Extender Gas Cans

[DarkSkySeeker]

This past weekend, we had up to 10 hours running time in my RV with our Honda 2000 on 'ECO' mode. It was running the lights, furnace fan, fridge, radio, and about 300 watts of other equipment (we run telescopes, cameras, and laptops).

We were boondocking where generator sounds were not an issue since we had no neighbors.

Rather than have to 'gas up' first thing in the morning or top off, I am considering an extender gas can. So of course I have questions.

Given the photos of extender can products, is it true that the Honda siphons from the extender can? Is there a special cap for the Honda? Since I can run close to 10 hours on the gallon of fuel in the Honda, are there 2-3 gallon extenders? Are there preferred brands? Can I refuel the extender can while the Honda runs?

[BarneyS]

All I ever did was start the generator with the aux tank hooked up and the generator fuel cap air shut off and aux tank air open. The generator would then run and eventually suck the gas from the other tank. It was not necessary to prefill the line from the aux tank to the generator. You could sit there and watch the gas inch along the clear fuel line I used. It would keep the Hondas' tank full all the time and when I shut it off the tank was full of gas ready to go again.
Barney

[ford_truck_guy]

What I used to do was:
1- start the 2 Honda's
2- hook up the parallel cable
3- hook up the extended run tank WITH the vent CLOSED on the tank
4- wait a minute or 3 and open the vent on the tank..

IN MY opinion it was easier for the Honda to PULL the fuel at first with the vent closed.. once the line was full and things were flowing it was a thing of beauty !

[opnspaces]

Grit dog wrote:

Trackrig wrote:
If the Honda 2000 is sitting in the truck bed and the external fuel tank is on the ground, is the Honda fuel pump capable of raising the fuel that far?

Bill

Don’t know the answer specifically, but considering the OEsetup is essentially gravity feed with a presumably very small vacuum diaphragm fuel pump, pulling 3-4’ vertical head does not seem too likely. Icbw.
But I bet you could plumb in a tee to a boat tank that sits at the same level that would work. Might have to valve off both intake lines for switching use ?

On that same thought, do you guys have to make sure to fill the remote hose with fuel when hooking up? Or is it good enough to just hook up the extended tank and the pump will start the flow? Assume the extended tank is sitting on the ground at the same level and about 2 feet away from the generator.

[opnspaces]

Lynnmor wrote:
The extender kits usually use a standard outboard motor fuel tank. If you are concerned that the fuel line is too close to the running generator, simply disconnect and move away to fill it. If you do it quickly there will not be enough vacuum to shut it down. An alternative is to have two tanks and swap them out, they have quick disconnects.

I've never had a remote tank, but it seems to me you don't even need to move quickly to refill one. Unhook the hose from the remote tank and carry it away from the running generator. You have at a minimum a few hours to refill the remote tank before the internal tank runs out. Once you fill the remote tank carry it back over and connect the hose again. The onboard pump will pull a vacuum and refill the onboard tank. Obviously the faster you refill and connect the tank the better,. But I'll bet it takes a good 10 minutes to even burn up the small bit of fuel that is sitting in the generator filler neck.

[Grit_dog]

However I can’t imagine sitting in the camper all day and night without going outside several times anyway. What’s it take to refuel a Honda 2000? 1 extra minute? So 2 minutes a day?
If a person is actually “living” day in day out off a Honda 2000 and reliant on it running 100% around the clock, there are bigger concerns than re fueling

[Grit_dog]

Trackrig wrote:
If the Honda 2000 is sitting in the truck bed and the external fuel tank is on the ground, is the Honda fuel pump capable of raising the fuel that far?

Bill

Don’t know the answer specifically, but considering the OEsetup is essentially gravity feed with a presumably very small vacuum diaphragm fuel pump, pulling 3-4’ vertical head does not seem too likely. Icbw.
But I bet you could plumb in a tee to a boat tank that sits at the same level that would work. Might have to valve off both intake lines for switching use ?

[ford_truck_guy]

BarneyS wrote:
I used one of these systems for many years and it always worked great.
Barney

Hard to beat the BERG System,....

[BarneyS]

I used one of these systems for many years and it always worked great.
Barney

[Trackrig]

If the Honda 2000 is sitting in the truck bed and the external fuel tank is on the ground, is the Honda fuel pump capable of raising the fuel that far?

Bill

[ford_truck_guy]

ktmrfs wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:
It does have a fuel pump.. I purchased a set up from here - Amazon - Bergs Single system

BUT I purchased the dual feed system and still have that tucked away in my shed ..

Mine was a 5 gallon and was/IS awesome ! I also fueled mine up while the generator was running as the tank was a few feet from the generator..

I know a few folks who tried some of the amazon/ebay no name systems and they were not trouble free or easy to use. I have the dual unit Berg system and while more expensive IMHO it is worth the money. Very well designed, quick and easy to connect, and very good fuel cap for the honda.

That is what I stated I had in my shed.... I LOVE the system, although I do not use it anymore... It just collect dust...really love my onboard Onan...

[dieseltruckdriv]

DarkSkySeeker wrote:
This past weekend, we had up to 10 hours running time in my RV with our Honda 2000 on 'ECO' mode. It was running the lights, furnace fan, fridge, radio, and about 300 watts of other equipment (we run telescopes, cameras, and laptops).

We were boondocking where generator sounds were not an issue since we had no neighbors.

Rather than have to 'gas up' first thing in the morning or top off, I am considering an extender gas can. So of course I have questions.

Given the photos of extender can products, is it true that the Honda siphons from the extender can? Is there a special cap for the Honda? Since I can run close to 10 hours on the gallon of fuel in the Honda, are there 2-3 gallon extenders? Are there preferred brands? Can I refuel the extender can while the Honda runs?

Go to ebay or amazon and buy an extended run gas cap, then you can either buy locally or through ebay/amazon a boat gas tank that you like. Then all you need is the fittings to go from the new gas cap to the hose, then to the tank. If you have an outboard boat, use that model.

It is that simple, no need to pay someone a lot of extra money to get those things for you unless you prefer to.

I have a six and a half gallon tank with dual outlets so I can run both generators on one tank if I want to use air conditioning, and a three gallon that is much easier to deal with for one generator.

[ktmrfs]

ford truck guy wrote:
It does have a fuel pump.. I purchased a set up from here - Amazon - Bergs Single system

BUT I purchased the dual feed system and still have that tucked away in my shed ..

Mine was a 5 gallon and was/IS awesome ! I also fueled mine up while the generator was running as the tank was a few feet from the generator..

I know a few folks who tried some of the amazon/ebay no name systems and they were not trouble free or easy to use. I have the dual unit Berg system and while more expensive IMHO it is worth the money. Very well designed, quick and easy to connect, and very good fuel cap for the honda.

[ford_truck_guy]

It does have a fuel pump.. I purchased a set up from here - Amazon - Bergs Single system

BUT I purchased the dual feed system and still have that tucked away in my shed ..

Mine was a 5 gallon and was/IS awesome ! I also fueled mine up while the generator was running as the tank was a few feet from the generator..

[Lynnmor]

The extender kits usually use a standard outboard motor fuel tank. If you are concerned that the fuel line is too close to the running generator, simply disconnect and move away to fill it. If you do it quickly there will not be enough vacuum to shut it down. An alternative is to have two tanks and swap them out, they have quick disconnects.

One thing to watch is the surface of the generator gas tank opening. Those stupid government gas cans that have the push to fill can nick the surface and allow an air leak that prevents the draw from the remote tank.