Brands we install
Kohler Home Standby Generators
Kohler is the second brand we install and one of the six we service. Built on Kohler's own engines and sold on the quality of the power they produce, they are a genuine alternative worth pricing against Generac.
Where we stand
What we can tell you about Kohler, and what we will not claim
Armored Power Systems installs and services Kohler home standby generators. That is the whole of our relationship with the brand and we are not going to dress it up as anything more. We hold authorized dealer status with Generac, dealer #1033043, and you will find that stated plainly on the Generac page. Nothing equivalent is claimed here.
We think that distinction is worth making, because dealer language gets used loosely in this trade and it genuinely matters for warranty administration and parts access. Ask any contractor quoting you a Kohler system what their relationship with the manufacturer actually is, and how warranty claims will be handled. It is a fair question and it has a short answer.
What does not change is the electrical work underneath. The load calculation, the transfer switch, the pad, the conduit and the permitting are ours regardless of the badge on the enclosure, and they are performed under Texas Master Electrician oversight either way.
The equipment
What Kohler brings to a home standby installation
Engine and build
Kohler builds its own engines and has a long history in commercial and industrial generating sets. That heritage shows up in the residential line as a reputation for solid mechanical construction rather than for headline features.
Voltage and frequency regulation
Kohler markets its home standby range heavily on the stability of the power it produces. Tight regulation matters more than people expect on a house full of variable-speed HVAC, well pump controls, computers and networking gear, all of which dislike voltage that wanders.
Air-cooled and liquid-cooled options
The same split as every other manufacturer. Air-cooled units cover most homes; liquid-cooled units step in when peak demand is high enough that an air-cooled machine would live at its limit.
Automatic transfer switches
Kohler supplies matched transfer switches in both whole-home and essential-circuit configurations, including service-rated options where the existing service arrangement calls for one.
Whichever brand you land on, the platform decision comes from the same place. See generator sizing for how peak demand and motor starting current settle the question of air-cooled versus liquid-cooled before anyone talks about badges.
Naming
Kohler, Rehlko, and why your invoice might say both
Kohler Energy separated from Kohler Co. in 2024 and now trades as Rehlko. The generators are still sold under the KOHLER name, and existing equipment, parts channels and service networks carried across. You will see the brand written as Kohler, Kohler/Rehlko or occasionally Kohler RCA depending on who is doing the writing.
For a homeowner this is a naming change rather than a technical one. Your unit is the same unit, the model number on the data plate is the same, and it is serviced the same way. We list it as Kohler/Rehlko on our brands-serviced list so nobody has to guess whether their machine is covered.
If you own one already and want it looked after, scheduled maintenance and repair work both cover Kohler, including units we did not install.
Choosing
Kohler or Generac
We install both, which means we have no reason to sell you one over the other. Here is the honest version.
Generac has the larger residential installed base and the deeper local parts and dealer network in this part of Texas. That translates into faster parts, more technicians who know the controller, and a wider ecosystem if you ever add battery storage or load control. We hold dealer status with them, so warranty administration on a Generac runs through us directly.
Kohler has a strong reputation for engine construction and for the stability of its output. If your house is full of sensitive electronics or variable-speed equipment, that is a real consideration rather than a marketing line. The network is smaller, so brand-specific parts and labor are less thick on the ground out here.
In practice, the load calculation, the fuel available at your property and your budget narrow the field before the badge does. Read the Generac page alongside this one, then make us justify whichever unit we put in the proposal.
Getting started
What happens if you go Kohler
Exactly the same project as any other brand. We walk the property and run a load calculation, design the system around what has to keep running, pull the permits and coordinate with the utility, pour a reinforced pad, land the transfer switch inline with the breaker box, run copper in conduit, and finish with a live simulated grid-failure test so you watch the house transfer under real load.
Your first full year of routine maintenance is included with any new installation, and after that you can move onto one of our maintenance plans. Financing is available through multiple lenders, subject to credit approval.
The full sequence is written out on the standby generator installation page, and if you want to talk it through against your own property, an estimate request is the fastest way to start.
Equipment
Kohler equipment and finishes
Kohler's enclosures are the part homeowners notice, because the machine sits where you can see it for the next twenty years.
- Five enclosure coloursPegasus, French Gray Linen, Pigeon Feather, Nevergreen and Dover Gray.
Mossy Oak enclosuresBottomland, Break-Up Country and Shadow Grass Habitat, for a unit on an acreage.
200A RXT transfer switchWhole-house switching, service-entrance rated where the panel calls for it.
Load shed moduleSheds the largest loads for a moment instead of dropping the whole house.
Common questions
Kohler generator questions
The Rehlko name change, how Kohler compares with Generac, and what we can service.
Does Armored Power Systems install Kohler generators?
Yes. Kohler is one of the two brands we install, alongside Generac, and we service Kohler units as well. We are not making a dealer-status claim for Kohler on this page: we install and service the equipment, and that is the accurate description.
Why is Kohler sometimes written as Kohler/Rehlko?
Kohler Energy became a separate company called Rehlko in 2024. The generators are still KOHLER-branded, and existing equipment, parts and service channels carried over. If you see your unit described as Kohler/Rehlko on a service list or an invoice, that is why. It does not affect what is on your pad.
Kohler or Generac for a home standby generator?
Both are capable. Generac has the larger residential installed base in North Texas and a deeper local parts and dealer network, which usually means faster parts and more technicians familiar with the controller. Kohler is well regarded for engine build and for clean, tightly regulated output. We install and service both, so the recommendation comes from your load profile, your site and your budget rather than from what we happen to stock.
Can you service a Kohler generator another company installed?
Yes, and this is a common call. We run a full diagnostic on a unit that is new to us so we know its real condition, then either repair it or move it onto a scheduled maintenance plan. Original installers move on more often than homeowners expect.
Does a Kohler generator run on natural gas or propane?
Both are supported, and the unit is configured for the fuel it will run on during installation. Natural gas means no tank and no deliveries, provided your meter and supply line can carry the generator on top of the house. Propane carries more energy per unit and suits rural properties with no gas main, at the cost of watching a tank gauge during a long outage.
How loud is a Kohler air-cooled standby generator?
Air-cooled home standby units from both Kohler and Generac run at roughly 65 to 67 dB(A) measured from about 23 feet under normal load. That is comparable to a central air conditioning condenser and sits comfortably inside typical municipal noise ordinances. The weekly exercise run is brief and can usually be scheduled to suit you.
Do you carry Kohler parts?
We source Kohler parts through the manufacturer’s channels for the service and repair work we take on. If a specific fault needs a part with a long lead time, we will tell you the timeline before we start rather than leaving a unit apart on the pad while we find out.
Related
Keep reading
- Generac GeneratorsThe other brand we install, and where dealer status matters.
- Standby Generator InstallationThe same project regardless of which badge is on the enclosure.
- Generator SizingPeak demand, starting current, and picking a platform.
- Generator RepairKohler/Rehlko diagnostics and repair, including units we did not install.
- Maintenance PlansSix plans covering every brand we service.
- Automatic Transfer SwitchesWhole-home and essential-circuit configurations explained.
Two ways to start
Which one are you?
Need a generator
We start with what has to keep running at your property — the well, the AC, the freezer, the shop — and size the system around it. You get a written proposal with the equipment, the electrical work and the site prep all in one number.
Already own one
Repair, diagnostics and scheduled maintenance for Generac, Kohler and Briggs & Stratton systems — including units another company installed. Tell us the brand and what it is doing and we will bring the right parts.