Briggs has the best customer service and they always back their product, minimum 6-year parts labor and travel warranty.. The 12kW set will start up to a 5-ton Air Conditioner, and run most homes flawlessly. Forget the sub-panel style transfer switch, do the whole home with the service entrance disconnect, it would cost the same to install. They also have a smaller footprint allowing you to stuff it in between the home or in a garden.
Good choice, you WILL be pleased! Been using my 20KW (well test running, playing around ha ha) past 2 weeks it is outstanding! Many think those green Onan in RV's are all Cummins offers. One home we looked at 2 years ago in Midwest had a 2009 Cummins whole house, they swore by it and said "Change the oil, change the filter, RUN IT 10-15 minutes ever week or so (not just the simple weekly program) and you will be pleased" The electrical panel, self charging battery system, (R51 needed) the 1.5 seconds power down , generator up, its sweet. Now have to get my TP LINK WIFI extender hooked up so I can keep track via phone.
I have had a Cummins for about 4 years now without any problems. I highly recommend it. The company that I bought it from sells Cummins and generac and recommended Cummins. I also saved about a thousand dollars w Cummins.
Cummins is most highly rated when you look at non ad driven ratings. It’s also multiple decibels quieter than the rest and has a significantly longer oil life. AAGenpro in Houston is the top rated Cummins installer in Houston also
Kohler is best. 20,000 standby is most popular. And yes you need a concrete pad which I got and below the pad we put packed gravel rock 5” thick so no mice will not burrow and make the generator y level as they notoriously do in country areas and on heat pumps. and the generator will sit very level. It’s bolted down and we live in the country. The cost was not cheap but not as expensive as some quotes from Generac. I believe Kohler is a little bit better.
@@stupidlibs I have the 12.5 KW with 100amp ATS and it works great although so far on in testing, have not had a power failure. My one concern is one of the doors is starting to rust and two emails to Champion have gone unanswered so I worry if I have a real problem. Hope this helps. I know nothing about Generac units.
@@RetiredPilot thanks for the response. It's a tough decision on which one to go with. I would like one that I don't have to pick and choose what I can and can't run. But of course the bigger they are, the more expensive also.
@@stupidlibs The big problem is the number of circuits on the ATS. An 8 KW would have run everything I need but didn't have enough breakers in the ATS. Even with my AC running I rarely use more than 2 KW in any hour. Too bad we cannot combine circuits With new LED lights I have several that only draw a couple of hundred watts or less. I use nat gas for cooking heating hot water cloths dryer and BBQ and also the Generator.
I bought a generac, complete junk. Warranty was good at replacing it but we've been through an engine, oil pressure sensor, and several other issues with the gen having starting issues. Maybe a Kohler is the way to go, not sure
Who paid you off?? Generac is the most popular, then Kohler and Cummins, then Briggs & Stratton. Champion is absolute crap. A 12kW won't run the avereage household with anything bigger than a 3 ton HVAC system. And an 8.5kW won't run hardly ANYTHING, forget about anything more than wondow A/C's, you'd be better off with a large portable with an electric start. Do yourself a favor and get a 20kW and above, have it professionally sized and installed, and if you really want to run your power grid, consider liquid-cooled. And quit it with the load centers, ATS only, manually amnage loads during an outage. Oh, and for the guy that was worried about gas upgardes to supply, these are 100K BTU consumption appliances and up, somne encroaching on 400K BTU's and operatre best with a second stage regulator within 5 feet of the appliance, same with pool heaters and on-demand water heaters. You're just gonna burn up the engine without the upgrade to 2#'s or more. Rubes...
Champion also makes 2 sizes larger than the one mentioned (a 14Kw & a 22Kw). A 12Kw will run most of the average homes (esp. under 2200 sq/ft) - remember, this is an emergency unit. Champion also has a 10yr warranty. Been ok IME...based in Wisconsin. HOWEVER...The THD on Champion may be about the worst though...and the Briggs is only slightly better, because they source their head units the same (Or so it seems) To be fair, properly installed & maintained, any on them will probably be good. You can find horror stories on any brand, and experiences vary. You will probably find more bad experiences on Generac than any other simply because they sell the most units. Simply put, they advertise more. I have neighbors with all the brands listed, and they all work well. Our neighborhood loses power regularly. I think, in terms of quality, Kohler, Cummins, Generac, Champion, then Briggs...(the last two are interchangeable, actually). Generac probably makes the best head unit (actual generator head). Cummins makes a lot of the units for RV's & boats, they're good, but expensive. So their corp. focus is on those markets. See very few for homes, although they do make them, and they're good. Kohler is likely the most reliable. But generally, they all work 'ok' IF properly maintained....(big IF...) Champion may be on the lower tier, but my experience hasn't been bad (from a running stand-point), but the power output needs to be cleaner...
YES HONDA is the absolute best. Generac is the worst! I have several HONDA portables that I use when power is out at my home. Honda's run very quiet and efficient.
