12 kW Kohler Natural Gas Generator Review

The 12 KW Kohler natural gas generator is a good option for a residential household that needs added protection at a reasonable cost.

Emergency generators are becoming more and more popular as our reliance on power increases.

A power outage during an ice storm, hurricane or loss of electricity from a blown transformer can show you just how much we depend on power.

If you are in the market for a power generator, there are many items to consider. Reliability is the number one reason to own a generator and if you heat with natural gas or propane, your unit can be directly wired to your heat source to kick in when the heat goes off.

Kohler is a well-known and popular name because of their sustainability during an outage and numerous fault codes and emission controls to keep you safe.

Features

Manual testing is not necessary with the 12 KW Kohler natural gas generator because it will perform a self-test every week on the diagnostics and runs an exercise cycle to make sure that your unit will not fail when you need it most.

According to the manufacturer, Kohler's exclusive PowerBoost technology provides restoration of power three times faster than competitors and a greater starting capacity for large power loads such as central air conditioners.

Simplified Maintenance

In the past, many homeowners have had concerns of fumes and accidental fires with power generators but the Kohler 12 KW is self-ventilated, compliant with NEMA, ANSI, and IEEE standards to prevent dangerous temperature rises.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has standards for LP vapor and natural gas and this unit passes this test easily.

Because many people are unfamiliar with the specifications and maintenance requirements of a propane generator, Kohler has an Advanced Digital Control fitted on each Kohler 12 KW to let you know when service is needed. Easy installation and access to major parts has been simplified with this residential unit so maintenance can be simply performed.

Customer Likes

One happy customer states that his Kohler natural gas generator is ten years old and has never needed one repair outside of draining the oil once every couple of years.

Another happy user of this 12kW Kohler generator says that he likes to leave an exterior light on, during power outages. Says it makes his neighbors mad (read: envious)!

• In 2009 ConsumerReports.org named the 12kW Kohler natural gas generator a "best buy". Giving it a rating of 95%
• 3 of 4 customers gave this generator 5 stars at Epinions.com
• 3 users at NorthernTools.com give perfect score of 5 stars
• Large enough to run nearly the entire household
• Quiet for its size
• It is air cooled. No messing with liquid cooled systems
• Switch over from the commercial to generator power takes only about 10 seconds
• Output is smooth enough to run sensitive electronic equipment with
• Can run on natural gas or propane. Propane makes it more powerful, but propane tanks have to be refilled
• The digital controls are impressive and give a lot of information about the performance
• Polymer base eliminates a need for a concrete base

Customer Concerns

• More than one reviewing customer commented on the fact that installation is best left to a professional.
• Some commented that they felt the price was high

Conclusions

At the time of this review (July 2010), this 12 kW generator was selling for around $3,599.00 at Home Depot.


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