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ProServiceGenerator Repairs

Electrical and control

Generator Controllers We Repair, Replace & Reprogram

A generator controller is the electronic module that monitors the engine, shows alarms, and allows or blocks a start. ProService Generator Repairs diagnoses, repairs, replaces and configures supported controllers on site across Gauteng. SmartGen, Deep Sea Electronics (DSE), Datakom and Generac are the families given the most space here. Other modules can be assessed. Not every controller can be repaired or reprogrammed.

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  • SmartGen, DSE, Datakom and Generac first
  • Repair, replacement or reprogramming
  • Alarms diagnosed, not bypassed
  • Onsite across Gauteng
Technician tracing labelled wires in a generator control panel

What does a generator controller do?

These words are used on the rest of this page. AMF and ATS are related, and they are not the same part.

Controller
The module that reads sensors, displays alarms, and starts or stops the engine when the settings allow it.
AMF
Automatic mains failure. On a controller that supports it, the module starts the set when it sees the mains supply fail.
ATS
The automatic transfer switch. It moves the building between mains and generator. The switch is not the controller.
Alarm
A warning or shutdown on the module. The text is recorded before anyone clears the screen.
Auto-start
A start that happens without a person pressing the button, usually after a mains failure or another start signal.
Configuration
The settings for sensors, timers and start behaviour on the generator in front of the technician.
Repair or replacement
Wiring and inputs are checked first. A module is replaced when it is damaged or will not hold a configuration, and a compatible unit can be fitted.

Primary controllers

Generator Controller Brands We Work With

SmartGen, Deep Sea Electronics, Datakom and Generac are the four controller brands given the most space on this page. Each card opens the section for that family. The names below the cards are other modules that can be assessed, at a smaller scale.

Also assessed

Other controller families

These cards are smaller on purpose. They are not given the same weight as SmartGen, DSE, Datakom and Generac.

SmartGen Generator Controllers

SmartGen generator controllers are widely used for manual start, automatic start, AMF operation, engine monitoring, generator monitoring, alarms, protection, ATS-related operation, and CAN or J1939 on models that support it.

Families and models commonly encountered include:

  • HGM4010N and HGM4020N
  • HGM6110N and HGM6110NC
  • HGM6120N, HGM6120NC and HGM6120CAN
  • HGM7120N
  • HGM7220 and HGM7220N
  • HGM9320CAN
  • HGM9510 and HGM9530

Those are examples, not a closed list, and not a promise that every SmartGen module can be repaired. A damaged or unsupported unit may be a replacement or an upgrade instead.

Deep Sea Electronics (DSE) Generator Controllers

DSE controllers are commonly used for generator monitoring, automatic start, AMF, protection and more advanced generator control. Diagnosis starts with the alarm on the display and the wiring around the module.

Units and families commonly encountered include:

  • DSE3110
  • DSE4520 MKII
  • DSE6020 MKII
  • DSE6110 MKIII
  • DSE6120 MKIII
  • DSE7310 MKII and DSE7320 MKII
  • DSE7410 MKII and DSE7420 MKII
  • DSE8610 MKII and DSE8620 MKII

Older DSE generations can be assessed for repair, replacement or an upgrade. This page does not try to list every legacy model. Send a photo of the module that is fitted.

Datakom Generator Controllers

Datakom controllers are used for generator monitoring, AMF, engine protection, automatic starting and control. The D-series and the DKG modules are the ones most often in front of a technician on this work.

Models and families commonly encountered include D-100, D-200, D-300, D-500, D-500 Lite, DKG-307, DKG-527, DKG-537, DKG-547 and DKG-557.

Not every older Datakom module can be repaired. If the unit is obsolete or the fault is in the hardware, replacement or an upgrade can be the practical option. That is explained before parts are ordered.

Generac Generator Controllers

Generac standby generators are often met with their own control system rather than a generic industrial module. Families encountered include Evolution, Evolution 1.0, Evolution 2.0, Nexus, and older or pre-Nexus controls where those are still on the set.

