[09KR0058]

I have a Kohler 20RESA generator with the RDC2 controller, manufacture date 7/21/15, installed about a week later. Everything has been working fine until the weekly test cycle ran yesterday.

I normally get the notification emails at the beginning and end of the exercise. I logged into OnCue Plus and it shows "Not Connected". After a lot of head scratching, I discovered that the controller was not connected to my network. Nothing there has changed and all other devices connect just fine and get an assigned IP. I tried turning it off, waiting, turn back on, wait, but still doesn't connect.

Being a computer geek, I have a tool to check network cables. One piece plugs into one end of the cable, another piece to the other end. Switch it on and it tests the wires 1-8 and checks for shorts. Verified the cable is good. When I plugged the cable back in to the bottom of the controller, both lights on the network plug light up. That should mean that its connected and transmitting, but still nothing.

Sent an email to my dealer with all the details of my troubleshooting and they are contacting Kohler. In the meantime, I was wondering if anyone here had heard of this issue, or know what else I can try. I've been through the manuals and don't see a way to force the controller to request a DHCP IP address from the router.

Any ideas what else I could try?

 

[jreagan]

Rebooted your router? Up to date firmware? I used to have a Netgear that got "tired" after a while and stopped giving out DHCP addresses or renewing leases. A reboot cleared it.

Have you logged into your router from a browser to see its status?

 

[AandPDan]

I've been through the manuals and don't see a way to force the controller to request a DHCP IP address from the router.

It should automatically request an IP when the controller is rebooted. Reboot the router first then try the controller again.

 

[09KR0058]

Rebooted your router?

Yes, a few times.

Up to date firmware?

Yep

I used to have a Netgear that got "tired" after a while and stopped giving out DHCP addresses or renewing leases. A reboot cleared it.

I have seen that on routers in the past also, but it usually takes a full reset to clear that up. What happens is that the table that stores those leases gets full and can't wrap around and reuse addresses. This was especially true for routers that used indefinite lease times. Definitely not the case here.

Have you logged into your router from a browser to see its status?

That's the first thing I did, and kept doing it while doing all the troubleshooting.

 

[09KR0058]

It should automatically request an IP when the controller is rebooted. Reboot the router first then try the controller again.

That is really the question. How do I "reboot" the controller? One of the many steps I tried was:
1) Turn off and unplug my router
2) Turn the controller off (Which only takes it out of standby mode. It doesn't actually power it down).
3) Wait about 10-15 minutes.
4) Plug in and turn on the router and wait for it to come up completely.
5) Log in to the router from a PC.
6) Turn the controller back to standby mode.
7) Kept checking the "attached devices" page every 5-10 minutes for a couple hours. All other devices in my home started showing up as expected, except for the generator/controller.

There doesn't seem to be a way to "reboot" the controller. If I turn off the breaker that powers the generator, it will just assume a power failure and start up. Now I'm wondering if I disconnect the battery, then turn off the breaker, that would power the controller down completely. I could then wait a while and then turn the breaker back on, and reconnect the battery. That may be the only way to accomplish the reboot of the controller?

 

[09KR0058]

Problem solved, at least for now. Disconnected the battery, turned off the breaker to the controller and waited about 10 minutes. Turned the power back on and its now back on the network.

 

[gregzoll]

Set the controller with a Static IP. A lot of devices like the controller, use Wireless-B protocol, since they are not needing to use the Internet, along with the fact that Wireless-B is able to go for longer distances.

I use a TEW-638 A/P for my Wireless-B/G devices. I have a separate one for Wireless-N in my house.

Personally I would use the Ethernet board, order some "flooded (Outdoor bury rated) Cat-6 from L-Com, along with a Ethernet Lightening protector to not allow any surges to find their way along the Ethernet to your Gateway or Switch. The Lightening protector would ground where the ground rod or Ufer ground is.

If you want to stick with the Wireless option, I would do like I did for my setup and place the A/P close to where the Controller can pick up the signal. You can use inSSIDer to measure signal strength at the Generator for the A/P wireless signal.

 

[09KR0058]

Actually, this is a wired connection. Kohler doesn't even offer the wireless option any more, and it just didn't seem like a good idea to me anyway. Using a Cat6 cable that's run through a conduit into the house. All my ethernet wiring is surge protected.

 

[gregzoll]

Surge protection does not work in this kind of case. You have to use Lightening Protection for any Ethernet that connects to any network devices outside of the house.

Using Surge Protectors with Ethernet plugged into them, can actually cause the issue that you are dealing with.