Good comparison of electrical performance. In the final analysis in choosing a brand, the remaining factors in play include reliability, the dealers quality level of service and availability of replacement parts.
Thank you for this test video. Our group was waiting for someone to to a test like this since the older one was a head to head with only Generac vs Kolher years ago running live.
@@johnnyhotrod You mean back when they were vertical shaft, belt driven units? With circuit breakers that were a few amps higher than the generator was rated at?
@@thomasw4032 looked like a Kohler ad to me. I had 2 friends during the hurricane and their Kohlers blew up...the motors fried, and it took the maint co 6 weeks to fix it.
Do you guys have more footage from this with the voltage/frequency/rpm readings from the load/start tests? It’d be great just to have this sampler video and then a full length one with all the tests for us guys who care to sit through 3hrs of testing 😂
Why are the scales different on the voltage and current charts? We also need to see the capture time used for the meters. It looks like they are set different.
The meter automatically adjust the range to use the least amount of space on the scale. The Briggs & Stratton unit when applied load you could see that the unit dropped voltage as a way of saving the horsepower. This is a way of seeing the algorithm on how the controller is set up.
I get doing the comparison, But the isn't the Size variety a little " UNTELLING ?" Just because A 26kw has A 4 cylinder car engine basically and A 20 KW Is A smaller engine, 2 cylinder. so, why not put the Briggs 25-26kw up against the other 26 ?
@@thomasw4032 You literally say in your video at the 15 second mark you got the largest air cooled generators offered........ 26kw Generac was out long before this video, and interestingly enough, the Generac 26kw design is different than the 20,22, and 24 kw units.
Anyone buying a small generator should understand that if the generator is running at or near full load the system may not have the capacity to blow a fuse or trip a breaker in event of a fault. A solution to to shut the generator down under such conditions but most are not designed to do so. Buyer beware!
I agree with your findings with the Kohler but what’s with the propane tank inside the building ? (Not very smart. A little training seminar with the fire marshal may help).
@@jochimbenschneider1915 , Ran over 10,000 emergency calls for a gas utility in my career and Believe me as human beings we learn more from our mistakes and then we do our successes. I will say one thing, trial attorneys love your attitude when we’re all sitting at the deposition table .
@@boby115 you are crazy. And I can see why now. We don’t need a government nanny state like you seem to desire. America is a mess today and a lot of people store propane tanks in their garage. There’s nothing wrong with this. I hate government, and I want it out of my life.
@@jochimbenschneider1915 , It does have to deal with government a little bit but it’s mainly insurance. Good luck on your hate for the government, definitely a lot of problems to solve there .
Who needs 20-24 KW of power for backing up their home in an emergency? The average house uses 15 KW per day. Most can get by with 10 KW for most of their house needs. The only ones that need a huge generator are houses with a well pump, everything electric and a ground source heat pump and that is if there is no priority load start up circuits. But it is a good video.
We have many homes with 5 ton heat pumps. Each unit has 15kW of aux heat. Some houses require 60kw generators once an electric oven and water heater are added in.
I get it, full on back up power, so that no one is inconvenienced during a community emergency. It just seems odd to me. We are going to try to get by with 3600W because it is an emergency, right. However, for my mom, she has electric everything, we installed a 14 kw unit which keeps everything going for her. We are thinking of putting in a ground sourced heat pump for her farm house which will change things. 4 tons should be fine for the 1850 Farmhouse and we will probably need a power management switch to make it work.@@thomasw4032
As a field mechanic for 30 years, working on all brands, I'll tell you your statement is WAY off. The Kohler is only a few hundred more then Generac. And Kohler's have beat Generac in test after test.
The KW’s didn’t even match on but 2 of the machines…. This was a bullshit ass test. That B&S hands down is the best one yall got just on warranty alone. Not to mention that you don’t need the warranty cause it’s built like a 7.3 Power Stroke. Briggs all the way!!!!!
The test was to see if they could provide the output they claimed. It was not a VS. test. The data log shows how B&S dropped voltage to make up for lost hp.