Support depends on the generator model, the controller generation, the condition of the module, programming access and whether a replacement is compatible. A Generac gas set and a Generac diesel set are not the same booking. See Generac gas generator repairs and Generac diesel generator repairs for the engine side.

Controller work

Generator Controller Services

Each card is a different job. A reprogram is not a replacement, and an alarm reset is not a diagnosis.

  • Technicians diagnosing a generator controller fault

    Controller Fault Diagnosis

    The alarm, the blank screen or the failed start is traced before a module is condemned.

  • Generator controller module inspected on a workbench

    Controller Repair

    Power, wiring, inputs and connections are checked when the module itself may still be serviceable.

  • Old generator controller removed while a newer module is fitted

    Controller Replacement

    A damaged, obsolete or uneconomical module can be assessed for a compatible replacement.

  • Laptop connected to a generator controller for reprogramming

    Controller Reprogramming

    Settings are rewritten when the model and the software access allow it.

  • Technicians configuring a generator controller and its sensor wiring

    Controller Configuration

    Sensors, alarms, inputs and automatic-start behaviour are set for the generator in front of us.

  • Technician fitting a newer controller into an older generator panel

    Controller Upgrade / Retrofit

    An older panel can sometimes take a newer module. Compatibility is confirmed first.

  • Technician reading a generator controller alarm lamp

    Alarm Diagnosis

    The displayed alarm is recorded and investigated. It is not cleared just to quieten the screen.

  • Generator controller and mains-sensing wiring in a panel

    Automatic Start / AMF Setup

    Automatic mains-failure start is configured only on controllers that support it.

  • Generator controller beside an open automatic transfer switch

    ATS Integration

    The controller and the transfer switch are checked as one sequence, not as two unrelated boxes.

  • Technician connecting diagnostic equipment to a generator engine harness

    CAN / J1939 Configuration

    Engine communication is checked on models that use CAN or J1939. It is not assumed on every controller.

  • Speed control unit and breakers inside a generator panel

    Controller Commissioning

    After setup, the start, the alarms and the transfer are watched rather than assumed.

  • Technician checking a generator controller beside service tools

    Maintenance Alarm Reset & Configuration

    A service timer is reset only after the service it refers to has been understood. The alarm is not the service.

Generator Controller Repair, Replacement & Reprogramming

Controller repair

Depending on the condition of the controller, diagnosis may involve the controller power supply, wiring, inputs, outputs, relays, sensors, communication faults, display or power problems, and connection faults. The module is not the first part named if the supply to it is missing.

Controller programming and reprogramming

Depending on the controller model and software access, programming can cover:

  • Start and stop configuration
  • Automatic start and AMF
  • Sensor and alarm configuration
  • Maintenance timers
  • Remote start
  • Voltage and frequency monitoring
  • CAN or J1939, on supported models
  • ATS interaction
  • Input and output configuration

Controller replacement

Replacement may be considered where a controller is physically damaged, obsolete, unsupported, uneconomical to repair, or incompatible with the generator setup that is required. A different brand is only used when it can actually run that set.

Controller faults we diagnose

The alarm should be diagnosed rather than simply cleared repeatedly. Low-oil shutdowns, emergency stop, high-temperature protection, voltage protection, frequency protection and ATS interlocks are not bypassed, forced or defeated to make a screen go quiet.

  • Controller completely blank
  • Controller not powering up
  • Fail to start
  • Fail to stop
  • Automatic start failure
  • Generator only starts manually
  • Maintenance alarm
  • Low frequency alarm
  • High frequency alarm
  • Low voltage alarm
  • High voltage alarm
  • Emergency stop alarm
  • Low oil pressure alarm
  • High coolant temperature alarm
  • Battery charger fault
  • Mains failure
  • CAN communication fault
  • Sensor fault
  • Digital input fault
  • Electrical trip
  • ATS fault
  • Incorrect fuel-level reading
  • Incorrect voltage reading
  • Incorrect frequency reading

Other Generator Controllers We Can Assess

These families are secondary to SmartGen, DSE, Datakom and Generac. They are named so a less common module can still be identified from a photo.

