Generac is one of the most popular brands in the generator manufacturing industry and it has a wide variety of generators. Generac generators come in different sizes and with different power outputs.
The two highest selling models of generators among Generac products are Generac 20KW and Generac 22KW. A lot of people want to know the differences between these two models.
That’s why we came up with this article. By the time you finish reading it, you should be clear about the differences and similarities between the two models of generators.
We compared them using the following factors – power output, availability of parts, diagnostic test, weight, Amazon rating, durability, fuel type, ease of maintenance, noise level, price, rate of fuel consumption, remote monitoring, and warranty.
12 Major Differences Between Generac 20kW Generator and Generac 22kW:
1. Power Output
The names of both models of generators already include their power output. Generac 20KW offers 20KW (20,000 watts) and Generac 22KW gives out 22KW(22,000 watts).
This requires no explanation. Since 22KW is higher than 20KW, Generac 22KW has an edge over its counterpart here.
Nevertheless, we won’t say you should go for Generac 22KW. You must consider your suitability first. If Generac 20KW is enough to handle your power needs, it will be a waste of money to buy a Generac 22KW generator because it costs more than Generac 20KW.
2. Diagnostic Test
This is the test standby generators carry out weekly to ensure they are in top condition. To carry out a self-diagnostic test, your generator will start up automatically and run for 20 minutes before shutting down.
It happens once every seven days. This feature is important for a generator that is not put to regular use. The good news is that both generator models have this feature.
3. Weight
Both of them have close weights but not the same. Generac 22KW weighs 525 pounds while Generac 20KW weighs 515 pounds.
Well, the difference in their weights isn’t an issue because once you install your generator, it remains there for years. They are not to be moved around.
4. Amazon Rating
A lot of people often overlook the Amazon rating of a product, but the rating is one of the most important features of any product. The ratings are done by the users of the product.
We have been using the rating to assess products for several years, and we’ve never been wrong. Products with a high Amazon rating are great products, and the ones with a low rating are low-quality products.
Generac 22KW generator has an Amazon rating of 4.7 stars out of 5, while its 20KW counterpart has a rating of 4.6 stars. Both ratings are great.
5. Durability
To verify the durability of a product, you need to use the product for several years, so we can’t possibly confirm the durability of these generators, and that’s why we decided to talk to the users of both generators, and we got the same feedback on both Generac 22KW and 20KW.
Their users were able to confirm to us that the generators are tough enough to withstand all weather conditions, and they are durable. In fact, when you purchase either of the generator models, you may only need to change its engine oil for years.
6. Fuel Type
The two models of generators use both liquified propane and natural gas. You need to stick with one fuel. According to our experience, using propane today and gas tomorrow will reduce the performance of the generator.
We’re encouraging you to stick with either of the fuel types because they are not volatile, and they give off fewer fumes than diesel and gasoline.
So, as far as we are concerned, using natural gas or propane is a big boost to the profile of both generator models.
Similarly, you must also consider the rate of fuel consumption. Some generators consume more fuel than others. The generators in the review have a low fuel consumption rate. And they both consume the same amount of fuel. They are both fuel-efficient.
7. Ease of Maintenance
Both generators are easy to maintain because they hardly give issues. They are tough and rugged. Some of their users explained to us that apart from the cost of installation and fueling, they only need to change the engine oil of their generators.
So, that may be your only maintenance cost for several years. This point is related to the next one.
8. Availability of Parts
Another common but attractive feature of these generators is the availability of their parts. This feature is often overlooked by buyers but it is very important. Any part of your generator could just pack up, and you’ll need to change the part.
How will you feel if you find out that the part isn’t available at the moment? It will be annoying and frustrating. You will have to wait until the part is shipped into the country, and this could take weeks or months.
This is why you need a generator whose parts are available. Since Generac has numerous distributors located across the United States, the parts of Generac 20KW and 22KW are readily available and accessible in most parts of America. We can’t say the parts of one of them are more available than the parts of the other.
9. Noise Level
When choosing a generator, the noise level of the generator is among the features that you should use for comparison. Some generators are very noisy.
One quality that stands Generac out is the low noise level of its generators. Virtually all Generac generators have a noise level of about 59.5 dBA, and this is fair enough. Generac 20KW and 22KW are not exceptions to the trend.
If you’re concerned with a low noise level, you can choose either Generac 20KW or Generac 22KW because they both have the same noise level of 59.5 dBA.
10. Price
As mentioned above, the power output of generators is the major determining factor in their prices. Higher power output leads to higher prices.
So, the Generac 22KW generator costs more than Generac 20KW, and it’s because it gives out more output. We won’t say the price of Generac 20KW is better.
Rather, it is better to say that both of them offer great prices for their output. Where you purchase your product also matters because different Generac distributors offer varying prices for the same product.
That’s why we encourage people to buy their products from Amazon. The platform offers competitive prices.
11. Remote Monitoring
You don’t have to be at home to be able to monitor your generator. Even if you’re on vacation somewhere else, this should not stop you from being able to check up on your generator.
That’s why Generac offers remote monitoring. All you need to do is to install the generator’s mobile app on your smartphone.
With the app, you should be able to find out the status of its battery and other vital information about your generator.
This mobile app is compatible with both Generac 20KW and Generac 22KW. Both of them offer this feature. You can’t separate them on this.
12. Warranty
You may also want to compare the two generators on the level of warranty that they offer. Fortunately, they are both backed up with a 5-year limited warranty. According to some of the users that have benefitted from the warranty, they only enjoyed free parts.
