Troubleshooting Kohler Intermittant Starting Problems

[Henry Claeys]

My Kohler 12.5 KW generator starts and runs great, but only once. After I turn
it off, the starter buttons go dead and they will not turn the engine over. If
I wait for a day, it's the same thing all over again. Am I on the right track
if I troubleshoot as follows? (1) Check battery. (2) Check connections to
battery. (3) Check alternator. (4) Get help! Thanks.
Henry@... 1979 FC 35, McAllen, Tx

[John Suter]

Hi Henry,

Besides what you have already identified, I'd be on
the lookout for a problem with the starter solenoid or
the starter itself - and others may be able to advise
if you can activate the solenoid manually on your
model BB.

Next time you can start it, I'd immediately shut it
down and attempt a restart, in an attempt to isolate
heat related issues.

Can't rule buttons out 100%, but I think it highly
unlikely an intermittent, or heat sensitive, problem
would exist for every starter button; as typically,
the "Run" part of the buttons are wired in series with
one another while the momentary-depressed "Start" part
is in parallel.

John Suter


--- Henry Claeys wrote:

>
> My Kohler 12.5 KW generator starts and runs great,
> but only once. After I turn it off, the starter
> buttons go dead and they will not turn the engine
> over. If I wait for a day, it's the same thing all
> over again. Am I on the right track if I
> troubleshoot as follows? (1) Check battery. (2)
> Check connections to battery. (3) Check
> alternator. (4) Get help! Thanks.
> Henry@... 1979 FC 35, McAllen, Tx
>
>


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[Jeff Miller]

It sounds like you're exhausting the generator battery and it is
trickle-charging when shut down. see if a jump-start to the generator
battery will allow an immediate re-start.

Originally there was a resistor-pack in the generator control that was
designed to charge the battery from the AC output when the genset is
running, by now that likely doesn't work properly.

The fix was to run a jumper from the main batteries, through a large
diode and self-resetting circuit-breaker, to the genset battery to
charge it from the battery charging system when plugged-in, generator
on, or main engine running.

Another method that many have used is to buy a small battery charger,
plug it in, locate it in the generator bay, and hook it to the genset
battery. Works well whenever 110v is available.

First step is of course to check the genset battery charge level to see
if this is the case, then check the battery and connections.

- Jeff Miller
in Holland, MI


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Henry Claeys"
wrote:
>
>
> My Kohler 12.5 KW generator starts and runs great, but only once.
After I turn it off, the starter buttons go dead and they will not turn
the engine over. If I wait for a day, it's the same thing all over
again. Am I on the right track if I troubleshoot as follows? (1)
Check battery. (2) Check connections to battery. (3) Check
alternator. (4) Get help! Thanks. Henry@H... 1979 FC 35, McAllen,
Tx
>