We sometimes take electricity for granted and it is only when the power goes away, we realize what a gift electricity is. It’s the same way a sprained ankle lets us realize what a blessing walking is. But unlike the sprained ankle, you can quickly, in mere seconds, recover from the power outage. All you need to do is to get an alternative source of power – a generator!
Kohler Power Group will take care of your power needs – just like a family. Founded in 1920, they are a private, family-owned company with the aim of doing right by their customers. The company strives to provide you with their dependable, revolutionary generators, and engines. You can get their help anytime, anywhere, no matter where life takes you. They have more than 20,000 dealers all around the world. During a power outage, Kohler standby generators supply immediate and long-term power for your business or home. You can buy all types of the generator from their store i.e. home, industrial, Marine, and portable generators.
Let’s look at what will happen if you don’t buy an alternative source of power. This is to answer your query about why you should own a generator [1]. Imagine you were just about to click “submit” to submit your online work assignment and in that moment, the electricity suddenly goes away. What will happen? Your internet connection will be disrupted and now you will have to wait for the electricity to come back. Your work assignment deadline may pass by the time electricity comes back. But if you had bought a generator, none of this would have happened.
In the same way, you are exposing your property to robbers and intruders, darkness will allure them and you will not have any enabled security systems to alert you beforehand. Your favorite food that might be stocked in your refrigerator will go bad and when you have nothing left to eat and you cannot cook anything either, you will obviously need to dine out. This will increase your monetary losses.
Other communication links like cell phones, tablets and laptops will eventually die too because obviously, their batteries cannot last for long. If you had planned a movie night and suddenly the power goes down it would ruin everything, right? If you go to a glamorous party without pressed clothes and a dashing hairstyle, people may think low of you. You would also feel bad that you were unable to use iron for pressing your clothes and electrical hair styling equipment for a perfect hairstyle simply because electricity was down.
Now, you need to choose the right power capacity for the generator that you are going to buy. If you buy a generator with the wrong power capacity, you are risking the safety of your sensitive electrical appliances, or there will be extra power that you don’t really need and all you are doing is wasting your money.
Table of Content
- 1 Different generator sizes. General overview of all options.
- 1.1 Kohler Generator PA-PRO75E-3001-PC Portable – comes with maintenance reminder display!
- 1.2 Kohler Generator 12RESVL-100LC12 Standby Generator – comes with power boost technology!
- 1.3 Kohler Generator 14RESAL-200SELS Standby Generator – with whole-house automatic transfer switch!
- 1.4 Kohler Standby Generator 20RESCL-100LC16 – backed by long warranty!
- 2 What power do you need? Field of application
- 2.1 Recreational Use
- 2.1.1 Rv-ing
- 2.1.2 Camping, Boating, and Tailgating
- 2.2 Home Use
- 2.3 Industrial Use
- 2.1 Recreational Use
- 3 Overview
- 3.1 Connection Capability of Kohler Generator
- 3.2 Maintenance of Kohler generator
- 4 Accessories for Kohler generator
- 5 Benefits and disadvantages: Comparison with other brands
- 6 Are you looking for home standby generators? Go for Kohler Power Group!
- 6.1 References
Different generator sizes. General overview of all options.
Kohler Generator PA-PRO75E-3001-PC Portable – comes with maintenance reminder display!
Kohler generator 7500 watt is a gasoline-powered portable generator which comes with starting wattages of 7500 and running wattages of 6300. The pro model is prepared specially for professionals & quality-minded homeowners. The Kohler generator is bound to last for a long time and stay dependable because of heavy-duty components. The design is proven and the generator’s engine is Kohler command pro.
The power provided by the generator is quite clean, allowing your electrical tools & appliances to run safely at your job site or home. An automatic voltage regulator makes sure that the voltage stays consistent to prevent any surges or similar damage. Fuel efficiency is enhanced by auto-idle down technology and noise is also reduced. The gasoline tank gives 12 hours of runtime when operated at 50% load. The standard model comes with all-terrain tire kit, folding handles and a cord wrap kit.
An electric starter is available, which means that you can plug it in and start the generator using a push button. Electrical equipment is further protected by ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) which automatically turns off the generator in case there is a short circuit. There is a special maintenance reminder display which shows the runtime and illuminates to remind you of the spark plug, oil or filter changes.
“Worth the wait -on backorder. I moved to south Florida, have to have one. I had installed a transfer switch, to cut power from the electric company. I ordered because Consumer Reports rated this the best portable generator. Little power fluctuation, etc. Amazon offered the extension cable, transfer switch, – needed accessories. I bought them too. Had transfer switch professionally installed? Best estimate was a larger local electrician. transfer switches are their bread & butter in Florida. I use mostly LED light bulbs, which made a differFloridaen using a generator. I can turn on ALL the lights with little power drain.”
