50s(?) Kohler Generator help needed

[ebinmaine 68,514]

We have here what we believe is a late 50s, maybe early 60s, Kohler Powerplant Generator.  

 

The engine is a K660 or K662 depending on where you read.

 

The generator head is rated at 5K. There's no rating for continuous vs surge so I believe that 5K is continuous. 

 

It's a low hours machine.  If I remember correctly it sat in a medical center in Brattleboro Vermont for several decades. 

Seems it may have more hours of testing on it than actual usage.  

 

I'd like to get it set up and usable for us. 

It has an automatic start using a 12v battery and can be crank started as well. Likely that's quite a workout!

 

 

It has a canister type oil filter.  

An oil bath type air filter. 

It needs two spark plugs that appear to be military grade? 

I'll need a good battery. 

A good quiet muffler.  

A fuel tank with good capacity.  

 

 

What we'll need help with is the wiring harness for the 120V side.  We have an electrician friend that certainly could help. 

All we want is a plug for a good HD cord to feed the fridge and some lights etc.  

 

THIS WILL NOT BE CONNECTED TO THE HOUSE.  

 

One main question is what's the grey box on top of the generator?

 

 

Some other pics:

 

 

[ri702bill 8,525]

OK - I'll take a stab at it.....

How many positions on the rotary drum switch?? At least two ...I figure it is a 110 volt or 220 volt selector - the volt meter goes up to 300.... The field coils are wired to it - 110 half are used, all are used on 220. Just got done replacing the 110 volt motor on the milling machine with a comparable 110/220 model - wiring from the 3 position drum switch was a bit of a challenge....

had to make a C-face adapter and shaft reducer.

 

 

[ebinmaine 68,514]

3 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

OK - I'll take a stab at it.....

How many positions on the rotary drum switch??

That's part of the issue...

There's a LOT. 

I haven't tried to turn it all the way around.  

 

[ri702bill 8,525]

Hmm... progressive voltage selector?? The more you give it a twist, the more you get???

[Ed Kennell 38,746]

I don't know if it helps or applies to your Kohler set, but my old Onan gen-set has a continuous and an idle setting where the RPM only increases to 3600 (60 cycle) when it sees a load.  It also fed 12VDC back to charge the battery.

Agree with Bill, the rotary switch seems to be a voltage control.

[ri702bill 8,525]

6 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Agree with Bill, the rotary switch seems to be a voltage control.

Time to get a-Googlin and find a wiring diagram and info......

[Racinbob 11,251]

Not seeing it in person and not knowing what the generator was intended for I can only explain what a (basically) identical switch was used for on an Onan generator in our motorhome. It has nothing to do with the voltage output but it's to split the load so the generator isn't overloaded. The concern was that we had two rooftop AC units and the 5500w generator could only run one at a time. So through that switch I could select the front unit, the back unit or both but in the 'both' position it had to be on shore power. The contacts tend to pit and I eliminated it all together allowing everything to operate on both shore and generator power. I just had to remember that only one AC at a time on gen power. Winnebago included a wiring diagram but it's long gone. 

 

On RV's with only a 30 amp service and two AC units the switch will have more positions to select from. A 30 amp service won't run both units so you could select one unit on the generator and one unit on shore power. 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by Racinbob

[Racinbob 11,251]

Here's a VERY simplified diagram but you can get the idea. 

 

[wallfish 17,084]

I thought this was supposed to be the engine for Molasses ?

Still not a bad idea to use it for it's intended purpose but I would first get it fired up to make sure that generator is producing power. Everything else is mute if it doesn't.

 

Search Summit racing or other auto suppliers for a small car muffler. I put one on the ROOF 60 with a big Kohler and it's quiet enough to hold a conversation right next to it.

 

That thing will suck fuel fast so maybe set it up to use your 5 gallon fill cans. An electric pump with a shut off valve and or fuel line switching valve? Just kinda think'n out loud again. Using multiple 5 gallon cans will allow them to be switched while continuously running and give time to go get more with the empties if necessary.

[ebinmaine 68,514]

5 minutes ago, wallfish said:

I thought this was supposed to be the engine for Molasses ?

I have two of these big twins. 

 

The Colossus engine is a K582. 

 

This reads 660 on the tag I believe. 

 

[ebinmaine 68,514]

7 minutes ago, wallfish said:

small car muffler

I'm kinda thinking about using the muffler off the F250.... (?)

I'll be removing it in favor of a more performance oriented one so it's a spare, so to speak.  

