Comparison Home Stand By Generators

[DarkBlack]

Not sure if the installer should be the one to adjust your valves but I am sure some are very mechanically inclined to do so. I know my installer will come and do the maintenance when required but no need as I am capable of servicing my own. I have been doing my own small engine repairs for years and these generator engines are just that.
Valve adjustments are relatively easy to do especially on engine where the head valves are positioned at the front of the engine and at easy access. All you need is a wrench, valve gauge and the owners manual or go online and see a video on how to do it.
As for the distance of any objects or vegetation should me 10' or more away from the exhaust.

What's a "valve gauge"? never heard of it.
I bet you are talking about is what are known to mechanics, as feeler gauges.

 

[K man]

You knew what I was talking about. Thank you so much for correcting me. Gauge sounds better that feeler no matter what it does the same job.

 

[DarkBlack]

No need to be snippy like that when someone is trying to talk to you. I said I think I know the tool you were referring to.
I'll try to ignore your posts in the future.
Thanks

 

[K man]

Good ignore my posts I don't care.

 

[GManBart]

I have a question about adjusting the valve lash on a Generac/Vanguard engine.
Does the Generac approved installer actually know how to do that or is he "just an electrician"?
Since when did electricians adjust valves? So then, who to get that will do it competently and actually come out to your home? I'd be worried about someone leaving it worse than he found it if he has little experience doing this.

The electrician who did my install is a certified Generac guy who can work on the mechanical side as well. I asked him about the suggested valve adjustment intervals and he swears that very few ever need it. I don't recall his exact words, but he said if they need the valves adjusted you'll know it because they don't start easily. I'll probably do it anyway (I can handle that one), at least once to verify, but he's been installing them for many years, so I can't imagine he's making it up, and after watching him work, he's kind of a perfectionist.

 

[PILOON]

We are mixing 2 trades here. Electrician and mechanic. Rarely is a person both and in today's world to be certified in both is virtually impossible.
Long live the good old handyman!

However that being said valve lash is very easy to adjust, A handful of tools and feeler gauges is all it takes. Naturally new gaskets will be required.
Problem is that the engine specs are rarely included in the owner's manuals so you typically need to guess the proper lash. Also where to obtain the gaskets and I'll bet the generator supplier has none in stock.

The same conflict exists with water pumps as a plumber installs but an electrician is supposed to do the hook up.

The generator man can not repair the engine portion and the engine shop can not repair the electrical portion. Fun eh!
Add to that that virtually all the engines used are ChiCom and to the best of my knowledge generally not supported as are Briggs, Wisconsin etc.

 

[check]

So... To get back to the original question.... Which are the best Standly generators?

So far, we have My earlier comment that the dealers felt that Generac generators were not good ones when I was purchasing mine 5 years ago, and one other poster who said that his neighbors have had problems with Generac.

I myself have a Kohler RES17 (17 kw), and I have had a couple problems with it.

Anyone else want to chime in?

 

[K man]

My Generac 11 kw Guardian has not given any problems yet so to me they are the best. Now if I did have problems then that would be another story. IMO Generac generators are well recognized as a durable, efficient running generators. What else can I say some are good and some are bad until you hit a bad one you don't know.

 

[check]

The consensus from the dealers that I have spoken to seems to be that Cummins makes the best ones.

That's what a friend of mine bought, and he is an electrical engineer who uses generators all the time.

 

[K man]

Cummings now you are talking diesel. Yes they are the best of course. I was talking about average home propane generator. Generac standby genrerator are only in NG or LP sorry for not mentioning that. Generac propane generators are the best to me lol

 

[check]

Several dealers have told me that Cummins/Onan is the best, and my friend who is an electrical engineer and uses all kinds of generators in his business, got one for his cottage. It is quite a bit quieter tan the Kohler that I have.

 

[GManBart]

So... To get back to the original question.... Which are the best Standly generators?

So far, we have My earlier comment that the dealers felt that Generac generators when I was purchasing mine, and one other poster who said that his neighbors have had problems with Generac.

I myself have a Kohler RES17 (17 kw), and I have had a couple problems with it.

Anyone else want to chime in?

My 20kw Generac (on NG) has been flawless over the past 3 years. The longest it's run has been around 24 hours, but it handled it with no issues, and we enjoyed AC when it was really hot

In a previous thread here (exact same topic) there was a member who installs generators, and has for many years...he said he's never had any serious problems with Generac units that he's installed (he said it was hundreds of them). My electrician says he does almost all Generac units and essentially has zero problems with them. Last year during the arctic chill he said there were a couple of units he had installed that didn't want to start (like 10*F below zero, or colder) and all that was required was using a gloved hand to essentially choke the engine for startup.

This is why I've been known to beat the dead horse about people doing a search, and then continuing ongoing threads, rather than starting new ones over and over....all of this discussion was covered in the previous thread just a few months ago. It's better to have all the information in one place so good details or informative posts don't get lost to time.

 

[K man]

Is your kohler diesel? I find my Generac very quiet to the gasoline ones that some friends of mine use. In fact they even commented on how quiet it is. I can't hear run unless I got outside to about 20 ft from it. Now that is quiet.

 

[imported_OWDouglas]

Also Note, on the Westinghouse history no credit for A/C power to the true Genius, Nikola Tesla.

 

[GManBart]

Same basic discussion with some additional good information:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...stand-generators-post3606302.html#post3606302

 

[K man]

My 20kw Generac (on NG) has been flawless over the past 3 years. The longest it's run has been around 24 hours, but it handled it with no issues, and we enjoyed AC when it was really hot

In a previous thread here (exact same topic) there was a member who installs generators, and has for many years...he said he's never had any serious problems with Generac units that he's installed (he said it was hundreds of them). My electrician says he does almost all Generac units and essentially has zero problems with them. Last year during the arctic chill he said there were a couple of units he had installed that didn't want to start (like 10*F below zero, or colder) and all that was required was using a gloved hand to essentially choke the engine for startup.

This is why I've been known to beat the dead horse about people doing a search, and then continuing ongoing threads, rather than starting new ones over and over....all of this discussion was covered in the previous thread just a few months ago. It's better to have all the information in one place so good details or informative posts don't get lost to time.

That is one of the reasons why a winter package ( battery warmer, oil pan warmer etc ) should be installed on generators in the North where the temps can go down to 0 f or more. just saying

 

[GManBart]

That is one of the reasons why a winter package ( battery warmer, oil pan warmer etc ) should be installed on generators in the North where the temps can go down to 0 f or more. just saying

The cold weather kit can't change the incoming air temps, so it won't influence starting the way I described above. The cold weather package is still a good idea, but won't fix the starting issues I mentioned.

 

[K man]

The cold weather kit can't change the incoming air temps, so it won't influence starting the way I described above. The cold weather package is still a good idea, but won't fix the starting issues I mentioned.

True, but does it not have an automatic choke? I thought that was the reason for automatic start up. I guess I will have to wait and see when the cold gets here. I mean where I live it can get to -25-30 C.

 

[GManBart]

True, but does it not have an automatic choke? I thought that was the reason for automatic start up. I guess I will have to wait and see when the cold gets here. I mean where I live it can get to -25-30 C.

I'm sure they have an automatic choke, but at some point it might get too cold for that to be enough. He did tell me it was only a couple of generators that had the problem, and mine started just fine when it was in the ballpark of -25*C. It's possible they were older units that hadn't been properly serviced.

 

[buickanddeere]

The warmer engine will spin faster while cranking and require less choke to start .