Kohler 800 plant

Hey, guys! I acquired a Kohler 800 watt AC plant with a Briggs model B two weeks ago. It was in very good shape with most of the original gray paint. I went through the engine, generator and control box. The unit starts and runs on the 2nd engine revolution and put out 120 volts AC (with a little help). I am having some problems with the 2nd and 3rd relays working correctly and am hoping one of you in generatorland will have a reprint of the Instructions for Operation and Care for the Kohler 800 watt plant. I have three different 4 cylinder Instructions for the 1500 watt plants, but the 800 watt control box is quite different and I have not been able to narrow down the cause of the problem in the 800 watt plant using any of these Instructions. I would be more than happy to cover cost of copies, shipping, handling and other incurred costs to obtain a copy of the 800 Instructions, or, If you can assist me with locating the problem in the control box I would very much welcome that!!!! I tend to get carried away giving detailed information (that's why I did not do so here), but if you can help me I can tell you exactly what each relay is or is not doing.

Thank you in advance! Thank you Harry for this site. I hope each and everyone of you have a terrific show season!!!

Loren Erwin engines@ipa.net

Loren, It's raining today so, as long as I'm stuck inside, I decided to do some slueth work on the Briggs powered Kohler. I told you in our email that I thought this was a transitional unit, and was only offered for a few years. I tore my filing cabinet apart just now, and here's as much info I can put together. The Briggs 800 watt unit seems to have replaced the 2 cyl. air cooled 800, which was discontinued in 1942, the war years would have been a good time to make such a change, material shortages and such. The two cyl job is massive and would have sucked up a lot more resources needed for the war effort. My Briggs/Kohler dates 1943. I rifled thru some old advertising and found a 1946 add which shows the Briggs unit at an angle mostly from the rear, but the Briggs engine is recognizeable. I get the impression that Kohler wasn't very proud of not using a Kohler engine, as in all the other Kohler stuff I have, the engines are all shown from frontal angles. The next closest thing I could find is 1951 showing what I think is a K7? (early single cyl)Kohler engine. That would put production nine years or less. If anyone has one of the early Kohler singles, you can check the date at Frank Dewitts website. If it dates earlier than 1951, drop me an email, I'd like to solve the puzzle.


http://www.home.eznet.net/~fdew/

Actually, the strange relationship between Briggs & Kohler continued into the 1970s or 80s. I have a 1750 watt that has a Briggs motor and Kohler alternator. The relationship seems to occurr from time to time, and then end with both companys denying that the machine you are looking at was ever manufactured.

Loren: Yes, the 800 watt with the Briggs engine is different from all other Kohler controlls. I dug through my Kohler file and finally found what I think you need. I have a 17 page booklet for a Kohler 800 watt A.C. controll box. The booklet is for the controll only. It doesn't show the engine, or generator, except as a diagram. The booklet does show the controll from the front, and from the back; it also walks you through the five controll circuits with referance to the diagram. All parts are listed with part numbers for the controll switch (Kohler A.C.1880)

E-mail me your snail mail adress, and I will copy the info and send it out.

I had a 5 K.W. 3-phase 1200 R.P.M. Kohler unit with a Waukesha engine. Last summer I was at the Kohler museam and showroom in Kohler Wisconsin, and they were displaying a new 150 K.W. generator with a Detroit Diesel engine.

Hey Gus, Franz and Bill--thanks for the information!! I knew almost nothing about the Kohler/Briggs model 800, in that I've seen only two other units in the six-seven years I've been collecting/restoring/showing lightplants and generators. I don't make it to any "big" shows, but do imagine that the Model 800 units "are out there and being shown"!! I had been looking for a Kohler/Briggs 800 unit for the past three years and "latched" on to this unit three weeks ago for a very fair price (for much less than what a Briggs B engine alone is worth) and as I stated in my first posting in very good shape (this kinda makes up for a few of the plants I have acquired and spent much more on them than I could ever hope to make off them should I trade/sell them. Along the Kohler line I do have three of the four cylinder units. A 1926 Model D, serial # 11059, 110 VDC, auto start, which is in pretty good shape and running--a 1948 Model 1A22, Serial # 131126, 115 VAC, auto start, with a bad valve cage unit but running (I use this unit at home for power when I work on the pasture fence) and, lastly, another Model 1A22,115 VAC, auto start. This one being a 1946 vintage, serial # 120434, which was sent back to the Kohler factory in 1949 and totally rebuilt so this one I'm just kinda proud of as it only has approximately 200 hours on the rebuild and it runs smooth as silk. I did have a 5KW, 110 VAC, 1 phase Kohler with a Waukesha (forgot which model) 4 cylinder engine which I purchased at a farm auction in Oct, 1998. The unit was "heavier than all get out" and I never did try to start it as it was crank start and the end of the crank handle missed the floor or ground by about three inches and I could just imagine myself with a broken arm or wrist for eight weeks so in March of 2001 I traded the unit to a gentleman for two Montgomery Wards Powerlite (Onan) 2 cylinder, 3000 watt plants, so we both were happy. I stated in my first posting that I get carried away,rambling on, when I get started on lightplants and generators. In South West Missouri there are very, very few lightplant collectors, so I love to converse with fellow collectors all I can!! Again gentlemen. Thank you for providing the information and have a great show season!!!!!!

You mention you have books on 1500 watt 4 cyl. I would like to ask you a few questions about size and layout. Please contact my email if you would. Thanks, Bob Miller

I have a 1924 kohler unit with no generator. I need as many of the electrical parts that I can find. Thanks for any response.

Hey you kohler guy. i have a kohler generator that i do not know what it is. it has a 4cyl engine water cool on LP gas, it looks to have 115 and 240 with 29.2 ams, it is remote start, it has electri choke, i think it may be out of a boat. i will try photo. thanks

Boat powerplants are painted white and generally use raw water for cooling. Some use a cooling tower ( vertical pipe ) if the boat was for salt water use.

Propane is odd for a boat so it may have been converted.

Be aware that these engines make a sharp snaping sound from the magneto during cranking. This is is the impulse coupling giving the mag a quick spin during cranking. This gives a reliable spark at cranking speed.

Harold