16 KW all home generator?

[Flyboy]

Time to buy one! The choices are..

Kohler
Honeywell
Generac
is there another option to consider?


Any one have an opinion one way or the other? Cousi?

[Karlb]

[Pittsdriverwes]

I've got the Generac 22kW running off a 500g propane tank. It wasn't quite high enough capacity to I did a selected circuit installation that gets everything on to make us comfortable in any season. The only problem I've had with it is ants getting in to the brains of it and shorting it out. I've had to replace the module once and when it happened again, I caught it early enough to clean it out and put it back in service.

[802Mike]

Paul, I don't work with them but I see a lot of Kohler units in my travels.
I'd want to make sure that I could get service when needed and regular
check-ups on it. Maybe a service contract where they do annual checks
to assure it's working properly and the mice haven't moved in.
Kohler make a good engine, I have one in my mower. I've seen some
that are pretty compact. I guess because they're using vertical shaft and
stacking the engine on top of the generator. Not so easy to service I bet.
I assume everything is sine wave these days.

[Karlb]

My Generac has a 4 cylinder Mitsubishi Car engine, one of the big reasons I went for the quiet source line, their biggest units have a 6 cylinder ford.

[Aa3jy]

[cabnfvr]

Generac 16kw whole house generator. Automatically turns on with power loss and off when power is restored. It runs on natural gas. We likey.

[Flyboy]

Thanks for the reply's. We too have a 500 G buried propane tank. The Generac burns 1.7g/hr and the Kohler 2.2/hr, other than that, I cant see any difference in quality.

[PistolPete]

[dynajohn]

If Honda made a big enough one I would buy it but they don't. Barring that I would get the Generac.

[Bobby]

I bought a 2800 honda when we lost power two weeks ago due to the wildfires here in Ashland. It ran all our 120v lights,frig etc. for five days. It was a bit loud, but did the trick.

[justjoe]

[Riverfurm]

As someone who has dealt with long term power outages (due to floods) for days at a time. I would go with the Kohler. That's the brand that has been installed the most in my area. I started out with an old gas two cylinder Wisconsin skid mount that did 6KW only 120v. The issue was fuel. I had to have enough gasoline on hand to make through the power outage. During a flood I am isolated, and if I do make it out I am not allowed back in. One outage I empty boats and anything else of fuel. Just made it. So what do have on hand as fuel? Home heating oil. So I got a 6KW chinese single cyl. air cooled diesel that also did 220v. Made up a quick connected for my heating oil tank and a small electric fuel pump. Set up a plug for the house. It ran most everything, except electric stove and my big air compressor. Had it for a few years but one time I forgot to turn the compressor off. When the compressor tried to come on it took the generator out, and being Chinese built parts and wiring diagrams were non existing. Time for a big up grade. Went with an used Onan 22kw 220v self contain water cooled diesel. Installed new 200amp service in the house (the breaker box was a mess with one sub box. Now just one box.)and an automatic transfer switch, 250 gallon tank that also is for heat in my detached garage. Got to use for about six hours so far. Works great and can power everything in the house and garage.