Kohler 48volt DC Generator

[mvonw]

Has anyone bought/used one of these? Are these a new thing?

Kohler 6VSG-QS18 6VSG - 6kW Variable Speed 48-Volt DC Generator w/ Oil Make-Up Kit

Buy Kohler 6VSG-QS18 Direct. Free Shipping. Check the Kohler 6VSG - 6kW Variable Speed 48-Volt DC Generator w/ Oil Make-Up Kit ratings before checking out.

www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com

 

[Bkord]

I’ve installed something similar on cell phone sites. Cell sites use lead batteries. Maybe it would work with lfp? The one we installed use the 48v battery bank for starting the gen. So if the battery bank is dead the gen won’t start.

 

[mvonw]

I’ve installed something similar on cell phone sites. Cell sites use lead batteries. Maybe it would work with lfp? The one we installed use the 48v battery bank for starting the gen. So if the battery bank is dead the gen won’t start.

It looks like from the marketing material these are being targeted at the solar market specifically.

 

[DIYrich]

Outputs 112 amps @ 54 volts.
For some reason, Generac was having problems with their DC generator (9,000 watt pwergenerator). With all the "inverters" out there, you figure they would have figured out DC by now.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Has anyone bought/used one of these? Are these a new thing?

Kohler 6VSG-QS18 6VSG - 6kW Variable Speed 48-Volt DC Generator w/ Oil Make-Up Kit

Buy Kohler 6VSG-QS18 Direct. Free Shipping. Check the Kohler 6VSG - 6kW Variable Speed 48-Volt DC Generator w/ Oil Make-Up Kit ratings before checking out.

www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com

$6,000? Yikes.

I bought this one for $600 on eBay.
Now it only goes to 52.5/53 Volts and 53 or so amps but is works and quiet.

 

[mvonw]

$6,000? Yikes.

I bought this one for $600 on eBay.
Now it only goes to 52.5/53 Volts and 53 or so amps but is works and quiet.

My wife bought me one for my birthday. Because we already have a 1000 gallon propane tank (we are off, off grid). From the limited testing I’ve done, it’s significantly more efficient in charging my batteries than my gasoline powered inverter generator, but time will tell.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

My wife bought me one for my birthday. Because we already have a 1000 gallon propane tank (we are off, off grid). From the limited testing I’ve done, it’s significantly more efficient in charging my batteries than my gasoline powered inverter generator, but time will tell.

The DC generator always seems to work better.
No conversion losses.

 

[mwk1000]

I put this beast in with my Sol-Ark 15k and 2p16s DIY lifepo4 batts. Having fun testing works great so far... Looking to replace my 20+ year old generac with a honda I ran across this PolarPower 2019 never run standby for ATT cell sites they sold off in auction I picked it up for 5500$ ( plus the trip to get it )

This is the type of unit mentioned above it stays attached to the battery banks and has a supercapacitor 12v bank to start the deisel and ethernet connection to my house so software programmed and controlled.

These are my notes to go with the chart picture testing out a full day run with the 15k I think it will work great since it auto starts and stops based on battery voltage. During testing I bumped it up a bit , tired of waiting for 50V but here are the notes to go along with the picture .... It has a lot of nice options - commercial quality LONG run life, DC-DC charging efficent, Frees the Sol-Ark gen port for AC Coupled or whatever , low fuel cost/low run time 2.5 Hours @ 60% (150amps) fills the 560ah bank. That would get me close to a full day of power during a grid outage if we keep the high draw appliances off. My test I had "normal" lights TV's convection Micro, water well, etc. At less than 2 gal of diesel this unit burns 1.02 gal/hr at full speed 15Kw I ran at about 7-8Kw I'll get an accurate number but I expect it to cost LESS than the utility rates. So it turns my 560ah bank into a practically infinite DC supply ... That is all without Solar ! Add in sun and ...

Testing look at chart picture as you read:

1. Sol-Ark Time of use (TOU) window #1 no battery usage allowed but Grid charging is allowed so this is the battery filling up
2. Same window water well spikes and wrong settings allowed a tiny amount of power onto grid. Fixed with right settings and 103 watts minimum ALLWAYS coming from grid the yellow smooths out between 2-3
3. Testing the convection oven and the 1600 watt battery limit in time window #2 Grid draw is increased to make up the needed power. 3b) there is a drop to zero at 11:30 ish where the firmware was updated at my request and rebooted the inverter
4. Time window #3 is Utility peak rates 15:00-19:00 Time window #4 was set to not use battery power if the battery was less then 50% so battery drops and utility picks up --- Until the DC generator auto starts seeing 30% capacity and auto starts. Once running the inverter sees Higher V = over 50% full and reverses pulling from “battery” ( actually DC generator at this point )
5. What the heck all my charging amps have disappeared ! Why ? The missus has started the dryer @ 6000 watts and the inverter as before sees a battery over 50% so it delivers the 6000 watt limit set in time window #4 from the battery ( Generator again ) the remainder of the dc current is still charging the battery
6. Time window #5 is set to use NO battery so the running DC generator is sending 150amps all to battery but the Sol-Ark has no visibility to this. The generator controls itself and shut off at 22:17 when battery was full - during the next time window it magically sees the charge is 100% when staring #6 window…
7. Display delays or SOC calculation delays because the inverter is not doing the charging maybe … but the reality should show a steady increase in SOC from around 19:11 to 22:17 point 6. Regardless the inverter is set to use Voltage so it behaves as expected and inverts power from DC when the V is greater than the limit set in each window.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

PolarPower

Those used to come with Lombardini diesel engines in them.

Good long term Diesels.

Really good generators.

 

[mwk1000]

yanmar in this one same series in my jd compact tractor 23 years old and going strong also a good engine

 

[AlaskanNoob]

Anything special required for integrating this into your bus bar or does the DC power just act like another MPPT providing power?

 

[ampsarus]

All of the nomenclature, the on/off key switch and the indicator lamps on that Alphagen looks like pure Honda! Even the frame looks Honda.

 

[AlaskanNoob]

My wife bought me one for my birthday. Because we already have a 1000 gallon propane tank (we are off, off grid). From the limited testing I’ve done, it’s significantly more efficient in charging my batteries than my gasoline powered inverter generator, but time will tell.

Still liking the efficiency of the Kohler 6K?

 

[Nobodybusiness]

All of the nomenclature, the on/off key switch and the indicator lamps on that Alphagen looks like pure Honda! Even the frame looks Honda.

Basically rebranded Honda I believe.

 

[mvonw]

Still liking the efficiency of the Kohler 6K?

I love it! I only use it in winter, but when I need it it charges my battery bank like nothing else can. Its way more efficient than my gas generators (inverter), and a lot simpler than my big diesel back up (that I am probably selling). It’s a niche product, for sure. I’m sure they don’t sell many, but for my needs, it’s perfect.

 

[AlaskanNoob]

I love it! I only use it in winter, but when I need it it charges my battery bank like nothing else can. Its way more efficient than my gas generators (inverter), and a lot simpler than my big diesel back up (that I am probably selling). It’s a niche product, for sure. I’m sure they don’t sell many, but for my needs, it’s perfect.

That's great to hear, I think perhaps we'll pick one up.

Do you do anything special to keep it running in the winter? How frequent is maintenance? Does it allow for two wire auto start? And do you just wire it into your bus bar like it was an MPPT or is there more to it?