Gen-air cooled vs liquid cooled

pat sublett · Jan 5, 2017

A liquid cooled 20kw generator cost about twice what an air cooled cost. Anyone with experience and oppinion?

RayP(MI) · Jan 5, 2017

What are your needs? Generally, water cooled are more durable.Thar said, most of us will probably not wear out an air cooled unit, unless it is getting heavy use, like a contractor, or daily farm use, etc. Covering a few power outages, and a few usages around the farm - probably not.

David G · Jan 5, 2017

I would want a liquid cooled if planned to run a lot, but mine might run 20 hours a year, not worth the maintenance

Billy Shafer · Jan 5, 2017

I have been in the generator business for 45 years. Learned a few things. Air cooled units are good for short runs. But for a long life water cooled ones are the way to go.They run cooler and hold up better. Plus most are 1800 rpm. Most air cooled are 3600 rpm.What ever you choose to buy. Get a name brand unit.Not some off the wall brand no shop has ever heard of. Stay away from Generac.

pat sublett · Jan 5, 2017

I have already decided to avoid Generac, regardless of the type.

coonie minnie · Jan 5, 2017

Unless you want to open up the air colled unit every time before using to clean out mouse nests, go with the watercooled. Don't ask how I know this...

Billy Shafer · Jan 5, 2017

Very good choice

old · Jan 5, 2017

Ever here of a brand that goes by the name Koler?? I have one that has a 4 cylinder flat head engine and puts out 6.5 KW. But some one messed with the wiring and where it should have a 220 plug it does not

Deutz Lover · Jan 5, 2017

You did not say whether you wanted a gasoline powered generator or a diesel. A diesel is more economical. An air cooled diesel will last as long or longer as a water cooled diesel if you keep the air ducts and cylinder fins clean as Coonie Minnie said. It does not take long to overheat an air cooled diesel if the fins don't have good air circulating past them.

Billy Shafer · Jan 5, 2017

Yes Kohler is a good brand. Yours may have the L600 or the L654 engine. If you will get me the full model and serial number. I can get you a print.

pat sublett · Jan 5, 2017

I have natural gas, which is about 1/3 the cost of LP gas. I don't want gasoline at all nor do I want the storage problem with deisel.

jm. · Jan 5, 2017

Pat I was faced with that decision 8 years ago. We live in a very remote area at the end of the service line. We were building a new house and I intended to add standby power as an option. As a KUBOTA dealer I had access to diesel generators at reasonable prices. I ended up choosing the less expensive air cooled Genarac unit. I know there are folks on here that say they are junk. Here is my real experience. This unit is plumbed to our propane tank and uses very little fuel. Ever week it kicks on for 15 minutes. We have had several outages of 2 or 3 hours and three time over 8 hours. Have serviced the unit with oil changes at required intervals . Right now it has around 180 hrs and has performed flawless. When we built we separated the service to essential and other. The generator powers all essential needs .

Billy Shafer · Jan 5, 2017

Consider yourself lucky on the Generac.

jm. · Jan 5, 2017

So Billy what is the problem or what should I watch for.I Gave $ 3700.00 for a 20 KW If I get by 10 or 12 years that is about 300 bucks a year , If I had spent the 10,000 for water cooled diesel that is going to have at the most 300 hrs in 10 years I could not make it pencil out. Worst come to worst if I get another 2 years and it shoots craps just start over? What normally happens first? Engine or the generator part ?
O must be in a lucky part of the country have three more close by neighbors that are on 6 to 10 year Genracs with no problems. Agreed none of us have ever had power outages that lasted more that 12 hours at a time.

wisbaker · Jan 5, 2017

All our standby Generators for the county were water cooled, in two of the buildings the hydronic heating loop could be used for cooling allowing us to heat as well as provide power.

Billy Shafer · Jan 5, 2017

If you made it to 180 hours. You will probably be ok. It is a toss up between engine and gensection. Had a guy contact me last month. Bought his home stand by in June this year. In August with four hours on it.The gen section shorted out. No help from Generac or the dealer. Had another guy call me. Engine threw a rod. Generac refused to help him.Still under warranty.Another had the control board fail four times in one year.