“I recently purchased this generator(sold by EESYSTEMS) and was pleased by its conforming to Kohler”s long-standing reputation for quality. I was also pleased by the fact that at that price it was an electric start and included a wheel assembly–a $100+ item (if you can find one to buy ). What the details don’t indicate is that at this time the purchase includes a $100 rebate from Kohler.“
Kohler Generator 12RESVL-100LC12 Standby Generator – comes with power boost technology!
Kohler standby generator 12,000 watt which comes with 100-amperes, 12-circuit transfer switch. It is an air-cooled generator and because of the automatic transfer switch, it automatically turns on when the power goes out. The generator is very quick to respond, it will provide power to your home in a mere 10 seconds and the power quality is quite clean and its operation is also very quiet, producing only between 67-71 dB. High-level protection, even from the harshest seaside conditions, is provided by a corrosion-proof enclosure.
The Kohler generator 12kw is bound to last for long and stay dependable because of heavy-duty components. The design is proven and the generator’s engine is from Kohler 7000 series. It is specially designed for easy installation, the polymer base reduces the requirement for a concrete mounting pad and thus decreases the installation time and cost.
Fuel conversion between natural gas and LPG is simple which also maintains the emission certification. You will get the power of 12000 watts on liquid propane and rated power of 11000 watts on natural gas. The integrated power boost technology supplies power to turn on heavy loads without reducing the power being provided to other appliances. One of its amazing features is that it is backed with long warranty – 5 years!
“I purchased my Kohler generator a few years ago. Overall cost with electrician, gas hookup, Kohler service tech (for warranty purposes). I have performed the annual oil/filter and spark plug changes (which is the only maintenance that is to be performed until 300 hours per the owner’s manual.) The first oil change is scheduled for 100 hours or annually.”
“Its first failure occurred at only 82 hours and cost $200 dollars to repair. At 150 hours it will no longer run…again. Despite endless phone calls describing the situation and disappointment in their product, Kohler customer service and management has refused to help. Please take my advice. Avoid purchasing a Kohler product.”
Kohler Generator 14RESAL-200SELS Standby Generator – with whole-house automatic transfer switch!
Kohler standby generator 14,000 watt is a home generator which comes with a 200-amperes whole-house outdoor/indoor transfer switch. It is an air-cooled generator and because of the automatic transfer switch, it automatically turns on when the power goes out. The generator is very quick to respond, it will provide power to your home in a mere 10 seconds and the power quality is quite clean and its operation is also very quiet, producing only between 63-67 dB. High-level protection, even from the harshest seaside conditions, is provided by a corrosion-proof enclosure.
The Kohler generator 14kw generator is bound to last for a long time and will stay dependable because of heavy-duty components. The design is proven and the generator’s engine is from the Kohler Command Pro series. It is specially designed for easy installation, the polymer base reduces the requirement for a concrete mounting pad and thus decreases the installation time and cost.
Integrated electronic speed control is available to quickly respond to your varying electricity demand throughout the day. Fuel conversion between natural gas and LPG is simple which also maintains emission certification. You will get the power of 14000 watts on liquid propane and a power of 12000 watts on natural gas. One of its amazing features is that it is backed with long warranty – 5 years!
“The electrician that installed my new Kohler generator had nothing but good things to say about the unit. He installs a LOT of generators and said he has never had a callback or a warranty issue with a Kohler, which he can not say about the other major brand he installs.
DO be aware, that Kohler requires that a Kohler-certified technician do the pre-start diagnostics and initial startup in order for the warranty to be valid. If your installer is not Kohler certified, this will be an extra cost service.”
“Not the cheapest generator out there but you get what you pay for in my opinion. Just be sure you get a professional electrician to hook it up. No sense skimping on something so critical to your home. I bought it based on other reviews and the product lives up to its reputation of being reliable and reasonably priced.”
Kohler Standby Generator 20RESCL-100LC16 – backed by long warranty!
Kohler generator 20,000 watt is a standby generator which comes with 100-amperes, 16-circuit transfer switch. It is an air-cooled generator and because of the automatic transfer switch, it automatically turns on when the power goes out. The generator is very quick to respond, it will provide power to your home in a mere 10 seconds and the power quality is quite clean and its operation is also very quiet. High-level protection, even from the harshest seaside conditions, is provided by a corrosion-proof enclosure.
The Kohler standby generator is bound to last for long and stay dependable because of heavy-duty components. The design is proven and the generator’s engine is Kohler command pro. It is specially designed for easy installation, the polymer base reduces the requirement for a concrete mounting pad and thus decreases the installation time and cost. With Kohler Command PRO engine, fuel conversion between natural gas and LPG is simple which also maintenances emission certification. Integrated electronic speed control is available to quickly respond to your varying electricity demand throughout the day. One of its amazing features is that it is backed with long warranty – 5 years!
