Kohler 5ecd Generator is Possessed!

[Butcho]

Recently my generator started giving me LB (Low Battery Voltage) warnings whenever my battery power was turned on, even though my betteries were putting out plenty of power (12-12.7V nominal). Then, it actually started flashing LB and HB warnings back and forth. This weekend, when I got in the boat and turned on the battery power just to listen to the radio while I was cleaning, the generator tried to start on it's own....no interaction from me at all. Of course, that sent me scrambling to shut the batteries off and kill it since it was sitting on the trailer a mile from the water!

Any ideas on what's going on here? Do I have a short in my wiring harness? Is my remote start display in the cabin going bad? This is a 2008 260 Sundancer. The generator only has 90 hours on it, and the boat has less than 150 hours on it. I hate electrical problems, and this one is the epitome of why. Any help would be greatly apprecaited.

Thanks,
Butch

 

[skolbe]

There is a setting for the generator that allows it to start for those on a mooring without power. It starts at a certain frequency. I don't remember the specifics, but another boater had that same issue.

 

[ziekman@cox.net]

Are your connections at the battery tight? S low voltage warning may be due to a loose connection.

 

[skolbe]

That is a good point. I had a battery cable come loose and my 5ecd wouldn't start. When I was cruising back I noticed my tach started jumping down wildly. Went to look at the battery and realized a battery cable was a little loose.

 

[Butcho]

If there is a "mooring" setting that can be turned on, I wouldn't know how to turn it on or off. The extent of my use of the system is to start it for the kids' nap time and stop it when the wake up. I've never really dug into the details of the full capability of the system.

I checked the connections at the batteries. I even disconnected each battery completely and connected to only one at a time to make sure I didn't have a bad battery that was somehow being "hidden" or compensated for by a good one. No indication that it made a difference. The power distribution connection on the front of the generator where the battery power connects is a possible suspect in my opionion. Not sure exactly what it does, but detecting battery voltage and sending that signal to the controller appears very likely likely. Can the remote controller itself go bad and generate random faults or even send a random start request?

Frustrating....not sure if I need to find a mechanic, an electrician or a priest with a bucket of holy water!

 

[kaz911]

If there is a "mooring" setting that can be turned on, I wouldn't know how to turn it on or off. The extent of my use of the system is to start it for the kids' nap time and stop it when the wake up. I've never really dug into the details of the full capability of the system.

I checked the connections at the batteries. I even disconnected each battery completely and connected to only one at a time to make sure I didn't have a bad battery that was somehow being "hidden" or compensated for by a good one. No indication that it made a difference. The power distribution connection on the front of the generator where the battery power connects is a possible suspect in my opionion. Not sure exactly what it does, but detecting battery voltage and sending that signal to the controller appears very likely likely. Can the remote controller itself go bad and generate random faults or even send a random start request?

Frustrating....not sure if I need to find a mechanic, an electrician or a priest with a bucket of holy water!

CLEAN all you battery contacts both on batteries AND on the generator. Take them off! Clean them - and put them back... And you can do the same for your remote. The grounding connector on the 5ECD is on the bottom of the tray - which means it RUSTS very easily if tray gets water in it.

Then check all your fuses on the 5ECD... You need an Ohm meter to do that. (Multimeter - $15 ones are fine - but you can do even better with an AC/DC clamp / multi meter for about $100)

The 5ECD does have a tendency to fry the "motherboard" though and that is not a cheap repair (about $1000)

 

[BigBoysToys]

Last years thread but I had a similar experience. Cleaned and left the boat last night with everything set as usual. On shore power, fridges running, air conditioner taking the edge off, battery charger on. A boat neighbor called today to tell me that my generator was running. It started by itself! What could cause this?? I believe it ran for less than 10 hours based on the hour meter. Is there any maintenance I should do for this? Run it for a bit loaded down? I'm concerned it will do it again.

 

[ziekman@cox.net]

Last years thread but I had a similar experience. Cleaned and left the boat last night with everything set as usual. On shore power, fridges running, air conditioner taking the edge off, battery charger on. A boat neighbor called today to tell me that my generator was running. It started by itself! What could cause this?? I believe it ran for less than 10 hours based on the hour meter. Is there any maintenance I should do for this? Run it for a bit loaded down? I'm concerned it will do it again.

We have same year, model boat and I had no idea the genny would fire - up on it's own.

 

[jason78]

We had a new 330DA at our marina a few years back with a 5ECD that would start up on its own and run till someone shut it down or it ran out of gas. It was not owned at the time so we had to call the manager of the marina to come shut it off. As I recall they had to replace the main controller. Seems like they said there was a recall involved but not positive. Made me glad I had a 5E!

 

[Dan Ilhardt]

I am having the same issue with my Kohler 5ecd generator on a 33 2009 sundancer. Lb warning going off and at one point Lb and Hb going off in a cycle. Generator runs fine other than that annoying beeping. Batteries are good, cleaned and checked ground at base of geny. checked connections at batteries and tried to check all connections at geny. Any suggestions welcome

 

[Coz]

My 5ecd started several times on its own. Couple times on the trailer. As I recall there were some issues with the remote start in the cabin. I replaced the remote start with a momentary contact rocker switch and it’s never happened since.

As far as low battery error. Make sure your fuses are good. One of them is for the battery charging circuit. Although even if your genny alternator isn’t charging the gen battery, the boat charger should be

 

[Dan Ilhardt]

Thanks for the reply Cos, checked fuses with meter and they are all good. Have checked all the wire terminations I can get to for a loose or corroded connection and they all seem fine. For now unplugged controller in cabin to stop the alarm beeping and only starting and stopping generator from bilge. Less than ideal but works until I can figure out what is going on.

 

[jmauld]

I wish my generator would run well enough to start on its own!