Cummins RS20A
Air-cooled · Natural Gas / LP Vapor
Connect Series Air-Cooled
Cummins RS20ACE — 20kW Standby Generator
20kW air-cooled standby generator, Natural Gas / LP Vapor. The volume seller. Two-story suburban homes across Plano, Frisco, McKinney and Southlake.
On natural gas this unit produces 18kW, not 20kW. The headline rating is the propane figure. Almost every DFW home runs natural gas, so size against 18kW unless you are on a propane tank. Most sellers publish only the larger number.
Representative manufacturer image of the range. Enclosure finish, color and dimensions vary by model and configuration — see the specifications below for this unit.
18 kW natural gas · 20 kW LP Natural Gas / LP Vapor Air-cooled Transfer switch included Extreme cold −40°F Aluminum
The RS20ACE is an air-cooled unit in an aluminum enclosure, which is the right build for a residential yard: no radiator loop to service, a smaller pad, and a footprint of 34.1 x 36 x 27.3 inches at 596 lb.
This is the combo package: it ships with a 200A service-entrance rated, NEMA 3R automatic transfer switch. Buying the switch with the generator is usually the cheaper path, and it removes the most common cause of a delayed install - the wrong switch showing up on site.
The E suffix is the extreme cold weather package, rated to -40F. In North Texas that is not about surviving a normal winter; it is about the unit actually starting during an event like February 2021, when the outages and the cold arrived together.
It runs on natural gas or LP vapor. On natural gas there is no tank to fill and no runtime limit as long as the utility main holds pressure, which is why it is the default choice on almost every DFW home that already has gas service.
Equipment price
$7,131.91
Equipment only — installation quoted separately
The RS20ACE is sold by UTS ElectricPros, an authorized Cummins dealer in Dallas–Fort Worth. Buying through an authorized dealer is what keeps the manufacturer warranty valid — equipment bought from an unauthorized reseller frequently is not covered, and owners tend to find that out at the worst possible moment.
A separate service
Want us to install it?
Installation is not included in the price above and is not sold at checkout. It is quoted on its own, in writing, after a free on-site survey. You are welcome to buy the equipment here and use your own electrician.
Typical all-in installed cost in DFW
$13,500 - $17,000
$13,500 - $17,000
Equipment plus professional installation: electrical by our licensed electricians, gas line by a licensed plumber. We quote after a survey because gas line runs, panel location and permits differ at every address. We don’t guess, and we don’t pad.
- ✓ Concrete or composite pad
- ✓ Gas line and pressure test by a licensed plumber
- ✓ Transfer switch and electrical tie-in
- ✓ Permit and city inspection
- ✓ Startup, load test and walkthrough
Prefer to talk it through? Have us call you.
Got it. We will call you. If you would rather not wait, ring (214) 957-4307 and ask for whoever is on generators.
Specifications
| Model | Cummins RS20ACE |
|---|---|
| Rated output | 20 kW |
| Fuel | Natural Gas / LP Vapor |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Enclosure | Aluminum |
| Weight | 596 lb |
| Dimensions (L×W×H) | 34.1 x 36 x 27.3 in |
| Voltage configurations | 120/240 1Ph |
| Extreme cold package | Included, rated to -40°F |
| Transfer switch | 200A service-entrance rated, NEMA 3R automatic transfer switch included |
| Application | residential |
| Output — natural gas | 18 kW (75 A at 240 V) |
| Output — LP vapor | 20 kW (83.3 A at 240 V) |
| Sound level | 65 dB(A) 65 dB(A) at 23 ft (7 m) at normal load |
| Cummins model | C20N6HC |
| Engine | QSJ999G — Naturally aspirated, V-twin, air-cooled |
| Displacement | 60.96 in³ (999 cc) |
| Cylinder block | Aluminum |
| Rated speed | 3600 rpm |
| Motor starting | 40 kVA at 30% voltage dip — starts a 5-ton A/C under full pre-load |
| Voltage regulation | ±1.25% no load to full load |
| Frequency regulation | Isochronous, ±1.25% steady state (±1.5% at no load) |
| Harmonic distortion | Less than 5% total harmonic distortion |
| Main breaker | Single 100 A circuit breaker, UL certified |
| Battery required | Group 51R, 450 CCA at 32°F (0°C) — part A052Y816, bought locally |
| Clearance to structure | 18 inches from a building (meets NFPA 37) |
| Gas supply pressure | NG 3.5 – 12.0 in H₂O (0.87 – 3.0 kPa) · LP 6.0 – 12.0 in H₂O (1.49 – 3.0 kPa) |
| Fuel use at full load | 268 ft³/hr natural gas · 112 ft³/hr LP |
| Operating temperature | -40°F to 122°F (-40°C to 50°C) |
| Wind rating | Evaluated to withstand 180 MPH wind loads per ASCE 7-10 |
| Derating | Full rated power to 60°F (15°C) and sea level. Derate 3.5% per 1,000 ft and 1% per 10°F above that. |
| Certifications | UL 2200, CSA 22.2 and B149.1, EPA emissions, NFPA 37 |
| Warranty | 5 year / 2,000 hour limited warranty. RA automatic transfer switches carry a separate 2 year warranty. |
| Extended warranty | Cummins factory coverage for 5, 7 or 10 years, from $272.22. See every price |
Available configurations
This model ships in a single factory configuration.
| Part number | Voltage | Phase | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A071Z395 | 120/240 | 1Ph | $7,131.91 |
All prices are for the equipment only.