What power do you need? Field of application
The total power that you need depends upon the individual starting and running wattages of your electrical appliances. And of course, the electrical appliances that you are planning to operate will depend on where you’ll be using the generator. Let us look at each field of the application separately:
Recreational Use
Rv-ing
If you are an adventurous person and you love to have RV moments, go look for the size of your AC unit which may be in Btu. This will tell you about the power capacity of the generator that you should buy.
Camping, Boating, and Tailgating
If you are a camper, tailgater and a boater and love to spend your holidays away from home, a portable generator with a power capacity between 1000 to 2000 watts will suffice to fulfill all your power needs. For exact calculations, simply sum up the running wattages of the electrical appliances that you are planning to take a long and then add to them the starting wattage of the heaviest load [2].
Home Use
Generally, for home use, a generator with power capacity lying between 3000 to 7000 watts is enough to fulfill your essential electricity requirements [2]. Again for exact calculations, you simply need to sum up the running wattages of the electrical appliances that you are planning to operate using the generator and then add to them the starting wattage of the heaviest load [2]. If you are still confused about how you should calculate the total power, consult the example table shown below.
Industrial Use
For industrial use, the power capacity of the generator that you should buy depends on the tools that you use on your job site. So like the previous areas of use, all you need to do is sum up the running wattages of the electrical tools that you are planning to operate using the generator and then add to them the starting wattage of the heaviest tool [2]. The example calculations shown in Table 1 will be followed here too. Adding the starting wattages is really important because otherwise, your heaviest tool will not be able to turn on using the generator.
For further details on the power capacities of electrical appliances that are used in different fields, please refer to [3].
Overview
The following table gives a general overview of two more Kohler standby generator.
Connection Capability of Kohler Generator
You can connect Kohler Generator to your home main circuit panel simply by connecting them through the provided automatic transfer switches. It is the best part, isn’t it? That you don’t need to buy separate transfer switches, they come with the stand-by Kohler generator. The automatic transfer switch works by ordering your generator to automatically turn on when it has sensed a power outage.
In the same way, when the main grid electricity comes back, it will sense it, and will disconnect your generator from your home circuit panel and allow your grid’s electricity to reconnect to your home circuit panel. Every generator model comes with a generator owner’s manual and you should always consult it to check the connection capability of your generator. For safety purposes, it is always recommended that the generators be placed at least 20 feet away from your home. This is to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning which can even cause death in extreme cases.
Maintenance of Kohler generator
First of all, for maintenance of Kohler standby generator, we will always recommend you consult the generator owner’s manual. The expert technician should be called for maintenance purposes. However, there are few general maintenance requirements that can be done even by you.
Regularly check your generator’s oil. If your generator has suddenly started to act abnormally, that might be the reason. Consult the generator’s owner’s manual to see what type of oil you need and how to properly change it.
Keep an eye on the air filter. It can be replaced if it is in a bad condition. Otherwise, it can simply be washed using soapy water and then dried using a small piece of cloth.
If you live in a high-temperature area, don’t forget to regularly check the spark plug of your generator. Dirt and dust over the spark plug can be cleaned using a wire brush and, if you feel that it is loose, secure it with the torque wrench.
Accessories for Kohler generator
There are lots of generator accessories available at the Kohler store. They have something for each of their generator models. You can buy a battery, battery heater kit, block heater, alternator weather covers, automatic paralleling module, cold weather, accessory kit, concrete pad, emergency stop kit, fuel regulator heater, external alarm module, load shed kit, a programmable interface module, and much more from their store. Simply visit their website online or go to their store.
Benefits and disadvantages: Comparison with other brands
This section compares the best selling models of Kohler standby generator with other generators of well-known brands such as Generac and Briggs & Stratton. The Kohler standby generator is backed by a long warranty and comes with automatic transfer switches. We recommend you buy Kohler generator if you are looking for quality products even if they are a bit expensive.
Comparison of Kohler Standby Generator 12,000 watt with other well-known brands of similar wattage i.e. Briggs & Stratton and Generac
Table could not be displayed.Comparison of Kohler Standby Generator 14,000 watt with other well-known brands of similar wattage i.e. Briggs & Stratton and Generac
Table could not be displayed.Are you looking for home standby generators? Go for Kohler Power Group!
In this article, we have given complete details on different models of Kohler standby generators and portable. We’ve looked at how each type of generator is different from the others. Also, we have mentioned the real-life experiences of different customers all around the world. A comparison of Kohler generator with other generator brands has also been made so that you can easily see how Kohler generators are better or worse than them. Now it is your turn to make up your mind and decide which generator perfectly suits your power needs.
References
- Angela Hoyos. (2018). Here’s why you need a Standby Generator. Retrieved from: http://www.ismyhomesafe.ca/standby-generator/
- Amazon (2018). Choosing the Right Generator for your Power Needs. Retrieved from: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/home-and-garden/FINAL_wattage_guide._CB509419311_.pdf
- Lowes. (2018). Estimating Power Needs: Portable Generators. Retrieved from: https://www.lowes.com/projects/pdfs/portable-generator-wattage-chart.pdf