Sounds to me like this ad was put together by Champion. 😂 Come on, at least compare apples to apples when you're talking about generators. Which generator manufacturer holds 82% market share in North America and which brand is the easiest to install. Most importantly, which name comes to mind first when you think about backup generators for home standby power... GENERAC!! 👍
Generac spends the most by far on consumer marketing and advertising, so of course they are the best known to consumers. That does not make their quality better than other brands. Cummins is one of the largest engine manufacturers in North America. How many heavy-duty trucks, bulldozers, railroad locomotives, or ships are powered by Generac engines? None. By Cummins engines - too many to count. Granted, the average homeowner won't need a diesel engine - generator set, but Cummins has a reputation for quality.
Once again, we're not comparing like products here. I will agree, Cummins has over 100 years of experience in manufacturing large diesel engines, but that means little when it comes to the modern technology that Generac integrates into their Home Standby Generators. Generac is one of the most fit and finished OEM companies when it comes to consumer support. It's not just marketing that sells a product. If Generac products were actually inferior to the competition, no amount of advertising would be enough to sell them. Of course, you're going to hear more complaints about Generac than you will about the competitors products when Generac holds so much of the North American market share! My advice is... don't believe everything you read online or in the Facebook forums. The only folks you ever seem to hear from are the ones who want to vent their frustrations publicly. Who you don't hear from, are the millions of satisfied Generac customers who don't take to social media to say how happy they are with their Generac product! 🙄
@@antiquarian3942 if Generac is so great someone please explain to me why they’re in the subject of so many class action lawsuits? Would you care to discuss their fuel plenum issue? How about their arcing and electrical fire issues in their transfer switches due to the cabinet being undersized from a safety perspective? If they are so great, why do they advertise how quiet they are during the weekly test period but gloss over how much louder they are at load, when it really matters? Generac owns market share because they got into the home standby market first and their marketing budget exceeds that of their competitions combined national marketing budget. Yes Generac is built to install a little more inexpensively. But is that worth it a couple years down the road when the controller has to be replaced because the integrated battery charger went bad and Generac wanted the cheapest and easiest solution for them and not the customer, and thus integrated the charger into the controller, thus reducing the number of needed low voltage wires. Hey most of them don’t have problems you are right. Yet…
I bought the Kohler 20 Kw and love it !!
Briggs has the best customer service and they always back their product, minimum 6-year parts labor and travel warranty.. The 12kW set will start up to a 5-ton Air Conditioner, and run most homes flawlessly. Forget the sub-panel style transfer switch, do the whole home with the service entrance disconnect, it would cost the same to install. They also have a smaller footprint allowing you to stuff it in between the home or in a garden.
Looking at the 26kw for my house heard nothing but bad customer service from generac owners
how is cummins not on the list? i hear nothing but good on them, i just ordered a 20kw cummins
Good choice, you WILL be pleased! Been using my 20KW (well test running, playing around ha ha) past 2 weeks it is outstanding! Many think those green Onan in RV's are all Cummins offers. One home we looked at 2 years ago in Midwest had a 2009 Cummins whole house, they swore by it and said "Change the oil, change the filter, RUN IT 10-15 minutes ever week or so (not just the simple weekly program) and you will be pleased" The electrical panel, self charging battery system, (R51 needed) the 1.5 seconds power down , generator up, its sweet. Now have to get my TP LINK WIFI extender hooked up so I can keep track via phone.
They got paid to do this.
I have had a Cummins for about 4 years now without any problems. I highly recommend it. The company that I bought it from sells Cummins and generac and recommended Cummins. I also saved about a thousand dollars w Cummins.
nice
my house in Houston has two 3-ton A/C, which one I should make a choice? Thanks
Cummins is most highly rated when you look at non ad driven ratings. It’s also multiple decibels quieter than the rest and has a significantly longer oil life.
AAGenpro in Houston is the top rated Cummins installer in Houston also
Kohler is best. 20,000 standby is most popular. And yes you need a concrete pad which I got and below the pad we put packed gravel rock 5” thick so no mice will not burrow and make the generator y level as they notoriously do in country areas and on heat pumps. and the generator will sit very level. It’s bolted down and we live in the country. The cost was not cheap but not as expensive as some quotes from Generac. I believe Kohler is a little bit better.
Just bought a Champion 12.5 KW with 100A ATS. I would have had to upgrade my gas supply at great expense to use the 14KW
We are looking at getting a home generator. Do you like the Champion? We are looking at that one and Generac.
Thanks.
@@stupidlibs I have the 12.5 KW with 100amp ATS and it works great although so far on in testing, have not had a power failure. My one concern is one of the doors is starting to rust and two emails to Champion have gone unanswered so I worry if I have a real problem. Hope this helps. I know nothing about Generac units.
@@RetiredPilot thanks for the response. It's a tough decision on which one to go with. I would like one that I don't have to pick and choose what I can and can't run. But of course the bigger they are, the more expensive also.
