Did you know that “buy local” can apply to standby home generators as well as fresh organic fruit? 

If you’re in Southern California, that is.

At Santa Fe Springs near Los Angeles, Champion Generators manufactures some of the most cost-effective, fuel-efficient, and reliable standby home generators on the market. 

Since we began selling and installing Champion home standby generators in 2019, we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from happy homeowners.

So a few weeks ago, our content creator Allison Ruedig hopped on a phone call with Rick Costello and David Duffield of Champion Generators to discover why these generators are a great fit for Southern Californian homes, and how to help them perform best. Learn more about local generator sales below.

Rick Answers: What Makes Champion Standby Generators So Reliable?

Rick Costello, National Dealer Sales Manager for Champion Generator Standby Products, hits a familiar chord to California residents: frequent blackouts and brownouts. 

“Since we’re based in Los Angeles County, we know that California’s aging electric infrastructure, combined with extreme weather like mudslides and wildfires, makes reliability essential for home generators,” he begins. 

“That’s why all our products come with a 10-year warranty — twice as long as the 5-year standard warranty for everyone else in the industry. 

While some other companies offer a 10-year warranty, they usually make customers pay extra for it and don’t offer it on all their units. If you’re looking at the peace-of-mind factor, a 10-year coverage at no extra cost gives that to a homeowner.”

Champion’s confidence in their products is well-merited. Rick pointed out that all Champion standby generators come with a powerful 24-volt starting system. This enables them to start even in extreme cold and hot temperatures, such as California summer days that climb well above 100 degrees.  

“Every Champion generator has several other homeowner-friendly features too. It starts in extreme cold and hot weather, is more fuel-efficient than any other brand, and is among the quietest of all generators. It’s also the most cost-effective solution for automatic backup power,” Rick finishes. 

David Answers: The Most Cost-Effective? How?

David Duffield (Champion’s Director of Sales) has the statistics to prove it. 

“Over a generator’s 20-year lifetime, fuel usually forms the biggest cost for the homeowner,” he begins. “So we prioritize fuel efficiency, as well as reliability, in our home generators.”

How can fuel efficiency be measured? 

David explains, “The unit used to measure generator NG fuel consumption is cubic ft./hr. The smaller the “ft” unit, the more fuel-efficient the generator. 

Champion generators have a low ft./hr. ratio due to their unique engine configuration, in which our engineers maximize the engine’s size and output. 

As a result, a 14 kW Champion generator running a full load on natural gas has a 181.5 cubic ft./hr. consumption.”

How does this measure up to other home standby generators? 

“Our closest efficiency competitors are a 13 kW generator that runs at 225 ft./hr., and a 12 kW at 193ft./hr.,” says David. “Both are 10-45 cubic ft./hr. less fuel efficient.”

Does that translate to cost-efficient as well? 

“Absolutely,” David says. “If you look at what you’re going to spend on your generator over its lifetime, your fuel consumption is probably the biggest cost, along with maintenance. 

Champion generators cut both costs. They’re the most fuel-efficient, and also have a unique gullwing enclosure to make service calls faster and easier. That helps the customer with downtime on service calls, since the serviceman can do their job more quickly and efficiently than they could with a generator with a different closure.”

Sounds Good. Can I Install A Home Generator Myself? 

Dave doesn’t recommend this for most homeowners. 

“Most of our reviews for Champion generators are really positive,” he says. “The only negative ones are from guys trying to install the generator themselves, or with the help of a non-specialized electrician. Although that’s not always a problem, it can become one easily. 

“There is an installation component to this, and that’s a reason you want to buy from Duthie: they’re the experts on installation. 

“Duthie technicians can get it in and installed for you efficiently. Afterwards, if something comes up or there’s a problem, you can give them a call and get a technician easily instead of waiting on the line for someone from the big box store down the road.

That’s why we always recommend going with Duthie.”

I’m Getting a Generator in California. What Supplies Should I Look For?  

David had some final advice for Californian local generator shoppers.

“Some things in California are a little more specific to that market,” he explains. “For example, we mostly recommend select-circuit transfer switches for homes here. 

“These make an easier, faster, and more cost-effective install for a California homeowner, as opposed to the whole-house transfer switch used in other areas. Anywhere from 10-16 circuits usually takes care of all that household’s electricity needs.

Rick and David had one last recommendation: 

“Duthie will work with you to find the best application for your home, at the best value,” they said. “They’re the resource you want to help you select the best Champion generator for your home.”

Thanks to Rick and David for their kind words, and for taking the time to chat with us! 

Where Can I Learn More About My Home Power Options?  

Chat about your backup power needs with a friendly member of our experienced generator team at (866)838-7962, or send us an email at homegeneratorsales@duthiepower.com. We look forward to helping you find the perfect solution for your home!