Friend wants to run her RV air cond (13 or 15?) at times this summer and not with a recoil start cord. Seems to want remote start too. She knows little about the topic--I am not much better. So asking here in case somebody knows right off about the starter options, before I dig into it (lazy!). I assume she needs about a 3000w gen based on how we needed our Honda EU3000i for the 5er a/c we had.Looking at the Champion 3100, I see locally they come with a recoil start and at a decent price. However, I see on the US sites they come with a wireless remote start for the same gen. I see there are "wireless start kits" you can get in the States for any brand (?) portable gen that has the "port" in its control panel for plugging the kit into. Does the kit use the gen's electric start battery or its own?I don't know if the Champion 3100 with recoil start has that port, or which gens do, and what the deal is with the US version of the 3100.Can anybody post a general idea of how the wireless remote starter works compared with electric start, and how you can tell from the specs if a gen has the required "port" for a wireless start kit?Also--Our Honda 3000 with electric start had the battery in it die the first year so it was all pull cord start for the next 15 years. If she did get say a Champion 3100 with electric/wireless start (if available "up here"), is there a trick to keeping its battery charged if she doesn't use the gen very often?https://www.championpowerequipment.com/product/100262-3500-watt-wireless-start-inverter/https://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-install-a-generator-remote-start-kit

Some of the remote start kit sites offer the generator for sale also. I have a Honda 3000 and my battery also died quickly. I plan to hook a 2 watt solar maintainer to it to keep the battery charged.

Hi BFL13,I installed a Pinella unit on the Yamaha.Yamaha does make a remote start--but it doesn't control the choke--the Pinealla unit does.https://www.pinellaspowerproducts.com/It works well BUT for the remote to work, the key must be turned on. That discharges the generator starter battery.I added one of the 13.5 volt relays that you sourced on another thread. So now, my solar charges the generator battery too. I deliberately used thin wire as I don't want a lot of amps going to the generator.I'm using an SiO2 battery in the generator now.I wish when my generator developed wings, that I had simply gone to the Champion 3400 with remote electric start.

That series of Champion models is getting a little long in the tooth.They have a new series that will probably eventually supersede it.It has a battery shutoff switch to disable the remote receiver when the unit is in storage - otherwise, the receiver would eventually discharge the battery.

Westinghouse also has one. i-genLike the champs and others, it's a chinese knockoff of honda or Yamaha equipment.

BFL13 wrote:Also--Our Honda 3000 with electric start had the battery in it die the first year so it was all pull cord start for the next 15 years. If she did get say a Champion 3100 with electric/wireless start (if available "up here"), is there a trick to keeping its battery charged if she doesn't use the gen very often?Same as any other battery. Maintain/charge it. Not a trick, just normal preventative maintenance.

Portable Gen Wireless Start Questions | Good Sam Community

26 Replies

BFL13
Explorer II
Feb 21, 2022
Great info--thanks all! She now has a good idea what she needs/wants, so now it is all about what is available "up here" and watching for sales. Needs it for July so some time for that.
2112
Explorer II
Feb 21, 2022
BFL13 wrote:
Still not clear on the choke aspect. Assuming you leave it on and the battery does not run down meanwhile, you can use the fob to start it wirelessly.

However, recoil starts with the gens I am used to have a choke with a lever you slide over once it warms up a bit after getting going.

How is this achieved with wireless remote start gens like the Chanp 3500 linked in the OP?

Thanks.

I have the same 3500W model the OP referenced.
When starting remotely the choke is actuated by a stepper motor similar to the throttle. It's all automatic.

When starting at the panel either with the electric starter or manually pulling the cord, there is a red "Choke" button on the panel that must be pressed in. Once the engine starts you must press the red button again to open the choke.
2112
Explorer II
Feb 21, 2022
routeforty wrote:
I assume you replaced the original battery. With what? Did you go with the same size or a larger one? Gary
I replaced mine with a YTX7A-BS AGM motorcycle battery that lives on a 13.3V float charger.

I have not let it sit overnight with the switch on after the 1st failure. I might try it again at the house when I'm not relying on it.

