Click for Abeking Click for Ocean Alexander Click for JetForums Click for Abeking Click for Nordhavn

Kohler Genset 6.5

Discussion in 'Generators' started by carverfantasy, Aug 30, 2016.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. carverfantasy

    carverfantasy New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2016
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
    Genset will start when hold up start switch, as soon as it starts and I let go of switch it shuts off. Checked all SS's and good. There is a wire that has a male and female connector on the lower right front of the unit under the propeller unit by the belt. I separated it at the connections and the genset started and continues to run good powering the entire boat. But with the wire separated I can't shut the unit off with the switch on the unit or with the one in the boat. To stop the genset all I have to do is touch the two separated wires back together and it shuts down. Not sure where or what the wire goes to at this point.
    Help, any ideas as to what the issue is or what I should do?
  2. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2009
    Messages:
    1,776
    Location:
    Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay & S.Jersey
    Gas or Diesel ?
  3. RB480

    RB480 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2011
    Messages:
    226
    Location:
    New Buffalo, MI
    That is your safety shutdown bypass.
  4. baltimore bob

    baltimore bob Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2013
    Messages:
    314
    Location:
    Baltimore, Maryland
    You probably have a bad heat or oil pressure shut down switch. You do not want to continue running it bypassed!
  5. carverfantasy

    carverfantasy New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2016
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
    gas
  6. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    As mentioned by BB you have 3 switches, oil pressure, heat exhaust and water temp switch. More than likely one is bad. Check continuity with a multi meter to determine which one is defective. Two are normally closed and the oil pressure sender is normally open or it maybe the opposite don't remember for sure. Sounds like you found the one that is defective.
  7. carverfantasy

    carverfantasy New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2016
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
    Thanks, I just bypassed it to try to narrow down the problem. One individual was telling me it was the circuit board that is shutting it down. I am not familiar with the generator and did not want to start looking for a board or other parts just to change parts to try to get it working properly. Not sure how to check the safety sensors.
  8. carverfantasy

    carverfantasy New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2016
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
    How would I check continuity on ones that are normally closed or normally open? Would the gen have to be running?
  9. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    Use the ohm tester on a multimeter. If it is normally closed you will get a 0.00 reading like you would get when you touch the two multimeter prongs together. More than likely it is not the oil pressure sender (normally open) it will be the exhaust or temp switch. I believe both those are closed.
  10. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2009
    Messages:
    1,776
    Location:
    Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay & S.Jersey
    Any chance you have the manual or could get a copy of the manual ? that might have a schematic that would show you the safety circuit which would clarify NO or NC.

    Here is a link to one unit.
    LOP is closed
    HWT is open and so is HET
    http://www.generatorparts.net/resources/tp5338.pdf
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2016
  11. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    Looks like your ready to start checking.
  12. carverfantasy

    carverfantasy New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2016
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
    To all commenting on my problem. I spent quite a few hours today with two friends that are mechanics working on the gen instead of boating today:) We do have a manual and found the three sensors mentioned.

    The high exhaust sensor has a single wire going to it, it checked out good and is normally closed.
    The high water temp. sensor also has a single wire going to it and it checked out good and also is normally closed.
    The low oil pressure sensor has two wires going to it, it checked out good and is normally open.
    We went onto check the start/run switch on the gen and the start/run switch inside and both them checked out fine.

    STILL NO LUCK IN FINDING THE PROBLEM! We did open the inside of the gen panel box and saw the electrical board in there with a relay at the top. Also on the board to the right of the relay there is a red light that stays illuminated when the gen is running. Not sure what that is for of if the red light means something is wrong.

    Not sure what we will do next or what to check or where to go from here. Any additional help or advise greatly appreciated and deeply appreciate all help to this point.
  13. dennismc

    dennismc Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2009
    Messages:
    1,174
    Location:
    Vancouver BC
    The kohler sets need to generate 120 v a.c before they will stay running, it is possible you may not be doing that hence the shut down so soon, I would suggest holding the start switch maybe for 3-4 seconds longer after the engine flashes up and see if that helps.
  14. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    You mention the start/run switch. On my Westerbeke there is two relays. One is the start relay and the other is the run relay. These relays are very inexpensive and do go bad. You can jump these relays with a short piece of wire and see if the generator will continue running.
  15. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    Do you see two relays inside your control panel? They are small like 1" square pieces that plug in. If you do check them to be sure they are good. It may have a run relay that is bad. If you find it you can jump it with a piece of wire to see if that fixes it. If so its bad.
  16. carverfantasy

    carverfantasy New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2016
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
  17. carverfantasy

    carverfantasy New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2016
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
    I separated a wire at the bottom of the gen on the right, believe that goes to the coil to ground it out if one of the safety switches is activated. With that separated the gen will start up and run, but can't shut it down with either the switch on the gen or the one in the cabin. Only way to shut the gen off with the wire separated is to touch them back together. With that the gen runs and runs but as someone informed not to run it that way.

    Something is grounding out I believe to shut it down. As I mentioned we checked all safety switches and they are good. With the gen running I powers up the entire boat and runs everything including both AC's.

    Not sure where to go from here. Will be back at the boat Wednesday evening and look some more.
  18. carverfantasy

    carverfantasy New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2016
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania

    I will check this out Wednesday evening, won't get to boat until then. I did see one relay, maybe another as you say under that one, very tight in that box. The one I saw is plugged into a circuit board.

    Maybe I should just purchase them and try that. Will be back on after Wednesday after I check the relays.

    Many thanks!
  19. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    Sorry about double posts it didn't appear that the first two went through. I have had that issue and it wont hurt to run it like that its just a pain when you want to shutdown having to go in the engine room.
    Follow the wire you are speaking about. It has to be part of the issue. Basically the engine runs fine with the wire separated (open) and when you connect it shuts down. I'm guessing that wire runs to a switch or relay that is defective.