Kohler Generator how to?

Scott1

Scott1

Member
Aug 21, 2008
149
Table Rock Lake
Boat Info
08' 260SD
Engines
6.2 MPI B3
Hi All, looks like I closed the deal on a 260 with a 5kw kohler gen. Never had a marine generator so I need a little "Generator 101" classtime.

When can I use it...underway or stopped? What do I have to do to the boat to use it? What do I need to do to the gen to get it ready for a day of use? What do I need to do to the gen when not going to be using it?....for extended periods? Any must do's or do nots? How much stuff can I run off the gen?


thx
 
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What year? How old? How long since service?

1) Go ahead and replace the raw water impeller.
2) Open Sea Cock and ensure electrics off genny (on shore power or off altogether)
3) Run blowers for 4 minutes, then check for gas fumes
4) Turn run switch on (if installed)
5) Turn Gen Switch on (connect battery to genny)
6) With boat in water, push and hold Start switch until Genny starts
7) Let warm up 1 - 3 minutes with all electrics off - Check for water flow from exhaust
8) Turn Genny electric switch on
9) Turn on some good loads - don't run un-loaded for more than a few minutes (Run A/C, batt charger, stove, fridges, hot water heater - 3/5 of them or so)
10) Have portable CO detectors in cockpit and cabin in addition to Sea Ray CO det.
11) Make sure you have ventilation so exhaust fumes don't come in and kill you
12) 50% do not sleep with genny on, and will kill you if you do. 50% do use it 24/7
13) When done, turn off all electrics to genny for a couple of minutes to cool down
14) Shut off genny by holding down on start switch.
15) Shut off genny battery (if able) and shut blowers off (leave on when genny on - consider installing "Constant use" blowers)
16) Depending on environment, clean/check genny strainer daily or so
17) Change impeller annually. Change spark plugs annually. Change oil at least annually
18) Change zinc every 50 hours or so in salt water (top of heat exchanger) until you get a feel for it's usage
19) Always warm up, check water flow, run loaded, let cool down, and keep strainer clean
20) Use about .65 gallons per hour under moderate load

Questions?
 
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Hampton said:
What year? How old? How long since service?
Click to expand...


02 model with very few hrs....not sure on total yet but motor has only 67. I will make sure all fluids are new and impeller is new this summer.


Can I run genny underway...or best off plane? Where is water intake for these?

Good advice, thanks.
 
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Scott,

I have a Kohler 5KW on my 2007 290DA. Probably a very similar model.

Not much to add about standard operations to what Hampton said.
I will add a few specifics as I was new to a genset last year and in a learning mode. First, do what ever you have to do to get a manual. The Kohler has very sophistacated controls and sensors. Additionally this was the only thing on my new boat I had several vists from the MM tech to get it right. There are many sensors on yor genset and they will shut down. You have a very detailed computer on the genset and you have about 12 error codes which you need to know.

One real time thing I noticed is that in 100 degree weather my genset would not start after I ran it and then shut down. The overheat sensor would shout it down but it could be restarted every time after a reset. I guessed that the temp in the bilge was excessive and tripping the heat sensor after it shut off. As a habit I kept running the bilge blower for 5-8 minutes after shutting down the genset. That kept the bilge heat down and fixed the problem.
 
Hopefully you received the operator manuals that came with the boat. Water pickup and discharge locations are marked in the S/R owners manual. There is a decent manual from Kohler that is included with the bag of manuals from S/R If there aren't any manuals, try downloading them from S/R's and Kohler's web sites.

Did you do a sea trial? If so, the seller should show you how all of the systems work.

In additions to Hampton's post, carry atleast 1 spare impeller kit and (2) spare spark plugs. I choose not to run the gen while I'm underway. I can cool the cabin down quickly once anchored so I don't see the need for any other AC circuits to be running while underway....that's just me.

Keep it in good running order and you will enjoy a gen equipped boat.
 
Scott1 said:
02 model with very few hrs....not sure on total yet but motor has only 67. I will make sure all fluids are new and impeller is new this summer.


Can I run genny underway...or best off plane? Where is water intake for these?

Good advice, thanks.
Click to expand...

Sure, you can run it while on plane. But the caveat here is to start the gen BEFORE coming onto plane. Gen intakes don't use a scoop strainer- and may fail to start drawing cooling water if started while on plane. As to your second question, just trace the hose to the seacock.
 
John, Good stuff! I really like #12 :grin: I'm one of the 50% who uses my generator while sleeping and has not died... yet.
 
Bridog said:
John, Good stuff! I really like #12 :grin: I'm one of the 50% who uses my generator while sleeping and has not died... yet.
Click to expand...

Glad you are still alive!
 
Great info guys, I really appreciate it. Ive had a few boats, but none with gen sets in them. Cant be too hard, but just figured there were a couple tricks to keeping it going strong.

Can anybody recommend an aftermarket CO detector and proper placement of it in the cabin and cockpit?
 
Run your generator at least 1 hour under load every two weeks and they should keep in running good.
 
Scott1 said:
Great info guys, I really appreciate it. Ive had a few boats, but none with gen sets in them. Cant be too hard, but just figured there were a couple tricks to keeping it going strong.