They had to bear the labor cost themselves. So, you should always remember that the Generac warranty only covers parts. You’ll pay for labor yourself.
How Big of a House Will a 20kw Generator Power?
As far as we’re concerned, the size of a house does not matter when you’re trying to get the appropriate generator size for your home. What matters is the total power consumption of your house.
However, based on our findings, a 20KW generator should be able to power your house if it is under 2,500 square feet. It will also power your hot water and gas heat. If your house is bigger than 2,500 square feet, a 20KW generator may not be enough to power your entire home.
How Much Does a 20kW Generac Generator Cost?
Before you buy a generator, we expect you to check the price of the generator on several platforms before you select the best deal. However, you don’t have to consider only the price. Check if there are other attached benefits like its warranty. The price may be lower, and it may come with a shorter warranty period.
In other cases, the price may be higher with a longer warranty period. It’s all about picking the right balance between the warranty period and cost. The best deal for a 20KW Generac was found on Amazon. It costs $4,500 and comes with a 2-year limited warranty.
How Long Can Generac 20kW Run?
Of course, Generac says its larger generators can run for about 100 – 200 hundred hours, but we think that statement isn’t realistic. There are factors that play a role in how long the generator can last. The first one is the fuel capacity of the generator.
No matter how strong it is, the generator will shut down when it runs out of fuel. And the filled tank can only carry the generator for about 48 to 72 hours.
Another factor is the rate of fuel consumption. The higher the load on the generator, the faster it will consume the fuel. Finally, to make your generator last long, it is not advisable to make it run for long hours without resting. If the power failure is expected to last for days, instead of running your generator for 24 hours every day, let it rest for at least 2 hours every day.
You’ll be able to extend its lifespan that way. Remember, nothing shortens the life of a generator like wear and tear that stemmed out from heavy usage.
How Much Power Does a 20kw Generator Produce?
In wattage, the generator can produce a maximum of 20,000 watts or 20 kilowatts, as its name implies. Let’s now calculate the power it can produce in amps.
Amps = watts/volts.
Remember, Generac 20KW offers dual voltage – 220 volts and 240 volts.
Its 220-volt outlets will produce:
Amps = 20,000 watts/220 volts
Amps = 90.9 amps
In the same way, its 240-volt outlets will produce:
Amps = 20,000 watts/240 volts
Amps = 83.3 amps
What are the Dimensions of a 20kW Generator?
There are numerous brands of 20KW generators, and their sizes vary slightly. However, most of them, including Generac generators, have the following dimensions in inches and millimeters.
Dimension in millimeters – 665 mm by 733 mm by 1216 mm.
Dimension in inches – 26.2 inches by 48 inches by 29 inches.
Generac 20kw Generator Fuel Consumption:
First of all, we’d like to remind you that the Generac 20KW generator is one of the most fuel-conservative generators. It works efficiently. However, you also need to understand that the higher the load, the faster it will consume fuel. This is not peculiar to only Generac 20KW. Rather, it is the same with all fuel generators.
After testing the generator for several weeks, we established that it consumes about 3 gallons of fuel every hour at full load. This implies that it will consume less fuel at half or quarter load.
How Noisy or Loud are Generac 20kw Generators?
This particular model of generator is not as noisy as many of its counterparts. Within a few meters of your house, this generator will give off about 70dBA noise level. According to experts, 70dBA is still within a safe noise level.
This relatively fair noise level is one of the reasons we recommend this model of Generac generator. And since we have also tested several other Generac generators, we can’t tell you that Generac generators are relatively quieter than others.
How Much Clearance Does a Generac 22kw Generator Need?
For safety and convenience, there should be a lot of space all around your generator. According to Generac, its manufacturer, you need to place it about 1.5 feet or 18 inches from your house because of its noise and fumes. You also need to place it about 60 inches or 5 feet from the windows and doors. Finally, you should also leave at least 3 feet in front of it. This will make it easier to service the generator.
How to Change Oil in Generac 22kw Generator?
Step 1 – The first thing to do is to start the generator and let it warm up for some minutes.
Step 2 – You can now shut it down.
Step 3 – Use the drain hose to drain the engine oil into a container.
Step 4 – After draining the oil, cover the engine oil compartment.
Step 5 – Remove the oil filter and replace it with another one.
Step 6 – Fill the generator with another engine oil and gauge it with a dipstick to be sure that you have poured the right quantity of oil into it.
Step 7 – Check for leaks. And if there are no leaks, you’re good. That’s all.
How Many BTU Does a Generac 22kw Generator Use?
A generator uses 3,412.14 BTU for every 1KW. So, a 22KW generator will use the following BTU:
3,412.14 BTU x 22KW = 75,067.08 BTU
Based on the calculation, a Generac 22KW generator uses 75,067.08 BTU
What Size Battery is for Generac 22kw Generator?
To get the best performance from your Generac 22KW generator, it is important that you use the actual battery recommended by the manufacturer. And Generac recommends a 26R wet cell battery for all its air-cooled standby generators like Generac 20KW and 22KW.
Final Word
After comparing both Generac 22KW and Generac 20KW, we can tell you that they offer virtually the same features. The only differences are their power output and prices.
Generac 22KW generates more power than Generac 20KW, and that’s why it costs more. What matters is your suitability.
If Generac 20KW is enough to handle your power needs, go for it. If not, you can choose Generac 22KW. We highly recommend both of them.
