GENERATOR MAINTENANCE

Since 1959, Generac has been producing backup generators for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. We have quietly grown into the world's largest provider of residential stand by generators and currently sell five times more generators than all of our competitors combined. For over 50 years we have concentrated our efforts in bringing the most affordable and highest quality generators to home owners and business owners alike. Generac offers the broadest line of stand-by generators in the market; they are widely available and supported nationwide by the industry’s largest professional network of over four thousand factory trained service and installation dealers, and are also available at major retailers and wholesalers.

An automatic standby generator is a back-up electrical system that operates whether you are home or away. Within seconds of an outage, it automatically supplies power directly to your home’s electrical circuit breaker box. After utility power returns, the generator shuts itself off and waits for the next outage. It operates on natural gas or liquid propane gas and sits outside just like a central air conditioning unit.

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During a utility power outage, an automatic standby generator provides numerous advantages over a portable generator:

• The American Red Cross recommends permanently installed standby generators as a safer way to provide backup power to a home than a portable generator.
• With an automatic standby generator properly installed outside, your home is protected from deadly carbon monoxide poisoning that is a much greater risk with portable generators.
• Running on the home’s natural gas or LP fuel supply, it is less expensive to run than gasoline and does not need to be refilled.
• They start automatically within seconds of a power outage, and eliminate the need to haul a portable generator outside or run extension cords throughout your home.
• They provide protection 24/7, whether you're home or away, and they turn themselves off when utility power returns, so there is no need to monitor the unit during an outage.

The engines! Air cooled generators come with engines that use fans to force air across the engine for cooling, while liquid cooled generators use enclosed radiator systems for cooling, similar to an automobile. Generally, liquid cooled engines are used on larger kW generators due to the larger engines required for the higher power output.

Unlike all other engines manufactured primarily for lawn and garden applications, Generac OHVI engines are made specifically for generators. They are engineered to run for the long periods of time required during a severe power outage or on a job site, utilizing the same type of pressurized oil lubrication used to give automobile engines long and trouble-free lives. Generac OHVI engines have a significantly longer life than competitive engines – an unprecedented three to four times longer – making them the best investment on the market.

Because Generac engines were developed specifically for generators and designed to provide approximately 3,000 hours of use, with typical usage and proper maintenance an automatic standby generator can provide in excess of 30 years of service.

Example: Weekly exercise time (11 hours per year) plus four 20 hr. outages (80 hrs/year) equals 91 hours of operation per year OR over 30 years.

In addition to its sturdy galvanneal steel enclosure with RhinoCoat™, Generac is one of the few companies to offer premium aluminum enclosures for its residential standby generators. Aluminum enclosures are naturally rust and corrosion resistant. For salt air or high humidity conditions, aluminum is highly recommended to ensure decades of worry free service.

No...the generator fuel costs would be much more expensive than buying power from the utility company since their cost to produce electricity is divided among thousands of customers.

The most logical way to determine your needs is to envision your home without power! Some outages may be short in duration, while others could last for days or weeks. What would you like your living conditions to be?

Generac takes the guesswork out of sizing by supplying the Guardian Series air cooled generators with predetermined numbers of circuits based on the generator’s kW power rating. For example, eight circuits are supplied for the 8 kW generator and as many as 16 circuits are supplied for the 17 kW generator. Each circuit is directly connected to a matched circuit on the home’s main circuit breaker panel, providing electricity to that specific appliance or area of the home.

In a typical installation with an 8 kW, eight circuit generator, you could connect (1) lights and TV in the family room, (2) microwave and lights in the kitchen, (3) refrigerator, (4) power to the bathroom, (5) computer and home office, (6) garage door opener, (7) air conditioner, and (8) furnace.

Generac also offers generators and transfer switches that can power the entire circuit breaker panel box...for these situations, we recommend consulting with an authorized Generac dealer or a qualified electrician

Generac Guardian Series air cooled generator systems are prepackaged, pre-wired and come with comprehensive installation instructions. You could perform the simpler site preparation steps and have a professional make the electrical panel and fuel connections, or you could complete the entire installation yourself. However, for safety reasons and to ensure adherence to all local, state and national electrical codes, particularly for non pre-wired or larger systems, Generac recommends you use an authorized Generac dealer or licensed contractor. Call us @ 888-FL-WIRES.