I have been fighting Generac for over thirty years. Sometimes you do get lucky and find a good one.

jm. · Jan 5, 2017

Thanks for the honest answer, Like I said I have been a KUBOTA dealer for years but the genrac had all the transfer set up and just looked like the way to go. I have been thinking I might start looking for something to pick up and have should this one quit. I do think the propane is the way to go, or at least for me I do not need a second fuel supply, already have the propane as back up for the heat pump. Again thanks for the reply

John B. · Jan 5, 2017

Billy, what other brands are there? I'll be putting a stationary standby unit in within the next two years. What brand would you recommend?

Thanks, John B. in Illinois

my email is open.

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Jan 5, 2017

Even if you have natural gas available I would consider propane. I worked for our local phone company where one of my jobs was doing the monthly routines on the standby generators, several of which were on natural gas. It was not uncommon in cold weather for water to accumulate in the gas supply lines due to the low use, and then freeze blocking the gas flow in cold weather. Also a tornado or even an earthquake will frequently result in the natural gas mains being turned off due to a large number of broken lines and torn off meters.

Gene Davis (Ga.) · Jan 5, 2017

I have an Onan Model 20 ES which I bought used from an E.M.C. coop. It had been their stand by unit for the radio and computer room. They said they change them after a certain number of years regardless of how many hours on them. It came with all service record sheets and test sheets. Most of the hours logged were test runs. It had 408 hours on the hour meter and I bought it for $2.500.00. It had a 125 amp transfer switch also. It was a set up as a propane unit but was no trouble to convert to run on natural gas at less cost per therm of energy. This unit is powered by an industrial version of the Ford Ranger engine and only runs at 1,800 rpm. It is enclosed in an outer housing so it is very quiet when running. It is as quiet as my 2009 Ford 150 truck when running. I owned an Onan 2 cylinder air cooled 8 Kw unit for more than 20 years and while it was good it was much noisier than this water cooled one. This water cooled Onan will probably outlast me. There are bargains in water cooled units out there, but this is not the time to be buying one. They are cheaper when the winter storm and bad weather are threatening.

Mike M · Jan 6, 2017

Why not a pto unit on a Kubota tractor ? Was it because you wanted automatic for when not at home ?

David G · Jan 6, 2017

I will second the natural gas or propane, nothing to fill.

I have a 12 year old Generac 20kW, the engine was replaced at 2 years, under warranty, been fine since then. I did have to really fight to get the warranty work done, but once I reached the right person, it got done. I do not mind the 3600 RPM, again it does not run that much.

Texasmark1 · Jan 6, 2017

I bought Generac back in 2014 when I sold off my herd and decided I was tired of portable power sources and extension cords. I chose them without shopping other brands because their name IS AC Generation. The air cooled engine in my unit is made by Generac for generac AC Generators and requires no servicing other than changing the oil and filter. I'll take air cooled over liquid if I have the option for use specific items. Just a whole lot less fuss and since I use Mobil 1, potential temp variances are not a problem.

A note here: I have a non-contact Infrared temp gun and my air cooled engines run cooler than my 2011 liquid cooled Silverado, by 20+ degrees. It's electrically controlled at 210F with 2 sequential electrical fans behind the radiator. I use/used synthetic oil in them thinking that they would run hotter. They don't!

old · Jan 6, 2017

I'll have to see if I can get to it out in the machine shed and then go form there. I'll start a new post when I do so as not to take away from this post

Billy Shafer · Jan 6, 2017

If your shed is like mine. I will see you in July.

old · Jan 6, 2017

Not quit that bad but yes I do have to go in then go left or right then head back up and maybe then back in till I work my way around the tractors and motorcycles and Army mule etc etc. Last time I had it up and running was in 2007 and I used it due to the ice storm we had. Have not needed it since but want to build a trailer for it and the Lincoln portable welder and then rig up a way to start the welder with the generator. That way I can both weld and have power where ever I want it

Gen-air cooled vs liquid cooled

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