[Gregdrose]

Hi,
I am an electrician in NYC and purchased a 14KW Kohler for my home in NJ. I have a 200 amp underground service. The ATS with built in subpanel that came with the generator does not switch the neutral, both the service neutral and the generator neutral are terminated on the neutral bar. I removed the factory installed neutral/ground jumper at the generator. I did not install a ground rod, the generator is sitting on a bed of pea gravel. I ran the generator ground back to the ATS and installed a lug on ATS enclosure. I also connected the drain on the low voltage cables to the ground at the generator.

Is this correct?

Is there a way we can turn off the generator without opening it up? Smartphone, computer or other? Depending on the circumstances we may not run the generator when we leave the house during an outage and it would be easier for my wife with this type of control.

 

[B4T]

For less than a $760.00 more you could of got a 20kw. unit with a 200a ATS and did the whole house..

The 14kw. puts out only 50a.. NG.. 60a.. LP...

Why did you go so small.. :blink::blink:

 

[captkirk]

Yes you can get an On Cue to turn it off. I like the 14kw. I had a customer on hers for 12 days during sandy..nice unit...I think you did the smart thing and putting only emergency stuff on it. Think about how many times your going to actually need it..I try to talk people into what they actually need... I cant tell you how many 20s I see on homes that actually need a bigger unit...you really dont want to run a gen at its max for too long . And a 20 uses about 100k more btus...
But honestly turning it off is just a matter of opening the cover and pressing the off button. when you get home just open the case and hit auto.And for the amount of times your gonna use it I would save the expense of having it installed and just do it manually.
Bob why dont you just answer the guy's question...?

Also keep in mind you dont want to run the unit with the cover open for more than a few minutes.. it needs to be closed in order to have proper air flow to cool the unit..

 

[Gregdrose]

For less than a $760.00 more you could of got a 20kw. unit with a 200a ATS and did the whole house..

The 14kw. puts out only 50a.. NG.. 60a.. LP...

Why did you go so small.. :blink::blink:

Generator from Lowes delivered (with tax included with 18 months interest free financing, 10% coupon, and 5% off for using Lowes creditcard):
$3,400
Carb heater form Lowes: $75
I set the generator on a bed of pea gravel and installed a 4X4 post between the house and generator for conduit support
$200 for materiel.
I did the electrical.
$650 for material
Propane company hooking up the unit:
$500
Kohler rep for startup and batt:
$425

With permits I am looking at just over $5,100. A $760 plus tax increase represents an additional 16% in costs. The ATS that came with the unit has the capability to have 24 single pole circuits with tandems.

With that being said.. did I complete the electrical hookup correctly? Does the drain get grounded to the equipment grounding conductor?

 

[B4T]

Bob why dont you just answer the guy's question...?

I know nothing about Kohler generator's or their ATS setup.. .. the closest I even came to a unit was driving by the local deli.. :laughing:

 

[sbrn33]

Generator from Lowes delivered (with tax included with 18 months interest free financing, 10% coupon, and 5% off for using Lowes creditcard):
$3,400
Carb heater form Lowes: $75
I set the generator on a bed of pea gravel and installed a 4X4 post between the house and generator for conduit support
$200 for materiel.
I did the electrical.
$650 for material
Propane company hooking up the unit:
$500
Kohler rep for startup and batt:
$425

With permits I am looking at just over $5,100. A $760 plus tax increase represents an additional 16% in costs. The ATS that came with the unit has the capability to have 24 single pole circuits with tandems.

With that being said.. did I complete the electrical hookup correctly? Does the drain get grounded to the equipment grounding conductor?

Is this Hax?????

 

[bkmichael65]

Hi,
I am an electrician in NYC and purchased a 14KW Kohler for my home in NJ. I have a 200 amp underground service. The ATS with built in subpanel that came with the generator does not switch the neutral, both the service neutral and the generator neutral are terminated on the neutral bar. I removed the factory installed neutral/ground jumper at the generator. I did not install a ground rod, the generator is sitting on a bed of pea gravel. I ran the generator ground back to the ATS and installed a lug on ATS enclosure. I also connected the drain on the low voltage cables to the ground at the generator.

Is this correct?

Is there a way we can turn off the generator without opening it up? Smartphone, computer or other? Depending on the circumstances we may not run the generator when we leave the house during an outage and it would be easier for my wife with this type of control.

Sounds right to me, but I have limited generator experience and I'm sure there are numerous ways to control it remotely, but I'm sure they would be pricy

 

[Magnettica]

No, I agree with Captkirk. This site is going down with all the alt screen names and other nuisances like replying to something without adding anything useful to the thread.

To the OP, your generator is not a separately derived system so the neutral connection to the utility ground is unbroken.

 

[B4T]

Exactly you know nothing about it so .....

So I didn't answer his question... what is wrong with that.. :blink::blink:

IMO.. it is always better to go with a 20kw. unit and 200a ATS...

That is money in the bank when it comes time to sell the house...

When you use a separate ATS and load center it make more work than using a ATS outside...

When it comes time to change the panel.. he will be installing the whips twice...

 

[3xdad]

Does the drain get grounded to the equipment grounding conductor?

Could you explain what the "drain" is. Thanks.

...btw ibtl.

 

[DIYer4Life]

Could you explain what the "drain" is. Thanks.

...btw ibtl.

It's the little wire that runs with the foil on shielded cable.

 

[ponyboy]

Could you explain what the "drain" is. Thanks. ...btw ibtl.

Typically it refers to a grounding connection in low voltage situations. It drains any static buildup off the shield wire. Or something like that

 

[Gregdrose]

Thank you for the replies. I call the low voltage bare silver colored wire that runs with shielded wire "the drain".

 

[DIYer4Life]

Thank you for the replies. I call the low voltage bare silver colored wire that runs with shielded wire "the drain".

I've never installed a Kohler, do they require shielded wire?

 

[Gregdrose]

Yes, they require a 4 conductor shielded wire in it's own raceway from the ATS to the Generator.