[RE-wrenches] Kohler Generator Issues

Tue Mar 30 12:07:28 PDT 2010

Nick Soleil wrote:
> Hi Jeff:
>     I have had some similar issues with the Kohler generators in 
> recent years, after installing hundreds of air cooled and water cooled 
> generators from them.  I have heard that they are less reliable now, 
> and the company is harder to deal with now.
>     Recently, I tried a Generac in an off-grid project, which I have 
> found is even more difficult to work with.  They don't warranty the 
> product for off-grid applications, it requires hard wiring a battery 
> charger, and it starts and stops based on utility sensing, which 
> required installation of a relay to switch the sensing circuit on and 
> off.  It was a pain to deal with, and required a few more trips to the 
> site than I would have liked.
>     On a similar note, Xantrex provided the Auto Gen Start module, but 
> it did not support 2-wire start!  Isn't that the most common gen start 
> configuration?  The newer versions do offer that now.
>  

Is this "no warranty if used off grid" in writing from these 
manufacturers, or is it just some salespeople saying this ?

Why would you need a generator if you have grid available ?

boB

> Nick Soleil
> Project Manager
> Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC
> PO Box 657
> Petaluma, CA 94953
> Cell: 707-321-2937
> Office: 707-789-9537
> Fax: 707-769-9037
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Jeff Yago <jryago at netscape.com>
> *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> *Sent:* Mon, March 29, 2010 7:53:18 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
>
> _____________________________________________________________
> Netscape.  Just the Net You Need.
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org 
> <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>
> Options & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive: 
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm 
> <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Options & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>   