<div dir="ltr">I haven't been a dealer long enough to remember the problems you refer to. We don't have the sales volume to be able to speak with authority on faults statistics but I get the impression that the quality of Generac units has improved a lot over the last couple if years. Most of our problems are related to lightning and bad power from the utility.<div>
<br></div><div>One of the problems with these air cooled units, from any manufacturer, is the unrealistic expectations of the buyers. People want to spend $3,000 and get a whole house generator with service rated transfer switch, and they think that it will perform like a prime mover. The air cooled units are good for about five or six years of occasional use. I have Kohler units that have failed at about that period. The whole point of the ecogen is the longer run times due to the large oil reservoir.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I have a 10 year old Lister Petter diesel with a Stamford 16KW alternator at my warehouse that will run 20,000 hours before it needs a strip down. Generac sells very good industrial diesels, but they cost 6 times as much as an air cooled, so no homeowner will buy them.</div>
<div>Most people do not need a heavy duty generator and I see so many businesses here over specify their generators and spend way more than they need to. I visited a store that bought a 200KVA genset so they could run air conditioning, but turned the air conditioning off because the electricity cost was too expensive. Their operational load was only about 20KVA.</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Anyway, I think you will find the new Generac units are very affordable and reliable, as long as your customers have realistic expectations.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br>
</div><div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Oct 1, 2013 at 2:29 PM, Allan Sindelar <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:allan@positiveenergysolar.com" target="_blank">allan@positiveenergysolar.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<div>Chris,<br>
I consider the Ecogen to be a singular model, specifically
developed in partnership with the Propane Reliability Council for
off grid applications, in one size and structure only at present.
Early on, I put my rep on the line here in saying "hey, Generac
has had a well-deserved bad reputation on this list, but take a
look at this new model." There has been a lot of discussion about
it on this list, and the general consensus is that it is proving
itself to be a well made product. <br>
<br>
As far as I can see, though, I'll wait until I hear (on this list
especially) that other sizes and models are proving up as good,
reliable machines with no fundamental design flaws before
extending the Ecogen's good reviews to the entire line. I never
sold Generac, and haven't had reason to work with their other
models in years. The few from back then were problematic, as
others have discussed here. <br>
<br>
You have been one of their installing dealers for many years,
haven't you? Have you had consistently good experiences with them?
What issues have you dealt with over the years?<br>
Thanks, Allan<div class="im"><br>
<br>
<div>
<u></u>
<u></u>
<u></u>
<u></u>
<u></u>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Allan <span>Sindelar</span></b><br>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt"><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com" target="_blank"><u><span style="color:#000099">Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</span></u></a></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt">NABCEP Certified PV
Installation Professional<br>
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional<br>
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>
Founder, <b>Positive Energy, Inc.<u></u><u></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">A
Certified B <span>Corporation<sup><span style="font-size:7.5pt">TM</span></sup></span><br>
<u></u><u></u>3209
Richards Lane<u></u><br>
<u></u>Santa Fe<u></u>, <u></u>New Mexico<u></u> <u></u>87507<u></u><u></u><br>
<b><a href="tel:505%20424-1112" value="+15054241112" target="_blank">505 424-1112</a> office 780-2738 cell</b><br>
<a href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/" target="_blank"><u>www.positiveenergysolar.com</u></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span></span></span></p>
</div>
<u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u></div></div><div class="im">
On 10/1/2013 9:40 AM, Chris Mason wrote:<br>
</div></div><div class="im">
<blockquote type="cite">
<p dir="ltr">Generac also makes a 20kw.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Chris Mason<br>
Comet Systems<br>
Anguilla <a href="tel:%28264%29%20235-5670" value="+12642355670" target="_blank">(264) 235-5670</a><br>
St. Kitts <a href="tel:%28869%29%20662-5670" value="+18696625670" target="_blank">(869) 662-5670</a><br>
skype netconcepts</p>
<p dir="ltr">NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer<br>
Renewable Energy Systems professional<br>
Generac Generators Factory technician</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Oct 1, 2013 11:16 AM, "Ray Walters"
<<a href="mailto:ray@solarray.com" target="_blank">ray@solarray.com</a>>
wrote:<br type="attribution">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Sounds like they need a 20 Kw Kohler. Hot Tub in the future?
They'll love their Kohler. The Generac is just way too small
to even consider IMHO.<br>
<br>
R.Ray Walters<br>
CTO, Solarray, Inc<br>
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,<br>
Licensed Master Electrician<br>
Solar Design Engineer<br>
<a href="tel:303%20505-8760" value="+13035058760" target="_blank">303 505-8760</a><br>
</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
</div></div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br>
<br>
List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
Change email address & settings:<br>
<a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
List-Archive: <a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
List rules & etiquette:<br>
<a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" target="_blank">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br>
<br>
Check out participant bios:<br>
<a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Chris Mason<div>President, Comet Systems Ltd</div><div><a href="http://www.cometenergysystems.com" target="_blank">www.cometenergysystems.com</a></div><div>
Cell: 264.235.5670</div><div>Skype: netconcepts</div>
</div>