Standby Generator Registration Affects Functionality and Warranty
Manufacturers offer limited warranties on standby generator products. The standard as of 2021 is a 5-year warranty. Many manufacturers only cover parts and labor for a portion of the five years. Some cover travel time. Five-year coverage may include all parts or just major parts like engines and alternators.
Product registration protects the consumer for the most warranty coverage. Months could pass between the manufacture date and the installation date. Installation could take days or even weeks after purchase and delivery and depend on the installer’s schedule.
These days, consumers often discard a product registration card. All too often, the cards requested far more information than most buyers considered necessary. No manufacturer needs to know what products you purchased in the past, might purchase in the future, or even your annual income. They sold the information collected and used it to market products entirely unrelated to the new purchase.
Laws require manufacturers to include registration with some products including medical equipment and children's safety items to allow notifications of safety issues and product recalls. The same laws prohibit the manufacturer from selling the information or using it for marketing. Register those products without delay.
Generator manufacturers use registration to ensure customers get the most from their warranty and to encourage correct installation by certified or authorized dealers and technicians.
A technician can call the manufacturer with the model and serial number for warranty coverage. If a generator engine needed replacement and it falls within the 5-year coverage window, the manufacturer will replace it without cost to the consumer. An unregistered generator manufactured six months before installation might give the homeowner just four years and six months instead of five full years.
It’s the difference between paying for an expensive part plus labor and travel, or having the work done at a much lower cost, or even for free.
Registration ensures you get the most from your warranty, but it also allows you to purchase an extended warranty if the manufacturer offers one.
All the major brands sold by Norwall PowerSystems allow the consumer to register online with their name, address, standby generator model, serial number, and date of installation. Some manufacturers ask for the installer name or place of purchase.
Generator warranties cover defects in manufacturing. They do not cover damage or maintenance costs, or damage caused by abuse and misuse, the use of off-brand parts, or improper installation. The manufacturer’s warranty won’t cover an incorrectly installed generator. Warranty service requires maintenance performed on time for all standby generators. Failure to perform maintenance per the schedule will void all manufacturer warranty, including checking the oil before, during, and after use and adding oil as necessary between changes. Manufacturers may require proof of on-time maintenance.
Standby Generator Maintenance and Upkeep
Brand by Brand Warranty and Registration Summary
The following sections summarize warranty information and certain conditions required for warranty service, including registration, and may help you choose between various brands. It does not contain the same language as the warranty. You have the right to review the warranty before the purchase of any product, including Generators.
Review registration and warranty details before purchase to ensure you get the most out of your generator and warranty.
Champion Power Equipment Registration and Warranty
The Champion’s warranty period is 10 years or 2000 hours, whichever occurs first, from the date of successful activation of the standby generator by an authorized Champion Home Standby Dealer. Champion requires standby generator registration to activate the generator and the warranty.
The 10-Year warranty is the longest in the industry. It includes limited comprehensive coverage on mileage, labor, and parts for the first two years, and limited comprehensive coverage on parts through year 10. Champion requires an authorized certified Champion Home Standby Service Dealer for all warranty repairs unless specifically authorized in writing.
The Champion warranty applies only to standby generator units installed as a standby generator on property served by an electric utility. The warranty excludes off grid applications, prime power applications (primary source of power,) and rental applications. Only permanently mounted and wired generators receive warranty service and repair.
Champion will transfer the warranty to the new owner when the property changes hands.
The owner manual includes the Champion 10-Year Limited Warranty Statement with Basic Warranty Provisions for each standby generator. The 10-year warranty is the longest in the industry.
Generac Power Systems Standby Generator Registration and Warranty
Generac Residential and Commercial Standby Generators include a standard 5-year 2000-hour (whichever occurs first) limited warranty. The warranty begins with the successful startup and online activation of the unit. Activation requires registration and unlocks the generator controller for automatic functions.
Warranty coverage includes parts, labor, and limited travel for the first two years. Parts receive coverage through year three, and major components through years four and five. Warranty service requires an authorized/certified Generac Service Dealer unless pre-approved in writing by Generac. Warranty service includes a limited travel allowance up to 100 miles and 3 hours for each round-trip occurrence.
