My Experience with Generac Stand-by Generators

---

Generac has been widely advertised as a reliable provider of emergency backup power for homes during outages. Their commercials depict families relieved that their Generac generator seamlessly restored power during a storm, allowing them to continue their daily lives without disruption. If you believe these commercials and the promises of warranties, you might be inclined to purchase one. I did in 2014 because PG&E was so unreliable in supplying power. Outages occurred during almost every storm, and since I rely on a well pump that requires 50 amps to start, I felt I had little choice. While I had two gasoline-powered portable generators, their 6,600-watt capacity wasn’t enough to start the well. So, I bought a Generac.

The Purchase and Installation

I purchased the generator from Lowe’s while working as a store manager, which allowed me to get a great deal (cost + 10%). For $3,200, I walked out with a 20kW generator and a load-shed panel, which I transported home in my truck.

I found a Generac installer online who was happy to install the generator and panel for about $1,000, which seemed like a good deal. The company was licensed and bonded, so I assumed I was in good hands. Now, I had backup power—or so I thought.

The Initial Success

The first few power failures went smoothly. The Generac started up and provided power just like in the commercials. I was able to go about my business without the inconvenience of losing electricity or water. I felt secure.

The Problems Begin

During the third power outage, I learned that I could be in trouble. The Generac switched on but with noticeable power fluctuations. It was set to restore power in 10 seconds, but instead of functioning correctly, it started a fire inside the load-shed electrical panel. Fortunately, the panel enclosure contained the fire, preventing further damage. However, I was left without power and had to call an electrician to temporarily rewire the house. That cost me $400, and we had no power for a full day.

I contacted the Generac dealer, who inspected and completely rewired the panel. Surprisingly, I didn’t receive a bill—the dealer claimed the repair was covered under warranty. With everything seemingly fixed, I thought the worst was over.

More Failures

The next few outages passed without issue, and I began to regain confidence in the generator. However, during the third subsequent outage, the generator started, but instead of providing power, the house experienced a brownout—lights flickered, and appliances wouldn’t turn on. Although the generator continued running, it was producing no power. I shut it down.

This outage happened during a major storm, leaving us without power for a week. When the Generac dealer arrived to diagnose the issue, they determined that the stator and armature had failed. The repair estimate was $2,700. Generac refused to cover the warranty, despite the unit being only a couple of years old. So much for their warranty.

I paid for the repair, which took two months due to delays in getting parts. During that time, we endured multiple power outages without backup, meaning no heat, electricity, or water. Each time, we lost all our refrigerated and frozen food. When the generator was finally repaired, the technician discovered that the voltage regulator had also failed—another $100 out of pocket. In total, we had spent $3,200 on repairs so far—more than the original purchase price of the unit.

Ongoing Maintenance and Additional Issues

A couple of years passed with only routine maintenance—oil changes, tune-ups, valve adjustments, and battery replacements. Then another storm hit, and the generator wouldn’t start. I discovered that the battery charger had failed. I bought a high-quality charger/maintainer from work and wired it into the load-shed panel myself. Now we had a functioning charging system.  The quote to replace the unit from the dealer was $150 and I was able to buy a much better charger / maintainer and install it myself for under $60.

During the next major storm, the generator failed again, displaying an over crank error. The snowstorm caused an outage that lasted two weeks, and during that time we relied on our backup gasoline generators and water from our neighbors home.

 Due to high demand, it took another two weeks for a repair technician to come out. This time, the plenum had failed. It turned out that this part had a warranty recall due to fire risks, so Generac covered the part—but not the labor. That repair cost another $700.

While inspecting the generator, the new technician also informed me that the original installer had not pulled a permit and had improperly installed the unit, using a rigid gas line instead of a flex one.  He said the vibration of the generator could cause a leak and fire.  Most Generacs are placed on gravel or on a cheap pad.  My unit is placed on reinforced concrete bolted to the pad so there is zero movement, so I consider the rigid line safe.  It has not leaked in 10 years, however this spring I will change it out to a flex one. The technician refused to correct the installation error due to what he considered as a liability. The original installer, of course, refused to take responsibility for the incorrect installation of the fuel line. (Remember this was a Generac dealer that installed this unit.) Now I had an unreliable generator installed incorrectly by a supposedly licensed dealer.

Recent Issues and Final Thoughts

Last week, during a maintenance inspection, I found that the control display was blank. The charger/maintainer had shut off due to a bad battery. Since batteries only last a couple of years, I wasn’t surprised—this was the fifth battery change in ten years. I replaced the battery and reset the charger, but the control panel remained unresponsive.  The LCD display was not working.

The generator still started and ran, but without the control panel display, I had no access to maintenance settings, scheduling, troubleshooting, or error messages. I looked online for a replacement control panel, which ranged from $369 to $500. When reviewing control panel replacement costs online I have read that costs for changing this could be as high as $1,100. Since replacing the panel is a simple 15-minute job (after reviewing uTube) , I ordered one for $369 and will install it myself.  If I am wrong I have a new control panel and will either call a dealer for repair or just decide to junk the unit. 

The Reality of Owning a Generac

As you can see, my experience with Generac has been far from positive. When I need it most, it often doesn’t work. It has become so unreliable that I wired in a 220V plug to my main panel, allowing me to switch off breakers and run the house (except the well) on a portable gasoline generator. During storms, I fill the bathtubs with water for flushing toilets, and in an emergency, I can run 400 feet of hose to my neighbor’s house.  His home is supplied by county water which still works when the power is out. 

With a Generac, you need backups for your backup. It is not dependable, frequently breaks down, (at least mine) and is expensive to repair. Over time, I’ve learned to handle most repairs myself. This spring, I plan to replace the armature brushes along with its regular maintenance, that is if I still have the Generac. 

Note:

Generac’s consume about 1.5 to 2 gallons of propane per hour. At current rates, that’s around $8 per hour, or $192 per day if run continuously. Ask yourself if that expense is worth it.  

My Recommendation

Overall, Generac is a poor-quality generator in my opinion. If the unit suffers another major failure, I will replace it entirely. Kohler and Cummins generators are touted as more reliable commercial-grade options, though they come at a higher price. Would you rather pay more upfront for reliability or deal with repeated failures and costly repairs? That decision is up to you. Hopefully, Kohler and Cummins owners can share their experiences in the comment section here.

If you are considering purchasing a Generac, review my experience carefully. My unit has only 150 hours of run time over ten years—about two weeks of continuous operation—yet I have spent thousands on repairs.  It would have a lot more hours on it if it worked when I needed it.  Most of those hours are exercising.  Think about that before making your decision to buy a Generac.   Do some hard research on-line and consider what you read.  There are other alternatives like back-up batteries.  If the cost of running these units and reliability is a concern I would suggest you look elsewhere. (In my opinion.)