Very informative video, thank you. Have you ever run your generator for an extended period of time during an outage? About how many gallons per hour did the generator burn please?
Today finally came when Wired Electric came out and installed a new engine into our 20KW Whole House Generator. The old engine had low compression on one cylinder. The generator was 2 years out of warranty. After calling Generac and sending them the serviceman's diagnose of the engine they deemed it "Manufacture Defect". The original warranty was 5 years. I had the generator 7 years. The new Generac Generators now carry a 7 year warranty. I got a call from Generac telling me they were going to cover the cost of a new generator. The serviceman worked on it from 11:30 to 3:45. He put oil in it and fired it up. It ran great. I ask him how long have he seen these generators run without stopping. He told me over 3 weeks when the power came back on. At that time you change the oil and filter and put it back in standby mode. Thank you Generac.
Just completed the break-in period and so far the unit is operating perfectly ru-vid.comUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y . I was amazed by just how quiet this little guy is. I kept having to walk down the driveway to the generator to make sure it was still running. In fact, the most annoying noise coming from the set-up is a high-pitched chirping coming from the pressure regulator on the propane line. I suppose it's possible my other propane-powered generator's pressure regulator is making the same noise, but the generator itself is so loud I've never noticed it. Build quality so far is excellent. My only nit is the service panel is a little tricky to remove. I feel like I might break off one of the plastic tabs when bending it back. I probably just need to work out the technique, so will not hold it against Champion.Next week I intend to fully load the unit to charge a large battery pack and will update this review if there's any problem (3000W continuous load vs a rated 3100W capacity while using propane). Absent any trouble there, I'm 100% pleased with this purchase.
I wouldn’t own a House without a Generac Generator. Two things on the installation 1) I would have wanted the electrical wire bunched with the rest of the wires out 5he left side of the box and then run it along the lower cable. 2) I would also want the Gas line from the house to the generator installed underground. That makes for a nicer looking job.
You are absolutely right. Both of the electrical and gas lines should of been underground installations. Not only does it look a 1,000x better than strapping seal tight and a SO cable on the side of a solid brick house (Ohhh my god.......), having the lines underground will provide more protection. Yes, running underground with Schedule 80 PVC (with expansion couplings) for all the electrical would of cost a lot more, but it would of be a far more superior and better looking result than strapping it on to the side of the house.
I have had mine for about 4 years. I called the company to see what a turn-key job would cost. I believe it was $ 6,000 total. The crews dug the power trenches to the generator, hooked everything up and was finished in 2 days. It has power shedding so if you have a house with an electric stove, electric water heater, heat the house by electricity and central air the controller will turn on things in order as not to pull down the generator. The city inspectors came out and said it was a 1st class install and gave me green tags. The electric company I had mine put in told me they put in about 2 per day. No more having to store gasoline. If the power goes off a week or two you know the gas stations won't have power. It was a very good investment.
@@MT-ji5mh The company is Generators by Wired. The main company is Wired Electric. generatorsbywired.com/ They are on the West side of Houston off of Emnora Street in Spring Branch.
Nice documentation video. Your plumber does great piping work. Will say if I'm going to drop that kind of money on a backup system, it would have to be on a concrete equipment pad in lieu of on a few bags of washed stone and a precast plate. Speaking of the stone placement, that's the first time in my career around construction I've seen a level used as a leveling tool! Thanks.
johnniekelly I agree that pipe work was nice. I am an Electrician and a diesel mechanic and first for seeing a level used that way. And I would have poured a concrete pad for the generator to sit on.
Generac has some thing called the "GenPad", which they used and it just makes it so the customer doesnt have a big concrete spot if they remove the generator.
Also prevents uneven settling, secures the generator in place so that it doesn't shift over time, makes maintenance easier. It's not for everybody, but it does make installations fast and more stable than just putting the generator on rocks or a poured pad.
I thought it was a inexperienced person trying to do a down and dirty foundation job. I would have yelled at the guy to use something other than a level to smooth out the washed stones.
Sloppy install. 1st if you noticed in the video when the unit was running the exhaust fumes made the leaf blow at the window. Yes it is said by Generac and some local building codes that 5 feet from a window is fine. False, at the force of the exhaust on that or any generac it will still build up in that window well and you hope that the seals are tight , so that the fumes don't enter the home. 2nd The feeder conduit should have 90* down from the ATS then ran lower to that other conduit to keep it uniformed, with a nicer look. 3rd The gravel just thrown on the ground will eventually sink into the ground causing the pad to be come un level. Yes I a Generac installer for 12 years would have used framed box 32"×52" then poured concrete. Those gen ready pads are a joke.
