GENERAC 7172 Guardian 10kW Home Backup Generator with 16-circuit Transfer Switch WiFi-Enabled

The 7172 Guardian unit measures 48 inches long, 25 inches wide and 29 inches high, so size the pad and the clear working space around it off those numbers. It weighs 338 pounds, which means a compacted base or poured pad and typically two people plus equipment to set it. Plan the pad footprint larger than 48 x 25 so the enclosure is not hanging over an edge.

An automatic transfer switch is included with the 7172. It is a 16-circuit switch, so you pick the 16 loads you want backed up and land them in that panel rather than carrying the whole service. If you want whole-house coverage with load management instead of a fixed circuit count, that is a different switch configuration and a different package.

Output is 120/240 volts single phase, in a current range of 37 to 41 amps depending on the load and voltage leg being drawn. Rated output is 10,000 watts standby. Size your conductors and overcurrent protection from the 41 amp upper end, not the nominal wattage.

At 10,000 watts rated and a 37 to 41 amp range, the 7172 is a partial-load machine, and the included 16-circuit switch reflects that. It suits essentials: furnace or air handler, well pump, refrigeration, lighting, outlets, and a modest 240V load. If you need to run central air plus an electric range plus an electric water heater at the same time, that exceeds what 10kW will carry and you want a larger standby set with a whole-house switch and load shedding.

The enclosure is aluminum with Generac's RhinoCoat powder-coated finish, chosen for corrosion resistance in all-weather outdoor mounting. Aluminum does not rust the way a steel enclosure does, which is why it is the usual choice near salt air. Finish color is bisque.

Yes. The 7172 uses True Power Technology, which holds total harmonic distortion under 5 percent. That is the threshold that matters for electronics, variable speed HVAC motors and appliance control boards, which can misbehave on a dirtier waveform.

The 7172 is UL Listed, ETL Listed and CSA Certified. Those are the listings an inspector or a facility's insurer will ask for on a permanently installed standby set.

Order it as Generac model 7172. That number covers the 10kW Guardian air-cooled standby set packaged with the 16-circuit automatic transfer switch and WiFi. Generac sells 10kW Guardian units without a switch under separate model numbers, so quote the 7172 specifically if you want the switch in the box.

The weekly self-test runs in Quiet-Test mode at reduced RPM, for either five or twelve minutes depending on how it is set. Lower RPM means less noise and less fuel burned than a full-speed exercise. That matters in close-set subdivisions and multi-family properties where neighbors notice a Saturday morning test.

It runs a Generac G-Force engine of 460 cc displacement, pressure lubricated rather than splash lubricated. Pressure lubrication is what lets a purpose-built generator engine run long outage hours with less frequent routine service than a converted small-engine design.

The 7172 is WiFi-enabled and works with Generac's Mobile Link app, so you can see status and outage alerts without walking out to the unit. For property managers running units at several addresses, that is the difference between knowing a set failed its weekly test and finding out during the storm.

Country of origin is the United States; Generac builds its generators and engines in the USA using domestic and foreign parts. The unit is not flagged as containing chemicals causing birth defects under California Prop 65, and it carries no shipping restrictions.