Champion 3100 - running an AC - how many hrs out of a tank?

hbillsmith wrote:
If your so inclined, you can build your own kit by sourcing all the parts on Amazon. They watching the Pinellas video carefully, you can install it. That's what I did. The total cost for parts was roughly $70. I posted a parts list in a previous thread, just search for postings by me 'hbillsmith'.

If you haven't watched the Pinellas video, do a search on youtube for Pinellas Champion

A little history first. I have been using Champion Generators for well over 15 years. Had very few problems with any of them that I’ve used and/or owned and always had great response from the company if I needed anything from advice to a part. Number one in customer service hands down!

I have had the Champion 75537i 3100 for a couple years now love it to death! I wouldn’t be without the remote start feature! Period! When Champion came out with the Dual Fuel 3400 I called Champion and asked where the remote start was. They explained that the Propane could not be remote started as it would need a solenoid shut off for the fuel. The shut off is a simple turn off fuel supply for propane. I told them if and when they came up with a remote for it I’d sell the 75537i 3100 and buy one.

Long story short I’ve been looking at an extended run fuel set up for the 75537i 3100. I spend about a month in the hills every fall Deer & Elk Hunting and it would be nice not to have to fill the generator every couple days or run out of fuel while the morning coffee is half brewed! I have watched the Pinellas video dozens of times looks like a simple enough operation. I had found all the parts I need to build the external tank set up but the only thing I was having trouble with was figuring out what fuel pump to use. Talked to several people that used different fuel pumps and found some had trouble with carburetor flooding and others that had surging issues due to lack of enough fuel. After reading the posts by hbillsmith (very good info. Thanks) I ordered the fuel pump from Amazon put it all together and have tested it for a couple of hours it’s working pretty good so far. Mainly I have run it without a load on both economy and full run checking out for any leaks or other issues. Plan to run it with a load for a few hours this next week for a real test.

Thanks Again hbillsmith for the info on the pump seems to be the ticket!

Champion will always be number one in my book!

Mr. Wizard wrote

For me when the A/C is on, it's not about fuel economy, it's about keeping the A/C going

Amen, I don't care how much $$ i SPEND ON Propane or Gasoline I use. It's all about being comfortable. If I wanted to camp in the HOT days I would use a tent. I just want to use things I have worked hard for as I need them, Thats why I have them.
MEL

My experience is it will speed up,
But it won't go to max RPM (with the Econ switch on) unless it is near the power over load point which changes with ambient temperature and electronics heat
Which means at 80 degrees and cold generator i can draw 3000va and surge 3400va
But at 105 degrees an hot generator maybe 2700va and surge 2900va

I measured just under 2700va running the a/c , fridge, pc , and fans on a 105 degree day and then get an overload when the fridge cycles on
And i have to shut down and restart
My fridge is residential 1 amp running 10 amps compressor start

So any way , when it gets hot i turn Econ off, and let it have a few extra rpm of breathing room

Econ does what it can to hold engine speed to power being used,
But Max speed means it must be Max power being used if in Econ mode

With out Econ the generator gains a little tiny cushion of breathing room, under that heavy load from the AC

For me when the A/C is on, it's not about fuel economy, it's about keeping the A/C going, keeping the generator going
That little bit of extra air flow from the engine fan cooling the inverter electronics, after all 100+ air temp doesn't do much cooling,
Moving as much air as possible helps keep the available power a little bit higher, the intake air goes over the inverter electronics before it goes over the engine

This is my experience, your experience might be different

If it gets Too hot, i just unplug the charger/converter, switch the fridge to the inverter, let the solar and batteries take care of the fridge , pc, fans etc and let generator have only one job the A/C

MrWizard wrote:
Mel

Econ let's the engine slow down when load is low, and saves some fuel
That's why it's called Economy mode

When it's 85 degrees and my A/c is not working to hard and can cool the RV awhile cycling, i will sometimes use Econ mode

But when it's 100 degrees and running full blast to keep up,
Putting heavy load on the generator, flipping Econ off only raises the rpm a little bit, the champ is already running near full bore, l figure why make it struggle to use Econ, let it run , let it have that extra few RPM of engine speed and cooling
You just did a test, and I'm doing an all day run in hot weather
Right now my champ is in Econ mode, but in a few hours maybe at next fill up
I will flip Econ off
Yesterday it was 106f here today forecast in the mid too high 90s

Thank you, good information. I always thought any generrator running economy mode would automaticly speed up to the max RPM when the load increases to that point.
Mel

Mel

Econ let's the engine slow down when load is low, and saves some fuel
That's why it's called Economy mode

When it's 85 degrees and my A/c is not working to hard and can cool the RV awhile cycling, i will sometimes use Econ mode

But when it's 100 degrees and running full blast to keep up,
Putting heavy load on the generator, flipping Econ off only raises the rpm a little bit, the champ is already running near full bore, l figure why make it struggle to use Econ, let it run , let it have that extra few RPM of engine speed and cooling
You just did a test, and I'm doing an all day run in hot weather
Right now my champ is in Econ mode, but in a few hours maybe at next fill up
I will flip Econ off
Yesterday it was 106f here today forecast in the mid too high 90s

I believe the econ mode is to run the gen at the lowest RPM based on demand. No sense running full bore when only at 1/4 load, but with a full load such as the AC, econ wont do squat.

Econ mode is OFF until evening ambient temperature drop
The generator is hot, the compressor is hot, and Econ off let's the generator breathe a little freer, get a little bit more air flow from the engine fan, slightly better cooling for the engine and the electronics

I didn't know this, I ran mine in Econ. in the on position. A/C was running fine, I only ran two hours. One hour on gasoline and an hour on propane. I was under the impression that if it was set in the ECONOMY mode that it would automatpcly speed up to full run capacity if the load demanded it. Am I wrong?
Mel

trying to be more use observant today
103F a/c in full on cold mode, no compressor cycling
i'm avg 2hrs per gallon
measured by starting at full tank and how much i pour back in at 2hr intervals
the 1.6 gallon tank should last to 3hrs and 'X' minutes

1/2 gal per hour to be cool

Yesterday Thursday was a four gallon day
Now this was 10 hours of run time with a/c

If the temps are below 90 and i have a little shade and the a/c compressor cycles i can get about four hours per tank

If the temps are higher and the compressor stays on continuous
Then i get about two hours per gallon maybe less, depending on how hard the generator is running (at 108f it's closer to one hour per gallon, maybe three hours per two gallons)

I should add, i will leave it on Econ if the compressor it's cycling
Once get gets hot enough that the compressor must remain on
Econ mode is OFF until evening ambient temperature drop
The generator is hot, the compressor is hot, and Econ off let's the generator breathe a little freer, get a little bit more air flow from the engine fan, slightly better cooling for the engine and the electronics

i was thinking it got hotter as the day progressed,
and using the LP second instead of first meant the generator was working harder at the start of LP test, than at the start of the gasoline test

but i'm not there and my perception could have been wrong

the hotter the air temp the harder the a/c and genny have to work

i burned 4 gal yesterday and only 3 the day before

today is not over, so ??

i expect to burn 5 on fri forecast 106f, and again sat forecast 108f