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- Sep 5, 2021
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Another reason I went with the this company is the HVAC estimator did not say anything about converting the 3 prong 240V outlets for the washer and dryer to 4 prong. This company changed both and replaced the wiring to the appliances too, that made them seem more credible.
I'll wait till after the inspection and independent electrician check everything out to send an email.
We had a storm here today with a power outage and the system kicked in after 10 seconds. It ran for 5 hours and used a small amount of propane, approximately 2% of propane. At 50% load, the 26kW model is supposed to consume 2.2 gallons per hour, according to Kohler's specification. If the generator used 2% from a 290-gallon tank, that usage amounts to 5.8 gallons.
Spread over 5 hours, this gives us a calculated consumption rate of 1.16 gallons per hour, which is much lower than the 2.2 gal/hr specification. The gauge showing only a 1% drop was likely inaccurate for such a small measurement, and if the true usage was closer to 2%, it would correspond to the generator running at a realistic and efficient low load of about 13%.
These Kohler units have a buffeting sound that almost sounds like uneven RPM when not fully loaded which is annoying because it is a low frequency sound and travels far. It's hard to hear on the below video but according to some searches, this is a common complaint with Kohlers. I still probably would have gone for one despite the sound due to the reliability of its OHV engine as compared to engine issues with the Briggs / Generac. I ran the home drier to load the generator and see if it would reduce the buffeting, it seemed to help but when I went outside I still heard it. Oh well.
The annoying thing is that the 60A breaker in question tripped and wouldn't power the pool pump. I switched it on and it worked but I now suspect it is indeed a worn out used part.
Here's a video of the generator startup, shutdown, some landscaping work to prep for the generator (I need to do some weeding!) and loading it with a clothes dryer and oven. This is already with an AC and 2 mini splits running along with some house lighting, fridge and freezer.
I'll wait till after the inspection and independent electrician check everything out to send an email.
We had a storm here today with a power outage and the system kicked in after 10 seconds. It ran for 5 hours and used a small amount of propane, approximately 2% of propane. At 50% load, the 26kW model is supposed to consume 2.2 gallons per hour, according to Kohler's specification. If the generator used 2% from a 290-gallon tank, that usage amounts to 5.8 gallons.
Spread over 5 hours, this gives us a calculated consumption rate of 1.16 gallons per hour, which is much lower than the 2.2 gal/hr specification. The gauge showing only a 1% drop was likely inaccurate for such a small measurement, and if the true usage was closer to 2%, it would correspond to the generator running at a realistic and efficient low load of about 13%.
These Kohler units have a buffeting sound that almost sounds like uneven RPM when not fully loaded which is annoying because it is a low frequency sound and travels far. It's hard to hear on the below video but according to some searches, this is a common complaint with Kohlers. I still probably would have gone for one despite the sound due to the reliability of its OHV engine as compared to engine issues with the Briggs / Generac. I ran the home drier to load the generator and see if it would reduce the buffeting, it seemed to help but when I went outside I still heard it. Oh well.
The annoying thing is that the 60A breaker in question tripped and wouldn't power the pool pump. I switched it on and it worked but I now suspect it is indeed a worn out used part.
Here's a video of the generator startup, shutdown, some landscaping work to prep for the generator (I need to do some weeding!) and loading it with a clothes dryer and oven. This is already with an AC and 2 mini splits running along with some house lighting, fridge and freezer.
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