Monitor your Generac generator with Home Assistant

arg…you just added to my to-do list. I have just binary sensors for my updates, mostly Docker images. But I have GenMon update binary also, as I should since I’m the one that requested that specific MQTT topic for updates.

I like like pictures, I do this already for packages and cameras, but never thought about for updates.

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I didn’t include the images, that is a property of the “update sensors”. (I’m not that good at this)
e.g.: update.duck_dns_update

Folks i bought all the parts couple years ago but never went through with genmon.
I am now in a new house with 24Kw Generac on firmware 1.15.176 with WiFi module.
Did generac ever encrypt evo 2.0 modules or i can go ahead and connect to port 1?

https://github.com/jgyates/genmon/issues/865

Yes, but you will get errors every 8 mins or so at this point in time.

Is the 8 pin connector under the green sticker as shown in this photo? Processing: IMG_1542.dng…

Also I’m assuming GenMon will still work, with some errors, on a 22kW running firmware v1.15.176 - but showing errors about every 8 minutes that can be ignored. True?

Yes, that looks like where the connector is, from memory.

The periodic errors that you see are likely due to more recent versions of firmware “encrypting” the MODBUS exchange somehow. The genmon software grew some sort of workaround for that that and I believe it manifests as these periodic messages. I have an older controller that I’ve not updated to the version that started this, so I’ve not experienced this aspect first-hand.

Also note that on the 22kw version (or at least on mine) the power generation numbers (and current) can be garbage as that generator might not have the current transformers fitted to do the measurement. The lower power generators have the CTs installed to prevent the engine from overloading the generator component in the genset. Apparently it’s the same sized engine across a family of generators, and the lower power ones just have a smaller generator component tied to the engine. Or so I’ve read somewhere.

In case anyone needs it and has mobile link set up for their generator, I ported an openhab integration to home assistant. It can be installed by using GitHub - bentekkie/ha-generac: A custom integration for home assistant for generac and honeywell generators as a custom repository in hacs. It worked for my honeywell/generac 22kw generator, please send bug reports if it doesnt work for you

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I had a sticker but no port underneath so I ended up using the wifi module port instead.

Does anyone know of a guide from start to finish? Going down this road now but don’t really want to follow from the start of the thread in 2018

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This is awesome! Gonna try this today.

The genmon wiki has all the info needed. Its not laid out well but as you work through it, it starts to make sense.

Has anyone ever done anything with the Generac solar system and batteries and Home Assistant? They charge a monthly fee to set up battery/grid feed/etc., priorities but it’s then static. I’d like to be able to change my settings and automatically switch between keeping the batteries charged, priority backup, what happens when islanding, etc. and tie to local day/night cycles, seasons, and even weather patterns to optimize my settings. I’ve found virtually nothing about using Home Assistant with a solar system. Anyone know where I might be able to get some info?

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@Danny2100 Can you share a photo of this? Thanks!

Here you go.

I plugged the cable into port 1 as port 2 is empty.

Thanks for your work on this Ben! The instructions were easy to follow and the integration works great with HA and my Generac 22kw unit. Looking forward to using it for various automations and it’s nice getting so much more info than the ML app provides and without going all-in with a GenMon installation.

Is there a way from Home Assistant that I can turn on the generator remotely?

Anyone ever tried to hook the smartgen controllers? I have a Champion 12kW gasoline generator with manual start. I want to hook a smartgen controller to be able to make it auto-start. There is a LINK port on the smatgen controller, so I wondered if anyone tried to use it in genmon?

Could we just use GenMon’s “rest” status to get the data into HA?

Eg if I use this web address:

192.168.xxx.xxx/cmd/status_json

I get back

{"Status": [{"Engine": [{"Switch State": "Auto"}, {"Engine State": "Off - Ready"}, {"Battery Voltage": "13.70 V"}, {"RPM": "0 "}, {"Frequency": "0.00 Hz"}, {"Output Voltage": "0 V"}, {"Output Current": "0.00 A"}, {"Output Power (Single Phase)": "0.00 kW"}, {"Active Rotor Poles (Calculated)": "0 "}]}, {"Line": [{"Utility Voltage": "242 V"}, {"Utility Max Voltage": "250 V"}, {"Utility Min Voltage": "216 V"}, {"Utility Threshold Voltage": "132 V"}]}, {"Last Log Entries": {"Logs": {"Alarm Log": "10/08/23 12:39:18 Charger Missing AC : Alarm Code: 0000", "Service Log": "11/07/23 10:39:46 Schedule A Serviced ", "Run Log": "18/01/24 14:50:13 Stopped - Auto "}}}, {"Time": [{"Monitor Time": "Sunday January 28, 2024 07:32:56"}, {"Generator Time": "Sunday January 28, 2024 07:32"}]}]}

I’m not sure of the correct synax in configuration.yaml however, but something like?


- platform: rest
  - authentication: basic
    username: "XXXX"
    password: "XXXX"
    scan_interval: 60
    resource: http://192.168.XXX.XXX/cmd/status_json
    sensor:
      - name: "Engine"
        json_attributes_path: "$.response.system"
        value_template: "OK"
        json_attributes:
          - "Switch State"
          - "Engine State"
etc

I originally did something like this; however, went after it a slightly different way with the rest sensor. See Need help storing URL for use in generic IP camera (over 255 chars) - #2 by lmamakos for a reference to that. That’s been more than a couple years ago; perhaps the rest sensor thing has changed somewhat since then to allow multiple sensors to be evaluated for each JSON response? I don’t know if that was a thing at the time, or I just missed it.

Yeah, Someone more knowledgable than me on YAML would need to advise on the syntax and what is possible.

I do see in my configuration.yaml file that I have multiple rest sensors being used for my solar system (enphase).