1db2
Member
- Location
- Pollock Pines, CA, USA
I installed a 12kW Fortress Briggs & Stratton with a standard 100A transfer switch to replace my dead Generac. It cost about $3800. and had to be ordered through a dealer because I wanted the Fortress. It's a more upright unit and has an attractive footprint. This has a 60A breaker in it and took a 3/4" lp pipe (209,000 btu @ full load). The manual made the install straight forward and tech support answered the few questions I had along the way. I asked if they had any issues with a former commercial electrician installing it or did they need a distributor to enforce the warranty. They said it was not an issue so I proceeded.
Unfortunately after firing it up, the transfer switch kept blowing one of the 240V fuses intermittently and under different conditions for a few days until the fuse blew immediately before even starting it after being replaced. Those fuses are not easy to locate and cost about 16 bucks each, so 4 blown fuses was adding up. I was working with one guy at tech support who was skeptical of my work even though I sent him detailed pics of everything. He acknowledged my clean installation but acted like replacement parts were coming out of his pocket. He asked me to rerun the 240V lines and if that failed promised to send me a new generator control board. After doing that, he reneged and told me to call a service distributor. Fortunately I'd been copying a local electrician (and distributor) and the regional manager of Briggs on everything. Those guys were awesome. The regional manager sent me the control board himself, 4 fuses and 2 sets of maintenance kits. That fixed the problem. The local electrician offered me a job with his company working on installation and maintenance of generators. It was an honor but I'm over the hill at this point.
By the way the control boards can be programmed stand alone with a laptop and the power provided by the USB cable....very cool.
I just wanted to share my experience of Briggs and Stratton for anyone considering putting one in.
Unfortunately after firing it up, the transfer switch kept blowing one of the 240V fuses intermittently and under different conditions for a few days until the fuse blew immediately before even starting it after being replaced. Those fuses are not easy to locate and cost about 16 bucks each, so 4 blown fuses was adding up. I was working with one guy at tech support who was skeptical of my work even though I sent him detailed pics of everything. He acknowledged my clean installation but acted like replacement parts were coming out of his pocket. He asked me to rerun the 240V lines and if that failed promised to send me a new generator control board. After doing that, he reneged and told me to call a service distributor. Fortunately I'd been copying a local electrician (and distributor) and the regional manager of Briggs on everything. Those guys were awesome. The regional manager sent me the control board himself, 4 fuses and 2 sets of maintenance kits. That fixed the problem. The local electrician offered me a job with his company working on installation and maintenance of generators. It was an honor but I'm over the hill at this point.
By the way the control boards can be programmed stand alone with a laptop and the power provided by the USB cable....very cool.
I just wanted to share my experience of Briggs and Stratton for anyone considering putting one in.