Ray, Let me try to address some of those issues for you. 1) You can get the activation code before you take it to site, you just need the serial number. Generac has a good warranty policy but they need to know where the generator is and when it is installed to be able to provide that. 2) An electrician can connect the wires but you would not believe the installations we have seen, done by licensed electricians. We have a dealer forum where installers post pictures of installations they find, and the mistakes are criminal and dangerous. I once found a propane 20KW generator running side a shipping container, doors closed. 3) Generac does not do direct support for generators, they require customers call a dealer. The dealer can then call Generac, and often does. I can't even call them if my certification expires. 4) If the generator is under warranty, you may not pay anything, depending on the coverage. Generac is offering up to ten year warranties. But once it is out of warranty, you will have to pay. Dealers don't work for free. The average electrician won't be able to diagnose problems reliably on these generators. The residential air cooled generators are very reliable and rarely have problems if well maintained. Techs should be traveling with common parts, I bring a controller and a few other parts so I can solve the problem in one go. Blown engines are rare, but they do happen. Generally in the first few hours, so under full warranty and replacement is generally done at Generac's expense. If you do have issues, contact me and I will try to help you.
On Fri, Feb 28, 2020 at 4:41 PM Ray <r...@solarray.com> wrote: > Some of the issues have been Generac not providing a simple wiring > schematic, nor simply labeling the 2 start wires. 2nd is requiring either > internet connection or a call in to get the start code. Both have been > very problematic in remote locations with no phone service. Totally > unnecessary. We don't need a Generac tech just to connect wires, I'm the > licensed electrician. Last time I called Generac, (control error not > listed in the manual) they insisted I needed to call in a service tech, and > offered zero trouble shooting. I fixed the problem by pulling the fuse and > resetting the controller. 3rd, service requires a long expensive trip by > the service tech, who then diagnoses the problem, has to order the parts > and return weeks later. This means every issue takes 2 round trips to > resolve. If its a bigger issue, it requires a truck lift to haul the 500 > lb unit in to the shop. We're hearing $500 just to get the generator to > the shop, then another $500 to reinstall it after. > > Failures have included several catastrophic engine failures, blowing oil > every where, some of these have been in the first few hundred hours. Lots > of control issues, one recently had voltage that varied from 90 to 130, 45 > to 70 Hz, and the inverter wouldn't even connect to it. > > I quit selling generators a long time ago, because I didn't want the > service liability. I'm not a mechanic, and I don't want to be. I do > however, need a generator I can recommend in good faith. The Ecogen has > made us look pretty bad. Glad I didn't sell them, but then I've seen some > large water cooled unit that worked well. > > Ray Walters > Remote Solar > 303 505-8760 > > On 2/28/20 5:14 AM, Chris Mason wrote: > > Ray, > I'm a Generac dealer. Why are you having support problems? Generac has a > large dealer network, if the unit is under warranty you should have no > problem getting it fixed. Did you buy through a dealer and have them > install it? Why are the services expensive? > > What failures are you seeing? > > There is a hole in the market for products in this application. Virtually > no-one makes an affordable ~10KW diesel enclosed 2 wire start 1,800 rpm > reliable diesel generator. I once ordered, on spec, a 9KW Perkins engine > liquid cooled enclosed diesel from a factory in China I deal with. I sold > it to a customer that ran it 18 hours a day on 100% load, to power his > restaurant refrigeration outside service hours. It lasted him years, it > must have thousands of hours on it. > I think the big problem in the US is getting permits for diesel generators. > > > > On Thu, Feb 27, 2020 at 6:25 PM Ray <r...@solarray.com> wrote: > >> I know we have covered this before, but I just continue to be >> disappointed with the Generac Ecogen. Very high failure rate, and >> support is poor. Service requires expensive on site service. Also the >> no load AC draw and programming setup is just not off grid ready at >> all. I'm still not seeing any other great choices, though. Here's some >> other possibilities: >> >> 1) Quality portable, like the Honda EU 7000i or Northstar with Honda >> motor. Not the best choice especially for autostart, no propane, but at >> least they can take it in to the shop if it goes down. >> >> 2) Kubota (or MQ) diesel. expensive, and possible cold weather start >> issues? >> >> 3) 20+ kW water cooled, 1800 rpm propane model. Overkill, expensive, >> but probably will last a really long time. >> >> 4) Similar Home standby unit, but Kohler brand. Kohler used to be >> great, but now a days I'm not so sure. >> >> I just can't keep recommending a generator I know has been giving other >> customers trouble. Any new ideas on this age old problem? >> >> -- >> Ray Walters >> Remote Solar >> 303 505-8760 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >> >> Change listserver email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out or update participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> >> > > -- > Chris Mason > Solar systems designer > Generac Generators Industrial technician > > Comet Systems Ltd DBA Comet Solar > Anguilla Cell 264.235.5670 > WhatsApp 264.235.5670 > Skype: netconcepts > www.cometsolar.com <http://www.cometenergysystems.com/> > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & > settings:http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette:www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios:www.members.re-wrenches.org > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > -- Chris Mason Solar systems designer Generac Generators Industrial technician Comet Systems Ltd DBA Comet Solar Anguilla Cell 264.235.5670 WhatsApp 264.235.5670 Skype: netconcepts www.cometsolar.com <http://www.cometenergysystems.com/>
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