I had mine installed by Wired Electric here in Houston. They are a Generac Certified company that installs about 2 of these per day. It took them 2 days to dig the trench and hook everything up. The city inspectors said it was a first rate installation. We had the power go out several times and the generator came on and run flawless. It pays to have a company that sells and services Generac Guardian generators. They have been factory trained for installation and service. We live in an electric world. When the power goes out in the summer the house can heat up in minutes. Natural gas is storm proof. No more having to run around looking for gas to fill up a portable generator.
When power goes out in that neighborhood all the neighbors will wish they got a generator too. They'll be jealous. Picture Mrs Kravits from Bewitched tv show peeking through her window curtains saying "Abner, look at what the Stevens' are doing. What are they up to this time?"
I'd be pissed if some just dumped pee gravel in my grass half assed like that. They could have dug that out a bit, or built a little something to go around the gravel.
That was the first thing that came into my mind when I saw the install. Especially on a brick wall where you cannot paint it. This is the reason I don't let a contractor anywhere close to my house.
I really enjoyed that "technique" of using a bubble level as a scraper to smooth out the pile of rocks used for the pad. And that f****ng hellish music! I almost stabbed a screwdriver through the side of my head listening to it.
@@RB-rl7kv A level will grade gravel readily.... a 4ft level is common for this...especially on such a small area. But then again, you could get your laser level out and use a rake to make it happen..(i wouldn't suggest the latter)
It’s funny as someone who does this very thing for a living to see so many people on one sight. Other than moving the generator/pad and NG/LP hook up I complete everyone of theses step by myself. Including inside to separate the neutral and grounds.
@@hayesmyers2259 ...I do all things electrical with generators.. whole home switch, subpanel or the Genready switches which requires a panel swap....no gas.
A buddy of mine had one of these installed, attached to a 500-gallon propane tank. Power has gone off 1 time in 5 years, lol. But it worked that one day. Otherwise, it just self-tests every Saturday at noon. The monthly fee for remote monitoring is too expensive.
A lot do not keep up with regular testing. I've seen home owners that left it sit for 3 years then it didn't start when they needed it because it had NOT run in 3 years!! Equipment, no matter how well built, is no better than the owner.
Yep... didn't bother to do a nice clean layout or install, just quick and dirty. God forbid the old farts doing the electrical would have to bend over or get down on their knees to route the electrical conduit next to the gas line. And why two electrical conduits? Could have easily fit all the wiring in one conduit not to mention running it straight across the face of the house. Yikes! No pride of workmanship. Bad... just bad
I just had a Generac 22kw generator installed on my house like this one, my electrician installed the cables in conduit and ran it low on the wall so it doesn't look tacky, the plumber did the same with the gas line,I also poured a concrete pad so I don't ever have to worry about it and it all looks great, I would be very unhappy with this crappy and tacky job these “professionals” did..the way the generator was set hap hazardly on that pea gravel and the wiring without conduit ran in the middle of the wall...wow!
Could you do a video review on how well your Generac 22k generator is working, how long it lasts on a gallon of fuel (if you are using gas or diesel), and any other useful info.? Or at least post it here? Edit: and if you do the video, keep the music lower than the talking. lol
It is technically in carflex which is a flexible conduit but yes it does look like crap. Personally all of my generator installs always have the wire ran underground in solid pvc pipe. This would pass an inspection but not on one of my jobs
Generac recommends that you put the generator on a bed of gravel, your supposed to build a frame around the area to hold the gravel in place. The reason for the gravel is to absorb the vibration and helps to reduce noise. Most electric utilities want let you run the power lines from the panel box to the transfer switch through the meter base. Also the gas meter is to small, unless it is a 2lb.system,which it wasn't. A lot of problems with this video.
Absorb vibrations... that's a joke man. That gravel is gonna shift way more than a slab. I for one would rather want a balanced/aligned motor. That thing is gonna burn through some bearings if it's not on a concrete leveled surface.
Adam, FEMA just deed my house property a flood zone, house is about 200 yds from the creek, had the property for 45 years, seen the water rise once 14in. but did not access inside Q. Should I ever install a generator, I would like to have it above the ground 2 feet for that reason. What’s your Thoughts, thanks
I decided to get a bid on a Generac system after watching the infomercial. I just needed the smaller watt one costing $1900 and when they called me to bid the install the cost with permits was $12,000 to $14,000 what a bait and switch informercial if I ever saw one. I bout $1600 generator 5500 watt by Kawasaki and had an electrician install a small switch over box for $300 and it works great. Save your money do it yourself.
