[RE-wrenches] Kohler Generator Issues

All Solar, Inc. Jeremy Rodriguez allsolar at scswifi.net
Mon Mar 29 10:52:53 PDT 2010


Jeff,
check out Gillette Generators.
Prime power warranty. and 'ok with inverter'
Jeremy
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Yago" <jryago at netscape.com>
To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 8:53 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Kohler Generator Issues


>
> Although we have specified and included Kohler RES models in all our 
> off-grid and battery based solar projects for over 15 years, we have seen 
> a real decline in the suitability of the Kohler line in the past few years 
> for use in solar/battery/generator applications.  First they killed off 
> the 1800 RPM units under 15 kW.  We had many older systems that would not 
> work when we replaced an aging 1800 RPM unit with their same kW size new 
> 3600 RPM units, which made inverters go nuts with under-voltage and 
> over-current errors.
>
> Then several years ago they got rid of the battery charging alternator or 
> whatever that re-charged the battery when the generator was running as a 
> way to reduce costs, so now the only way to keep the battery charged was 
> to plug in a full time float charger. This 24/7 electrical load is not a 
> good idea for smaller off-grid systems and requires another set of wires 
> out to the generator to supply this outlet.  Finally, Kohler added a 
> diagnostic electronics panel that adds another 24/7 electrical load.  We 
> "kill" this off during installation on any off-grid application as we 
> cannot justify this 24/7 standby load.  There is a software switch to do 
> this, but its not easy to find in the instructions.
>
> Funny thing was the other day I received a call from the main Kohler 
> factory about some marketing issues and I finally let loose with the above 
> rant.  I really complained that so far they have done everything they 
> could NOT to serve this very large and growing off-grid market, and I 
> pointed out that most of their recent design "improvements" made their 
> generators LESS suitable for this market, not better.  This guy was 
> absolutely dumb-struck, and it appears to me that they have made no effort 
> to understand this market.  Their more recent efforts to void warranties 
> is just another reason to look for a different generator supplier.
>
> Has anyone on this list had any contact from Kohler central office about 
> finding out what features this industry needs?   The guy I talked with may 
> be just blowing smoke, but he promised to have a followup call in next few 
> weeks to learn more about what they can do.  According to him, he thinks 
> they can add a software "switch" in the programming for little or no cost 
> like "on/grid - off/grid" that we could access during setup that would 
> adjust generator parameters and standby losses when used in an 
> inverter-battery application.   In case he really does followup, are there 
> any other rants I could include from you guys that have been a problem for 
> you when using Kohler generators.  I will assume we are limiting this to 
> their non-water cooled units under 15 kW.
>
> While ranting on generators, the main reason we liked to use Kohler was 
> the easy 2-wire start/stop connections you can connect to the aux relay in 
> most inverters, while many other generator brands were not easy to remote 
> start from an inverter or required multi-step starting relays.  Has this 
> changed, and are there now other brands of generators in the 8 to 15 kW 
> range that work well for backup of solar/battery charging applications and 
> the manufacturer does not have warranty issues when used in off-grid 
> applications?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff Yago
>
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