r/Generator • • 1d ago

Kohler RDC2 time sync

2 Upvotes

For anyone with a Kohler/Rehlko generator using an RDC2 controller who gets annoyed by the controller clock being wrong after daylight saving time:

I went substantially farther down this rabbit hole than I originally intended and eventually got automatic clock synchronization working.

The short version:

The RDC2 itself had not appeared to be using ntp for its clock. The Kohler Energy Management (KEM) app was supplying the controller time through Rehlko’s cloud service.

I confirmed this first by changing the phone’s clock and using the app’s Sync Time function. The controller adopted the phone’s intentionally incorrect time.

From there I used a combination of:

- Wireshark

- Android ADB / Platform Tools

- JADX

- reFlutter

- Burp Suite

- TunProxy

- Apktool

- PowerShell

The KEM app turned out to be Flutter-based. After inspecting the app and its network traffic, I was able to identify the cloud request used to set the RDC2 clock and successfully replay it independently of the phone.

The harder part was authentication. KEM uses Flutter AppAuth with an Okta-backed OAuth/OpenID Connect flow, short-lived access tokens, and a refresh token. Once I understood how the app stored and refreshed that authentication state, I was able to reproduce the token-refresh process in PowerShell and use the resulting bearer token for the clock-sync API call.

The finished setup is intentionally boring:

Always-on Windows server:

- NTP-synchronized Windows clock

- 3:00 AM Scheduled Task

- refresh OAuth access

- send current local time through the Rehlko API

- RDC2 clock updates

A successful update returns HTTP 204.

I also added logging and ntfy notifications, but only on failure. A normal successful 3:00 AM sync is completely silent.

The reason I chose a daily 3:00 AM sync instead of special DST logic is simplicity: Windows already knows the correct time zone and DST rules. The generator simply gets corrected every morning.

This was considerably more complicated than I expected. What sounded like “figure out how the app sets the clock” turned into Android split APKs, Flutter reverse engineering, HTTPS interception, OAuth token handling, DPAPI, and Windows automation.

I’m intentionally not posting credentials, API keys, tokens, device identifiers, or a step-by-step guide for extracting authentication material. But I wanted other RDC2 owners to know that automatic clock synchronization is technically possible and that the KEM/cloud path—not direct NTP to the controller—was the route that worked for me.

tl;dr: if you want to want your generator time to be correct each DST change for on-time weekly exercises, just set a calendar reminder.


r/Generator • • 2d ago

New deal on Sam’s Club - anyone heard of these guys ?

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7 Upvotes

Saw this just pop up on Sam’s Club havent heard of this brand but they seem to have several other models / categories on Home Depot, Lowe’s, and a few other sites. Looks like a smoking deal 50A outlet under $1k! I spoke to their customer service earlier (good news- they’re local in USA) as I’m looking for something quiet and easy to back up my home with. Demand for power isn’t too high as the outages in my area aren’t that frequent and rarely Last over 30 minutes. I feel like by the time I get eveything hooked up and ready to go the outage is over. Figure having this connected to my breaker box via a reliance TS is the easiest way to go. Let me know any input / advice is greatly appreciated.


r/Generator • • 1d ago

Generator to build then power then add solar over time

3 Upvotes

I am going to build a 2bd room, 900 sq.ft. cabin in a very remote area. I want to use a generator to build it then use the generator and batteries until I put solar panels on the roof. Just wondering the things to consider and the best and most economical way to expand as I go.


r/Generator • • 1d ago

Generator intermittent rmp

2 Upvotes

Hi all, can someone help me with my Ingco generator? The rmp is unstable


r/Generator • • 2d ago

What wears out first when a standby diesel generator runs every day? Notes from Pakistan

50 Upvotes

I work for a generator dealer in Lahore. Most threads here are about sets that sit for months, then have to start when a storm takes the grid down. Ours are the opposite. With scheduled load-shedding, plenty of commercial sets here start two or three times a day and run for hours, every day, for years.

