Reset fault on Kohler 5ECD generator remotely?

stephenm27

stephenm27

Active Member
Nov 3, 2009
526
Milton, GA
Boat Info
2021 Jeanneau NC 1095
Engines
2 x Yamaha F300
Nearly without fail, our Kohler 5ECD genset will cough up an error code of some sort over the course of a weekend outing. Its always some innocuous code and usually relates to running the house battery down too low to crank the genset. Paralleling with the engine batteries gets things going again but because it's an error code, before I can crank the generator, I have to move everything in the cockpit that's been stashed on the engine hatch before I can raise it, crawl below, open the soundshield and move the switch to "off" and then back to "auto" to clear the fault.

Does anyone else find this annoying to have to do this? Is there a way to view/reset the fault code on this Kohler genset in a Sea Ray (other than directly on the ADC control panel on the unit)?
 
Monitor your battery bank better or buy new batteries. Your batteries shouldn't be too low to start your generator.
 
skolbe said:
Monitor your battery bank better or buy new batteries. Your batteries shouldn't be too low to start your generator.
Click to expand...

Ideally, you are correct. However, my question was simply, on a SR, is there a remote fault clearing capability for the Kohler genset.

For the sake of the question, we can say the occasional error code is an LOC (caused by loss of prime after trailering/relaunching the boat) if that's more palatable :grin:.
 
It's slightly annoying especially in a hot bilge - I have to reach across my engines because the generator sits behind the engines. I have to ask folks to move off the hatch area if I want to get in my bilge.
 
skolbe said:
It's slightly annoying especially in a hot bilge - I have to reach across my engines because the generator sits behind the engines. I have to ask folks to move off the hatch area if I want to get in my bilge.
Click to expand...

That's my problem, too. Though Chaparral puts the unit in the forward part of the ER, it's still a pain to get to. Inevitably, everything/everyone on the boat happens to be sitting on the hatch at that moment, too.

I'm looking at a remote gauge from Kohler (part #GM-46035-KP1) to mount at the helm, but it isn't clear whether the ability to clear a fault is a feature. It's also pricey at ~$250 + ~$100 wiring harness, especially if it's no improvement over the current start/stop capability we currently have in the cabin.

I was hoping SR had wired up something elegant that I could emulate on our boat...
 
I have the remote. I am able to clear faults on the generator and restart from the remote. Are you starting and stopping your generator in the bilge? What a PITA. Also, on a 2008 boat that get trailered and shows a LOC error code I would suspect loss of some vanes on the impeller. Every time you start the generator after being trailered, you dry run the impeller. Check your impeller and keep a few spares on board. Also, clear your sea strainer.
 
Last edited:
stephenm27 said:
Nearly without fail, our Kohler 5ECD genset will cough up an error code of some sort over the course of a weekend outing. Its always some innocuous code and usually relates to running the house battery down too low to crank the genset. Paralleling with the engine batteries gets things going again but because it's an error code, before I can crank the generator, I have to move everything in the cockpit that's been stashed on the engine hatch before I can raise it, crawl below, open the soundshield and move the switch to "off" and then back to "auto" to clear the fault.

Does anyone else find this annoying to have to do this? Is there a way to view/reset the fault code on this Kohler genset in a Sea Ray (other than directly on the ADC control panel on the unit)?
Click to expand...


Whay are your batteries running low? If the genny is running you should have your battery charger on and in theory never have low batteries unless as stated above, it's time for new batteries.
 
I have a similar problem as well, but slightly different. My boat has the digital remote in the cabin. When I try to start it after first coming off the dock, I get a start fault and have to reset it on the generator itself. Then, however, once out on the water I can start and stop it all weekend or extended weekend without issue. Next week out... same routine.

I did check and it appears there are different connection (conxxxx) settings that can be selected. After reading through the manual, it appears that my Kohler (with the digital remote) is set to a connection setting that has an automatic shut down. I'm going to look into it and see if I can change it to a setting available that maintains the connection all the time.
 
The remote digital gauge will not clear a fault code. You have to reset the controller at the genset. If a genuine fault code came up, you'd want to know what it is, anyway.

The generator should have it's own dedicated battery. This is in the installation manual. All good boat manufacturers follow these instructions, don't they? Kohler does not recommend sharing the genset battery, especially when it can be drained down.
 