ComAp

Common generator controller families include InteliNano, InteliLite and InteliGen systems.

DEIF

Common genset control families include AGC and SGC systems.

Woodward

Common generator controls include the easYgen family.

Cummins PowerCommand

Used on many Cummins generator sets. PCC and PowerCommand systems are referred to in general, not as one model. Engine work stays on Cummins diesel generator repairs.

Kohler / Rehlko

Generator controller systems including RDC and DC-type controls, where those are what is fitted.

Lovato Electric

The RGK generator-controller family.

Kutai Electronics

Generator and AMF control modules.

What Should I Send Before Booking a Controller Repair?

Send what you can before the visit. It is how the module is identified.

  • A clear photo of the controller
  • The controller manufacturer
  • The controller model
  • The generator make and model
  • A photo of the generator data plate
  • The engine data plate, where you can see it
  • A photo of the displayed alarm
  • A short description of the problem

That information helps decide whether the visit is a diagnosis, a reprogram or a replacement conversation. It does not replace looking at the set.

Google reviews of ProService Generator Repairs

  • Google Review

    After a lightning strike paralyzed our digital controller, they sourced an upgraded Deep Sea panel, re-wired the relay system, and programmed the parameters flawlessly for a much better interface.

  • Google Review

    They updated the proprietary firmware on our Generac commercial diesel controller, completely resolving the intermittent starting issues we had been battling for months.

Common Questions

Generator controller questions

Can a generator controller be repaired?

Sometimes. Diagnosis looks at power, wiring, inputs, outputs and the module itself. A controller that is burnt, unsupported or cheaper to replace is not described as a repair.

Can you replace a generator controller?

Replacement is considered when the module is damaged, obsolete, unsupported, uneconomical to repair, or incompatible with the setup the generator needs. The replacement has to suit that generator.

Can you reprogram generator controllers?

Reprogramming is possible when the model and the software access allow it. Start, stop, sensors, alarms and automatic-start settings are examples. Not every brand opens the same way.

Do you work on SmartGen controllers?

Yes. SmartGen HGM modules are one of the four controller families given the most attention on this page, including units such as the HGM6120 and HGM7220 families. That list is not every SmartGen ever made, and not every module can be repaired.

Do you repair Deep Sea Electronics controllers?

Yes. Common DSE families from the DSE4520 and DSE6120 through to the DSE7320 and DSE8620 MKII units are assessed. Older generations can be looked at for repair, replacement or an upgrade.

Do you work on Datakom controllers?

Yes. D-series and DKG modules are assessed for control, AMF and alarm faults. An older Datakom module is not promised as repairable if a replacement is the practical path.

Why is my generator controller showing an alarm?

The alarm is a report from the controller, not a part number. It should be diagnosed. Clearing it repeatedly does not repair low oil pressure, high temperature, a sensor fault or a failed start.

Why does my generator start manually but not automatically?

Manual start only proves the engine can be asked to run from the button. Automatic start also needs the controller mode, the mains sensing, the battery and, where fitted, the ATS. That fault is also described on the generator not auto starting page.

Still unsure what the fault is? Call or WhatsApp 082 057 4605 for onsite diagnosis.

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Related Pages

Control, starting and installation

What to send before we attend

ProService Generator Repairs confirms an onsite visit from these details. Send what you have. A missing model number does not stop the booking.

Location
The suburb or site, so the visit can be booked in the right area.
Make and model
The generator brand and model, if they are known.
kVA
The size printed on the data plate.
Fuel type
Diesel, petrol, LPG, natural gas, or dual-fuel.
Controller model
The module name on the panel, when it is visible.
Fault or alarm
What the set does, and any text on the screen.
Photos
The generator, the data plate, and the controller or alarm. Send these on WhatsApp.

Get Started

Need a generator controller looked at?

Send a photo of the controller and any alarm. The visit is booked as electrical and control work, alongside the usual repair and service options.

Include what you have. Photos of the generator and the data plate can be sent on WhatsApp.

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