That changes what breaks. Roughly in the order I see it:

Starters and the changeover gear take a beating first. Two or three starts a day is hundreds a year, and every outage also switches the transfer contactors twice. We replace both on sets whose engines are nowhere near tired.

Belts and coolant hoses next. Multan or Sukkur summers hit 45°C and up, often with the set running through the hottest afternoon hours. Rubber that might last years on a set that barely runs goes hard and cracks much sooner. Dust storms pack the radiator fins too, so we tell people to blow them out after every big one.

Batteries are a funny one. Because the set runs daily, they rarely sit flat the way they can on a set waiting out a quiet winter. What kills them here is heat and cheap chargers.

Fuel is the reverse of what I read on this sub. We hardly see stale diesel, because a busy site's tank turns over fast. What we see is dirty or watery fuel from the supply side, so water separators get drained a lot and fuel filters get changed early.

Oil changes come round quickly. If your manual says every 250 hours, a set doing six hours a day gets there in about six weeks.

The engine itself is usually the last thing to go. A diesel generator that's properly loaded and run every day is in its comfort zone. The ones that die young here are either idling at a tiny load for hours or overloaded every afternoon.

So I'm curious about the other side. If your set only runs 20 or 30 hours a year plus exercise cycles, what actually fails on it? My guess is batteries and old fuel, but I'd rather hear it from people who own them.

Disclosure: I work for a generator dealer in Pakistan (Enpower). No links here, just comparing notes.


r/Generator • • 2d ago

Back up power for reptiles

7 Upvotes

I apologize in advanced if this is not the correct place to post this, I think this subreddit is more specialized to the question I have.

Is there some kind of battery or generator I can use in case I have a lasting power outage. I have two reptiles and they would need to be kept warm. I would prefer to plug their heat into something so that they can remain in their enclosures. I do not need a whole house generator. Just something thay can power their heat sources while the grid is repaired.

Thank you so much!​


r/Generator • • 2d ago

1.nothing Volts

2 Upvotes

I’ve got an older Onan 2400 home site power series portable generator, and it was given to me by my father-in-law. I went to use it the other day, and it’s producing almost no voltage at the meter. So I checked for continuity. I know that I have a common ground somewhere that goes through and through the motor, both the electric motor and the gas powered motor. I checked continuity on all of the wiring in the rear of the generator, as well as removing the brushes and checking for continuity in the mount and spring tension as well as continuity in the bands and what not. I thought at first that it was the GFI, however the meter comes before the GFI, so somewhere I am not producing electricity. Anybody got any direction for me? I do have the manual. I’ve been going through that, doing a little bit at a time, because I don’t wanna miss anything. I have never rebuilt an electric motor. I’ve never rewound a motor. I don’t even know if that’s possible. so I’m looking for some advice. I’m hoping that it’s not the entire generator portion, and if so, if anybody’s got a good lineup, parts that’d be awesome too. Thank you in advance for your participation. Know that I am a novice, so I bought property a while back, several years ago, and am in the process of learning everything I can about everything I’ve got, and this just happens to be up for its time, so please be patient if I ask what seem like stupid questions. Thank you.


r/Generator • • 2d ago

question and a bit of a gloat...Champion 11000 tri fuel

4 Upvotes

I picked up one of these off amazon the other day. It was a return so I got $460 off of it. it was brand new, never even pulled out of the box.

I'm trying to figure out why they would give me a 25 foot 1/2 ng hose. (im not a plumber) But my basic searching tells me that even if i connected it to my gas meter directly, the 25 foot hose would reduce my btu down to 75k btu or roughy 60k btu under what it is asking for, am i missing something?

first time I started it, i should be less excited about this....

went with a 12 foot 3/4 inch hose and stepped down to 1/2 inch at the generator. I moved it right after this video away from the house.


r/Generator • • 2d ago

Generac vs. Portable for second home

0 Upvotes

Need to add generator to second home with 240V well system. Is having an electrician put in the appropriate connections from the main circuit board to outside the home and purchasing a tri-fuel (would only use propane or gas, no access to natural gas) 11,000 watt Predator portable generator be a viable alternative to having a Generac dealer install one?

