I don't know anything about the Generac units other than noticing that others like you have often had good results with them. However, I can report on my own experience with a Power Boss 7000 watt generator. The Power Boss is a Honda GX390 engine with a Briggs provided chassis and generator. I have had this unit for 9 years and had almost no issues with it. I live in the country where pine trees like to fall onto the power lines. Fortunately, I have not experienced an extended outage, but we seem to get regular failures lasting three to 6 hours at least four times a year so the generator gets regular use.

In fact, we had a middle of the night failure yesterday. Fortunately, immediately I only had to get up to shut off some beeping devices, but unfortunately, (while I would have been happy to sleep completely thru the entire event) my wife rousted me out of bed again at 5am to start the generator to run the AC and fans to cool things down. My engine is a manual start unit. Sometimes it takes several pulls to get it started, but yesterday in the semi darkness, it fired up on the first pull.

Exmar, I am wondering if a 5000watt unit is really big enough for you. My 7000 watt system seems like a better choice. I don't use a transfer switch, but rather have a lock out system which is much cheaper and more useful. The lock out prevents the generator being connected to the house lines until the main house breaker has been manually disconnected. The advantage (aside form lower cost) is that any circuit could be left on. Of course, I can only run so much. For example, yesterday, I shut off my downstairs AC unit breaker before connecting the generator power; (the bedroom is on the second floor heat pump). I also wouldn't plan to turn the electric oven on.

During last winter, we had a night outage that fooled me. In the morning, I tried to use the above mentioned heat pump (for heat) and found that the generator kept bogging down. It turned out that since the house had cooled significantly, the thermostat was calling for the heat strips (9000 watt??) instead of just the heat pump function. Before next time, I will have to learn how to lock out the heat strips before activating the generator.

My wife just mentioned that years ago she had found that one couldn't use the washing machine on the generator. I suspect that she could use it, but we would need to shout off the AC or whatever, first. She hadn't told me at the time, or I would have done that.

Yes, I'm looking at a lock out as the much easier and cheaper way to go. The unit you mention is discontinued. That's the way with a good solid product, it works, folks are happy with it, whoops, it can't make the price point anymore so is replaced with a more "cost effective" unit. :-(

Sorry to hear that B&S bailed on the higher wattage Power Boss. I want to reiterate that you consider a 7K unit. A year ago, there was a thread from someone who I think already had a 7000 watt unit that still wasn't enough for his whole house AC. He just had one large AC. In my case, I have ~2300 sq. ft. two story house with central air, but there are two units; a regular AC with propane heat downstairs, and a heat pump (with the added electric heat strips) upstairs. I might not be able to start a 2X size AC with my 12,000 starting watt generator.

I guess I should get off the computer and refill the gas (for next time) and check the oil etc now that I have an irreplaceable item ; P

Treat it tenderly, comes time to replace, you'll be paying more for less. :-(

Appreciate your thoughts, but as a retired EE, I have my power consumption under control. Also, don't have central AC, etc. Intentionally designed our retirem;ent home to get by with minimal utility cost by maximizing, insulation, tyvek, blueboard, etc. etc. when I had it built. Also, location on a tall hill with window orientation to get max breeze though it.

The 3250 watt worked fine as we only had extended outages in late winter, early spring due to ice storms. In recent years though, summer outages due to the weird storms require the one window AC unit to keep the "boss" happy. Hence, need a couple KW more.

exmar/chas045 - how much protection from the weather do you have for your gensets? Are they stored outside year around? I don't have one yet - just wondering what kind of provisions I need to make if I do buy one.

From what I've seen, and I'm not an expert on small gensets: Unless you buy something like the Generac, etc. whole house unit with it's own enclosure, they don't like to be out in the weather-at all. I keep mine in the barn and wheel to the front porch when needed so it's protected from rain and snow.

If you're thinking of a portable you'll need to provide weather protection which gets tricky, the engine is air cooled and the generator does create some heat, so you'll need to allow for good air circulation. Louvers, etc. also, the engine exhaust which is hot has to be vented, so if you build a small enclosure with wood...... There are storage covers for them, like you'll see on gas grills, but that's for storage, not running. Maybe the front of a garden shed with the doors open when in use?

