Not Impressed With Kohler Design

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

I install mostly Generac, but I’ve worked on Cummins and Kohler.

I installed a new Kohler the other day. Design is pretty sad from an installation standpoint.

First, manual looked like it was written by an 8 year old who was mad his mommy made him do his homework, so he did the least possible.

You have disassemble the entire housing in order to access the anchor points, and which time to lid is barely hanging on.

Worst part in my opinion, is the location of the electrical inlets. The only way that I can see to enter the unit, is with an LB and chase nipple, otherwise the lid won’t open all the way. Can’t come straight out with flex, for example.

It would get tricky if you use a preformed pad and have to come out tight to the unit, and then go over far enough to clear the pad.

You have to use a minimum of 2, and sometimes 3, conduits and entries. You can’t use the GenCable like Generac.

The design of the entire electrical compartment is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen. You can’t access your LB with the lid up, and you can’t access the electrical compartment with the lid closed. I’d like to slap whoever came up with that design. Feeding the conductors in is not fun.

And the placement of the main breaker is equally goofy. Its aimed the wrong direction so you can’t see what you’re doing.

I know they are good units and have a reputation, I’m not sure which is better. I’ve removed cummins and replaced with Generac because they had issues with Cummins and never had problems with Generac. I’ve had customers who can’t stand Generac and swear by Kohler.

I don’t drink corporate Kool-Aid, but Kohler should take some lessons from Generac on how to design a unit.

 

[LarryFine]

I’d like to slap whoever came up with that design.

 

[hillbilly1]

Generac is designed for a homeowner to install, so of course it is easier. That being said, all of the Kohlers I’ve installed, have been 30 kw or larger water cooled. The air cooled Cummins/Onan do have poor connection instructions, because apparently they use several different transferswitches. I’ve had a lot of Generac’s fail, but not one Cummins/Onan yet. Kohler seems to have some software issues, as the last one I did, they had to reprogram it. I’m putting in one of three right now, so I will see how the dealer start up goes.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I have installed dozens and never disassembled to access the anchor points. Used long extensions and a little fiddly to get started but it can be done.

I think the install manual is quite good but most just throw it away anyway.

For the electrical inlets, you use 90 degree flex fitting ends, not hard to do.

Yes you have to run 2 conduits.

I haven't had much trouble with landing the wires.

I install mostly Generac, but I’ve worked on Cummins and Kohler.

I installed a new Kohler the other day. Design is pretty sad from an installation standpoint.

First, manual looked like it was written by an 8 year old who was mad his mommy made him do his homework, so he did the least possible.

You have disassemble the entire housing in order to access the anchor points, and which time to lid is barely hanging on.

Worst part in my opinion, is the location of the electrical inlets. The only way that I can see to enter the unit, is with an LB and chase nipple, otherwise the lid won’t open all the way. Can’t come straight out with flex, for example.

It would get tricky if you use a preformed pad and have to come out tight to the unit, and then go over far enough to clear the pad.

You have to use a minimum of 2, and sometimes 3, conduits and entries. You can’t use the GenCable like Generac.

The design of the entire electrical compartment is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen. You can’t access your LB with the lid up, and you can’t access the electrical compartment with the lid closed. I’d like to slap whoever came up with that design. Feeding the conductors in is not fun.

And the placement of the main breaker is equally goofy. Its aimed the wrong direction so you can’t see what you’re doing.

I know they are good units and have a reputation, I’m not sure which is better. I’ve removed cummins and replaced with Generac because they had issues with Cummins and never had problems with Generac. I’ve had customers who can’t stand Generac and swear by Kohler.

I don’t drink corporate Kool-Aid, but Kohler should take some lessons from Generac on how to design a unit.

 

[rambojoe]

Ill suggest again, look into kubota units...

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

I’m not sure that designing something for ease of installation makes it geared towards homeowners.

Plug in neutral panels are easier to wire than the old style with pigtails, but that doesn’t mean they are designed for homeowners to install.

The other thing that pissed me off was when I went to activate it, you enter the customers info. Well, they send the activation code to the customers email, not to the installer. So I have to text the customer and ask him to check his email and send me the code. Generac generates it right there on ActivateGen.

2 years ago, I started getting a lot of calls about generator installs, and I reached out to Cummins, Kohler, and Generac on the same day, looking for factory training.

Cummins called me back after a day and told me to send an email. I sent it, and 2 years later I’ve heard nothing back.

Kohler called me the next day, told me to send an email to them and they would get someone in touch with me. They called me after a couple days and told me to go to their site and sign up for onboarding. I did that, and never heard another word from them.

Generac sent me emails, with info on training and onboarding, I signed up, and within 2 days I was onboarded, account opened, and had a link to the prerequisite online training. I finished it, signed up for factory training, went to Stockton and took the class, and in less than 3 months I was trained, given a dealer ID, Tech ID, direct line to tech support, diagnostic materials, even got access to promotional materials.

I don’t care what brand I install or sell, but one company has this pretty streamlined, and some don’t.

In my area, nearly every cell tower, public safety radio repeater site, hospital, school clinic, etc, uses diesel Generac units. I just bid one for the county department of health where they were replacing a Cummins with a Generac SD150. They spec’d it, not me.

I don’t think Generac is the Yugo of the generator world, and they are designed for ease of installation and service.

 

[hillbilly1]

I’m not sure that designing something for ease of installation makes it geared towards homeowners.

Plug in neutral panels are easier to wire than the old style with pigtails, but that doesn’t mean they are designed for homeowners to install.

The other thing that pissed me off was when I went to activate it, you enter the customers info. Well, they send the activation code to the customers email, not to the installer. So I have to text the customer and ask him to check his email and send me the code. Generac generates it right there on ActivateGen.

2 years ago, I started getting a lot of calls about generator installs, and I reached out to Cummins, Kohler, and Generac on the same day, looking for factory training.

Cummins called me back after a day and told me to send an email. I sent it, and 2 years later I’ve heard nothing back.

Kohler called me the next day, told me to send an email to them and they would get someone in touch with me. They called me after a couple days and told me to go to their site and sign up for onboarding. I did that, and never heard another word from them.

Generac sent me emails, with info on training and onboarding, I signed up, and within 2 days I was onboarded, account opened, and had a link to the prerequisite online training. I finished it, signed up for factory training, went to Stockton and took the class, and in less than 3 months I was trained, given a dealer ID, Tech ID, direct line to tech support, diagnostic materials, even got access to promotional materials.

I don’t care what brand I install or sell, but one company has this pretty streamlined, and some don’t.

In my area, nearly every cell tower, public safety radio repeater site, hospital, school clinic, etc, uses diesel Generac units. I just bid one for the county department of health where they were replacing a Cummins with a Generac SD150. They spec’d it, not me.

I don’t think Generac is the Yugo of the generator world, and they are designed for ease of installation and service.

Generac is making inroads in the commercial market. Not too long ago, EE’s would not allow Generac’s in their specs. Pricing is one of the keys now. I’ve got two low hour units to install, that were pulled from cell tower sites, they were upgrading to larger units, and going back with Generac’s. Lowes appears to be staying with Cat, Onan and Kohler. Home Depot is mostly Kohler, with a few old Onan’s, which they are replacing with Kohler. Generac originally was definitely designed for homeowner installs.

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

That could be it. I know 25 years ago when I was an apprentice as green as spring grass, Onan/Cummins was the only one I saw for the big commercial sites, and a couple Kohlers on smaller sites. Generac probably didn't even make a commercial unit.