koehler dealer and I’m very excited about getting a Kohler generator here in Texas.