Maybe some contractor's will offer an opinion, as they probably use them in inclement weather. JMHO, but if you buy something half way decent, you want to take care of it.

Ev

I keep mine under the side porch that has a roof. I closed off the nearby crawl space vents to prevent carbon monoxide from getting into the house via the basement area. I do have a carbon monoxide detector and after three hours I have sometimes noticed that it is reading above zero, but certainly no where near a level that would set off the alarm. I believe the instructions suggested that you could build a little 3 sided cover that could do duel duty of weather protection and sound reduction. They are pretty loud.

Yes, they can be loud, price point and db level seem to travel in opposite directions, however, I find the noise reassuring rather than sitting in the dark waiting for the stuff in my big side by side frig and upright freezer to melt. :-) The carbon monoxide issue is very valid, suppose that's also an argument for an LP unit depending on where you'll locate it.

Update: Still researching and discovered that Generac has a 5500W LP unit. I have a big LP tank as I'm out in the country so looking into that as well. Chatting with my LP supplier, they'll run a line and provide a quick disconnect and appropriate regulator for the genset. I'm getting to an age that not having to lug and have on hand five gallon cans of gas is of interest.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_470239-24212-6001___?productId=50013594&pl=1&Ntt=generac+portable+generators

Weird looking thing, but has very good reviews, we'll see.

Didn't initially look at LP as "typically" they're 14KW+, whole house units with transfer switches, etc. Something like this with low oil shutoff should be comparable to the gas fired units.

Ev

That Troybilt is a Briggs built unit rebadged for the box stores. Briggs bought Generac portable generator and power washer divisions but as soon as the no competition clause expired Generac got back at it again so things get a little muddy.
Standby units running off LP or NG start at 7kw and typically are run in conjunction with an automatic 50A transfer switch. They will handle the basics (lights, fridge, freezer, furnace, tv) but if you want a/c a 12kw with a 100A t/c would be the minimum. Most older homes have a 100A panel so this is all that is required. If you have a 200A panel with a/c, pool, sauna, hot tub etc then 15 to 20kw with a 200A t/c would be in order depending on the load. The beauty of these systems is they are automatic, if the homeowner is away for more than a day or two he/she doesn't need to worry about the fridge contents spoiling or the pipes freezing.

exmar, You said " I find the noise reassuring rather than sitting in the dark ....." and it reminded me of the story I just heard while talking with the guy fixing the phone system by attaching a temp. portable generator while the power was out 2 days ago. He had heard of a guy who set up his portable genset at 4am or so and I guess went back to sleep. When he woke up he heard the engine running but didn't seem to have lights. After examination, he found that someone had stolen his generator, but fired up the guy's lawnmower in its place!!

Chas, funny one. :-)

romore, good point, and automatic is good, though it ain't cheap. If our outages get more troublesome I might have to look into it. Right now, or "historically speaking," we have bad ice storms which bring down limbs and trees on power lines in the early spring. Last year and this one, there have been several freak storms, which I'm sure everyone is aware of, resulting in outages of 4-8 hours, that I can live with using a portable, particuarly if the Generac 5500W LP works out. That, plus, six circuit manual transfer switch and some wire and connectors looks like $1,000. The as yet unknown is what the LP supplier wants to add an additonal line and regulator, etc. Shouldn't be too bad, but being a captive audience, I tend to be suspicious.

romore, also a good point about things getting a "little muddy." Generac prides it'self on being made in America. However, as I found out with the 3250, under, I think, 7KW, their engines are "generic." Generic=Honda clone from China. That ain't all bad, the one on the 3250 is the same engine that Harbor Freight sells for about $120 which has the huge following for repowering log splitters, tillers, go karts, etc. etc.

If I wasn't cheap, er, thrifty, ( :-) ) I'd buy a Honda. Those are really nice units, but the price is a major OWCH.

Ev

A lot of good info in this post. Thanks for the feedback about the weather protection. Whatever I get will be fairly small as I only need to power a small chest freezer and maybe a refrigerator.

tumage, I found the 3250 good for powering a freezer, frig, and having power left over to run the entertainment center or computer's, etc. Don't buy too small.