Kohler Gen Set - Reduced Volts

[Art]

Originally Posted by BIG CAT

Art,
looking at the parts book i found online.
http://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.co...Gas_TP5045.pdf

your gen uses brushes and a avr. the unit is producing the 105vac. so more than likely the gen end and avr is ok. normally when ether component has failed it will ether make too much voltage or not make any. you will want to check your running hz as posted above before going any further.

Thanks, BC - That is my plan!

[ksanders]

Originally Posted by Ski in NC

Yep, check rpm or Hz. Some of these make low volts if governor speed setting is low.

You REALLY need to heed Skis advice on this one.

Get a good quality hand held voltmeter with HZ capability.

Most voltage regulators in genberator ends are VERY frequency sensitive.

If frequency is not your problem, more than likely your voltage regulator is the issue. There is often an adjustment on these.

[Art]

Originally Posted by ksanders

You REALLY need to heed Skis advice on this one.

Get a good quality hand held voltmeter with HZ capability.

Most voltage regulators in genberator ends are VERY frequency sensitive.

If frequency is not your problem, more than likely your voltage regulator is the issue. There is often an adjustment on these.

Yup! As I'm 100 miles from the boat... Next week plan to get a technician to follow that direction. Thanks!! - Art

[sbu22]

Think we have the same genset, Art. These guys have a good inventory of NOS Kohler parts and a good bit of knowledge about these units:

Jim or Hob Bonnett
Wavetop Technology Inc
New Bern, NC
Office 252-636-0715 M-F 9-4
Cell 252-626-5388
http://www.wavetop.com/prod-kohler-parts.htm

[Art]

Originally Posted by sbu22

Think we have the same genset, Art. These guys have a good inventory of NOS Kohler parts and a good bit of knowledge about these units:

Jim or Hob Bonnett
Wavetop Technology Inc
New Bern, NC
Office 252-636-0715 M-F 9-4
Cell 252-626-5388
http://www.wavetop.com/prod-kohler-parts.htm

Thanks, sb! I opened the link. Looks like really good Kohler parts opportunity, general input too. Will contact them. - Cheers! Art

PS: If yours too is gas engine... is there hour meter on yours? Not on mine... just wondering how long these baby's run. So far [during 10 yr. ownership]the engine is perfect. We don't put too many hrs. on it. Don't think the PO [original] owner did either. The more I get into this the more I am feeling the low voltage problem will get cleared up.

[hfoster]

Art me Irish Gen-less Bro.

Stop being so bloody cheap and buy a new or slightly used Gen Mate. You have got your use out of your 1,000 year old the bloody Gen. It is time to let the Mate go! Let it go!

The time and $ you are spending or will be spending, along with the stress is not worth it Mate. You can have a new Gen in place by time you get parts of get the Gen fixed Mate.

So pick up the phone. Buy a new Gen and slap the puppy in and that new puppy will be your friend. I know it is hard to let go of an old friend. But it's Time!

Cheers Art and I Irish you and yours Merry Christmas

H.

[Art]

Originally Posted by hfoster

Art me Irish Gen-less Bro.

Stop being so bloody cheap and buy a new or slightly used Gen Mate. You have got your use out of your 1,000 year old the bloody Gen. It is time to let the Mate go! Let it go!

The time and $ you are spending or will be spending, along with the stress is not worth it Mate. You can have a new Gen in place by time you get parts of get the Gen fixed Mate.

So pick up the phone. Buy a new Gen and slap the puppy in and that new puppy will be your friend. I know it is hard to let go of an old friend. But it's Time!

Cheers Art and I Irish you and yours Merry Christmas

H.

Worry not my boxen Irish friend!

I'll not put too much $$ into this ol' baby.

So far just couple hundred $$ expense for others checking things out and couple hrs. time of me on keyboard and ph.... whilst I conduct other work efforts. Long and short of it seems to be coming down to simply more gen set RPM and more Hertz. Cheap at 1/2 the price in my estimation!

I'm learning all the time on this occasion. If expense gets to climbing too much... then the whole kit n' caboodle will be used as a mooring weight.

Merry Christmas - You Large Sized Smilen Leprechaun!!

[High Wire]

Btw I keep a KillAWatt monitor plugged into a handy outlet to monitor gen voltage and frequency. Excellent and only about $30.

[Ski in NC]

Originally Posted by Art

Yup! As I'm 100 miles from the boat... Next week plan to get a technician to follow that direction. Thanks!! - Art

You don't need a tech to do this. Go buy either a meter with a Hz setting, or go to Harbor Freight and buy a phototach for like 40 bucks. Either will tell you if it is running slow.

Either will be way cheaper than getting a tech to do it. And the tools will be useful for as long as you own the boat.

You have spent more time typing about this than it would take to check speed!!!

[Art]

Originally Posted by Ski in NC

You don't need a tech to do this. Go buy either a meter with a Hz setting, or go to Harbor Freight and buy a phototach for like 40 bucks. Either will tell you if it is running slow.

Either will be way cheaper than getting a tech to do it. And the tools will be useful for as long as you own the boat.

You have spent more time typing about this than it would take to check speed!!!

Ski - Agreed. I plan to purchase those tools for aboard boat future conditions. Unfortunately, currently I've not the time to travel 200 mile round trip just to visit the boat to check out Kohler generator RPM / Hertz. Relatively small cost to have a gen set "smart" person do my needs for me is best alternative to learn more and have persons in that area for future needs if required.