OUR ADVICE: AVOID BUYING A CUMMINS GENERATOR. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING ON A STARTER FOR MONTHS NOW-- TERRIBLE SERVICE AND RELIABILITY. WE'VE HAD 3 POWER OUTAGES IN THE MEANTIME AND NOW WE'RE TOLD PART WON'T BE IN UNTIL MID SEPTEMBER. TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SUPPORT.
Very true! Cummins warranty parts have been taking several months to be shipped for a couple years now. I used to always recommend Onan as the top dog generator but now it's Kohler
I don’t buy these results for a second. Your board shows that you had a full failure starting a 5 ton ac on the Generac with only a 10k load and I can 100% say either you starved the generator of fuel to make it fail, or you flat out lied, i have that generator on my house and a 5 ton AND 3 ton unit and my lights dont even flicker when the 5 ton kicks in, with the three ton and most other normal appliances running. Something isn’t adding up about your tests at all……
Great point, there are a ton of poor test results on that board that i know first hand a Generac 24kw can easily do if properly installed and not intentionally fuel starved. This whole video is fishy as hell when you see the board results. This is a big disguised sales pitch……
@@trith72 There's not a single Generac dealter, if they're being honest, will tell you that the Generac is a superior product. They use an application grade engine and write their ratings for peak loads no sustained loads.
There were Cummins, Generac, Briggs dealers at this test. This was NOT longevity, reliability or maximum output test. This was " will the product output match what the data plate claims."
While the test formats were well devised, it would have been nice to have a larger view for a longer period of time of the test results on your graphs. In addition, the type of fuel you were using in the tests should have been stated along with any derating factor accounted for. My 17 years experience with generators statistically proves Kohler is a superior product. My crew only installs Kohler, if customers prefer other brands after I explain the premium operating characteristics and reliability factor of Kohler gensets, I politely suggest they find another service provider. Reluctantly, I repair a generjunk on occasion to make payroll, their failure is a given.
Can you do one final test and have the B&S or Generic do a 10 minute load test but only at 20kw to see if they make it? I am wondering if the factory is just way overrating these units.
All of the generators in the videos were destroyed after the test. Some may have been installed for friends and family but we didn't think it would be fair to sell these products after the abuse.
@@thomasw4032 That is a shame. This was far less than a normal acceptance test for a large commercial or industrial unit. I would consider all those units well proven and more valuable than one straight out of a box.
First, my bad. Unit is 22kw. Soft start was installed and now unit comes on but with switch back to utility power it comes on in heat mode and we have to shut off at thermostat. Not good if we are not home.
Ive had several experiences Kolher engine and id never trust one for a backup system of any kind! Shitty in my experiences! I can't even imagine counting on one for emergency situations! You guy ran them for a whole ten minutes! Lol. What a freaken joke! There's several far better and detailed true tested reviews out there!
Yes there are and Generac usually loses in them. I've been a generator mechanic for over 30 years and work on all brands. I've seen more total failures on Generac than any other brand. Generac has also had several class action lawsuits against them
@@kirkstinson7316 hat's because there are more generacs installed than any other permanent type by a factor of 5 so sure you will more failures, they are the most common brand. Now to say they FAIL more than other brands is disingenuous.....
Good comparison of electrical performance. In the final analysis in choosing a brand, the remaining factors in play include reliability, the dealers quality level of service and availability of replacement parts.
Very well put!
Best video ever. 2 minutes. Didn't have to sit through 20 minutes of babble to get the information. Bravo.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video guys! short concise, and it's clear you brought out the test equipment to make it more objective. Thanks for sharing!
Comparisons on warranty, parts availability, etc. is important to include.
Excellent points. How close is the servicing dealer. Do they have 24hr support. All very good points. !
Thank you for this test video. Our group was waiting for someone to to a test like this since the older one was a head to head with only Generac vs Kolher years ago running live.
I own a Generac. My Generac is 28 years old. Never miss a beat.
