The power cut is one of the worst nightmares. You can’t charge your gadgets, refrigerate your food, microwave your meals, and sit in comfort without sweating. In such cases, would you wait for the mercy of your electricity board? Well, we have a better solution. Switch to one of the whole house generators .In this post, we will explain to you what is a whole house generators, how does whole house generators work, what are whole house generators benefits, and the four best whole house generators.
Champion 14kW | Generac 22kW | KOHLER 20RESCL | Briggs & Stratton 20kW |
Liquid Propane / Natural Gas | Liquid Propane / Natural Gas | Liquid Propane / Natural Gas | Liquid Propane / Natural Gas |
Watt: 14,000 LPG/12,500 NG | Watt: 22,000 LPG/19,500 NG | Watt: 20,000 LPG/18,000 NG | Watt: 20,000 LPG/18,000 NG |
Noise Level: 63.5 dbA | Noise Level: 67 dbA | Noise Level: 69 dbA | Noise Level: 68 dbA |
Alternator: Computer Friendly >5 THD | Alternator: Computer Friendly >5 THD | Alternator: Computer Friendly >5 THD | Alternator: Computer Friendly >5 THD |
Warranty: 10-Year | Warranty: 5-Year | Warranty: 5-Year | Warranty: 5-Year |
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon |
Best Whole House Standby Generators Generator Reviews
1. Champion Power Equipment 14kW Whole House Generator Review
The All-Weather Champ
If you are living in a sensitive area where the temperature fluctuates between -22° F to 104° F, this is one of the best whole house generators for you. It comes with an all-weather composite mounting pad and steel enclosure to protect your whole house standby generators from other elements.
The Champion Power Equipment 14kW Whole House Standby Generator does not require any refueling. It runs on both liquid propane and Natural gas that maintains charge all the time.
This smart standby generator divides your home’s circuit into priority zones and manages high demand appliances based on the maximum capacity of the generator.
With a ten-year warranty, you can be assured of a reliable system that will back up your house.
What’s in the Box?
✔ Jet Change Tool
✔ Oil Drain Pan
✔ Battery Cables & Hardware
✔ Flexible Fuel Line
✔ LPG Jets
✔ HSB Enclosure Keys
Important tips
User Reviews
“We bought this generator because of frequent outages. I was looking for something fully automatic, ready to go on a moment’s notice, LP powered unit. One call to my local electrician and he had been installing these for several years and had not had any problems thus far. For the money and customer service, we could not go wrong. I’d buy it again.“
— Keith Stone, Hoxie Kansas
“Great product. I would recommend a professional to install it. I installed it myself but have worked as an electrician for many years but was easy to install if you follow instructions.“
— Marshall, Snow Lake
Conclusion
If you’re looking for an all-weather whole house standby generators, the Champion Power Equipment 14kW Whole House Generator is the right choice for you.
2. Generac 22kW Home Standby Generator Review
High Power, High maintenance
Within 7 seconds of your power outage, the Generac 22kW Home Standby Generator supplies power to your home. This high-power whole house standby generator generates up to 22kW of power, enough to power your entire home with high power-consuming devices.
It can handle a 5-ton AC, 3-ton second story unit, two refrigerators, microwave, electric oven, and house lights effectively.
It’s True Power™ technology ensures that your sensitive electronic appliance runs smoothly.
The Generac 22kW Home Standby Generator has a pressure-lubricated engine, which is capable of handling rigorous generator usage during power outages.
With the Mobile Link™ remote monitoring system, you can monitor the status of this whole house standby generator from any part of the world via a mobile app. The app provides you maintenance alerts too.
The multilingual display allows you to monitor battery status, and maintenance intervals so your generator runs without no lags Suitable for all-weather conditions, this standby generator requires low-maintenance.
Important tips
User Reviews
“It was very easy to install and setup and it’s just in time for Dorian. Power just went off and my 22kw Generac is up and running my whole house.“
— Lavardo Neymour, United States
“Have had this for almost a year now. It figures, we have had no power outages to really test this thing out.“
— Andrew N., United States
Conclusion
It is a powerhouse for your home. Although it requires maintenance, it gives better output than other standby generators in this segment.