@@stupidlibs The big problem is the number of circuits on the ATS. An 8 KW would have run everything I need but didn't have enough breakers in the ATS. Even with my AC running I rarely use more than 2 KW in any hour. Too bad we cannot combine circuits With new LED lights I have several that only draw a couple of hundred watts or less. I use nat gas for cooking heating hot water cloths dryer and BBQ and also the Generator.
I bought a generac, complete junk. Warranty was good at replacing it but we've been through an engine, oil pressure sensor, and several other issues with the gen having starting issues. Maybe a Kohler is the way to go, not sure
Who paid you off?? Generac is the most popular, then Kohler and Cummins, then Briggs & Stratton. Champion is absolute crap. A 12kW won't run the avereage household with anything bigger than a 3 ton HVAC system. And an 8.5kW won't run hardly ANYTHING, forget about anything more than wondow A/C's, you'd be better off with a large portable with an electric start. Do yourself a favor and get a 20kW and above, have it professionally sized and installed, and if you really want to run your power grid, consider liquid-cooled. And quit it with the load centers, ATS only, manually amnage loads during an outage. Oh, and for the guy that was worried about gas upgardes to supply, these are 100K BTU consumption appliances and up, somne encroaching on 400K BTU's and operatre best with a second stage regulator within 5 feet of the appliance, same with pool heaters and on-demand water heaters. You're just gonna burn up the engine without the upgrade to 2#'s or more. Rubes...
Champion also makes 2 sizes larger than the one mentioned (a 14Kw & a 22Kw).
A 12Kw will run most of the average homes (esp. under 2200 sq/ft) - remember, this is an emergency unit. Champion also has a 10yr warranty. Been ok IME...based in Wisconsin.
HOWEVER...The THD on Champion may be about the worst though...and the Briggs is only slightly better, because they source their head units the same (Or so it seems)
To be fair, properly installed & maintained, any on them will probably be good. You can find horror stories on any brand, and experiences vary. You will probably find more bad experiences on Generac than any other simply because they sell the most units. Simply put, they advertise more. I have neighbors with all the brands listed, and they all work well. Our neighborhood loses power regularly. I think, in terms of quality, Kohler, Cummins, Generac, Champion, then Briggs...(the last two are interchangeable, actually). Generac probably makes the best head unit (actual generator head). Cummins makes a lot of the units for RV's & boats, they're good, but expensive. So their corp. focus is on those markets. See very few for homes, although they do make them, and they're good. Kohler is likely the most reliable. But generally, they all work 'ok' IF properly maintained....(big IF...)
Champion may be on the lower tier, but my experience hasn't been bad (from a running stand-point), but the power output needs to be cleaner...
Wish Honda made a standby generator.
YES HONDA is the absolute best. Generac is the worst! I have several HONDA portables that I use when power is out at my home. Honda's run very quiet and efficient.
Where is the cummins generator. I think that cummins is the best generator
Sounds to me like this ad was put together by Champion. 😂 Come on, at least compare apples to apples when you're talking about generators. Which generator manufacturer holds 82% market share in North America and which brand is the easiest to install. Most importantly, which name comes to mind first when you think about backup generators for home standby power... GENERAC!! 👍
Generac spends the most by far on consumer marketing and advertising, so of course they are the best known to consumers. That does not make their quality better than other brands. Cummins is one of the largest engine manufacturers in North America. How many heavy-duty trucks, bulldozers, railroad locomotives, or ships are powered by Generac engines? None. By Cummins engines - too many to count. Granted, the average homeowner won't need a diesel engine - generator set, but Cummins has a reputation for quality.
Once again, we're not comparing like products here. I will agree, Cummins has over 100 years of experience in manufacturing large diesel engines, but that means little when it comes to the modern technology that Generac integrates into their Home Standby Generators. Generac is one of the most fit and finished OEM companies when it comes to consumer support. It's not just marketing that sells a product. If Generac products were actually inferior to the competition, no amount of advertising would be enough to sell them. Of course, you're going to hear more complaints about Generac than you will about the competitors products when Generac holds so much of the North American market share! My advice is... don't believe everything you read online or in the Facebook forums. The only folks you ever seem to hear from are the ones who want to vent their frustrations publicly. Who you don't hear from, are the millions of satisfied Generac customers who don't take to social media to say how happy they are with their Generac product! 🙄
@@antiquarian3942 if Generac is so great someone please explain to me why they’re in the subject of so many class action lawsuits? Would you care to discuss their fuel plenum issue? How about their arcing and electrical fire issues in their transfer switches due to the cabinet being undersized from a safety perspective? If they are so great, why do they advertise how quiet they are during the weekly test period but gloss over how much louder they are at load, when it really matters?
Generac owns market share because they got into the home standby market first and their marketing budget exceeds that of their competitions combined national marketing budget.
Yes Generac is built to install a little more inexpensively. But is that worth it a couple years down the road when the controller has to be replaced because the integrated battery charger went bad and Generac wanted the cheapest and easiest solution for them and not the customer, and thus integrated the charger into the controller, thus reducing the number of needed low voltage wires.
Hey most of them don’t have problems you are right.
Yet…