Kohler full-output at 120 volts? [RE-wrenches]

[allan]

Gary and wrenches:
    First, a caveat: We have been Kohler dealers since early '99 (the
distributor invited a few dealers in CO and NM, anticipating Y2K business,
and they were right).  So we are most familiar with the 8.5 and 11 RMY air
cooled homeowner units that replaced the wonderful 6.5 RMY flathead-powered
unit of years past, and the smaller water-cooled RY/RZ units of 10, 12, and
20kW.  There are other models for other markets that I'm not familiar with,
and 17 and 22 kW models that don't derate well for our 6-9,000' elevations.
So these LP/natural gas units are what we have installed.
    The reconnection diagrams are in Section 5 of the installation manuals
that come with the units.  Basically, the generator has 4 stator leads; 2
and 3 are tied together as neutral for 120/240 operation, and 1 and 3 are
tied together as neutral for straight 120V output.  I will not say any more
here, to cover my rear.  Check diagrams 5-1 thru 5-4 in the manual for
morecomplete info.
    Onan Commercial units are also configurable to 120V.  Their Marquis RV
series only comes 120.  Some Hondas come with a switchable output, but I'm
not positive it's a bona fide full (balanced) 120V output.  Wrenches?

    While we're on the subject, here's something that is usually overlooked
but is a serious safety issue.  All the generators I've seen come internally
bonded neutral-to-ground.  They have to, to protect dumb homeowners who
don't ground the units.  If you connect the gennie ground lug in the output
to the home system ground (which you automatically will do if you use a
proper plug and cord, wired up normally), you will have a current-carrying
parallel path to your AC output neutral, as you will have two
neutral-to-ground bonds in the system when the generator is connected.  I
have measured it with an amp-clamp.  This is a major safety no-no.
1) Break your neutral-to-ground bond if you can.  Kohlers use two ground
lugs, side-by-side in the terminal area.  Float the neutral stator wires; we
use a #6 split bolt with a floating splice.  Onan something similar.  Cheapo
units can't be unbonded, so:
2) Run only hot and neutral wires between the two points.  Tape off the
ground conductor if there is one (SO cord or the like) at both ends.  Label
what you've done.
3) Bond the gennie chassis to its own ground rod, that is separate from any
system grounding.  Keep the gennie physically out of reach of anything
connected to ground in the house.

    I would appreciate any feedback on this, especially any inaccuracies in
what I've written.  By the way, Dankoff is carrying the smaller Kohler units
for their dealers.  Am I allowed to say this here??

Allan at Positive Energy

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Higbee, Solutions from the Land <ghigbee at efn.org>
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Date: Monday, August 28, 2000 3:23 PM
Subject: Kohler full-output at 120 volts? [RE-wrenches]


>Hi Wrenches,
>
>Allan at Positive E wrote "All Kohlers thru 12 or 20kW or so can be wired
>120 VAC output, so you don't have to match a pair of inverter/charger loads
>on each leg of 240 VAC output..."
>
>How this is done?
>
>I do mostly stand-alone systems, and haven't messed with generators much.
>I'm working with a client now, though, who's going to be using his Kohler
>propane generator (around 7kW) with a SW5548, 16 L-16's, running a Grundfos
>Model 10 SQ sub pump (9-10gpm measured at 425', "efficient," soft-start)
and
>general household loads. He'll be generator-charging until we add a couple
>KW of solar in the future (when the $ tree grows up!).
>
>If there's a way to get (balanced) full-output from the Kohler without a
>T/240 I'd love to know how ASAP. Thank You!
>
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>     Gary Higbee  (ghigbee at efn.org)
>             (541)607-1818
>    Solutions from the Land--solar,
>  wind, and hydro site analysis, design,
>       and installation assistance
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
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