3. Kohler 20RESCL Standby Generator
Less noise, More power
Designed to look like an air conditioner this whole home standby generator can handle harsh weather like a pro. Its corrosion-proof composite enclosure stands tall in the times of hurricanes and storms.
With its PowerBoost™ technology, this whole house standby generators provides power to start heavy load appliances without dropping power supply to other devices. The generator has low levels of harmonic distortion. This feature ensures that you get a power supply for a long period.
It runs on both natural gas and liquid propane gas. Also, you can switch the fuel source within a second (via a switch).
How to extend the life of the Kohler 20RESCL Standby Generator?
- Change the oil every year even if it runs for a 15-minute cycle every week.
- Check the oil levels after a long power outage (7-10 days).
- Ensure that your generator is not installed within 5 inches of a door, window, or wall. This will help the exhaust fumes to escape in thin air easily.
- Replace the air filter every year.
User Reviews
“Best generator on the market. I bought this and I had to use it for 12 hours. It was like nothing ever happened; power supply was on before I knew it was out. I was asleep and my Mom called me and asked, “Is your power-out?” Did I say no, why? She said there was a sub-station that lost power and 20% of them people were out of power. I love the security and has never let me down.“
— KC Cobra
“We installed this about 3 months ago… It starts up every week to run its self-test. I will eventually add on the PC software to monitor it remotely. Without that you need to go look at the status built into the generator to determine if all is well.
Installed with the help of family but had professional propane company hook up the gas and Kohler-certified company to do the initial start-up.
“
— RonD, United States
“We are in the middle of severe weather and lost power. The generator worked perfectly. Our generator was installed professional by an authorized Kohler Dealer; We had no problems with our unit.“
— David D. Lemahieu
X-factor
The Kohler brand is trusted by most of the hospitals, instructions and government offices.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a stylish standby generator that can stand robust in tough times and provide ample power supply to your house, this is one of the best standby generators for you.
4. Briggs & Stratton 20,000-Watt Whole House Generator
Apt for cold places
Known for automatically managing power between selected devices and managing loads effectively, this whole house standby generator can power up 12,000-square feet (0.11 ha) house with a 5-ton AC. The generator can handle multiple devices without overloading the unit.
The National Fire protection agency has tested this whole house standby generator. It is advised to place the generator as close as 18’ from a structure. As a safety measure, the engine automatically shuts down when it detects high oil temperatures.
The best part of this whole house standby generator is that it has a front air vent, which pushes the engine exhaust away from the structure. Also, the generator runs a safety test for 20 minutes to charge the battery.
Besides all the features, this single-phase whole house standby generator also provides you comprehensive 5-year limited warranty on parts, labor, and travel.
User Reviews
“Worked great during recent storms. Would not be without it.“
— Eddie Wilson, Unites states
Conclusion
If you are looking for a powerful whole house standby generator for cold places, look no further. This standby generator is apt for you.
Final Word
For powering your home, having the best standby generator by your side is very important. Our whole house generator reviews provide you an idea of specs, pros, cons, x-factors and user reviews of 4 best standby generators. We would love to hear from you now. Which is the best amongst these four according to you? Do let us know in the comment section.
What is a Standby Generator?
As is the name goes by, it is a generator that is always on standby to provide power to your whole house. It automatically senses the power outage within seconds and activates the generator to power up your home.
In short, you can call it your backup power system.
How does a Standby Generator Works?
The standby generator has two major systems:
1. Generator
2. Automatic Transfer Switch
Once you connect the utility power supply (generated from the electricity board) and existing wiring to the generator, the Automatic Transfer Switch constantly checks for the utility power supply. If the utility power supply stops flowing in the house, the standby generator activates the generator and supplies power to your entire home.
As soon as your utility power comes back to life, the standby generator switches off the generator and supplies utility power to your house.
Whether our utility power supply is on or off, you will get an uninterrupted power supply with no hassles.
Who Requires a Standby Generator?
If you are living in an area prone to tropical storms, winter storms, wildfires, hurricanes, remote areas, or an area prone to power outages, you should definitely opt for a whole house standby generator.
Almost every home should have a standby generator to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
Wrong time to buy whole-home standby generators
More often than not, people buy a standby generator during critical situations like a hurricane – probably a desperate decision. Installing the whole house standby generator in a rush may slip off some major safety steps leading to death due to carbon monoxide poisoning. So, be well prepared to get your standby generator in advance.
