FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Portable generator and manual transfer switch installation is less costly however, one thing you might want to consider is that if done properly you will be spending half the money for an installation that will not be functioning automatically. In your absence IT WILL NOT WORK. Secondly, storing enough gas so you will be covered in a power outage for an extended period of time is not safe and might void your home insurance. You might not rely on the gas stations as in a power outage they will not have power either. And lastly if the gas has been sitting in the tank for a long time the portable generator may not start. Think a cold winter night, going to the garage taking the portable generator to the side of the house in the dark and the chance of starting being 50%, it’s not fun at all.

Generac has almost 75% of the market share in residential applications. They have the most intuitive product, homeowner friendly, highly serviceable and have proven reliability.

Locating the generator

A generator (air cooled) is a heavy piece of equipment and weighs from 360 – 478 pounds. In order to locate the generator using a cart is necessary. Min 40” wide path to carry the generator to the desired location is required. If this is not possible, then extra labour and in some cases a crane is required to locate the generator and that affects the installation cost.

Flat and level ground is required for installation. If the desired generator location is not flat and level and requires extra work, that can increase cost of installation.

Basic installed price includes 20 feet of electrical run, if the distance between the electrical panel and the generator (in a select circuit backup installation) or the sum of (the distance between electrical panel and transfer switch) and (the distance between the transfer switch and the generator) exceeds 20 feet basic installation then extra material and labour will be involved.

Basic installed price includes 12 feet of gas run, if the distance between the gas meter and the generator exceeds 12 feet basic installation then extra material and labour will be involved.

A basic installation meaning that the home owner provides a flat and level surface, easily accessible generator location with less than 20 feet on electrical run, less than 10 feet gas run as explained above costs $3000

These standby generators have not been designed to go off-grid, and work 24/7. Going off-grid might void the warranty. However, Eco-Gen series have been designed for off-grid usage if you already have a solar system or do not have a power source at all.

The air-cooled generator physical size is 4 feet long, 2 feet deep and 29 inches high.
Back of the unit should be placed 18” off the exterior wall of the home
No operable windows, openings, doors, vents or furnace intake is permitted within 5 feet from any point of the generator.
39” clearance required from the sides and the front of the unit. This includes any shrubs, trees and vegetation shorter than 12 inches.
Vegetation taller than 12” needs 5 feet or 60” clearance or it may not survive
The generator should not be placed under a deck or other structure that is closed in and would limit air flow.
These guidelines are based upon fire testing of the generator enclosure and the manufacturer’s requirement for air flow for proper operation. Local codes may be different and more restrictive than what is described here.
3.3 feet from old gas regulators on the gas meter (there are new regulators with 12” clearance that home owners can get installed by their gas supplier i.e. Enbridge)
3.3 feet between generator and any equipment such as air-conditioning unit. Please find Site Selection document here

The size of the house does not really matter as we have seen customers having 3 fridges and 2 freezers in a 1500 SQF house and customers having one fridge and one freezer in a 5500 SQF house.
In a normal size house depending on the service size 100 Amp, 200 Amp or 400 Amp main, you might require any size between 11kW with SMM modules up to 48kW. These are most common, we do have customers out there with 150KW units protecting very unique homes.
Based on our vast experience, below are some typical sized generator solutions:
100 Amp main Service, (8KW, 11kW or 16KW + SMMs) or 22kW Whole Home
200Amp Service, (11 KW - 16kW + SMMs), or 22kW Whole Home
400Amp Service, (22kW / 25kW / 30kW / 36kW / 38kW + SMMs) or 48kW up to 150KW
Please find the specification sheet comparing all different sizes here.

Cold weather kit is not a mandatory accessory however, it is recommended by Generac for our climate where we have very cold winter days for extended period of time. Please find more info here

Firm ground, gravel or concrete were the only real options for installing a generator...until now. The GenPad™ keeps generators out of the dirt and above grade, getting rid of the bed of gravel, mud, and sod weeds that we typically see encroaching on installations. The flat bottom levels the unit and keeps it from sinking into the ground. The solid construction replaces poured concrete, and the built-in steel inserts let you bolt the generator directly to the pad, eliminating damage to the unit from shifting or sliding. It keeps the unit higher in snow conditions as well.
It costs less than pouring a concrete pad at the site. Sturdy enough to support a residential generator, easy enough to set straight on the ground and professional enough to use in the biggest contracts. GenPad works. Please find more info here.

Air-cooled units are low maintenance generators. Like any other engines the generators come with organic, break-in oil from the factory. The first service on the air-cooled generators would be changing the oil and oil filter after 25 hours of running. The generators should be maintained after every 100 hours of running or one year whatever comes first. A typical maintenance includes testing the battery, changing the oil, changing oil and air filter and spark plugs. Another service to be performed would be adjusting the valves (if required).

There is a breaker on the side of the generator that will trip and the generator will not be backing up the house until it is reset manually. With proper sizing for the intended use this should not be an issue.