Good to know... TY
That was before they got taken over by a large corporation and quality control suffered.Hold on to that bad boy
@@johnnyhotrod
You mean back when they were vertical shaft, belt driven units? With circuit breakers that were a few amps higher than the generator was rated at?
@@johnnyhotrodexactly.
I just had a 14KW Kohler installed. Hoping it will be a good unit. For me one of the items was the Kohler engine. I think they are good engines.
will this unit power up your AC unit?, is it a 4 ton?, is it loud?
This message was brought to you by Kohler. 😂
There was a dealer for each brand.
You must have a Generac.
@@thomasw4032 but Ironically Critical Power Systems is a Kohler dealer lol.
@@thomasw4032 looked like a Kohler ad to me. I had 2 friends during the hurricane and their Kohlers blew up...the motors fried, and it took the maint co 6 weeks to fix it.
Does that say you put a 100% pre load on the KOHLER and it still started the 5-ton AC? What was the Locked rotor amps on that ac unit?
I don't believe it said. It was a Movincool office pro 60 .
@@thomasw4032 was that last test still a 100% preload and the Kolher started it? 🤔
Do you guys have more footage from this with the voltage/frequency/rpm readings from the load/start tests? It’d be great just to have this sampler video and then a full length one with all the tests for us guys who care to sit through 3hrs of testing 😂
I would sit through all three hours of video as well!
I would sit through 3 hours of this as well!
Add me to this group!
As pretty neat y’all have the ole 570 area code I moved to South Carolina from Wilkes barre and was ah I know that area code!
We have 30 plus hours of video.
Why are the scales different on the voltage and current charts?
We also need to see the capture time used for the meters. It looks like they are set different.
The meter automatically adjust the range to use the least amount of space on the scale. The Briggs & Stratton unit when applied load you could see that the unit dropped voltage as a way of saving the horsepower. This is a way of seeing the algorithm on how the controller is set up.
I think this test should be done in Phoenix AZ during the middle of Summer. That's a true TEST!
Or a hurricane in Houston with power lines wrapped around 110 foot pine trees for 10 days....and cars too.
Helpful Video. Thank You.
I get doing the comparison, But the isn't the Size variety a little " UNTELLING ?" Just because A 26kw has A 4 cylinder car engine basically and A 20 KW Is A smaller engine, 2 cylinder. so, why not put the Briggs 25-26kw up against the other 26 ?
Uhm. No. These are all air cooled units. All have a two cylinder engine
Got it. Thanks for Clarifying!@@kirkstinson7316
Why didn’t you use a GENERAC 26kw for the test since they came out with that size first
Actually no. Briggs and Stratton came out with a 26 kw first and it took Generac over a year to catch up and it still makes less power.
This wasn't a maximum power test. It was only to see how they performed according to their data plate.
@@thomasw4032 You literally say in your video at the 15 second mark you got the largest air cooled generators offered........ 26kw Generac was out long before this video, and interestingly enough, the Generac 26kw design is different than the 20,22, and 24 kw units.
Great job - y'all didn't happen to compare noise levels did you?
No, sorry. I do think the Cummins was the quietest. it has more sheet metal around it.
Anyone buying a small generator should understand that if the generator is running at or near full load the system may not have the capacity to blow a fuse or trip a breaker in event of a fault. A solution to to shut the generator down under such conditions but most are not designed to do so. Buyer beware!
Ahhh!! Just want I was looking for. I'm up in Moscow!
Hello! 30 mins from us.
I agree with your findings with the Kohler but what’s with the propane tank inside the building ? (Not very smart. A little training seminar with the fire marshal may help).
Oh please. Get over it.
@@jochimbenschneider1915 , Ran over 10,000 emergency calls for a gas utility in my career and Believe me as human beings we learn more from our mistakes and then we do our successes. I will say one thing, trial attorneys love your attitude when we’re all sitting at the deposition table .
@@boby115 you are crazy. And I can see why now. We don’t need a government nanny state like you seem to desire. America is a mess today and a lot of people store propane tanks in their garage. There’s nothing wrong with this. I hate government, and I want it out of my life.