What are the benefits of a whole house standby generator?
Low noise – standby generators use new technologies to keep the sound to residential levels
- Low maintenance
- Gives better fuel efficiency
- Handles longer outage periods due to liquid cool technology
- More reliable and efficient than portable generators
Facts to Consider before Buying the Best Whole Home Generator
Wattage
Before you buy a standby home generator, you’ll be required to count the number of appliances you want to run at once and calculate their wattage consumption.
Start making a list of items in your house and add up their watts to arrive at a probable wattage requirement.
Here is a sample list for you:
# | Equipment | Watts |
---|---|---|
1 | Lights | 20 - 600 Watts |
2 | Refrigerator | 600 - 650 Watts |
3 | Computers | 60 - 300 Watts |
4 | Ceiling Fans | 55 - 100 Watts |
5 | Air conditioner | 1,000 -1,500 Watts |
6 | Heater | 1,400 - 1,500 Watts |
7 | Hair Dyer | 800 - 1,800 Watts |
8 | Grinder | 500 - 2,500 Watts |
9 | Coffee Maker | 900 Watts |
10 | Electric Blanket | 180 Watts |
11 | Food Blender | 390 Watts |
12 | Iron (Hand) | 1,000 Watts |
13 | Toaster | 1,150 Watts |
14 | Vacuum Cleaner | 800 – 1,000 Watts |
15 | Television | 120 – 170 Watts |
16 | Sewing Machine | 75 Watts |
17 | Stereo | 600 Watts – 2000 Watts |
Calculate the maximum watts of all your appliances, add them, and you roughly arrive at the wattage you require to buy one of the whole house generators.
Pro tip: Remember to calculate the devices you will use during a power outage.
Fuel
The following fuel options are available for best-rated standby generators:
1. Diesel
The advantage of choosing a diesel standby generator is thermal efficiency, i.e. the ratio of the work done with respect to the heat supplied to the engine.
A diesel engine generates 1 kW of electricity at a low capital cost. It is stored on-site. So, it is used in remote areas and hospitals.
2. Natural Gas
Natural gas standby generators need a large infrastructure. With the inception of hardened seats, it has become one of the most durable, reliable, and power-dense ways to generate electricity.
3. Liquid Propane
Liquid Propane standby generators use a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases – propane to power up a house. Like a diesel standby generator, LP generators must be stored on-site. The LP generators avoid oil spillage.
4. Bi-fuel systems
This kind of system uses two sources of fuels – usually LP and Natural gas systems. As soon as the natural gas is over, the system switches to LP as a fuel source to provide power.
Feature/Product | Champion 14kW | Generac 22kW | KOHLER 20RESCL | Briggs & Stratton 20kW |
---|---|---|---|---|
Volts, Hertz, Phase: | 120/240V. 60Hz, 1Ph | 120/240V, 60Hz, 1Ph | 120/240V, 60Hz, 1Ph | 120/240V, 60Hz, 1Ph |
Wattage (LP): | 14000 W | 22000 W | 20000 W | 20000 W |
Wattage (NG): | 12500 W | 19500 W | 18000 W | 18000 W |
Amps at 240 Volts (LP/NG): | 58.3/52.1 amps | 91.7/81.3 amps | 83/75 amps | 83.3/75 amps |
Engine Displacement (cc): | 754 cc | 999 cc | 999 cc | 993 cc |
Engine Speed (RPM): | 3600 RPM | 3600 RPM | 3600 RPM | 3600 RPM |
NG Consumption at 1/2 load: | 116.5 ft3/hour | 228 ft3/hour | 161 ft3/hour | 187 ft3/hour |
LPG Consumption at 1/2 load: | 1.6 gallon/hour | 2.5 gallon/hour | 2.3 gallon/hour | 2.3 gallon/hour |
Low Oil Shutdown: | Available | Available | Available | Available |
Dimensions L x W x H: | 50 x 30 x 40 inch | 48 x 25 x 29 inch | 48 x 26 x 29 inch | 48 x 34 x 31 inch |
Weight: | 494 lbs | 515 lbs | 560 lbs | 500 lbs |
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