generator suggestions [RE-wrenches]

[Jeff Wongstrom]

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That is right Travis, the model from Lowes is a RESL and it was  
inexpensive with a nice ATS/critical load center and set of  
connection wires in liquidtite conduit but with a 2200 controller and  
possibly a mechanical governor.

Reprogramming info for the 2100 is in the service manual.  It is a  
hidden technician menu from which it is possible to power down the  
controller, change to a 24VDC starting battery, adjust voltage and  
frequency, change to 120VAC output, etc.  Contact me offlist if you  
would like service manual info.

Jeff Wongstrom
Thirsty Lake Solar


On Oct 17, 2007, at 8:54 AM, Travis Creswell wrote:

>
> My limited research before I purchased the last 12RES revealed that  
> Lowes
> model is a 12 RESL and has more differences (read cheaper unit)  
> then just
> the controller.  I believe it also has a mechanical governing  
> system instead
> of an electronic.
>
> The manual that came with the 12RES that we recently installed said  
> you
> could remove the jumper to power down after 48hrs or leave it on
> continuously just like the unit we installed about 3 years ago.   
> But the
> controller I had did not match my manual.  Everything else  
> matched.  When I
> called the supplier they said that I had the new controller and  
> that's the
> type they were going to.  In either case the two-wire start still  
> worked as
> normal so the need for the controller to remain on is a mystery to me.
>
> You could possibly be talking about a 3rd controller because I've  
> not heard
> anything about the 1 to 48 hrs adjustable power down window.  There  
> probably
> a hidden technician menu that you could get into if Kohler would  
> tell you
> about it.
>
> The controller used less then 3 watts the best I could tell.  You  
> also need
> to keep in mind that the unit also has an on board battery charger  
> that must
> have power when the generator is running since it does not have a  
> built in
> alternator.  After about 3 hrs of running with no charging the on  
> board
> battery will be down far enough that the controller will shut the  
> unit off.
> So just using a small solar panel dedicated to the starting battery  
> is not a
> 100% solution if you are going to be doing automatic generator  
> starting.
> The systems we were doing could handle this load and the work  
> arounds that
> came up with represented "kludges" that would only lead to reliability
> issues and shortened battery life.
>
>
> Best,
> Travis Creswell
> Ozark Energy Services
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Wongstrom [mailto:thirstylake at interbel.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 9:18 AM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: Re: generator suggestions [RE-wrenches]
>
>
>
> We recently had a fellow ask us to hook up a 12 RES that he had
> bought from Lowes that came with an ADC 2200 controller.  We were
> told that normally the RES comes with the ADC 2100 controller which
> is reprogrammable and can be programmed to power down after 1 or 48
> hours.  The ADC 2200 is not reprogrammable.
>
> We were also told that the RES can be rewired for full output 120VAC
> (L1 and L3 neutral, L2 and L4 hot) but the controller needs to be
> reprogrammed accordingly, not possible with the ADC 2200.
>
> Jeff Wongstrom
> Thirsty Lake Solar
>
>
>
> On Oct 17, 2007, at 5:38 AM, Travis Creswell wrote:
>
>>
>> Hi Todd,
>>
>> We recently installed a Kohler 12 RES and couldn't be more pleased
>> with it.
>> I think the 8.5 is the same unit, just smaller.  For the price the
>> 12 RES
>> was hard to beat.  $3519 with free shipping from Ziler Electric.
>>
>> We installed several 12RES and they have been good units. 2-wire
>> start, able
>> to run 100% unbalanced (you can have 6kW on one phase and nothing
>> on the
>> other and they don't care), quiet and reliable.
>>
>> The main wart with these units is they have a phantom load via
>> their on
>> board controller.  You used to be to pull a jumper off of the board
>> and
>> partially resolve that but the last unit we got arrived with a potted
>> controller board so there was no way to get to that jumper without
>> damaging
>> the control board.  But they do everything else so well the  
>> controller
>> phantom's load can be easily accepted.
>>
>> Best,
>> Travis Creswell
>> Ozark Energy Services
>>


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