Residential Generator Reliability

[Ken_S]

Residential generators have been around for some time now, I'm curious as to how they've been holding up.

Have they proven to be reliable?
Are most owners performing the necessary maintenance?

 

[Birken Vogt]

Residential generators have been here for 25+ years but only the last 7 in a big way

They take a lot more maintenance than an AC system for sure. I would guess about 50% are maintaining them, the rest wait for a crisis and call everybody in the book. Air cooled generators are cheap and unforgiving of poor maintenance but it gets the bottom line down so that is what everybody buys.

 

[hillbilly1]

Generac had an issue with the batteries exploding, the battery they specified required maintenance, and the charger would dry out the battery due to lack of maintenance. Don’t know if they still use the same type of battery and charger. They seem to have a lot of starter failures too. Replaced only two engines, under warranty, out of the couple hundred we installed. I’ve not had any issues with the Cummins/Onans I’ve installed, but have helped other contractors out when theirs didn’t work. Usually too small of gas line.

 

[hbiss]

I have a feeling that if you have a Generac and a month long power outage you will be replacing it soon after.

-Hal

 

[letgomywago]

I have a feeling that if you have a Generac and a month long power outage you will be replacing it soon after.

-Hal

Better off with a kholer I'd say.

 

[acin]

Residential generators have been here for 25+ years but only the last 7 in a big way

They take a lot more maintenance than an AC system for sure. I would guess about 50% are maintaining them, the rest wait for a crisis and call everybody in the book. Air cooled generators are cheap and unforgiving of poor maintenance but it gets the bottom line down so that is what everybody buys.

 

[acin]

i have heard you want an inverter type

 

[tom baker]

Generac are 2 pole, meaning 3600 RPM for 60 hz, but the periodic exercise runs them at 1800 RPM.
Generac are widely advertised, search here for comments on contractor support. Some call them Junkerac. Cummings or Kohler would be better.
I agree with Birkens comment on maintenance. Generators need to be run monthly under a good load

 

[PaulMmn]

Most of the Generac I see advertised are, I believe, tied into your natural gas line. Which I don't have, and neither does the road in front of my house.
I've seen good comments here about Cummins/Onan and Kohler. Are any of them inverter types? They're supposed to be more efficient... they say.
Of the non-natural-gas generators, I supposed they're gasoline or diesel. Diesel will require heaters for the fuel tank; and special treatment of gasoline (other than 'gas treatment' for 'old' gasoline.

 

[LarryFine]

Propane is a common fuel where natural gas is unavailable.

 

[mtnelect]

I bought a "Coleman Powermate 4000" 25 years ago at COSCO. I never have changed the oil, only added to it. Now since this was brought to my attention on the maintenance, I read the manual. It states that you should check the brushes in the generator every year ... brushes should be replaced when they are worn to 1/4 inch. Oh well !

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Propane is a common fuel where natural gas is unavailable.

But can require large tanks or a vaporizer where the tank is installed in areas where is gets cold.

 

[mtnelect]

So, how do you sleep at night with a 350-gallon propane tank in your backyard ? And what do you do when a forest fire is on its way ?

 

[ramsy]

So, how do you sleep at night with a 350-gallon propane tank in your backyard ? And what do you do when a forest fire is on its way ?

Or when a bullet hits it on 4th of July fireworks?

 

[retirede]

So, how do you sleep at night with a 350-gallon propane tank in your backyard ? And what do you do when a forest fire is on its way ?

That’s an irrational fear.

When I had a home that used LP, I was a bit worried about leaks due to it being heavier than air, but I never worried about my tank.

 

[hillbilly1]

So, how do you sleep at night with a 350-gallon propane tank in your backyard ? And what do you do when a forest fire is on its way ?

On syrup mills, they light a fire under the tank to get the last bit of propane out to finish the last batch of syrup. Farmers don’t put any more in until next year, because the tank shut off valve tends to have a small leak, and drains the tank before the next year. Usually the high pressure pop off valve will release the gas, and it will burn off there if ignited. Not that common for them to explode unless somebody is doing something really wrong.

 

[Knightryder12]

Or when a bullet hits it on 4th of July fireworks?

A bullet will not set them off anyways. I have shot plenty of what I thought were empty tanks, and they never exploded.

 

[Strathead]

And I have had my Generac for 8 years now, in Florida. It worked last night, no problem. Thanks to hurricane Debby. It runs a test once a week and it still looks and sounds to be in pretty good shape.

 

[kec]

Propane is a common fuel where natural gas is unavailable.

So, how do you sleep at night with a 350-gallon propane tank in your backyard ? And what do you do when a forest fire is on its way ?

Residential generators have been around for some time now, I'm curious as to how they've been holding up.

Have they proven to be reliable?
Are most owners performing the necessary maintenance?

Most of the Residential generators employ basically a tractor engine. Not something I would use for critical life support.
Propane is very common in my area and I have a 500 gallon buried tank in my backyard and I sleep like a baby.
I have installed many of the popular brands and Kohler would be my choice.

 

[hillbilly1]

The air cooled ones use lawnmower engines. Tractor engine ones are diesel. Gas powered water cooled are automotive engines.