 

 

[ebinmaine 68,514]

8 minutes ago, wallfish said:

suck fuel fast

Gallon per hour maybe ...?

 

Likely more. 

 

We don't need it to run continuously. 

Maybe 3 to 5 hours in 24.  

 

[ri702bill 8,525]

8 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I'm kinda thinking about using the muffler off the F250.... (?)

Thank Goodness you are not considering using a "Fart Pipe" from some junkyard Honda lowrider.......

[8ntruck 7,113]

My initial thought on that switch was that it could be a transfer switch.  You get the generator started and running, then throw the switch to hook onto the electrical load.

Edited December 23, 2023 by 8ntruck

[ebinmaine 68,514]

57 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

Thank Goodness you are not considering using a "Fart Pipe" from some junkyard Honda lowrider.......

Not happening on anything I own. Those are gross.   

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,429]

4 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

THIS WILL NOT BE CONNECTED TO THE HOUSE.  

 

 

Why would you not tie in to your house…for $150 you can install an Interlock kit and legally feed the house. Have any lights you want etc..

[ebinmaine 68,514]

27 minutes ago, Sparky said:

Why would you not tie in to your house…for $150 you can install an Interlock kit and legally feed the house. Have any lights you want etc..

 

It's... Not exactly $150.  

 

We were quoted $600.  

I checked with 2 others.  All quoted the same.  

[D_Mac 8,806]

Is an interlock kit different from a transfer switch ? 

[Racinbob 11,251]

 

 

39 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

It's... Not exactly $150.  

 

We were quoted $600.  

I checked with 2 others.  All quoted the same.  

 

I think this is what Sparky is talking about Eric.

 

Interlock Kit & Accessories For Your Home | Generator Interlock Kit

 

A very simple install and UL Listed. The only real electrical work would be to jocky the circuits around so you can get the generator breaker in the right location. It's what I use and I love it.

 

28 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

Is an interlock kit different from a transfer switch ? 

 

It's an interlocking device. If the main is on you can't turn the generator breaker on and vice-versa. I didn't purchase it from the company I went with a Square D simply for the sake of keeping everything Square D QO. It happened to be considerably less money too.  

 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by Racinbob

[SylvanLakeWH 25,999]

 

Here's mine. Simple cheap (and fool proof... I know because I use it...) 

 

[ebinmaine 68,514]

All neat ideas. 

 

I'd have to see if this generator does 220V. 

 

We're really not concerned with getting a whole house connection.  Most of the circuits aren't needed during an outage.  

 

[squonk 41,464]

 

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,429]

4 hours ago, D_Mac said:

Is an interlock kit different from a transfer switch ? 

Yes, it’s different but has same end result in a power outage. You get the entire breaker panel fed. 
  I built my house before the interlock kits were “invented” so I have a 200a whole house manual transfer switch. It’s nice to be able to have lights on anywhere in the house or open any garage door without running cords all over. Plus I have heat/hot water, well pump, kitchen fridge, beer fridge, freezer, coffee maker etc. 

  Can even fire up a burner on my electric stove! 
we don’t use the oven (although my generator would support it) or the electric clothes dryer. 
 Transfer switch is on the far left. 

 

[wh500special 2,237]

That is a neat piece of equipment.
 

That is a gigantic engine for a 5kW generator.  It probably only runs at 1800 rpm instead of the usual 3600.  Otherwise you’d be pumping more than twice the power into it than the alternator can put out.  
 

might be fairly quiet at that speed. 
 

I had a number of hits googling Kohler k660 light plant, Kohler k662 light plant and other permutations with the word generator in there instead.  Found pix of a similar unit called the 5RHM62 and 5RHA62.   I’ll bet you can find decent into on these.  
 

I wonder if the switch shifts back and forth between parallel and series windings in the alternator to select from 120 and 240 volt.  I’d be hesitant to operate that switch when the engine is running and would instead only move it when the thing is off.  

 

I dumped my regular 5kW generator a couple of years ago for a smaller inverter unit.  I read that enough cautionary tales about blowing the circuit boards in modern furnaces and refrigerators that I wanted something a little more refined.  But there is no denying the allure of that giant hunk of cast iron from a romantic perspective. 
 

Steve

[ebinmaine 68,514]

19 minutes ago, wh500special said:

read that enough cautionary tales about blowing the circuit boards in modern *****  and refrigerators

 

By "modern"..... Our fridge is an older model. I don't believe it has any electronics.  

 

Excellent point though!

 

21 minutes ago, wh500special said:

googling

 

I tripped over a few. I have some paperwork here too. 

Sometime I'll post pics of that.