<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
Roy and all,<br>
While I appreciate the dialogue that my request has generated, not a
single post has addressed my question. So I'll give it one more try:
What kind of runtime hours have you seen with the Kohler 8.5 RMY?<br>
<br>
Also, in a recent Home Power "Ask the Experts" column, I spoke
positively about the new Generac "EcoGen" 6 kW model as a
well-designed and well-engineered unit specifically for off-grid
residential applications. It's quite different from their mainstream
models, designed specifically to hold up under off-grid usage.
Having been involved with this list since about 2000, you can bet I
have read plenty negative about Generac over the years. So both the
Home Power recommendation and a previous post speaking positively
about it were carefully considered before they went out (my wording
in Home Power was "<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/>
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;
font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style=""></span>it
has
caused me to favorably reconsider Generac for your type of
application</span>"). I have had one of these units in my own off
grid home for about a year, and am quite favorably impressed with
it. It has to date performed without flaw, has very good built-in
diagnostics and a record of usage history, and runs cool and quiet.
So I am encouraging those who have had bad experiences with Generac
to take another look at this particular model. We have needed this
on the market for several years now, ever since the generator
manufacturers began focusing on "home standby" as the next growth
market.<br>
Allan<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;
charset=ISO-8859-1">
<title></title>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><b>Allan Sindelar</b></font><br>
<small><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"><font
color="#000099" face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><u>Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</u></font></a></small><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><br>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic
Installer<br>
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional<br>
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>
<b>Positive Energy, Inc.</b><br>
3201 Calle Marie<br>
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507<br>
<b>505 424-1112</b><br>
<a href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/" target="_blank"><u>www.positiveenergysolar.com</u></a><o:p></o:p></span></font>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span> </div>
<br>
On 4/4/2012 1:20 PM, Roy Butler wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:4F7C9EF3.80302@four-winds-energy.com"
type="cite">
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
Roy's quote:<br>
<br>
"Friends don't let friends buy a Generac"<br>
<br>
On 4/4/2012 2:45 PM, <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:toddcory@finestplanet.com">toddcory@finestplanet.com</a>
wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:1333565122.47691916@webmail.finestplanet.com"
type="cite"><font size="4" face="arial">
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">ditto that question.</p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">i have only installed
one genewreck... an 8 kW unit installed as grid backup. it
sees very little use, but it is a total piece of shit.</p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">i have replaced the
starter motor casting mount twice... of course they never
bothered to redo the poor initial design, so replacing a
broken defective design with a non-broken defective designed
part is just stupid, because it is designed to break.</p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">the voltage regulators
have failed three times... taking out appliances in the
customers home in the process each time.</p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">the battery charger
module came miswired from the factory. i spent about 3 hours
troubleshooting the wiring to fix it... with reimbursement
promises from their horrible 'factory support' which never
came.</p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">i have heard similar
horror stories from others. i will never touch or recommend
a genewreck generator again... never ever!</p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">beware!</p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">todd</p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> <br>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">On Wednesday, April 4,
2012 7:22am, "Dana" <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:dana@solarwork.com"><dana@solarwork.com></a>
said:<br>
<br>
</p>
<div id="SafeStyles1333564536">
<style><!--
#SafeStyles1333564536 @font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 @font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 @font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 @font-face
{font-family:"Century Gothic";
panose-1:2 11 5 2 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 p.MsoNormal, #SafeStyles1333564536 li.MsoNormal, #SafeStyles1333564536 div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
#SafeStyles1333564536 a:link, #SafeStyles1333564536 span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 a:visited, #SafeStyles1333564536 span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 span.hoenzb
{mso-style-name:hoenzb;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 .MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 @page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
#SafeStyles1333564536 div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style>
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><span
style="font-size: 14pt;">Hey Chris - I am curious how
the Generercs are doing I have had nothing but dead,
on fire, or in the shop stories from clients. I only
know of one, a 30 KW water cooled that is healthy to
this day..</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><span
style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><span
style="font-size: 14pt;">Thanks</span><span style="">
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><span
style="font-size: 11pt;">Dana Orzel - Great Solar
Works, Inc - E - <strong><a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:dana@solarwork.com">dana@solarwork.com</a></strong>
- V <strong>970.626.5253</strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><span
style="font-size: 11pt;">F - 970.626.4140 C -
970.209.4076 web - <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.solarwork.com">www.solarwork.com</a>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><span
style="font-size: 11pt;">"Responsible Technologies for
Responsible People since 1988"</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><strong><em><span
style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family:
"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:
green;">P </span></em></strong><strong><em><span
style="font-size: 7.5pt; font-family:
"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:
green;">Please consider the environment before
printing this email</span></em></strong><strong><em><span
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family:
"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:
rgb(153, 204, 0);"> </span></em></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><span
style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<div style="border-right: medium none; border-width: 1pt
medium medium; border-style: solid none none;
border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) -moz-use-text-color
-moz-use-text-color; padding: 3pt 0in 0in;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><strong><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";">From:</span></strong><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif";"> <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
[<a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]
<strong>On Behalf Of </strong>Chris Mason<br>
<strong>Sent:</strong> Wednesday, April 04, 2012
6:16 AM<br>
<strong>To:</strong> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com">Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</a>;
RE-wrenches<br>
<strong>Subject:</strong> Re: [RE-wrenches] Kohler
8.5 RMY question</span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;">I
installed two Kohler 12RES about five years ago, before
we switched brands to Generac. The Kohler units had a
couple of electrical control problems, minor issues,
easily repaired, nothing mechanical. Residential backup
generators are in one of two states, working, or broken.
If it has not broken down, then it is working. End of
story. When the break, you get a new one.</p>
<div>
<div>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt;"> </p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; padding:
0pt;">On Tue, Apr 3, 2012 at 11:28 PM, Allan
Sindelar <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:allan@positiveenergysolar.com">allan@positiveenergysolar.com</a>>
wrote:</p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt;
padding: 0pt;">Wrenches,<br>
We sold and installed a few Kohler 8.5 and 11
RMY generators in the first half of the last
decade. We found over the years that followed
that they held up quite well, with very few
problems if cared for. <br>
<br>
We have a customer whose off grid system we
cared for for about a decade before she sold
her property and moved on. The buyer, with
whom I have never spoken, did little research
on the property or the PV system before
purchase, and is now dissatisfied with the
system and has sued the seller. I have been
asked to provide some history and guidance to
the seller. The system includes an 8.5 RMY
Kohler that, when the property was sold, had
about 2,000 hours on it and was working well,
I recall being told. The buyer has claimed,
among other things, that it was "old and near
the end of its service life."<br>
<br>
What kind of life have others seen from these
units, and how have they held up in your
experience?<br>
Thank you,<br>
Allan<span class="hoenzb"><span style="color:
rgb(136, 136, 136);"> </span></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt;
padding: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(136,
136, 136);">-- <br>
<strong>Allan Sindelar</strong><br>
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color:
rgb(136, 136, 136);"><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"
target="_blank"><span style="color:
rgb(0, 0, 153);">Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</span></a></span><span
style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);"><br>
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color:
rgb(136, 136, 136);">NABCEP Certified
Photovoltaic Installer<br>
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales
Professional<br>
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>
<strong>Positive Energy, Inc.</strong><br>
3201 Calle Marie<br>
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507<br>
<strong><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:505%20424-1112"
target="_blank">505 424-1112</a></strong><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/"
target="_blank">www.positiveenergysolar.com</a></span><span
style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt
722.25pt 0pt 0pt; padding: 0pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);"> </span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</font></blockquote>
</blockquote>
</body>
</html>