Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

For anyone interested, I just finished installing a Kohler 20kW 20RESA residential generator, matched with a Kohler RXT-JFNC-200ASE whole house automatic switch. I chose the Kohler unit because it has a composite noise dampening enclosure, 5 year warranty, Kohler onCue remote online monitoring (it emails and texts me), and basically is worry free except for annual maintenance. I dug my trenches, and poured a 6" thick 3'x5' pad over 2" of gravel, about 3' from my house with the exhaust (left side) angled away from the house. It took 4 guys to help set the 530lb unit in place. Thankfully Kohler makes this easy, since there are two holes in the front and back to insert poles (I used spud bars) to make carrying it like a litter possible. It's heavy though. I bolted my unit to the concrete pad to prevent movement from vibration, and a little more security. The Kohler RXT-jfnc-200ASE ATS switch is a whole house switch mounted externally. I used a local Kohler Authorized electrician for the electrical hookup. They ran the service line from the the electric meter straight to the ATS switch. Then from the ATS switch into the house. The generator of course hooked into the ATS to provide power, but also needed Belden 9402 for the control circuit. An additional 15A 115v circuit was run from the generator to the inside panel.. this was for the battery trickle charger and the carburetor heater. The last run was the low voltage shielded twisted pair Ethernet that went from the generator to my Ethernet switch inside. As mentioned, I picked up a carburetor heater, since I live in Ohio and it gets below 0F... and an Optima Sealed AGM group 51 starter battery. I bought the generator this summer when they offered free software, so I already had my activation key from Kohler. I had a 250,000 BTU gas meter that Columbia Gas upsized to a 450,000 BTU meter and a local plumber ran a 1" gas line underground to a bracket mounted to the side of the pad. A regulator and shutoffs were placed at the meter and before and after the regulator. Kohler include 1' of flexible gas pipe that was installed on the outside of the generator before connecting into the gas run, this supposedly prevents vibration of the running unit from causing an issue with the gas line. Initially my display screen wasn't working correctly, so I had a local Kohler dealer (Buckeye Power) stop by and they fixed the issued by upgrading the firmware from 4.7 to 4.9 I knew when they were done when the unit emailed me after the update.. The Kohler onCue software allows me to take a look at the generator diagnostics, battery charge, and even remotely execute a online or offline test exercise. Great project and it's really unobtrusive... looks like a deck box more than a generator. Sounds like a car idling when running.. I'll add some landscaping around it to help muffle it when running... UPDATE: 1 yr later... Still a satisfied owner. Kohler now sells an annual maintenance kit which Amazon carries that makes it easy for homeowners - and costs less as a kit than buying the parts separately. Even if you dont replace the air filter every year, getting the kit the first time gives you the spare when its needed. I'll probably have the 800lb gorilla, buckeye power systems, com in and check the unit every other year -- but I'm proficient with small engine maintenance and with the onCue software, should be able to handle and oil change without too much duress. B0088XMR84