I manage purchasing for a 120-person company. I've ordered maybe 40 generators over the last five years—some for our office, some for client sites, a few for the warehouse. You'd think that makes me a believer in one brand above all others. It doesn't. What it makes me is someone who's learned exactly when to recommend Generac, and when to steer someone elsewhere. And honestly? That not recommending something is what makes me trust them more.
My First Generac Order: The 5550
The first generator I ordered for our company was a Generac 5550. Our operations team wanted something for the backup server room—enough to keep the critical stuff running during a Florida thunderstorm. The 5550 was the sweet spot in their portable lineup. Not too big, not too small. About $900 at the time, plus tax. I remember thinking: Generac is the name everyone knows, this must be the right call. And it was. For that job.
But here's the thing—I only learned that by ordering the wrong generator for another job first.
See, about two years ago, we needed a backup for a small off-site storage facility. I thought, let's just get another 5550, it worked last time. So I did. But that storage facility didn't have a dedicated electrician on call, and the folks running it weren't comfortable with the installation. The unit sat in its box for three weeks. When they finally got it set up, they ran it for one test cycle, and then it sat for six months without being started. Come hurricane season, they couldn't get it to turn over. Spark plugs fouled, fuel gummed up. They'd completely neglected it because the 5550 was more generator than they needed for their actual use case—a few lights and a fan, not servers.
What I should have ordered was something simpler, something they wouldn't be intimidated by. Maybe even a smaller portable with fewer features. I wouldn't say the 5550 was a bad generator. It wasn't. But it was a bad choice for that situation. That's not the same thing.
When Generac Makes Sense (and When It Doesn't)
So here's my honest take: Generac is excellent for commercial backup, especially where you have in-house maintenance. They have a massive parts network, which matters more than people think. I can get a replacement control board or a new spark plug delivered to my office in Ft. Lauderdale from a local distributor in two days. But that's a business advantage. If you're a homeowner who just wants something in the garage for the once-a-year power outage, you might be overpaying for a brand that requires more attention than you're willing to give.
That's not a dig at Generac. It's a dig at the idea that there's a 'best' generator.
Generac Generator Parts in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
One thing I've learned is that part availability is a huge hidden factor. For our area in Ft. Lauderdale, Generac parts are easy to find. I've got three local suppliers I can call. We use the NGK D8EA spark plug for our 5550 and a few other models—it's a standard cross-ref for many Generac and other small engines.
According to the NGK Spark Plug Guide, the D8EA is a copper core plug with a .044" gap. It's about $3 each at most auto parts stores. I keep a box of four in the maintenance room. It's a 5-minute swap on the 5550. But if I were recommending a generator for a client who lives somewhere more remote, part availability might push me toward a different brand entirely—maybe one with a more robust dealer network, or one that uses more universal parts.
Diesel Generator Rent: When Buying Is the Wrong Move
Another thing I've learned: sometimes the answer isn't buying at all. I've done diesel generator rent for three different projects in the last year. For construction sites that only need power for 6-8 weeks, or for a big event that lasts a weekend, renting a commercial diesel unit is often cheaper, and you get maintenance included. The rental company shows up, sets it up, and hauls it away. No parts to stock, no maintenance schedule to manage.
The price difference can be stark. A 20kW diesel generator rent for a month: roughly $600-$1,200, depending on the vendor. Buying that same unit? $5,000-$8,000. So if you're only going to need it for a few months total, renting is the obvious move. But I've talked to people who bought a massive unit 'just in case' and then regretted it when it sat unused for years.
How to Find a Ground Fault with a Multimeter
Speaking of maintenance, I'm not an electrician. But I manage the maintenance budget, so I've had to learn a few things myself. One of the most frustrating issues with any generator is a ground fault that trips the breaker. Here's a quick process I use before calling in the pros, and it's saved me a couple of hundreds of dollars in service calls.
When a generator trips a GFCI outlet, it's often a simple fault to find. You'll need a multimeter. Set it to continuity (the little sound wave icon).
- Turn the generator off and unplug everything. Safety first.
- Check the GFCI outlet itself. With the multimeter, probe across the line (hot) and neutral slots. There should be no continuity to ground. If there is, the outlet is the likely culprit. I've replaced $15 outlets and solved the problem entirely.
- Check the cord you're using. A common cause is a damaged extension cord. Plug the cord into a known good outlet on a different circuit. Set the multimeter to ohms. Probe each pin of the male plug to the corresponding slot on the female end. If you get continuity where you shouldn't—or a reading near zero when it should be high—the cord is the path. Replace it.
- Check the device you're powering. This is the one I always forget. I've had a space heater with a tiny internal leak to ground that would trip a sensitive GFCI. To find it, plug the device into a standard outlet (not GFCI) and use your multimeter to check for continuity between the device's case and the ground prong. If there's continuity, that device is your problem.
I should mention: this gets into territory that's a bit outside my expertise. I've done it successfully a few times, but if the fault isn't obvious, I call the electrician. A multimeter is a diagnostic tool, not a substitute for experience.
The Honest Limitation of Any Recommendation
I started this piece by saying I wouldn't recommend the Generac 5550 for everyone. Let me clarify what that doesn't mean.
It doesn't mean Generac is bad. They make a solid product. Their warranty process is straightforward—I've used it once for a bad voltage regulator on a 24kW standby unit. I had a replacement part in hand in 4 days.
But if you're a homeowner who needs power for a weekend at a cabin, you probably don't need the brand with the biggest dealer network. You need something simple, inexpensive, and easy to store. I'd recommend a smaller portable from a brand with good owner reviews, or even a used one that's clean.
If you're a business whose operation depends on uptime, Generac is a strong contender. Their parts network in places like Ft. Lauderdale is a real asset. But I'd still ask: do you have someone on your team who can maintain it? If the answer is no, you might be better off with a rental and a service contract.
Every recommendation should include the conditions under which it might not apply. That's not a weakness in the recommendation. It's the source of the strength.
It took me about 5 years and maybe 40 orders to understand that. The most valuable thing I've learned as a buyer isn't which product to pick—it's how to ask the right questions about your own situation before you pick.