@@jochimbenschneider1915 , It does have to deal with government a little bit but it’s mainly insurance. Good luck on your hate for the government, definitely a lot of problems to solve there .
@@boby115 ok democrat commie tot.
Who needs 20-24 KW of power for backing up their home in an emergency? The average house uses 15 KW per day. Most can get by with 10 KW for most of their house needs. The only ones that need a huge generator are houses with a well pump, everything electric and a ground source heat pump and that is if there is no priority load start up circuits. But it is a good video.
We have many homes with 5 ton heat pumps. Each unit has 15kW of aux heat. Some houses require 60kw generators once an electric oven and water heater are added in.
I get it, full on back up power, so that no one is inconvenienced during a community emergency. It just seems odd to me. We are going to try to get by with 3600W because it is an emergency, right. However, for my mom, she has electric everything, we installed a 14 kw unit which keeps everything going for her. We are thinking of putting in a ground sourced heat pump for her farm house which will change things. 4 tons should be fine for the 1850 Farmhouse and we will probably need a power management switch to make it work.@@thomasw4032
Where's the rest of the video? You only show voltage on the charts.... You need to show HZ and THD with load applied.
The kohler is way too expensive and they are hell to work with when it comes to warranty work. The generac is the best one ot buy bar none.
As a field mechanic for 30 years, working on all brands, I'll tell you your statement is WAY off. The Kohler is only a few hundred more then Generac. And Kohler's have beat Generac in test after test.
Generac isn't even close to the best. Both Kohler and Cummins are far superior.
Done! Getting a Kohler. Tks!
Super light on detail. Hmmm.
More like an Ad than a 'test'.
It's Cummings for me! Generac just ain't what they used to be with their inferior quality-controls.
Also Kohler has better fuel economy
The KW’s didn’t even match on but 2 of the machines…. This was a bullshit ass test. That B&S hands down is the best one yall got just on warranty alone. Not to mention that you don’t need the warranty cause it’s built like a 7.3 Power Stroke. Briggs all the way!!!!!
The test was to see if they could provide the output they claimed. It was not a VS. test. The data log shows how B&S dropped voltage to make up for lost hp.
I knew the generac was junk
We don't like to call any of it junk. Some units are built to meet a specific price point. Its like comparing GM , Kia, Ford and Toyota.
And the Kohler only cost a few hundred more than a Junckerac
We often ask, why Honda is not in the market for auto start home generators.
Briggs is garbage
Generac is the best
Go Generac or go home!
OUR ADVICE: AVOID BUYING A CUMMINS GENERATOR. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING ON A STARTER FOR MONTHS NOW-- TERRIBLE SERVICE AND RELIABILITY. WE'VE HAD 3 POWER OUTAGES IN THE MEANTIME AND NOW WE'RE TOLD PART WON'T BE IN UNTIL MID SEPTEMBER. TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SUPPORT.
Very true! Cummins warranty parts have been taking several months to be shipped for a couple years now. I used to always recommend Onan as the top dog generator but now it's Kohler
That's terrible, The Cummins did very well in the test. Maybe try another dealer?
I don’t buy these results for a second. Your board shows that you had a full failure starting a 5 ton ac on the Generac with only a 10k load and I can 100% say either you starved the generator of fuel to make it fail, or you flat out lied, i have that generator on my house and a 5 ton AND 3 ton unit and my lights dont even flicker when the 5 ton kicks in, with the three ton and most other normal appliances running. Something isn’t adding up about your tests at all……
That may be because the power factor is different. We use 10 KW of straight resistance load. PF1 .
👍👍 straight to the point! Love it! Thank you!
Your service truck states your a Kohler dealer . . . I too would like to see more data to rule out bias.
Great point, there are a ton of poor test results on that board that i know first hand a Generac 24kw can easily do if properly installed and not intentionally fuel starved. This whole video is fishy as hell when you see the board results. This is a big disguised sales pitch……
They sell multiple brands. It's pretty common.
