Originally sent October 24, 2006, this is my first letter to Dennis Christian, Field Service Manager for Kohler Residential Power division.

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Dear Dennis,

I own a Kohler 70 kw generator, model # 70RZ262. The generator was purchased seven years ago and installed and serviced by South Shore Generator. My house is located atop a dune in North Truro, MA on Cape Cod Bay and the generator is placed outdoors below grade, protected by a stone retaining wall), along the wall of my guest house facing the water about 150 feet from the dune’s edge. It services both the guest house and main house.

When I purchased the house four years ago, I noticed that the generator was not holding up well to the salt air and asked South Shore Generator if stainless steel panels were available for it or what I might be able to do to help it weather the elements better. I was told to build a wall around the unit and I constructed a wooden enclosure with approximately 10 inch openings at the top and bottom for air circulation, but the unit (the panels and parts of the frame) has rusted to the point where it looks as if it will disintegrate in the very near future- see enclosed pictures of the problem.

Last year, I emailed Kohler and was informed that I should contact Kraft Power Company in Woburn, MA regarding warranty work on the rusting panels and frame. They felt that there was clearly a problem and that Kohler should do something for me. Kohler rejected the claim, stating that we had the unit too long. My feeling is that we have serviced the unit properly, have done everything asked to do and clearly the unit is not, as stated in your literature (see attached) “highly weather resistant” with “fully corrosion –resistant material construction”.

Either this unit is defective as even though it has been sheltered from the elements, it has rusted to the point where I am concerned about its viability; or, if the unit is not defective, you should not sell in a salt air environment. In either case, I believe it is your responsibility to make the unit right.

I have always thought of Kohler as a company with the highest quality and standards and clearly this generator housing is anything but that. Your response to Kraft Power was disappointing at best.

I hope that you will reconsider your position and make this generator right.

Thank you for your attention and consideration.

Very truly yours,

Jeff B.

I wrote to Herbert Kohler, Chairman, CEO and President of Kohler Co. regarding my generator, along with clippings directly from Kohler’s website and literature that came with my specific model of generator. Click on the images below to read.

» Continue reading “Letter to Herbert Kohler”

To date, I have receieved only one response from Kohler on this matter. I have followed up with them repeatedly, and below the break is my most recent request to repair the damaged generator, as well as Eric Hansen of Kohler Power’s response to my original inquiry.

» Continue reading “Response from Kohler”

When I initially discovered the issues with my generator, I first contacted Jim Cady of Kraft Power, the company that supplied the generator to the house. Their position, as is mine, is that Kohler is responsible for replacing the deteriorated parts. Below the break is a summary of my correspondence with them.

» Continue reading “Correspondence with Kraft Power (Kohler’s Distributor)”