Built in
What the RS20ACE does that the spec table does not show
Intelligent Load Management
The generator can control up to 4 loads and continuously monitors how much power each one needs, then restores only the loads it has capacity to run. This is what makes a 20kW unit cover a house with two air conditioners.
Patented Crank-Only exercise mode
The weekly exercise cycle can crank the engine and run diagnostics without actually starting it, which reduces wear, fuel use and the noise of the exercise run.
Remote monitoring, built in
Remote monitoring is standard on every unit. From a computer, tablet or phone you can check status, change the exercise schedule and start the generator manually.
5-ton air conditioner start
Rated to start and run a 5-ton A/C under full pre-load — the load that decides generator sizing in Texas.
Accessories and maintenance parts for this unit →
Specifications on this page are taken from the Cummins published specification sheet for
the air-cooled Connect range.
Download it from Cummins →
Questions about the RS20ACE
How much does a Cummins RS20ACE cost installed in Dallas-Fort Worth?
The RS20ACE equipment price is $7,131.91. Installed in DFW, a typical 20kW job runs $13,500 - $17,000 all in. The spread comes from four things: how far the pad sits from your gas meter, whether the gas line carries the added load or has to be upsized, the run from the generator to your electrical panel, and what your city charges and requires for permits and inspection. We put the installation number in writing after a free site survey.
What will the RS20ACE actually run?
Whole-house coverage for a typical 2,500-3,500 sq ft DFW home with two AC systems, using load management. Final confirmation comes from a load calculation against your actual panel, which we do at the survey.
Does the RS20ACE include a transfer switch?
Yes. This is the combo configuration and it ships with a 200A service-entrance rated, NEMA 3R automatic transfer switch. Service-entrance rated means it can serve as your main disconnect, which often simplifies the install and can reduce what the electrician has to rework at the panel.
Is the RS20ACE in stock?
Availability changes weekly. A refundable deposit reserves a specific unit and locks the equipment price for 90 days, which is the practical way to hold one while the survey and permit work happen. If we cannot source it in a reasonable window, you get the deposit back.
Same size, different build
Other 20kW configurations
Same 20kW output. What changes is the enclosure, the transfer switch and whether a cold-weather package is fitted — not the power.
Cummins RS20AE
Air-cooled · Natural Gas / LP Vapor
Cold weather −40°F
Cummins RS20AC
Air-cooled · Natural Gas / LP Vapor
ATS included
Step up or down
Is 20kW the right size?
The next capacity either side in the air-cooled range. If you are not sure which way to go, the sizing calculator works it out against your own house rather than its square footage alone.
Down to 17kW — less headroom, lower install cost.
Cummins RS17A
Air-cooled · Natural Gas / LP Vapor
Want the RS20ACE priced for your address?
Equipment is $7,131.91. The installation number depends on your property, and the only honest way to get it is to come look. That visit is free.
What it is for
Whole-house backup power, started automatically
The grid goes down and the house stops with it. In Texas that is not an inconvenience for long: in February it is heat and frozen pipes, in August it is air conditioning, and a house without either becomes uninhabitable within hours rather than days.
Why it becomes urgent
Winter storms and the spring severe-weather season take down distribution lines across the Metroplex every year, and summer peak demand on the ERCOT grid has repeatedly produced conservation appeals.
Who buys it
Homeowners who cannot simply leave — small children, someone on medical equipment, a well pump, a home office, or livestock on the property.
The RS20ACE is installed across the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex by our own licensed crews — the cities we serve, what installation involves, and a free on-site survey before any number is put in writing.
Before you buy the RS20ACE
The questions that decide whether this is the right machine, answered properly rather than in a sentence on a product page.
- Will 20kW actually cover my house?Work it out against your own square footage, air conditioning and well pump before you buy.
- Is 20kW the right one of the three?The air-cooled range is 13kW, 17kW and 20kW. What separates them, and what each step costs.
- Will my gas line carry it?The most common reason a quote moves after the survey. Real BTU demand and the pressure it needs under load.
- What can my city require?Less than it used to, and a third party can now do the inspection.
- Will it run my air conditioner?Two compressors starting on a Texas afternoon is the load that decides the answer.
All the generator guides we have written
Every Cummins air-cooled standby, 13kW to 20kW · Or a portable, if you only need a few circuits
Installed across Dallas–Fort Worth
The RS20ACE ships anywhere in the country. Installation is Dallas–Fort Worth only, carried out by our own licensed crews under TECL #40628 operating from Grand Prairie — because a generator is quoted against your gas meter, your panel and your city, which nobody can do from a warehouse. What installation actually involves.
- Generator installation in Highland ParkOncor Electric Delivery
- Generator installation in Trophy ClubTri-County Electric Cooperative or Oncor, depending on the address
- Generator installation in PlanoOncor or CoServ Electric, depending on the address
- Generator installation in FriscoOncor or CoServ, depending on the address
All 27 cities we install in → · every install includes the permit, the inspection and meeting the inspector on site, and the number comes from a free on-site survey rather than a price list.
After the RS20ACE is in
A generator is a fifteen-year relationship, not a transaction. What that looks like from here.
Maintenance and service plans
Skipped maintenance is the top cause of an outage-night no-start. What a visit covers and how often it is due.
The battery, specifically
The component that fails most often when maintenance is skipped, and why the weekly exercise does not prove it is healthy.
Cummins warranty, and ours
What the manufacturer covers, what the installer covers, and which one you call when something fails.
Financing it
Monthly payments through Affirm, or fold it into a home loan at purchase or refinance.
Parts and accessories
Cold-weather kits, maintenance parts and the part numbers that fit this unit.