1. You should have poured a concrete pad. 2. You should have run the two wires down from the box then along the bottom of the brick instead of straight across the house....would have looked much better.
they have bolt holes that go through onto the pad. Probably didn't show in the video. If you ever installed one you would know that. Instead of looking through you tube videos trying to find flaws try looking positive things to say? Or you could do what I do, point out in accurate critiques from uninformed people. That pad is the standard most used pad in Kohler and Generac installs. Its NOT " bogus" as you say!!!
@@jessemackenzie6516 The installation is "bogus" on so many points it is comical and the commenters here are accurate to call them out. Please have them install yours and post a video about it one year later!
I had a Generac 20 KW generator installed 12-13 December 2016. The GENPAD is more dense than poured concrete . Since installation we have had 4 outages not for very long but long enough that we would of had to replace somethings that thawed? I do not trust our aging power grid anymore I am glad that we made this investment. Of course if you want to get something other than a GENPAD to mount your generator hire somebody to pour it and wait until the concrete cures however long that may be to be up to codes. Lowe's took care of installing it. The even financed it at 5.9 %
I cannot imagine attaching a gas line to the exterior wall of a structure down here in the states. Also, I'd presume that a gas-fueled setup like this might have come in useless in some parts of Texas this last February when both power and gas pressure were lost. Those large louver openings will also be immediate entry points for all sorts of critters who will then build webs or build nests inside the unit. Panels of fine screen need to be attached inside the louver openings.
@@playscrape Neither was mine. I never said MY gas system lost pressure. Gas pressure WAS lost in some areas though. "The failure of some gas distribution infrastructure, which had not been adequately winterized, resulted in exceedingly high prices for natural gas. Some gas compressor stations lost power when utilities began shutdowns, and overall gas supply fell by 85%."
Do you have any idea where to purchase the plastic cover for the LED indicator light. The cover looks like a bubble which protects the LED. Any help will be appreciated! Thank you.
How many of you expert commenters have a whole house standby generator? Or can afford one? Installation looks good to me. I have a 20KW Generac on a gravel pad 2 Plus years now. It has not walked away yet. When the power goes out, mother nature doesn't care if the installation passes the inspection arm chair experts. The installation was inspected by building department and electrical inspectors and passed. It works as intended.
Agreed a cleaner looking install in conduit but not required for Teck cable, which is designed for use without conduit and can be buried in ground as is.
I installed the same 22kw Generac generator but I poured a concrete pad and bolted the generator to the pad. It looks much better than the plastic pad used in the video. Great generator though.
lander4545 those genpads actually are preformed concrete fiber mix. Made for the generator specifically with bolt holes to bolt the unit down to it from the inside. I use these on all my installs 3-4 a week average never have a problem with them and actually raise the generator up 3-4 inches depends which pad you order. No one wants a giant cement pad that’s going to cost you more to have custom made
I did a 56''X32''x5-1/2 pad with re-bar for a customer for $350. Yeah I'm not paying $300+ for a crap pad. My pad weights 720lbs it's not going anywhere!
We will have one of these when our new home is finished being built. June 1st 2018 closing date This will be a must as wife has MS and having lights out in bad weather will not be a option I wonder how much parts and labor are on this to install
@@chas7surf yup.... 4ft steel level i use all the time to finish grade all the time.. I wonder what magic tools those who don't know try to use... :) cheers
A couple things I would do better but looks clean. Concrete pad so that I could bolt the machine down and make it more difficult to be stolen, I wouldn't run the wires on the side of the house but the home owner already had conduit on the side of the house anyways so it didn't matter. I would probably burry the cable for a cleaner look. Also putting the transfer switch inside the house would make the install look cleaner but those are just preferences and usually these generators are installed on the hidden side of the house that nobody looks at anyways.
The only thing I will comment on the that the noise level of the generator is much louder than I expected. I've used some very large Honda generators that were MUCH quieter than this one. My option is based on this video and another one that was installing a Generac.
Installed many commercial gens in the Chicago area, had to use steel conduit with sealtite flex at the gen and all fittings were sealed when entering cabinets to prevent water from entering. Also, had to have a ground rod next to pad to ground the chassis and there was always heater pads under batteries to stay warm in the brutal winter cold. Would have dug out the grass also and had 4 to 6 inches of gravel.
