I’ve had it for 4-5 years. Power went out during Ike. Generator was on for more than a week and suddenly stopped. It was low on oil.

As soon as I added oil, it started again (a little to soon, I got splattered) I change to oil and filters myself. I save about $200 of the $250 charge from Generac.

Let me start off by stating that this is the 5th generator that I have owned. I live in NH where having power during the winter is a necessity to keep the heat on and the well pump running. With this in mind, I installed a 200-amp Generac whole-house transfer switch when I built my house in 2007. Initially, I installed a 15KW Air-cooled Generac Generator (Model 4390-3), and had nothing but problems with it. In contrast, this generator is quiet, doesn’t burn oil, consumes less fuel, and has incredibly clean output power. I’m able to run (3) Hi-Efficiency Carrier HVAC system, a double Electric oven, lighting and electronics throughout a 5,800 sq. foot home with no issues. The noise level is comparable to that of a car idling in the driveway.

In summary, you are always much better off with a water-cooled, low-speed (1,800 RPM) generator than one one of the 3,600 Air-cooled machines. Spend the extra money — you will be rewarded with better longevity, and more reliable operation. I can honestly tell you this is the best generator I have ever owned.

We had our house built in 2007 & I received a great deal of ribbing from family (including wife) & friends for spending the money to get the electrician to wire for the backup generator and for spending $3,000 on the generator. Within the first 6 months our area lost power in one of the worst ice storms in Oklahoma history. I got up the morning of the ice storm and was not aware that power had been lost. I noticed that the oven clock wasn’t on, and that was the only indication. While we were watching TV and surfing the internet & making coffee (generally just living our lives) our neighbors were lighting candles and sleeping in their living rooms next to the fireplace to stay warm. We did have to have the electrician come out to get power to our septic system, but other than that, the generator did exactly what it was supposed to do. That time the power to the area was off for 9-12 days and our generator ran 24 hours a day. We have had numerous blackouts for shorter periods of time since then. In changing the oil & filter, the oil looked exactly like I had just poured it in the generator (clear w/no blackness at all). My wife and I both say that in addition to a burglar alarm, a backup generator is one of the things that we will always have in our home, wherever we are.

We have had our 17kw Generac for 2-3 years, and it faithfully runs when it is needed. It does run for 10-15 minutes once a month as a self-test etc, and regular maintenance checks are required (no more than 1x year). Provides wonderful peace of mind.

I have a Generac 12Kw generator I bought 3 years ago. It ran automatically 12 minutes a week to exercise the engine. In the 3 years it has powered my home about a total of 2 hours. It was warranted for 2 years. Just before Gustav hit the gulf coast the generator bit the dust. Between Gustav and Ike I had a Generac dealer check out the problem. The problem ended up being major. After the tech came out 3 times he found the rotor to be bad. We found out the thursday before Ike arrived. I went ahead and evacuated. When I came back from Ike I took the generator apart and brought the rotor to another dealer for a double check. The tech at that dealer said that he had changed out 3 or 4 of the rotors on the same model. He said they were faulty built rotors. I contacted Generac about the faulty rotor and they said to tell them the whole story in writing and they would see if they could cover the rotor. Right now I am sitting here with a useless generator and Generac will not send me a new rotor unless I let the highest price Generac dealer install the rotor at what ever price they want to charge for labor. Believe me, you don’t want to buy a generac generator. I have heard other stories about them. A 3 year warranty is really not good on something that doesn’t run but a couple of hours in 3 years. This generator cost me a total of $3200 just to hear it exercise itself for 3 years. I am trying to make up my mind to spend another $240 to have it go out again. If you don’t have power outages but a few minutes a year it’s not worth the trouble. Do not depend on it. My neighbor across the street bought one for a 6600 sq.ft. home before the hurricane’s hit this summer and they never was able to use theirs. The company that installed it had to replace it with another. It was a big Carrier generator.

We own a standby Guardian generator and are very happy with the product. Living in a wooded area, we lose power often during wind and rain storms. In the event of an outtage, the lights go dark for approx 30 seconds and then LIGHTS! We have septic & well, and a small child so for us this was a necessity.