Scupper Guppy said:
The remote digital gauge will not clear a fault code. You have to reset the controller at the genset. If a genuine fault code came up, you'd want to know what it is, anyway.

The generator should have it's own dedicated battery. This is in the installation manual. All good boat manufacturers follow these instructions, don't they? Kohler does not recommend sharing the genset battery, especially when it can be drained down.
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I clear the overheat and CO faults on the remote all the time and then restart from the remote. All the fault codes read out on the remote, even the genuine ones. The only one I can't clear is the 1000 fault because the switch is not in auto on the generator. If I ever have a freeze up on the remote, cycling the battery switches fixes it without having to go into the bilge.
 
You can turn off the battery switch in the breaker panel box and then back on and this will reset it without going in the engine compartment.
 
JV II said:
If I ever have a freeze up on the remote, cycling the battery switches fixes it without having to go into the bilge.
Click to expand...

I'm going to have to try that and see if It'll be a quick fix for the short term. Interesting.
 
impactg said:
I'm going to have to try that and see if It'll be a quick fix for the short term. Interesting.
Click to expand...

PLEASE DO NOT CYCLE YOUR BATTERY SWITCHES WHILE YOUR ENGINES ARE RUNNING!!!:smt018:smt018:smt018
 
JV II said:
I have the remote. I am able to clear faults on the generator and restart from the remote. Are you starting and stopping your generator in the bilge? What a PITA. Also, on a 2008 boat that get trailered and shows a LOC error code I would suspect loss of some vanes on the impeller. Every time you start the generator after being trailered, you dry run the impeller. Check your impeller and keep a few spares on board. Also, clear your sea strainer.
Click to expand...

Chaparral provides remote start/stop capability, but that is it. There's no way to see and or clear any faults that may have occurred. You know it faulted because a press of the momentary start switch doesn't result in the genset attempting to crank.

As for dry starting the generator after trailering, it's not really that bad as the sea strainer never drains empty. All that's required is a moderate bit of forward motion in the boat and the intake has positive water pressure sufficient to minimize/eliminate dry priming.

That said, I do have several spare impellers on board :grin:.

Can you describe the Kohler remote gauge that you have? A picture of it or, better yet, a part # from the manual? It sounds like I need one of them...
 
Bucit said:
Whay are your batteries running low? If the genny is running you should have your battery charger on and in theory never have low batteries unless as stated above, it's time for new batteries.
Click to expand...

Chaparral uses the house battery as the genset start battery. If you don't run the genset for a period and run the house battery down (fridges, etc), you will get a fault on attempted start of the genset.

While I appreciate the battery suggestions, I'm not diagnosing a battery problem---I'm seeking a remote to better manage the generator capabilities (and fault annoyances). :smt001
 
B-Fitting said:
You can turn off the battery switch in the breaker panel box and then back on and this will reset it without going in the engine compartment.
Click to expand...

Interesting thought. I have not tried this. It beats crawling into the bilge as a short/interim solution. Thanks!
 
B-Fitting said:
You can turn off the battery switch in the breaker panel box and then back on and this will reset it without going in the engine compartment.
Click to expand...

I just wanted to relate that I tried this over the past weekend. As I mentioned previously, once off the dock I had to go down into the engine bay to reset the genset at the controller. Once I did this, I could start/stop the genny all weekend without isse.

It worked! I cycled the battery switches off/on again and the digital controller fired the genny right up without a 'start fault'. I didn't have to move the beer, cleaning rags, cooler or anything at all.

So I finally have a working resolution on the last weekend of boating... sounds about right for me. lol

Thanks again for the suggestion. It seems that their must be some sort of safety on the generator's electronic controller that senses when AC is feeding the boat... maybe to ensure the unit isn't back fed. I'm not real clear on the reason why this happens yet, but it sure is a lot easier than moving everything and jumping in the hole.

Appreciated. :smt038
 
I see this is snnold post but it helped me so far with my approach. 2012 searey 330 sundancer kohler 5ekd ran all night and at 6 am shut down with a 58 warn code . Impellar was fine but cant restart . How do I clear codes
 
The round dial on the front on the genny. Push it in a turn to bring up the clear fault Y or N option then press again.
 
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