Generator starts on its own?

Vince_nj1

Vince_nj1

Active Member
TECHNICAL Contributor
Aug 25, 2008
1,819
North Barnegat Bay
Boat Info
2006 320 V-Drives 6.2s, Bow Thruster, Generator, Raymarine C80, Radar, Fish Finder
Engines
6.2 Horizons 320HP
My Kohler generator has developed a new gremlin. With the switch on the generator set to Automatic, the generator starts on its own. It started the other week when I slept on the boat. Boat was plugged in on shore power, with the air conditioning running. In the middle of the night the generator started ran for about 20 minutes and then shut off. Last night I left the boat to go eat and when I returned the generator was running. I tried to use the switch in the cabin to turn it off but it did nothing. The green light was on but the switch would not kill the generator. I shut the generator off using the switch on the generator. Any suggestions?
Kohler 5ecd
 
Vince_nj1 said:
My Kohler generator has developed a new gremlin. With the switch on the generator set to Automatic, the generator starts on its own. It started the other week when I slept on the boat. Boat was plugged in on shore power, with the air conditioning running. In the middle of the night the generator started ran for about 20 minutes and then shut off. Last night I left the boat to go eat and when I returned the generator was running. I tried to use the switch in the cabin to turn it off but it did nothing. The green light was on but the switch would not kill the generator. I shut the generator off using the switch on the generator. Any suggestions?
Kohler 5ecd
Click to expand...

There's a recent thread on here regarding this. Has your generator control board been replaced? Has anyone performed recent maintenance on the generator?

In short, there is a configuration setting in the controller board that specifies the type of generator. Choices are marine, mobile and standby. It's is surmised that generators that display this "ghost starting" behavior *may* have the configuration set to standby (vs marine). I don't think we've found a positive confirmation from anyone experiencing this behavior yet, but it is a working theory.

Recent thread: http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/generator-mystery.98806/
 
Thanks for your reply. I read the other thread about low battery voltage monitor that turns the generator on. I have owned my boat since 2009. My boat does not have that. Never heard of something like that on a gas marine generator that calls for the using the blower to vent the bilge before starting. That seems like really bad idea. No one but me has touched the generator in 10 years. I suspect something with the System on the generator that processes the signal from the cabin switch. I am not sure how that works.
 
Vince_nj1 said:
Thanks for your reply. I read the other thread about low battery voltage monitor that turns the generator on. I have owned my boat since 2009. My boat does not have that. Never heard of something like that on a gas marine generator that calls for the using the blower to vent the bilge before starting. That seems like really bad idea. No one but me has touched the generator in 10 years. I suspect something with the System on the generator that processes the signal from the cabin switch. I am not sure how that works.
Click to expand...

Let me try clarify...

If the non-volatile RAM (memory) in the Kohler controller on the generator has been somehow corrupted or if the controller was replaced due a different issue, the unit configuration value could be wrong (set to standby, instead of marine). If this occurs, it is believed the unit may exhibit the autostart behavior you have witnessed. No one has positively confirmed this, but the setting can be easily verified with a few simple steps in the service manual.

The same ADC 2100 controller is used in a variety of contexts---not just in the marine one---and thus has many configurable parameters that define its behavior, including standby mode.

In your case, if this value is incorrect, it appears it would have to be a result of a corruption as your board is original. Of course, the condition could be a result of some other to-be-determined failure...
 
While this is a manual for larger Kohler Marine generators I believe it reflects the logic in question:
https://atlantismarine.co.uk/Images/User/File/tp6951.pdf


The controller operation includes several types of starting and stopping functions as detailed below.

The controller buttons, lamps, and alarm horn functions are summarized in Figure 2-11. There are three primary modes of operation, selected by pressing the respective buttons:

OFF
RUN
AUTO Standby Mode

When the OFF button is pressed, the generator set is in OFF or goes to OFF and will not start.

When the RUN button is pressed, the generator set starts and runs until the OFF or AUTO button is pressed or until a fault is received.

When the AUTO button is pressed, the generator set enters the Standby Mode (STANDBY-RUNNING or STANDBY-OFF depending upon the start signal).

OFF. If the generator set was previously running, pressing the OFF button immediately shuts off the generator set, with no engine cooldown. The generator set remains off and will not respond to a remote start signal.

RUN—Local Start. A single generator set starts. No other generator sets in the system will start (or stop).

AUTO—Standby or System Ready. The generator set is waiting for a start signal. The generator set will start and run when a start signal is received via a remote start, local auto-start, or communications based start. All generator sets in the system (connected by PGEN and in Standby Mode by pressing AUTO) will start when any one of the generator sets receives a start signal.

Any generator set in the system not in AUTO will not start. If Generator Management is on, some generator sets may shutdown after a period of time. With removal of the start signal, all generator sets will shutdown with the appropriate engine cooldown.

AUTO-RUN (Press AUTO and RUN together for a system start signal). All generator sets in the system start and run, close to bus, synchronize, parallel, share load, etc. Some generator sets may shut down after a period of time (indicated by Generator Management) but they remain in Standby Mode ready to start and run if needed.

AUTO-OFF (Press AUTO and OFF together to remove a system start signal, if AUTO-RUN is active). All generator sets in the system open their breakers, enter engine cooldown, shut down, and enter Standby Mode. Closing the remote start contacts accomplishes nothing. Generator sets in the system will enter Standby Mode

It is possible that some other fault is triggering the Start signal but if Auto-Run/Standby is not active....it shouldn't matter.
 
Do you have a remote start module that shows you error codes, hours, etc. or just a momentary contact switch?
 
Vince....I'd really like to hear how this plays out. I had (have) the same problem with my 5ecd. Researched it and others said it was a glitch in the remote start unit in the cabin. My remote was the kohler digital remote that has an LCD screen. I ended up replacing it with a momentary contact switch and haven't had the problem since.

I really don't think it's a standby setting issue. If it was it would come on everytime you unplugged from shore power.
 
Coz said:
Vince....I'd really like to hear how this plays out. I had (have) the same problem with my 5ecd. Researched it and others said it was a glitch in the remote start unit in the cabin. My remote was the kohler digital remote that has an LCD screen. I ended up replacing it with a momentary contact switch and haven't had the problem since.

I really don't think it's a standby setting issue. If it was it would come on everytime you unplugged from shore power.
Click to expand...

There is definitely a Start signal triggering the control board to start the generator. The remote panel is a strong possibility.....but that suggests the control board is in a on State waiting for a Start signal which seems to suggest the Generator has been left in the Auto position. If it is Off it should not Start and run on its own.
 
It's definitely in Auto, but there's nothing in my manual that suggests the gen could start automatically. It still requires a manual action. So even in the auto mode you have to manually press the remote start button.
 
I called Kohler and they suggested that there is a bad wire somewhere. Didn’t provide much help. I took the panel off in the cabin and everything looked fine. I have not had a chance to poke around in the bilge yet.
 

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Well, not sure what the true problem is, but you could wire a switch in series with the manual/off/auto switch and locate it somewhere accessible without opening engine hatch. I did this last year when I first had the problem. Located the switch under the cockpit sink. Pretty easy to install, basically overrides the auto switch.
 
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