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milesbuiltbymil's avatar
milesbuiltbymil
Explorer
Dec 05, 2017

Powerhouse generator battery replacement

My five year old Powerhouse PH2100pri portable generator has been reasonably reliable, but sure wish I had sprung for the Honda. No one will service it, so I do it myself, and so far have kept it functional. I now need to replace the OEM battery (Leoch DJW12-5.0), which has been tough to locate, and I'd guess cost more than it should. The space available in the generator housing is just big enough for the OEM battery, so a substitute isn't likely an option. Is there any reason that I can't skip the battery in the generator and just run cables from my truck or trailer batteries to the generator leads to active the starter? The OEM battery is 5amps, so my concern is that I'd cause damage by giving the starter too many amps.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Miles
  • Dave_H_M's avatar
    Dave_H_M
    Explorer II
    Dec 06, 2017
    SidecarFlip wrote:
    You can get a replacement battery at Harbor Freight. It's the same battery they use in their new electric start inverter.


    This and don't forget to take the 20% coupon like I did. :S
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Dec 05, 2017
    Hi,

    I modified my Yamaha genny to allow me to boost it. I've had occasion to do so in the last 2 weeks. I used a boost type battery charger powered from my inverter.

    Another option would be to add a device similar to a Trik-L-Start.
  • SidecarFlip's avatar
    SidecarFlip
    Explorer III
    Dec 05, 2017
    What is to 'service' anyway? Oil change, clean the foam air filter, replace the plug every 5 years run descent gas with stabilizer and you are good to go. Even a valve adjustment is cake. The valve cover is 'O' ringed and the clearances are in your owners manual and it has screw type adjusters. Box wrench and flat blade screwdriver and 5 minutes.

    I should be in small engine repair and service, I'd make a killing,
  • SidecarFlip's avatar
    SidecarFlip
    Explorer III
    Dec 05, 2017
    You can get a replacement battery at Harbor Freight. It's the same battery they use in their new electric start inverter.
  • Sam_Spade's avatar
    Sam_Spade
    Explorer
    Dec 05, 2017
    milesbuiltbymiles wrote:
    so my concern is that I'd cause damage by giving the starter too many amps.


    YOU can't give a device "too many amps".
    You control the input VOLTAGE and the device draws what it needs.

    As for "jumping" to start the gen, that might work but it might need the battery to KEEP running......or to excite the generator for it to work.

    Have you tried a battery specialty store ?
    I think they can get pretty much anything......given a little time and some $$$.
  • K_Charles's avatar
    K_Charles
    Explorer
    Dec 05, 2017
    I have a PH2100pri that has worked very well for me ,BUT. If you leave the switch for remote start on for more then a few days the battery goes dead. Either start it every day or start it with a rope. Now that I have a class a with generator I only use he PH2100pri at home an I jump it with a car battery every time.
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Dec 05, 2017
    As Mex said, assuming it's a 12V battery, any 12V battery will work fine. The amperage is determined by the voltage and the impedance of the starter, not by the size of the battery (well, assuming the battery isn't so small that the voltage sags excessively while cranking).

    You probably can find a replacement battery of the same size elsewhere, though, even if it's a different brand. Maybe something like this would do the trick.
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Dec 05, 2017
    If the battery is 12-volts, you could jump start it with a 12 volt battery the size of Staten Island, and the generator wouldn't know a thing was different.

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