Although the 48 volt output from the Cummings small gen is unusual, I like the Propane option, and perhaps it is suitable. It is small, 5 kW but also batteries last longer on a slow charge. It also has a controlled output to do battery charging. Darryl
--- On Mon, 3/29/10, All Solar, Inc. Jeremy Rodriguez <[email protected]> wrote: > From: All Solar, Inc. Jeremy Rodriguez <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Kohler Generator Issues > To: [email protected], "RE-wrenches" <[email protected]> > Date: Monday, March 29, 2010, 12:52 PM > Jeff, > check out Gillette Generators. > Prime power warranty. and 'ok with inverter' > Jeremy > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Yago" <[email protected]> > To: "RE-wrenches" <[email protected]> > 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 > > > > > _____________________________________________________________ > > Netscape. Just the Net You Need. > > _______________________________________________ > > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > > > List Address: [email protected] > > > > 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 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > 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 > > _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: [email protected] 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