@@lamplighter6794 where your company in Chicago I am going need a generac when I get back to Chicago I need the best. When the lights goes out its come back on in the winter. Without me even touching it lol
Zip ties to piggyback to the electrical conduit??? Zip ties do break, especially outdoors. They last about 3-5 years, even the UV resistant type. Nasty and cheap. Stainless steel hose clamps are much sturdier and longer lasting. A 10 pack at Home Depot are about $12.00.
looks like instalation would easily equal the amount spend on the generator itself. i just got a quote of $650 for just a simple 30A transfer outlet for the electrical panel and a plug in on the outside of the wall.
I am looking for exactly the same now. Just got few quotes from yelp, range is between $500 and $800 but I had stated in my question that I will buy the switch myself, which is another $350. This is for Boston Area. There's just one company that said their range is $650-$950 but they work with their own materials. But if it is $950 it comes close to what I'd pay whoever else I choose (if they don't charge me the top end and I buy the switch). I think a decent 8000w generator (which I also have to buy) is about $999 so wiring up a house for one is like buying one. Service is expensive, I guess that's the price I deserve for not learning electrical stuff myself.
You both would probably spend that same money on fixing your car and not think twice, these installs last a lifetime a car repair does not, a license is not required to repair a car. Any Joe schmo can do that.
Your conduit blocks all the other utilities. You placed the box directly over the water meter sensor wire. Sooo many things not good. This is why I will install my own.
Sloppy job. Genpad is not supported all the way to the edges. Power and communications conduits should have exited at the bottom of the transfer switch, or a pair of 90 deg elbows used to send the cables down low and run closer to the foundation. If this job had been done at my house, I never would have signed off on it until the deficiencies were fixed.
I agree with you for sure. My daughter is having the same generator installed, I hope they take a little more care in the installation than these guys did.
Agreed on all points. I'm not sure why they would post this as an example of their workmanship. That generator connection is a disgrace. I don't think I've ever seen an installation where they just dumped a few bags of gravel on the ground and set the pad on it. I also notice not a single piece of PPE equipment being worn. IMO, they should have spent a few hundred extra dollars and gotten a Kohler professionally installed.
They use them so they can come back out and charge you again for a job they should have done the first time right. Very tacky install, this install should be called a display only for a residential home. They should do a video of a permanent install with all power lines, natural gas lines buried and the pad level to the ground they should have dug the ground up then back fill the hole with gravel then set the pad on it. I wouldn't pay for a job like that. Too tacky!
They mounted that box directly on top of the wire going to the city water meter ! I would never have these guys do an install for me ! Looks bad all around.
I used to work for Motorola as a installer and did this kind of work all the time and if my boss had seen this quality he would have made me pull it all out. and do it over. I got the idea they were short on power cable and did not care where it was run. It should be lower to the ground and not in direct eyesight. The did it so that it is an eyesore on that lovely brick and there are NO DRIP LOOPS to protect water from going into the works. Piss poor install over all
Well you can put a drip loop outside in areas below a certain temp or it could freeze. If there wasn't a drip loop already installed, most likely that was the reason why.
unless they are in antartica there will be plenty of warm weather that they wont freeze there needs to be drip loops and a sediment trap on the gas line
At 8:55 in this video I see only 2 sets of power wires coming to the ATS. Where's the 3rd set and why doesn't this video show all the important power wiring installation? I saw nowhere in the video the intercepting of the incoming utility service wires. I'm just curious as to why the video didn't show that.
A quick question, I had a Generac 16KW whole house generator from 2008-2015 that broke. What I would like to do is use the Generac transfer switch Attached to my home and still wired up, to supply power from a tri-fuel Firman generator. Will it shut down the grid power still when electricity is off, or will I need to somehow shut down the grid power manually while the generator runs. Thank you for your help.
@@moroccanbrian.4778 I know its 4 years old but You tube is forever....... here come all the experts and Monday morning quarterbacks . Why do you feel the need to critique other peoples work. For the most part they were professional. This is used as an add for promotional services. Your evaluations could impact weather or not this company gets a job or not from a potential customer. Because you feel the need to critique may have a bigger impact then you think. Its to code its not un safe and doesn't look to bad. They are most likely qualified licence and insured . Im sure you could use your eagle eye to point out real hack work that is not to code and dangerous from unlicensed installers unless you are not aware of any codes and just pick low hanging fruit like you did with the pad....
@@jessemackenzie6516 idiot doing work like this using a precast slab sitting on gravel is pathetic I can only assume you would also do quality work like this?