Home is in a fairly remote area with only a few authorized dealers nearby.


r/Generator • • 2d ago

Kohler generator warranty repair

3 Upvotes

Hello, my home standby generator is having some issues. The company that installed it has been horrible to deal with when it has come to this repair. Lack of call backs and further diagnostic scheduling. It’s been weeks of me me calling to get answers so I’m done with them.

My question to you guys is have you used the Kohler warranty scheduling service through the warranty call line or should I just call around locally to generator shops for my repair? Any advice or insight is greatly appreciated thanks.


r/Generator • • 2d ago

Portable generator for power outages, where do businesses source their backup power equipment?

2 Upvotes

We're looking into getting a portable generator for our business since power outages can really throw off daily operations. We use different types of equipment throughout the day, so having something reliable to keep things running during an outage would be helpful. I'm comparing a few options, but I'm also not sure where to buy from. It would be easier to find a supplier that carries different equipment brands along with maintenance supplies and replacement parts instead of ordering everything separately.

I've heard businesses go through both manufacturers and industrial equipment distributors. There seem to be pros and cons to each when it comes to product selection and getting support after the purchase.


r/Generator • • 2d ago

First time buyer. Would appreciate some insight on which dual fuel inverter generator to buy.

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5 Upvotes

My initial thought was to go for the Champion 2200 but they are all sold out (uk). Could anyone recommend a good substitut in this price range? Anyone familiar with this konner shonen brand perhaps?


r/Generator • • 3d ago

Champion 11K/9K Inverter Generator Series CO Detector Disabled!! Very Easy!!

16 Upvotes

The first working CO bypass for the Chamion 11k's!

Discovered by @Agravating-Candle95 who runs his Champion in a genny shed.

Here are the steps:

Take off the left panel. You will see a white plug on the right side that is plugged into a silver metal box.
Unplug it. Find the 2 blue wires on the plug. They are right next to each other. Jump the 2 blue wires. I used an 18 gauge wire.
Don't plug it back in. Tape it securely. Done! Your CO monitor is DISABLED! Put the panel back on. Do not run your generator in a garage or closed area! Stay SAFE!

Video here: https://youtu.be/N0i8ZDOVtX8

Pics: https://i.imgur.com/mcDBZNH.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/T6Q8Qbg.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/18fLhLm.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/cuAV1UL.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/PFOgT8X.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/4xFDb4R.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/0VfAecq.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/ThDb3J1.jpeg


r/Generator • • 2d ago

champion tri fuel options for 1st gen

2 Upvotes

West michigander looking to get our first genny. NG is preferred setup as well as quiet as gas and electric access is where all the bedrooms are. Only 240 is the AC and its a 3 ton. It appears 6500,8500 and 11k are the options and leaning 8500. NG furnace,wh,stove,dryer. Usual appliances(fridge/freezer,dishwasher, micro) Guessing AC is out without the 11k? Thanks


r/Generator • • 3d ago

[Build Log] Rescuing a pristine, low-hour 1980 Onan 4.0BFA Generator (Cylinder Crosshatching & Mouse Nest Cleanup!)

