Customer Reviews

Briggs & Stratton 40222 7,000 Watt Automatic Home Standby Bi-Fuel Generator System With 50 Amp 12 Circuit Transfer Switch

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We have trouble with our power going out every spring and fall here in east kansas, not to mention with the occasional tornado visiting. After the last event we decided to look into small generators, if nothing else to run our sump pumps. Did about a months worth of research and concluded we were looking for something small, relatively easy to install. We wanted self starting when the power failed, winter reliable, and a unit that would periodically exercise itself. You quickly conclude that these little quys are on the leading edge of the generator market with most traditional units coming in at least double the price. Expect to pay for a plumber and an electrician. Installation costs about the same as the unit. Installation took about two days. Enough capacity to run quite a bit of the house. Highly recommend.

This appeared to be the perfect solution to frequent outages; small, but efficient. The jury is out, as it requires a great deal of effort to install, so two months later, still working on it.
HERE IS THE RUB- It doesn't tell you that it comes with an INDOOR transfer switch, so if your power source isn't in a basement or near a garage, and you don't want a 2'x2' metal box mounted in your living room, you will have to have a box built to install it outdoors on an exterier wall. We did not know that to get an OUTDOOR model, same generator, we would have to go through a B & S dealer. Unfortunately, it's too late, so we will be paying another hundred or more to have a welder make the same box that would have come with the other outdoor model. Trying to get through to B&G is impossible, and they would not exchange just the tranfer switch, nor sell the box, and suggested we check with out local power company for an enclosure. This was a large purchase, and an equally large disappointment. SHOULD have been in the description as an INDOOR switch. We don't all live on the East Coast with basements.

Only hope it works if we ever get it installed.

Sharon
California

We live in area of Chicago, frequent storms ,blizzards and plain old ComEd led to 1-2 power outages per year. This auto generator kicks in generates power kicks out...auto no worries....its connected to gas line and the last time it ran for 46 hrs....saving our butts. Calculate the wattage of your equipment and connect it right number of breakers. Make sure you change filter, oil and spark plugs every year