[Art]

Originally Posted by High Wire

Btw I keep a KillAWatt monitor plugged into a handy outlet to monitor gen voltage and frequency. Excellent and only about $30.

Archie, TY for input. As this is first time I've had gen set problem... will now purchase several items to keep better eye on things.

[sbu22]

Originally Posted by Art

Thanks, sb! I opened the link. Looks like really good Kohler parts opportunity, general input too. Will contact them. - Cheers! Art

PS: If yours too is gas engine... is there hour meter on yours? Not on mine... just wondering how long these baby's run. So far [during 10 yr. ownership]the engine is perfect. We don't put too many hrs. on it. Don't think the PO [original] owner did either. The more I get into this the more I am feeling the low voltage problem will get cleared up.

The Hobbs indicates 1100+ - it gets used lightly since I've owned the boat. It's gas.

Chanced to run into the mechanic that has been working on the boat for the last decade or so - he's 75 and has been marine wrenching since high school. Echoed Ski and others advice to a T.

Told me that he had, before my tenure, done the rpm adjust to fix voltage low output problem on mine. These gensets apparently powered half the small trawlers in this part of the world back in the day. His opinion is the old Kohler's, with good PM, will out last the boat.

If I had to replace it, I'm thinking a Honda 6500eu. Where I stand now, I'm delighted with my Planet of the Apes, low tech, nearly bulletproof genset.

[Art]

Originally Posted by sbu22

The Hobbs indicates 1100+ - it gets used lightly since I've owned the boat. It's gas.

Chanced to run into the mechanic that has been working on the boat for the last decade or so - he's 75 and has been marine wrenching since high school. Echoed Ski and others advice to a T.

Told me that he had, before my tenure, done the rpm adjust to fix voltage low output problem on mine. These gensets apparently powered half the small trawlers in this part of the world back in the day. His opinion is the old Kohler's, with good PM, will out last the boat.

If I had to replace it, I'm thinking a Honda 6500eu. Where I stand now, I'm delighted with my Planet of the Apes, low tech, nearly bulletproof genset.

Thanks, sb. Plan to report good results in near future.

[sbu22]

BTW, Art - when my mech said small trawlers, he was referring to working boats, not rec boats - Lafitte skiffs - shrimpers and crabbers. The old gas Kohlers were very much "equipment" and not accessories.

Reminiscent of the F head 4 banger in my 60 Willys - simple, sloppy, and uber reliable.

Let us know how it resolves.

[Art]

Originally Posted by sbu22

BTW, Art - when my mech said small trawlers, he was referring to working boats, not rec boats - Lafitte skiffs - shrimpers and crabbers. The old gas Kohlers were very much "equipment" and not accessories.

Reminiscent of the F head 4 banger in my 60 Willys - simple, sloppy, and uber reliable.

Let us know how it resolves.

Planning to! May be a while though. Now that I've gained so much info about this year/model Kohler... I'm fairly confident good resolution will result.

[Art]

OK!!!

Said I'd report resolution... so, here it is:

New plugs and new governor spring raised engine rpm to 1800 and hertz to 69.5. Now voltage and amps are in line and all is well again for our 1977 Kohler 7.5 kW gen set!

Simple!

[sbu22]

Fantastic! Like General Sherman (William Tecumseh) said: No news is so good or so bad as it first seems.

[Art]

I again say thanks to all for support and assistance!!

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Art

OK!!!

Said I'd report resolution... so, here it is:

New plugs and new governor spring raised engine rpm to 1800 and hertz to 69.5. Now voltage and amps are in line and all is well again for our 1977 Kohler 7.5 kW gen set!

Simple!

No, no, no, IF your RPM is 1800, the output frequency is 60Hz so something is wrong with your measurement. The RPM is the decision maker for output frequency. This can be important for things such as microwave ovens which are very frequency sensitive.

I have the same genny and absolutely love it but again there are problems and I do mean real problems getting parts. For example, your heat exchanger end plate has a corrosion problem and mine rotted out. A company in North Carolina was re-manufacturing them for $300 which I attempted to order. Gave up after a two month wait so I had one made in a weld shop. I have no clue how long this is going to last because it is made of steel rather than cast iron. OH cost was $300 and the mounting surface was not even flat.

Somewhere you mentioned that you thought the genny was for an RV. Maybe part of it was but your engine looks to be raw water cooled and RVs don’t have raw water available.

The most impressive thing about this machine is that it operates at 1800 and not screaming 3600 RPM. If at any time you are forced to replace your great generator try to find another that operates again at 1800.

[foggysail]

AND A WARNING!!!! Be VERY careful to make sure your spark plug wires from the magneto to the plugs NEVER fall off while the machine is running. I found out the hard way. I started the genny to operate my davit crane and while outside on deck I noticed the exhaust didn’t sound right. I immediately knew there must be a plug wire off and did my best to get to it as quickly as possible.

Wasn’t fast enough! By the time I got there I had no spark anywhere. The high voltage pulse transformer in the magneto croaked. A magneto will try to output an infinite voltage and is limited by whatever voltage the spark plug arcs at which will be around 20-25KV.

Took me awhile to repair the magneto. That beast or at least most of that beast is used in other antique machines so they are available...try Ebay. Unfortunately repairing one of these things is usually beyond the capacity of most guys so be careful