Kohler 30RES - 30 kW Emergency Standby Generator

I selected the 30RES but I really have a 35RES model. Right after power was restored following hurricane Gustav, I looked at generator sets.

I liked the Kohler 35RES because it had a GM V-6 engine without a timing belt. The engine runs at 1800 rpm which saves wear and tear plus fuel.

I have the RDT 200 amp automatic transfer switch. The system was installed 12/23/2008. The first time that it ran in the automatic mode was about six months after it had been installed. I came home to find the clocks blinking but the lights on.

The genset is so quiet that I did not hear it running when I arrived. The transfer switch had detected the power loss, started the generator, and transferred the load without a problem.

The neighbors who had laughed and snickered at me were out on their patios trying to stay cool while I was in the AC. I had set the transfer switch to exercise the generator on Sunday mornings at 0900 hrs.

You have to go out the first time that you want to set the exercise time and manually press the exerciser button. Press it for a short time (3 seconds) and only the generator starts and runs for the 20 minute time. Press and hold the exerciser button until you hear the switch transfer the load and it will start the generator and transfer the load to the genset.

This is so quick you barely see a blink in the lights. This is the mode that I use. Once you have set the exerciser, you don't have to do anything with it again unless you want to change the time which it exercises in which case you do the above at the time you want the genset to exercise.

This is a very simple, easy to use transfer switch. All of the settings are done at the factory so you don't have to worry with engine start delay, transfer delay, and so on.

The fuel for the genset is natural gas as I really did not want a tank to store fuel. I do have the accessory to change to propane and some parts set up for this if I need to, but natural gas works great.

One thing that I will say that the owner needs to do is about once a month check the oil, and the water level in the battery. Other than that, do the PM and it should last many, many years.

I selected the 30RES but I really have a 35RES model. Right after power was restored following hurricane Gustav, I looked at generator sets.

I liked the Kohler 35RES because it had a GM V-6 engine without a timing belt. The engine runs at 1800 rpm which saves wear and tear plus fuel.

I have the RDT 200 amp automatic transfer switch. The system was installed 12/23/2008. The first time that it ran in the automatic mode was about six months after it had been installed. I came home to find the clocks blinking but the lights on.

The genset is s... more