@@robertbutler8004 Yes I suck, cant fix or repair anything and everything thing I do or install is pathetic . You won the you tube awesome guy award. Please print this and pin in on your chest so people who you see will know how great you are and how we are all better with you on the job pointing out how much better you are . I would love to go over my qualifications with you but I am sure they are nothing compared to your achievements. Please except my sincere apology for trying to stick up for someone. You have made me see the light. Do you think we should call the better business bureau on this guy for using gravel to level a pad? We cant let this go un checked!! On a side note if you are browsing the web in the near future and see any work that does not meet the ROBERT BUTLER STANDARDS FOR BETTER BUILDING AND INSTALLATIONS GUIDELINES , could you forward them on to me so I can help rectify the situation? On a serious note, Happy New Year and best wishes.
1 major bit of advice, and this is straight from a Generac service center here in North Dakota. If you have the cold climate package take the battery heater pad OUT from under the battery.The reason being that a warm battery leaks battery acid vapor witch will in time ( maybe around 2 years) cause the coating on the heating pad to dissolve and then short out. Frying the onboard computer. A very expensive part to replace to make the generator actually run again, Just my 2 cents worth.
I have specified ATS's and hooked them up, but I need your one line. I'm also a Licensed Electrical Contractor. The guys in this video have probably done this many many times. I suggest us Licensed Electricians leave it to the experts. Noted from posts below: Pour a concrete pad.
Depends on location, but highly likely in urban areas that both electrical and gas connex as well as overall workmanship will need to be permitted and inspected. Workers/company will need appropriate certs and licenses (electrical/nat gas/generator install).
I agree, This is a "How Not To Install a generator". Whats scary is that these guys think this is a good job! Imagine what it looks like when the camera is not there!
@@joejeans7913 ....the generator cable needs to be in conduit. But that just my opinion. The authority having jurisdiction (electrical inspector) will determine that.
I would have installed the communication and power wires way more below, where the brick starts on the bottom, it downs look right all across the wall like that. It's the year 2021 I wonder if they have improve at all and the units are quieter now
I would have held that plumbing and conduit down by the lower edge of the facia and would have made all conduit openings on bottom of transfer switch. Also, the grass and topsoil should have been removed down 6-8 inches and filled with gravel and compacted. At least they put heaters on filter and crankcase. I have never installed a gaseous fuel generator without a fuel Y strainer. At least a drip leg should have been installed. Not a great install but so much better than many I have seen. I didn't see any wires pulled for the heaters. Are they running off the commmunication wires?
Remove the grass and a 2-3 inch top soil, put a geotextile fabric and then put the 3/4 gravel, compress it a bit before, level it. You could also install an ALU stand (robust) 12 inch high to keep it away from the snow and ground humidity. What about the noise in dBa? (Do you have good neighbours). Good job.
Worrying about the neighbors and noise with a generator really is a non-issue. If power is out for 2-3 days and it's 100 degrees outside, your neighbors are either going to be #1 gone somewhere else to stay with folks who have power, #2 running a generator of their own to survive, or #3 dead from the heat, and they won't be complaining about noise....
I would be horrified to see this installation on my home. Two bags of gravel will not stabilize a running generator, and the lack of coordination with so many crew is disturbing....
All of those who are complaining about their installation of the cable on the wall. Answer one question. What does the local code in Toronto require? Before you make comments that are totally insignificant think first. This was a very neat professional installation.
Steven Phillips : Local codes do not require your electrical to be ran in the middle of the wall.... also, the gen pad literally can’t be installed on stone. That is direct from Diversitech the actual manufacturer. The gas flex pipe can’t be installed directly out of the generator, it needs to be installed horizontally with the unit. That’s in the install manual. I have been installing these units for about 20 years and will say it’s an ok job but needs to be tightened up. Yes most people commenting on here have either not installed them or have installed a few. At The company I work for we have installed 2-3 a day for the last 6 years. This unit is not in compliance with generacs warranty. Period. The stone base will fail and the stone is or will be gone. That’s a fact. Sorry just needed to say something.
Lots of Electricians ignore this however for this to be a perfect job...According to the CEC the cable needs mechanical protection under 5 feet. Teck armour is not considered any better than NMD for protection in the CEC. The mechanical protection could be provided by location, conduit, 1-1/2" of wood, or buried more that 2 ft down in sand 2" of sand passed through a screen no greater than .75" But hey I'm splitting hairs here - Other than that looks great! well done, nice job.
"This unit is not in compliance with generacs warranty. Period." NOW that is a need to know, IF I had of read that, in the manual after the install, they would have to redo it!
Remember code is a minimum ..... a True Electrician would go above and beyond those requirements , horrible foundation work, should have been a concrete pad. First off second zip ties werent UV rated, third , should have been in either rigid or pvc conduit. professional installation... not backyard electricians getting paid 15 dollars an hour.