Yes, simple maintenance is required. Every Generac Guardian Series standby generator is powered by Generac’s Overhead Valve Industrial (OHVI) engine. These engines were designed specifically for running long hours in harsh conditions and have maintenance intervals that are twice as long as leading competitors’. All generators require periodic oil and filter changes to ensure maximum performance for years of reliable service. Preventative maintenance kits are available and Exodus Electric offers annual maintenance contracts for a worry-free ownership experience. Refer to the owner’s manual for routine maintenance procedures and schedules.

An SAE rated high detergent oil that meets API Service Class SF requirements for gasoline engines, similar to your car. Refer to your owner’s manual for details.

Generac generators are equipped with overload protection. In the rare event of an overload, the generator’s circuit breaker will trip, disconnecting the unit from the load. Simply correct the overload and reset the breaker in the generator.

Owner’s manuals and other technical/ repair information can be downloaded from generac.com or by calling 1-888-generac.

Calls Us at 888-FL-wires  

A basic installation includes:

1. Delivery of the system to dealer. Additional charges for drop ship to consumer.
2. Installation of the 50, 100 or 200 amp transfer switch is then hardwired into your home or business.
3. The transfer switch is installed within 2 feet of the main distribution panel and 30 feet of the generator inlet box.
4. Final start up inspection of system and completion of start up form.
5. Clean-up of installation debris after installation is completed.
6. Consumer is responsible for making arrangements to provide all necessary gas service and connections.

The EM7 EmPower™ Series, EM7RS EmPower™ Series and the 7kW POWERNOW! Dual Mode System feature AVR. AVR maintains a more steady voltage than something that is not regulated. This is especially important for running sensitive electronics such as computers, microwaves, and televisions.

The warranties will vary depending upon the unit that is purchased. Entry-level systems will carry a 2-year warranty; while more advanced systems carry a 3-year/1500 hour warranty.

Do I need to start the generator frequently when it is not being used?

One of the advantages of the automatic Home Generator Systems is that they are designed to run once a week for twenty minutes. All you have to do is program it when you want this task to be performed and it will start up automatically. During this time it will not only lubricate the engine, but it will also run a diagnostics check. If there are any problems with this process, an LED display located inside the front access panel will alert you.

Another advantage of our Home Generator Systems is that they run on liquid petroleum or natural gas, so they don’t need to be refueled as often, if at all. Additionally, rest periods to allow cooling are not necessary. However, you will need to turn off the unit before refueling (if running on LP gas) or when checking the oil levels which should be done on a regular basis during and after extended use (refer to your owner’s guide for instructions).

No. All of our transfer switches are designed to keep generator back feed from occurring. When the contractor installs the transfer switch, it will be connected directly to the utility power. A control board will be able to sense when the utility power has returned to transfer back to utility (it is programmed so the generator powers up the house for a minimum of five minutes). Everything is programmed so that one source of power is broken before another source of power is made.

The engine maintenance manual recommends 50-hour intervals between oil changes and 100-hour intervals for the oil filter. We do require that 5W30 fully synthetic oil be used when doing a change. This will enable the engine to stabilize quicker (it has 20 seconds to do this). All Home Generator Systems are shipped fully lubricated and the engines broken in, no break-in of the engine needs to be performed.

Exodus Electric Corp. will be able to work with you concerning all aspects of you generator. We understand that you have made a large investment and we are here to help you keep that investment running well for years to come.

No. Carbon monoxide gases produced by the engine could be deadly. Generators are designed to be run outside where there is plenty of ventilation. Never run these units inside a home or enclosed area. Fortunately all of our standby generators are permanently installed meeting all national and local codes in an outside location to your liking.

No! A generator has an internal combustion engine and uses gas and oil. The exhaust from running a generator contains lethal carbon monoxide. Therefore, this unit should always be placed in a well ventilated area.