Generac requires proof of maintenance and purchase for authorized warranty repairs.
Applications including prime power, a trailer mounted generator, or rental units void the warranty. The warranty transfers to a new property owner on the original installation site.
The warranty on standby generators sold as a bundle with a Generac Automatic Transfer Switch includes the transfer switch.
Generac offers extended warranties for 5 years, 7 years, and 10 years. A 5-year extended warranty covers the first five years of the generator warranty, but includes parts, labor, and limited travel for the full five years. The 7-year and 10-year warranty offer the same protection for seven years and ten years. Extended warranties do not include automatic transfer switches sold as a bundle. The automatic transfer switch warranty expires after five years.
The Generac Warranty for most air-cooled Guardian and Liquid Cooled Generators.
Kohler Power Systems Registration and Warranty Service
The Kohler Standby Generator limited warranty covers residential and light commercial for five years or 2000 hours, whichever occurs first. Warranty coverage begins with the registered startup date, or if not registered, the date of purchase by the original end user. A registered startup date requires a Kohler distributor, dealer, or authorized service representative to perform the generator startup and submit the generator set details to Kohler’s Warranty Startup Program. Costs for startup by an authorized dealer vary.
Kohler’s warranty covers parts, labor, and travel for the first two years of the warranty period and parts only from years three through five. Warranty service requires a Kohler authorized service dealer or pre-approval from the Kohler Company Warranty Department. Kohler limits travel time and mileage to 200 miles per round trip for a warranty service call.
Use in non-standby applications such as prime power, off grid, or mobile applications voids the warranty. The warranty covers Kohler generator sets and factory accessories used in stationary standby applications where a commercial utility provides the primary source of power and the generator provides backup power during an outage.
The generator exercise cycle must run under load on a regular schedule. Transfer Switches included in the purchase of a standby generator also carry the Kohler Five-Year Warranty.
Cummins Warranty and Registration
Cummins provides a 5-year 2000-hour (whichever occurs first) limited warranty on its residential air-cooled standby generators beginning on the date of startup. The warranty covers product failures caused by defects in materials or manufacturing under normal use and service. An owner must notify a Cummins Power Generation distributor or dealer within thirty days after discovering the failure.
Warranty coverage includes parts, labor, and travel for the first two years following the startup date and parts only for rest of the warranty period. Travel time and mileage includes up to 300 miles and six hours (whichever is closest) round trip from the nearest Cummins Power Generation Service Provider.
Off-grid use of the Cummins Residential Standby Generator in the United States is prohibited and voids the warranty. Warranty coverage only includes a permanent installation where an electric utility provides the primary source of the power and the standby generator serves as a backup power source.
Correct installation according to Cummins published policies and guidelines is the homeowner’s responsibility. Cummins requires proof of the startup date.
Cummins offers multiple extended warranty variations through their extensive dealer/distributor network for coverage on travel, parts, and labor.
Norwall provides Warranty Information on most standby generator product pages.
Briggs and Stratton 5-5-5 Warranty with Registration
Briggs and Stratton is the only manufacturer that offers the 5-5-5 five-year limited warranty on parts, labor, and travel. For U.S. and Canadian consumers only, there is no limitation on hours used. Warranty coverage begins on the date of purchase by the original owner. Briggs encourages registration but does not make it a requirement of warranty coverage. If proof of purchase is not available at the time of warranty service, the warranty period begins on the manufacturing date instead. Save your receipt.
Authorized service dealers perform all warranty service and repairs. Dealers routinely handle warranty repairs unless warranty service is inappropriate—for example, equipment damage through shipping and handling or improper installation. The warranty does not cover damage caused by non-authorized installation or service by unauthorized dealers.
The Briggs and Stratton 5-5-5 Warranty does not cover prime power installations. If an electric utility does not provide the primary source of power, Briggs and Stratton considers the generator the primary power source and the warranty is void. Standby generator installations are permanently mounted and wired to the home or business.
Accessories have their own warranties and not covered by the generator warranty.
Briggs and Stratton offers up to a 10-Year extended warranty on their 20kW Standby Generators.