Kohler RDT Transfer switch with Load Shed Kit

[TheAlfredo]

Has anyone used a Kohler load shed kit with an MEP-803A? The manual has 2 communication leads from the load shed kit to the GenSet. Obviously the 803A doesn't communicate with Kohler products (or any). The Kohler rep, dealer and distributor can't tell me if the loadshed kit will work without a Kohler GenSet.

Anyone here have any experience with this? Should I pull the Kohler load shed kit and go with the Generac SMM load shed modules?

 

[jaxbill]

The good news is that the RDT ATS should start any 2 wire start generator. I believe it's the RXT that requires the RDC controller within the generator to even allow the ATS to start it.

The bad news is that I am pretty sure those optional Kohler accessories require the RDC or RDC2 controller installed in a Kohler generator. IIRC, it uses Kohler's RBUS communication mechanism. It may be standards based but I always thought it was proprietary to Kohler equipment.

For load shedding, the PSP Products CX Series is ATS and generator independent. It either uses a utility sense kit that drives a relay or a contact from an ATS to understand when it should activate itself. The PSP CX has a pair of CTs that are used to determine the load on the generator. In contrast, I believe the Kohler solution gets that info from the RDC controller. It needs a way to understand the load and drive those relays.

 

[LittleBill]

the generac from what i have been told works off frequency and is completely independent of the generator, thus should work with any of them, i would go smm modules

 

[TheAlfredo]

thank you

I contacted PSP today and will be using their products. I have a New Kohler Load shed kit going up for sale now...LoL

The good news is that the RDT ATS should start any 2 wire start generator. I believe it's the RXT that requires the RDC controller within the generator to even allow the ATS to start it.

The bad news is that I am pretty sure those optional Kohler accessories require the RDC or RDC2 controller installed in a Kohler generator. IIRC, it uses Kohler's RBUS communication mechanism. It may be standards based but I always thought it was proprietary to Kohler equipment.

For load shedding, the PSP Products CX Series is ATS and generator independent. It either uses a utility sense kit that drives a relay or a contact from an ATS to understand when it should activate itself. The PSP CX has a pair of CTs that are used to determine the load on the generator. In contrast, I believe the Kohler solution gets that info from the RDC controller. It needs a way to understand the load and drive those relays.

 

[jaxbill]

I've liked those guys so far. The magnetic latching relays shouldn't buzz or generate any heat to stay closed.

I did look up the Generac SMM and they seem cool. Wireless control communication is interesting. I don't understand how they work without some kind of Generac ATS or generator integration to know if utility power is on or off. Still not sure how it knows what the total load is on the generator to figure out when to shed/enable specific loads. It's too late for me anyway. Although this route would have saved me some space for sure.

 

[LittleBill]

I've liked those guys so far. The magnetic latching relays shouldn't buzz or generate any heat to stay closed.

I did look up the Generac SMM and they seem cool. Wireless control communication is interesting. I don't understand how they work without some kind of Generac ATS or generator integration to know if utility power is on or off. Still not sure how it knows what the total load is on the generator to figure out when to shed/enable specific loads. It's too late for me anyway. Although this route would have saved me some space for sure.

it doesn't talk to anything, it watches frequency on the line, if it drops it sheds, you can use up to 8, which has predetermined time out periods.

 

[jaxbill]

Ok, makes sense now. Thanks for the explanation.