Overview#
The Kohler KG80 is an 80-kilowatt commercial standby generator in the middle of Kohler's industrial gaseous lineup. It bridges the gap between the light-commercial KG60 and the larger KG100/KG125 units, serving medium commercial buildings where loads sit in the 50-70 kW range and on-site diesel storage is impractical or unwanted.
Common deployments: multi-tenant retail strips, boutique hotels, assisted living facilities, schools, houses of worship, and medium cold-storage operations. The 80 kW nameplate gives meaningful headroom over a 60 kW unit for motor-starting events and future load growth.
Sizing guidance#
- 64 kW continuous at 80% loading (recommended standby maximum)
- Motor starting up to 10 HP without soft-start
- Step up to KG100 if your load study shows peak demand above 64 kW or you anticipate 20%+ load growth
The KG80 is the most popular choice when a KG60 is undersized by just enough to matter — typically because of a large HVAC compressor or elevator that the KG60 would struggle to start.
Our service experience#
The KG80 is one of our most-serviced gaseous units. It hits the sweet spot for urban hotels and multi-tenant retail where gas service is reliable and the building owner wants to avoid diesel tanks. Service patterns mirror the KG60 — same KG6208 V8 architecture and same intervals — with the added attention required by the turbocharger and charge-air cooler (intercooler hose integrity, oil drain lines, post-shutdown idle).
The most common issue we resolve on KG80 platforms: ignition misfire that only manifests under load (not during no-load exercise). A standard-tier load bank test catches this before it matters during a real outage.
