Cummins 17kW Home Standby Generator Quiet Connect | RS17A

Received unit really fast, Norwall power systems was a pleasure to do business with, unit arrived in perfect shape. Documentation is a little weak but Cummins support was great and reassuring. Set everything up and had Cummings certified company come out and inspect and do initial startup ( for warranty purposes). Unit fired right up and transfer switch worked as designed. Quality is superior and easy to configure. I spent almost four months researching which generator to purchase. I think it paid off. Unit is quiet compared to some of my friends units and that is what I was hopping for. Can’t go wrong with this package. RA 100 Amp switch was very easy to install, again Cummins needs to work on their documentation so they don’t get so many call to tech support. But as I said their tech support was great and did not rush to get off the phone..

After checking out the top names in generators I chose a Cummins RS17A. I won't give the exact reasons I bought a Cummins because they may not apply to some people. IMHO it comes down to a personal choice based on factors which are important to the buyer. There's noise, conformance to NFPA clearance standards, access to service and parts, warranty, fuel consumption, reputation and many other factors which affect a buyer's choice. My unit was shipped on time and arrived as scheduled. I had to wait for a call from the trucking outfit to arrange for the curbside delivery and that went without a hitch. The ATS (transfer switch) and genset arrived securely fastened to a strong pallet. Enclosed were all the manuals and other literature needed for installation and these are my only gripes: Half the literature was OUT OF DATE or INCORRECT for one or the other units. Unfortunately I did not realize this until installation at which point I had to call Cummins to find out why things weren't matching up. Make sure you have recent manuals before starting the job. I would also recommend you follow step by step BEFORE actually doing the install to make sure everything is clear. Generac has Cummins beat by a mile when it comes to matching gensets with ATS's and explaining how to connect the two. My electrician's head was spinning with Cummins' illogical use of confusing names for their control connections (non-load/line wiring). The hardware itself is of excellent quality and nicely assembled. The 'double insulated' housing keeps noise down. The interior shell is galvanized steel and the outer housing is aluminum, nicely finished. The lid locks upwards for service and is easily released to close. The lock is somewhat flimsy but it will keep honest people out, and who would want to open it up other than prying eyes of little kids anyway? My unit came with the Cold Weather heater installed on the alternator, but here in NH that isn't good enough. I ordered and installed the Extreme Cold Weather package ($269) which consists of an oil heater, a battery heater and an automatic thermostat. They were relatively easy to install but did take a couple hours due to the huge number of screws which must be removed to do the job. Oh, the instructions which came with the kit were about as bad as the ones which came with the genset, but at least they were for the right parts! I used to be an engineer for Mattel (the toy co.) and I wouldn't let instructions for a Barbie doll go out if they were as bad as what Cummins ships. I will say that all the wires were where they were supposed to be and easily connected. After everything was done I hit the utility disconnect and held my breath. The genset started immediately and a few seconds later the house was connected to the generator and I was a happy camper! After a while I reconnected the utility and the transfer switch reconnected utility power to the house in a few minutes (it waits to ensure 'clean' electricity) and after a cool-down period the generator shut down. I've now repeated the cycle, and also had it do one automatic 'Test' program. All good. A few more things: The genset does NOT ship with an external emergency shut down switch which is now required by the national electrical code. My local inspector did not require it, yours may. They are available at extra cost and of course your electrician will charge more to install it. Make sure your gas meter has sufficient capacity for your genset. Mine uses 289 cfh natural gas. My meter supplied 250 for the whole house! My local gas company installed a larger meter for me at no cost. Things might be different where you live. Cummins claims this unit runs as 65 dB. Not in this world it doesn't. If I get within 20 feet the lowest reading I get is 71 dB on the intake side and 85 on the exhaust side. All generator makers seem to lie, or at least mislead, about noise and how they test for it. Let the buyer beware. In Cummins' favor I will agree that this genset does seem to be among the quietest in my neighborhood.