Champion aXis Generator Guide: 8.5kW, 14kW & 22kW | PES

PES Supply Editorial Team

PES Supply, a PES Global Group Company

September 23, 2026 · 8 min read PES Engineering Desk — reviewed by a licensed master electrician

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PES Supply Editorial Team

Trade expertise from 50,000+ SKUs and 169 authorized brands

Champion aXis Generator Guide: 8.5kW, 14kW & 22kW

Reading time: ~8 min read

📋 Key Takeaways

The aXis line has four kW classes: 8.5kW, 12.5kW, 14kW and 22kW. Each comes as a generator-only shell or bundled with a matched aXis automatic transfer switch — the model number tells you which.
aXis = Power Line Carrier communication. The generator talks to the transfer switch over your home's existing wiring, so installers skip the control-wire run — a real labor saving on retrofit jobs.
The 14kW (100835/100836/100837) is the line's sweet spot: 14,000W on propane, 12,500W on natural gas, 62 dB(A), and a 10-year warranty — the longest standard coverage in the class.
ATS amperage follows your service, not the generator: 100A (100835), 150A (100836) or 200A (100837) on the 14kW; 100A/150A/200A (201220/201378/201222) on the 22kW.
Budget beyond the box: two Group U1 batteries (not included), gas plumbing, pad and the electrical whip — and every aXis ATS is service-entrance rated NEMA 3R, indoor or outdoor.

Champion Power Equipment built its reputation on portable generators, and the aXis line is its serious play in home standby power — the part of the market Generac has owned for decades. The pitch is simple: a quieter, longer-warrantied air-cooled standby with a smarter install. This guide maps every aXis model we stock, decodes the model numbers, and walks the generator-plus-transfer-switch pairing decision that trips up most first-time buyers.

What makes aXis different

Three things, and they all show up on the install invoice:

Power Line Carrier (PLC) technology. Traditional standby systems need a multi-conductor control cable trenched or fished between the generator and the transfer switch. aXis sends those signals over the existing power wiring — no control-wire run, fewer connection failures later, faster commissioning.
aXis Wi-Fi Direct. The installer programs the generator from a phone or tablet standing next to it — no laptop, no proprietary cable, no crawling into the enclosure.
Intelligent load management. The aXis ATS watches capacity continuously and can shed and re-acquire high-demand appliances through aXis Load Management Modules (model 100868, sold separately) — so a smaller, cheaper generator can carry a bigger house.

Every aXis whole-house switch is service-entrance rated in an aluminum NEMA 3R enclosure, ETL listed to UL standards, and rated for indoor or outdoor mounting. The generators themselves share the same platform DNA: 24-volt starting that cranks down to −22°F without a warming kit, under 5% total harmonic distortion for sensitive electronics, gull-wing doors for service access, a composite mounting pad in the box, and a 10-year limited warranty — roughly double the industry norm.

The model map: shells vs switch bundles

Champion's numbering looks random until you see the pattern: generator-only models get their own number, and each ATS amperage gets another. Here is the full aXis map with current PES pricing:

kW class	Package	Model	PES price
8.5kW	Generator only (shell)	100199	$2,588.51
8.5kW	w/ 50A select-circuit ATS	100177	$3,290.75
14kW	Generator only (shell)	100515	$1,426.22
14kW	w/ 100A whole-house aXis ATS	100835	$4,986.50
14kW	w/ 150A whole-house aXis ATS	100836	$4,986.50
14kW	w/ 200A whole-house aXis ATS	100837	$4,490.00
22kW	Generator only (shell)	100304	$5,182.01
22kW	w/ 200A whole-house aXis ATS	201222	$5,684.75

Buying the switch separately instead? The standalone aXis whole-house ATS comes in three amperages — 100A (102009), 150A (102008) at $1,295.75 and 200A (102006) at $1,395.50. Note the aXis generators marked "aXis ATS compatible only" — the PLC brain expects an aXis switch on the other end. Pairing an aXis generator with a generic ATS falls back to 2-wire start, which works but disables load management and Wi-Fi features.