Can anybody recommend an aftermarket CO detector and proper placement of it in the cabin and cockpit?
Click to expand...

Run it on plane and off. Go to Home Depot tomorrow, and get 2 of the first ones you see. Then, when you have time, be sure to get one with a digital readout of CO levels on the face of it. You will use them for months without a response, then one day, when the conditions are just right, they will save your lives.
 
The water intake is generally under the area near the genny. From the genny, there will be a rubber hose to a strainer (going backward), then a rubber hose to a thru-hull valve with an on-off handle. That is where the water intake is. These are holes without scoops - you cannot scoop water into a genny on these boats. When off, the genny exhaust would fill with water when the boat was underway, and it would go into the cylinders with open exhaust valves. So, getting the water flow going may be tricky in your hull. See related posts above.

Once you get the hang of it, it's very simple. If you don't get the hang of it, it can be very dangerous and/or expensive.
 
Hampton said:
Run it on plane and off. Go to Home Depot tomorrow, and get 2 of the first ones you see. Then, when you have time, be sure to get one with a digital readout of CO levels on the face of it. You will use them for months without a response, then one day, when the conditions are just right, they will save your lives.
Click to expand...


So where are the best places to put the CO detectors? Very lowest place in cabin, or highest?

DO you always keep the sea cock closed when not using the genny?...if so I guess i have to open the engine hatch everytime i intend to start makin power.
 
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CO is approx. the same density as air, so mounting height is not critical.
The open/closed seacock question has been discussed many times (do a search) and applies to both you mains and generator.

Leaving it open means a failed hose, clamp, etc. could let water into the boat, potentially sinking it if bad enough.

Leaving it closed means you run the risk of forgetting to open it and burn up the impeller which makes for a bad day. Should the overheat sensor fail to shut down the gen, it could get a lot worse.

I can't remember what I had for dinner last night so I leave all of mine open and check them frequently.
 
Scott1 said:
So where are the best places to put the CO detectors? Very lowest place in cabin, or highest?

DO you always keep the sea cock closed when not using the genny?...if so I guess i have to open the engine hatch everytime i intend to start makin power.
Click to expand...

We have 3 CO detectors in our cabin. Possibly that is overkill but they are inexpensive and very important.

We put one in the mid birth by the light. The light I am talking about is the one that would be by your hips if you were sleeping in the mid birth.

We have two more in the V-birth, one on each side.

I check them often.

As far as sea-cocks, I exercise them when I clean the strainer every month but other then that I leave mine open. I’m not going to get down in the bilge and open that thing every time I want to turn on the generator. Besides, are you going to also close the sea cock for the A/C unit every time you are not using it? Some may climb down there and do this, and I’ll admit that its safer to do it but its not a reasonable thing. I guess if you are the type of person who wears both a belt and suspenders incase one fails then you may want to close the sea cocks.


I do inspect the sea cocks, bilge pumps, physically test the bilge pump floats once per month by turning the float knob when I’m cleaning the strainers and flood the bilge once per season until the bilge pumps come on as a real world test. I make sure the bilge is free of debris, plastic bags, grime, etc.

According to boat US statistics, unattended boat dock sinking are most frequently caused by failed outdrive boots (bellows) and rain / snow combined with clogged scuppers / non-working bilge pumps. Read more here: http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/sinking/

In 50% of the dockside sinking claims, water found its way into the bilge through leaks at underwater fittings. The majority of the leaks were at stuffing boxes (12) (nope, you don’t have one), followed by outdrive or shift bellows (11), failed hoses or hose clamps (eight), sea strainers (four), and drain plugs (four).

There were two sinkings each from air conditioning fittings, gate valves, transducers, mounting bolts, and mufflers. One boat went to the bottom as a result of a leaking speedometer impeller. It is certainly possible that more than one fitting had been leaking.



Recommendations:
Have a well maintained boat.
#1) Make sure you your sea cock has the proper shut off valve, a marine grade handle, not a dial you turn like on your home for your garden hose.
#2) Have two stainless steel clamps, properly installed in opposite directions. If you see corrosion, replace them.
#3) Have good, soft, crack free lines / hoses. If they are starting to look brittle, if you see cracks, replace them.
#4) In your tool kit carry some fusion tape to repair a leaking hose and some corks of various size. In the worse case scenario, pound a cork into the hole until you can get the boat out of the water.




CO detectors can save your life. Closing a sea cock can save your boat from sinking if there is a failure when you are not around. To me, one is critical and the other one, well, that is why I am paying for insurance.
 
Very nice. Thanks. There are decidedly more openings in this boat compared to the fountain I just sold.
 
generator has 7hrs on it.....02' model. Wouldnt start for surveyor. Turned over very nice and smooth but woudnt start. Old fuel? Carb out of tune from non-use? Ideas?
 
Hampton said:
Run it on plane and off. Go to Home Depot tomorrow, and get 2 of the first ones you see. Then, when you have time, be sure to get one with a digital readout of CO levels on the face of it. You will use them for months without a response, then one day, when the conditions are just right, they will save your lives.
Click to expand...

Please help....the only CO detectors I see in Home Depot are 120V with battery backup....do you just use the battery backup?

Sorry for thread jack...
 
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