3000W Chinese Gensets Info.

professor95 wrote:

msmd1 wrote:
I like the gen tent. Might have to order one. On a different topic, but still concerning the 3000W Chinese generator thread, I got my new CPE 46538 out this morning because the electricity had been out since midnight. Things were getting a bit warm in the refrigerator. Checked the oil, filled it with fresh, stabilized gas and hit the remote. Nothing. Battery read 1.83 volts on my meter. Pull started the genset, ran it a few minutes to warm up, and then ran an extension cord to the refrigerator and plugged it in. It ran for about 30 minutes before shutting down all by itself. It never sounded like it was running "right". It sounded like it was not running at full rpm, even though the intelligauge showed 124 volts and 59.9 hertz. When it shut down, the voltage was 119 and hertz went to 56. The light in the refrigerator was pulsing from bright to dim very rapidly while hooked up to the generator. Does it need battery power for the automatic choke to operate? Does running the generator charge the starting battery? I have the battery out of it now, charging. Probably going to put a battery tender on it for storage. When I ran it in August after receiving it, it ran like a charm under load, but not today.
Thanks for the help.

The Battery Tender is an excellent idea. It is a given, the small battery in the electric start models will discharge if allowed to sit. There is some parasitic loss back through the rectifier and charge coil. If you cannot keep a float charger on the battery when the generator is not in use, it is best to either remove the negative lead from the battery or put a small switch in the wire from the charge coil so that it can be opened to prevent any current leakage.

Running the generator will charge the battery, but not with the efficiency or voltage regulation you will receive from the Battery Tender or a float charger.

The automatic choke is a solenoid. As such, it does need battery power to operate properly.

You said, "When it shut down, the voltage was 119 and hertz went to 56. The light in the refrigerator was pulsing from bright to dim very rapidly while hooked up to the generator."

I think you are telling us that the voltage and frequency dropped and the refrigerator light flashed as you were shutting the generator down? Or did all of this happen before you shut it down? How rapidly was the fridge light pulsing - once a second, 10 times a second, or what? During that time was the generator also surging (changing speed) or was it running smoothly? :?

A little more specificity will help me to understand. :h

I was inside checking the refrigerator and I heard the generator stumble. The light was flashing about 2-3 times a second, and it did so the entire time the generator was running, or at least every time I opened the door. I went out to the generator and was checking the gauge when I saw the 119 and 56, and then the generator stumbled and died. I charged the battery overnight and when reinstalling it, found a 4" white wire coming from the back of the left end of the control panel hanging loose. I cannot seem to find anywhere it should be connected. :?