Air-Cooled generators come with engines that use fans to force air across the engine for cooling. Most of these units run at 3600 RPM.
Liquid-Cooled generators use enclosed radiator systems for cooling, similar to an automobile. Generally, liquid-cooled engines are used on larger kW generators due the larger engines required for the higher power output (22kW and over). For larger homes or small to medium businesses such as convenience stores, restaurants and offices, the solid, reliable, increased horsepower of an automotive-style, liquid-cooled engine provides more powerful options for critical circuit and entire service back up. They run at 1800 RPM.
Air-cooled generator/product range is 6-22kW while liquid-cooled units starts at 22kW and up.

The warranty that comes with the unit is a 5-year limited warranty. There are some items in these generators like consumables and non-warrantable items that are not covered under any type of warranty for example fuses, battery etc.)
Year 1 & 2 parts, labour and Limited Travel (Less than an hour travel)
Year 3 Parts only
Year 4 & 5 Engine & Alternator only
Please find the warranty document here.
You can however purchase extended warranty before the generator is one year old. The date a dealer purchases the unit for you is considered the day zero. The available extended warranties are as follow:
5-year Extended Limited Warranty
7-year Extended Limited Warranty
10-year Extended Limited Warranty

For a period of two (2) years from the date of sale, Generac Power Systems, Inc. (Generac) will, at its option, repair or replace any part(s) which, upon examination, inspection, and testing by Generac or an Authorized/Certified Generac Dealer, or branch thereof, is found to be defective under normal use and service, in accordance with the warranty schedule set forth below. Any equipment that the purchaser/owner claims to be defective must be examined by the nearest Authorized/ Certified Generac Dealer, or branch thereof. This warranty applies only to Generac generators used in "Stationary Emergency" applications, as Generac has defined Stationary Emergency, provided said generator has been properly installed and inspected on-site by appropriate personnel. It is highly recommended that scheduled maintenance, as outlined by the generator Owner's Manual, be performed by an Authorized/Certified Generac Service Dealer, or branch thereof. This will verify service has been performed on the unit throughout the warranty period.
*** This warranty only applies to units sold for use in the US and Canada ***
YEARS ONE and TWO — Limited comprehensive coverage on mileage, labor, and parts listed.
ALL COMPONENTS *Start-up and/or On-line Activation, or Registration Card, along with Proof of Purchase, must be performed and/or sent in.

Aluminum generator enclosures are ideal for high humidity areas because they are resistant to rust and corrosion. If the generator location is where you or others put salt in winter time then an aluminum enclosure is highly recommended.

After the proposal is verified by the customer, the generator and transfer switch is ordered for the customer (if not already in stock) upon having the equipment in the warehouse the customer’s availability is obtained and the gas and electrical installation will be done on the same day. A final ESA inspection will be requested, ESA will attend customer’s house and will issue the certificate of inspection once the installation has been verified as done safely and to code.

After the proposal is verified by the customer, the generator and transfer switch is ordered for the customer (if not already in stock) upon having the equipment in the warehouse the customer’s availability is obtained. First we schedule for shut down and disconnecting the power by the Hydro authority so our electricians can work safely and then schedule the ESA. In this installation the hydro disconnects the power in the morning. We then start our installation and later in the afternoon the ESA inspector attends the site and checks our electrical work, when he finds the installation to the code, he calls hydro to come and reconnect the power.

A shutdown is mandatory for the whole-home installations however if there is a main disconnect between the panel and electrical meter base a shutdown by hydro is not required. The installation can be scheduled sooner as the main disconnect in the house will be used for shutting down the power. The main disconnect is a separate box electrically installed between the electrical meter base and the electrical panel. In order to have a better understanding of the main disconnect please see the pictures attached here.

5W30 synthetic oil is recommended for these generators especially for the winter time. Using this type of oil and a cold weather kit that warms up the oil crank and the battery is ideal for easier starting of the generator during rough winters in Canada.

The onboard automotive style battery is continuously charged and monitored by the transfer switch and controller. The charging systems operation is independent of the generators running or not running. In other words the battery is charged from the transfer switch which is fed from regular power. If the generator is running the transfer switch still charges the battery but from generator produced power.

The standby generators can run on natural gas or propane. The generators come from the manufacturer set for natural gas and they are easily converted to propane on site.

Smart Management Modules (SMM) are a load management system that allow homeowners to purchase a lower kilowatt automatic backup power system that fits within their budget. Homeowners can prioritize up to 8 heavy loads in the house. In the past, as an example, if you needed a 22kW to run the whole house you could not go for a 16kW generator due to chance of tripping the generator breaker and losing backup for the whole house. But now with this amazing feature you can get up to 8 SMMs installed for up to 8 heavy loads in the house. What this modules does is, it cuts off the loads that are not essential in the house avoiding the generator to be overloaded. So with this type of installation you will be able to go for a 16kW generator without losing backup under any circumstances.

After sizing the generator, you will be given the BTU of the unit on natural gas / propane and all you need to do is contacting your natural gas provider I.E Enbridge or your propane supplier and figure out if a gas meter upgrade or a bigger propane tank is required. To the best of our knowledge, Enbridge upgrades the gas meter at no charge to the customer.