@@trith72 There's not a single Generac dealter, if they're being honest, will tell you that the Generac is a superior product. They use an application grade engine and write their ratings for peak loads no sustained loads.
@@ChubbsyUbbsey I own the Generac in the video and it doesn't even come close to failures they show. This is a doctored result.
There were Cummins, Generac, Briggs dealers at this test. This was NOT longevity, reliability or maximum output test. This was " will the product output match what the data plate claims."
Are these generators all made in the USA? And I don't mean "assembled in the USA from global parts". I mean manufactured and built in America?
Basically NOTHING is 100%built in the USA anymore
No. Some are 100% not USA. Others are assembled in the USA . Some are assembled by Auto Workers Union in Wisconsin .
@@thomasw4032It's a simple question are any of the generators made outside of America? Yes or No instead of that deceptive twisting answer.
Yes
Let's just use a Kohler that's 20% smaller, okay?
The 2 smaller generators should be more efficient than the 2 larger units. How is this a fair comparison?
Great test. I'd like to see more coverage of this test. Thank you for doing it.
heck ya I just install the 20kwrca
While the test formats were well devised, it would have been nice to have a larger view for a longer period of time of the test results on your graphs. In addition, the type of fuel you were using in the tests should have been stated along with any derating factor accounted for. My 17 years experience with generators statistically proves Kohler is a superior product. My crew only installs Kohler, if customers prefer other brands after I explain the premium operating characteristics and reliability factor of Kohler gensets, I politely suggest they find another service provider. Reluctantly, I repair a generjunk on occasion to make payroll, their failure is a given.
Can you test Kohler’s new 26kw?
Yes. I don't know if I can get all of these dealers to bring these units in again. But I could do an individual test on a Kohler 26RCA
@@thomasw4032 yes just an individual test on the new one would be great!
Would love to see more footage.
Working on it. We have 30 plus hours of this day.
@@thomasw4032 would like to see more as well!
Not gonna get it.
Do you think you can run 18000 watts from 5 air fryers 2 pizza ovens and a deep freezer constantly everyday with a Briggs and Stratton 24kw ?
possibly at 220v. The algorithm dropped voltage at half load.
So the 20kw Kohler was able to start a 5 ton ac unit while already under a load of 20 kw???
Yes. It ran for a little while before the software shut the system down, same as the cummins. Both had software protections.
Can you do one final test and have the B&S or Generic do a 10 minute load test but only at 20kw to see if they make it? I am wondering if the factory is just way overrating these units.
All of the generators in the videos were destroyed after the test. Some may have been installed for friends and family but we didn't think it would be fair to sell these products after the abuse.
@@thomasw4032 That is a shame. This was far less than a normal acceptance test for a large commercial or industrial unit. I would consider all those units well proven and more valuable than one straight out of a box.
This is the video? This is like a summary - is there not a long video showing everything you did and how they performed?
I have a 27kw Generac. No one can figure out how to run my heat pump unit. Generac factory no help at all.
What do you mean?
Ask an HVAC guy about a soft start kit.
How much aux heat strips are there? in KW, amps or watts .
First, my bad. Unit is 22kw. Soft start was installed and now unit comes on but with switch back to utility power it comes on in heat mode and we have to shut off at thermostat. Not good if we are not home.
I am not an electrician. I had two generator contractors try to solve the problem with no luck or help from factory.
Ive had several experiences Kolher engine and id never trust one for a backup system of any kind! Shitty in my experiences! I can't even imagine counting on one for emergency situations! You guy ran them for a whole ten minutes! Lol. What a freaken joke! There's several far better and detailed true tested reviews out there!
Yes there are and Generac usually loses in them. I've been a generator mechanic for over 30 years and work on all brands. I've seen more total failures on Generac than any other brand. Generac has also had several class action lawsuits against them
@@kirkstinson7316 hat's because there are more generacs installed than any other permanent type by a factor of 5 so sure you will more failures, they are the most common brand. Now to say they FAIL more than other brands is disingenuous.....