session cookie keeps requiring refresh

[jterrace]

Every several days now it seems, the integration fails to set up. It requires going back to the site and getting a new cookie value and entering it in the reconfigure area of the integration.

Is it expected that the cookie has an expiration or are others not having this happen?

[jterrace]

This looks like it's intentional to me. I think the cookies probably expire after a while, and the new flow for authentication requiring a robot challenge seems to be intentionally blocking integrations like this :(

[doobes]

Honestly, the limited functionality of the API doesn't motivate me to jump through these hoops every week.

It's clear then don't want us using the limited capability.

If we want true user control, a third party device will most likely be necessary.

My generator is still under warranty. As soon as that has expired, I'll take a look at alternative ways of external control.

I will firewall the generator off from the internet for now as I don't need/want Generac et al having connectivity to it with no value to me.

Thanks to everyone involved,

[bgiuriceo]

As a subscriber to MobiLink I think I should be allowed access to my data via an api.

[doobes]

Don't disagree, but you will have to address that with generac.

[jterrace]

I wholeheartedly agree and am really disappointed in Generac with how they handled this. I wrote up a post about how I switched to genmon:
https://blog.jeffterrace.com/2025/10/free-from-generac-with-genmon.html

[jr-ratliff]

I just had to reload cookie also. Thanks for working on this. I'm hoping there is port on the generac that somehow someone can figure out local access. Does anyone know of a local login? I am so new to this I'm not sure what's needed or even where to start. But I agree, having to reload a session cookie manually is not what we want.
@jterrace That's an awesome writeup! I wish I had the knowledge to do something like that. I may have to try it one day.

[binarydev]

It does seem like Generac has since added expiration dates to the cookie, with the session key specifically having an expiration timestamp that is only a few hours in the future but that gets refreshed every time a request is made to keep extending the lifetime of the cookie.

Example entry showing Nov 28th @ 5am GMT which is only a couple of hours after I logged in:

I would definitely suggest exploring Genmon if you're tired of playing whackamole with cookies and expiration deadlines! For now they haven't shut us down completely, but they do continue to make it more difficult with every update :/

Since there's nothing I can do, I'll consider this issue unresolvable but will leave it open for folks to be aware of (rather than opening new issues with no context).

[bigbeefyangus]

I was thinking about how yt-dlp and Music Assistant utilize a cookie PO token generator ,specifically this one: https://github.com/Brainicism/bgutil-ytdlp-pot-provider

I have no idea how cookies work technically speaking, but could something like this possibly work?

[chipster123]

I wholeheartedly agree and am really disappointed in Generac with how they handled this. I wrote up a post about how I switched to genmon: https://blog.jeffterrace.com/2025/10/free-from-generac-with-genmon.html

@jterrace Nice blog post. Thanks for this.

[pmyers]

@jterrace Excellent blog post. I looked though and it seems like the HAT is sold out, but I did see that they also sell a molex to USB-C adapter, which can then be connected to anything with a USB port (which for me will be an unused RPi3b+). I ordered one and will see if I can make this work. 😊

[danielmbrown603]

@jterrace Excellent blog post. I looked though and it seems like the HAT is sold out, but I did see that they also sell a molex to USB-C adapter, which can then be connected to anything with a USB port (which for me will be an unused RPi3b+). I ordered one and will see if I can make this work. 😊

Any success?

[pmyers]

Mostly success. 👍

I was able to hook up my RPi 3B Rev 1.2 to the Generac (Evolution 2.0) using the molex to USB-C adapter that I mentioned. I had to also get a 12V DC to USB adapter, so I could power the RPi. It worked, and I was able to get it to publish MQTT data to Home Assistant. Here's a picture of how I mounted it:

However, the RPi keeps getting low voltage kernel warnings, and eventually went offline. I'm not sure if it's the micro USB cable or the DC 12V USB adapter that is causing that. I need to get back up there (it's at a slightly remote location) and debug to see if the issue is with the RPi itself, the cable or something else.

But overall, yes, it did work quite well, modulo the RPi/Voltage issues. I was very happy both with the genmon web interface (hosted directly on the RPi at port 8000) and the MQTT integration. I even got genmon integrated via Bluetooth with my Mopeka Sensor Pro (which monitors the nearby 250 gallon propane tank level).

[hildebrau]

I had to also get a 12V DC to USB adapter, so I could power the RPi.

However, the RPi keeps getting low voltage kernel warnings, and eventually went offline. I'm not sure if it's the micro USB cable or the DC 12V USB adapter that is causing that. I need to get back up there (it's at a slightly remote location) and debug to see if the issue is with the RPi itself, the cable or something else.

@pmyers I've heard these generators don't tend/charge the batteries like a car would with an alternator. That really seems silly to me since they sit idle 99.99% of the time w/ power from the grid. This is also why they have battery maintenance on the regular maintenance schedule. You have to check the fluid levels (if not a solid battery) and charge it up periodically.

I would suspect that there is some higher voltage power available (240V, maybe 120V if you're lucky) in that beast somewhere. I'd find it and tap the RPi into that instead of slowly killing the "car" battery over time like a dash cam would. Hopefully the power will be provided from the same source wires when the generator kicks on in backup mode. So, you'll have to test that.

If anyone figures it out, please report back. Maybe one day I'll have time to go down this route myself.

[jterrace]

Mine's been running off the 12V battery for a couple months now with no problems. It definitely recharges the battery regularly from utility power.

[hildebrau]

ok.. That's good to hear.. I guess the generator "tech" possibly fed me some bad information, then.