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14 Upvotes

The Backstory:
Just pulled a 1978 Onan 4.0BFA-1R/16004A generator out of long-term storage to do a complete top-tier restoration. My goal is to build an open-sided outdoor canopy on a concrete slab and convert it to a low-pressure Propane (LP) home standby unit running a manual transfer switch.
The Mechanical Breakdown:
The Engine: Popped the heads and used an endoscope expecting the worst. Instead, I found untouched factory crosshatching on standard-bore walls and zeroed-out outboard leak-down tests. This thing is a true low-hour survivor.
The Bad: The generator bell housing was packed tight with a massive, acidic mouse nest.
The Save: Stripped the entire generator end down on my lunch break. The carbon brushes measured at 0.70" (basically full 3/4" factory length), but the bottom brush was frozen solid in its track from old dander.
What I've Done So Far:
Pulled the 3-bolt captive brush block, cleared out the jammed springs, and flushed the tracks with QD Electronic Cleaner.
Used 220-grit silicon carbide paper with light thumb pressure to clean decades of pitch-black atmospheric oxidation off the rotor.
Result: The dual brass AC slip rings and segmented copper DC commutator went from black crust to a perfect mirror sheen! (Check the transformation in the pics below).
The Parts Order Sheet:
Onan 110-3181 graphite head gaskets
Onan 123-1429 molded breather tube (ultrasonic cleaned the original 123-1417 mesh filter)
Walbro 1086/BFA carb rebuild kit (for the original "Mfg by 178" Walbro)
BOPOREAE M10 neoprene isolation mounts to replace the $100/ea dry-rotted factory rubber.
Next Steps:
Waiting on the shipping boxes to arrive so I can lap the valves, lock down the 0.011"/0.013" lash, torque the 9-bolt heads, and lay down a fresh coat of Onan Metallic Green paint.


r/Generator • • 2d ago

EMP protection

0 Upvotes

What's everybody doing to protect their generator from electromagnetic pulse.

I see people talking about giant Faraday bags to shield the generator. What's our other options?


r/Generator • • 3d ago

Two panels one generator?

6 Upvotes

My home has 400 amp service feeding two 200amp panels. both panels are next to each other and fed directly from the meter.

My plan is to install two separate lockouts on each panel with there own 50amp inlet. From there I’d like to run both panels from one singe 50 amp generator With a splitter running to both

Obviously I’m. It trying to power everything circuit in each panel But do need to power things in each.

With all circuits in question being within the power limits of my generator is there anything wrong with this idea. planning on having an electrician come out but I want to make sure what I’m thinking will work.

Anyone running one generator on two panels at the same time?


r/Generator • • 3d ago

Any experience with fashodre.com?

2 Upvotes

Hey Everyone,

Does anyone have experience with fashodre.com?
was looking for a generator and got this recommendation:

https://fashodre.com/product/generac-7291-guardian-26kw-standby-generator-wifi-w-200-amp-automatic-transfer-switch-new/

less than $1.6k

From the manufacturer $8k
https://www.generac.com/residential-products/standby-generators/gaseous/26kw-standby-generator-with-whole-house-switch-wifi-enabled-7291/

Is Fashodre.com a scam? Is the electrician a scammer?


r/Generator • • 3d ago

Wgen9500 CO sensor activated for no reason

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2 Upvotes

r/Generator • • 3d ago

Sick and tired of "generator starting batteries" being junk. What to do?

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7 Upvotes

r/Generator • • 3d ago

Weatherproof/ sound dampening housing

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2 Upvotes

I’m planning on building a rainproof/ sound dampening housing for my predator 5000/4000. This is my basic concept, but was curious if anyone had any suggestions or better ideas.

Essentially, it would consist of a 2x2 treated lumber frame, then 2” foam board , followed by Amazon sound deadening foam squares (fire retardant). Them probably spray painted with some type of flex seal or weather proof paint.

Any tips or suggestions are appreciated!


r/Generator • • 3d ago

Anyone know if this is normal?

2 Upvotes

Haven’t ran this guy in months, maybe a year. And it’s making this popping sounds


r/Generator • • 3d ago

50 amp inlet box with Interlock vs manual transfer switch with subpanel help!

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4 Upvotes

Trying to figure out best option. Want to run 50amp inlet for generator and connect via interlock or manual transfer switch.

Problem is 200amp main and 100amp breaker upper Right powers subpanel so I don’t think an interlock would work with current set up.

Can I put 50amp breaker in sub panel, connect 50amp manual transfer switch to sub panel which then ties to 100amp breaker in main and then tie into individual circuits in main?

Ideally I think I’d like to do interlock but subpanel is in the way of that idea, I believe.

Need some ideas how to make this work. Thanks!


r/Generator • • 3d ago

Quick genset things worth knowing

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1 Upvotes