The 14kW deep dive (100836 and siblings)

The 14kW class is where most aXis searches land, so here is the honest spec sheet. A 754cc V-twin OHV engine delivers 14,000 watts on liquid propane and 12,500 watts on natural gas — 58.3A and 52.1A at 240V respectively. Champion rates it at 62 dB(A), the quietest in its class and genuinely conversation-loud at the property line. Fuel draw at rated load is 3.6 gallons per hour on propane or 270.2 cubic feet per hour on natural gas — worth checking against your gas meter's capacity before install day. The alternator holds under 5% THD and the governor locks 60Hz, so home offices and medical electronics are safe. Two Group U1, 350CCA 12-volt batteries are required and not included — buy them locally and budget roughly $200. The unit ships natural-gas ready with LP jets and the change tool in the box, plus the composite pad, flexible fuel line and oil drain pan.

8.5kW or 14kW or 22kW?

8.5kW (100177/100199): essentials-circuit backup — fridge, furnace blower, sump pump, lights, internet — through a 50A select-circuit switch. No central AC. The budget-complete answer for smaller homes and mild climates.
14kW (100835–100837): the whole-home answer for most houses up to roughly 2,500 sq ft, including one modest central AC with load management. On natural gas, plan around the 12.5kW rating.
22kW (100304/201220/201378/201222): larger homes, heavier motor starts, dual-AC layouts with load management, and anyone who wants NG headroom instead of LP dependence.

Size from your actual load list, not a rule of thumb — our generator sizing calculator and kW load calculator walk the running-watts and starting-surge math, and the transfer switch sizing guide covers the 100A vs 150A vs 200A service-entrance decision. If you are cross-shopping the incumbent, our Generac shell guide decodes the competing /817 and /997 packages.

Where the 201317 fits

One more Champion worth naming: the 201317, a 2,500W inverter generator at $549.99. It is not an aXis product — no ATS, no PLC, no standby duty — but it is the most-searched Champion SKU in our catalog and the right tool for camping, tailgates and grab-and-go outage kits. If your goal is automatic whole-home backup, you want the aXis line above; if you want quiet portable power with clean inverter output, the 201317 is the value pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Champion aXis technology?

aXis is Champion's home standby platform built around Power Line Carrier communication — the generator and transfer switch talk over your home's existing power wiring instead of a separate control cable. It adds Wi-Fi Direct programming from a phone or tablet, prioritized load management through add-on modules, and a 4-inch color controller display. The practical result is a faster, cheaper install with fewer wires to fail later.

What is the difference between Champion 100515 and 100836?

Both are the 14kW aXis generator. The 100515 is the generator-only shell — buy it when you already have an aXis-compatible transfer switch or are sourcing one separately. The 100836 bundles the same generator with a 150A service-entrance aXis whole-house automatic transfer switch. The 100835 and 100837 are the same bundle with 100A and 200A switches respectively.

Will a 14kW Champion run my whole house?

For most homes up to about 2,500 sq ft, yes — lights, refrigerator, furnace blower, sump pump, electronics and one modest central air conditioner, especially with aXis load-management modules staggering the big motor loads. On natural gas, plan around the 12,500-watt rating rather than 14,000. Homes with dual AC units, electric ranges or electric water heaters should look at the 22kW class or aggressive load management.

Does the Champion aXis generator work with a non-Champion transfer switch?

Only in a limited way. aXis generators support 2-wire start control, which lets a third-party ATS start and stop the generator through a dry contact — but that mode disables the aXis features you paid for: load management, Wi-Fi connectivity and wireless exercise programming. For the full feature set, pair it with an aXis transfer switch (102009/102008/102006 or the bundled packages).

What else do I need to buy with a Champion aXis standby generator?

Budget for two Group U1 350CCA 12V batteries (not included, buy locally), the gas plumbing hookup sized for the unit's full-load fuel demand (270.2 cu ft/hr NG on the 14kW), the electrical whip and disconnect, permits, and the transfer switch if you bought a shell. The composite mounting pad, LP conversion jets, flexible fuel line and oil drain pan ship in the box.

Ready to Spec Your aXis System?

PES Supply stocks the full Champion aXis line — shells, switch bundles and standalone ATS units from 100A to 200A — plus the pads, wire and disconnects to finish the job. 169 authorized brands at contractor pricing.

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