Side Discussion: I wasn't sure what voltage to float this battery so I charged it at 14.6V until the current no longer dropped for an hour. Then I let it set for 2 days and it measured 13.3V. Let me know if there is a better way.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Feb 20, 2022
BFL13 wrote:
Still not clear on the choke aspect.

However, recoil starts with the gens I am used to have a choke with a lever you slide over once it warms up a bit after getting going.

How is this achieved with wireless remote start gens like the Chanp 3500 linked in the OP?

Thanks.

The add on kit from Pinella's doesn't disable the manual choke. The Yamaha add on does disable the manual choke.

I can't speak for the Champion.
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Feb 20, 2022
BFL13 wrote:
Still not clear on the choke aspect. Assuming you leave it on and the battery does not run down meanwhile, you can use the fob to start it wirelessly.

However, recoil starts with the gens I am used to have a choke with a lever you slide over once it warms up a bit after getting going.

How is this achieved with wireless remote start gens like the Chanp 3500 linked in the OP?

Thanks.

I believe the choke is connected to a solenoid, when cranking the solenoid closes the choke. Let up on the remote button when the engine catches and the solenoid relaxes and opens the choke..

Of course, there is the possibility of a spring loaded "automatic" choke like you used to see on many small lawnmower engines.. Spring is strong enough to lightly close and hold the choke when cranking but not strong enough to hold choke closed when engine is at speed..

Generally only need choke during startup when cold so most automobile "automatic" chokes used a simple bimetalic spring which when cold it shut the choke and as it warmed up, it relaxed and opened the choke..
BFL13
Explorer II
Feb 20, 2022
Still not clear on the choke aspect. Assuming you leave it on and the battery does not run down meanwhile, you can use the fob to start it wirelessly.

However, recoil starts with the gens I am used to have a choke with a lever you slide over once it warms up a bit after getting going.

How is this achieved with wireless remote start gens like the Chanp 3500 linked in the OP?

Thanks.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Feb 20, 2022
routeforty,

I replaced the OEM size with a slightly smaller SiO2. But the discharge rate on the SiO2 is more than triple that of the AGM. The starter spins wonderfully fast.

So it was better and cheaper too!
TurnThePage
Explorer
Feb 20, 2022
I purchased a replacement off Amazon. I can't remember if it matches exactly, but I'm sure I matched physical dimensions, and equaled or exceeded the charging/starting specs. I'm too lazy to go find the info.

I left the original on a small battery maintainer 24/7 and suspect that had something to do with its early demise. Now I just plug it in for 24hrs once a month. So far so good.
routeforty
Explorer
Feb 20, 2022
TurnThePage wrote:
2112 wrote:
I was excited when I bought my 3400W remote start. I thought all my problems were solved. I could just press a button, run the AC or microwave, crawl in bed after a good meal, watch TV for awhile, then press a button to turn off the generator and go to sleep.

NOT!

I left the power switch on for one night and the battery was dead as a door nail the next morning. Now I go outside to turn it off and on. The remote dongle lives in a drawer.

Be careful not to drain her chassis battery.
I think the original battery may not be that great. I now routinely leave the battery switch in the on position while camping and have had no problems. Sometimes, I'll shut it off if I'm in the area during the day, but I don't go out of my way to do it.
I assume you replaced the original battery. With what? Did you go with the same size or a larger one? Gary
TurnThePage
Explorer
Feb 19, 2022
2112 wrote:
I was excited when I bought my 3400W remote start. I thought all my problems were solved. I could just press a button, run the AC or microwave, crawl in bed after a good meal, watch TV for awhile, then press a button to turn off the generator and go to sleep.

NOT!

I left the power switch on for one night and the battery was dead as a door nail the next morning. Now I go outside to turn it off and on. The remote dongle lives in a drawer.

Be careful not to drain her chassis battery.
I think the original battery may not be that great. I now routinely leave the battery switch in the on position while camping and have had no problems. Sometimes, I'll shut it off if I'm in the area during the day, but I don't go out of my way to do it.