Champion Generator

[Colo_Native]

I just bought a Champion 3500w with remote Generator and I am looking for a magnetic dipstick that has been recommended I can't really find one. I did get a hour meter. I don't want to hear you should of bought the RED one or the BLUE one.

[sgfrye]

ulvik wrote:

Colo Native wrote:

kerrlakeRoo wrote:
Not knocking the Champ, but something you may want to consider, Riders of Chinese motorcycles and other items have long known one of the best things they can do with a motorized device is change the oil almost immediately.
They typically change both the engine and tranny oils after only a few minutes operation to flush out most of the filings, which greatly increases longieviety.
I have never heard of any complaints concerning the Champs needing that practise, but the cost of a quart of oil is so low, that it seems prudent.

They don't come with oil, so that's not a problem.

I don't think that is what he is saying. I think he is saying once you put oil in it run it for a hour or so then change the oil with fresh oil. Champion says to do the same thing once you in box it.

X2 on this

I bought a champion that run on gas or propane last summer. Love it. Changed oil as manual recommended.

It's runs our 13.5 ac no problems. I also use it at home for mobile power for power tools etc

[2112]

Don't run the new engine unloaded. The rings will not set and it will burn oil forever. Use a portable space heater for a load. Run an hour at low setting. Let it cool for a day and then an hour on high (1500w).

[robert_at_honda]

RSD559 wrote:
Robert_at_Honda posted earlier on this post. I didn't know he was still around.
He would know. Are Honda inverter generators made in Japan anymore? I really couldn't find anything substantial to say yes or no on the net. Please clear this up. Thanks.

I had a chart but can't find it right now. From memory

EU1000i, EU2200i, EB2200i = Thailand
EB3000c, EU3000i, EU3000is = Japan
EU7000is = India
All large frame 120/240V EB, EG, and EB models = China
EG2800i, EB2800i (Open frame inverter) = Swepsonville, NC

- - -
I work for Honda, but the preceding is my opinion alone.
Robert@Honda

[ulvik]

Colo Native wrote:

skipro3 wrote:

Colo Native wrote:
Just wondering what anybody used to have a load on for the break in? 50% or less.

Not sure where you got the 50% or less for break in, but this is sure to open a can of opinions.

MY opinion, after spending many years rebuilding motorcycle single cylinder engines is to run it hard to get it hot, shut it down overnight to cool, then repeat for 3 or 4 cycles; hard, cold, hard, cold. The idea is that the relatively soft metal of the piston rings are designed to wear into the cylinder; the proverbial "break in". Running a motor without enough load to get things hot will result in the rings never really breaking in and the motor burning oil as the oil from the lower crank is not sealed from the combustion chamber plus the fuel from the combustion chamber seeping past the rings into the crank and diluting the oil.
The other opinion on break in procedure is to vary the load. Many car manufacturers tell owners to vary speed, not use cruise control, etc during the first few hundred/thousand miles. For a genny, I think this would be easier to apply than running hard and cycling hot/cold for break in.
For my most recent generator, a Honda 1000i inverter generator, I used my smoker without anything in it. The smoker is electric and cycles on and off every 5 to 20 seconds without any mass in there to stabilize the air temperature. The heater element draws 750 watts, so call it 75% of the genny's capacity. I ran it for about an hour like that on ECO setting. The motor changed from idle to near full RPM's several times a minute as the load would cycle on and off with the smoker. I now consider it broke in. Other loads that you can use to cycle might be small space heaters with low/high settings. Most have a low of 750Watts and a high of 1500 watts. Add/Subtract heaters as need based on the rated output of the genny being broke in.

This out of the Manual
"We consider the first 5 hours of run time to be the breakin
period for the unit. During the break in period stay at
or below 50% of the running watt rating and vary the
load occasionally to allow stator windings to heat and
cool. Adjusting the load will also cause engine speed to
vary and help seat piston rings. After the 5 hour break-in
period, change the oil."

Just letting it run alone is at or below 50%. They don't want you to unbox it and run it the first run at its max load is all. Just let it run without a load.

[Ron3rd]

Honda EU2000 owner here and if I were buying a 3000 watt genny I would go with a Champion. Great value for the money.

However, my 14 year old Honda still purrs like a kitten.

[ctilsie242]

I prefer doing two oil changes initially. One after a few hours, just so all the metal particles get out, another (with cheap dino oil) until the breakin period is over.

After that, full synthetic, and every 100 hours or season, as per the Champion manual.

I also like using an oil evac pump, so I can slurp up all the debris at the borrom of the crankcase, as opposed to popping the cork.

[Geeze]

It only holds .6 of a quart I would fill it run it an hour then change it. Repeat that process a couple times then switch it out to Mobil One. The magnet will only work if the particles are magnetic. There could be aluminum or bearing particles that it would not collect.

[Colo_Native]

skipro3 wrote:

Colo Native wrote:
Just wondering what anybody used to have a load on for the break in? 50% or less.

Not sure where you got the 50% or less for break in, but this is sure to open a can of opinions.

MY opinion, after spending many years rebuilding motorcycle single cylinder engines is to run it hard to get it hot, shut it down overnight to cool, then repeat for 3 or 4 cycles; hard, cold, hard, cold. The idea is that the relatively soft metal of the piston rings are designed to wear into the cylinder; the proverbial "break in". Running a motor without enough load to get things hot will result in the rings never really breaking in and the motor burning oil as the oil from the lower crank is not sealed from the combustion chamber plus the fuel from the combustion chamber seeping past the rings into the crank and diluting the oil.
The other opinion on break in procedure is to vary the load. Many car manufacturers tell owners to vary speed, not use cruise control, etc during the first few hundred/thousand miles. For a genny, I think this would be easier to apply than running hard and cycling hot/cold for break in.
For my most recent generator, a Honda 1000i inverter generator, I used my smoker without anything in it. The smoker is electric and cycles on and off every 5 to 20 seconds without any mass in there to stabilize the air temperature. The heater element draws 750 watts, so call it 75% of the genny's capacity. I ran it for about an hour like that on ECO setting. The motor changed from idle to near full RPM's several times a minute as the load would cycle on and off with the smoker. I now consider it broke in. Other loads that you can use to cycle might be small space heaters with low/high settings. Most have a low of 750Watts and a high of 1500 watts. Add/Subtract heaters as need based on the rated output of the genny being broke in.

This out of the Manual
"We consider the first 5 hours of run time to be the breakin
period for the unit. During the break in period stay at
or below 50% of the running watt rating and vary the
load occasionally to allow stator windings to heat and
cool. Adjusting the load will also cause engine speed to
vary and help seat piston rings. After the 5 hour break-in
period, change the oil."

[Ski_Pro_3]

Colo Native wrote:
Just wondering what anybody used to have a load on for the break in? 50% or less.

Not sure where you got the 50% or less for break in, but this is sure to open a can of opinions.

MY opinion, after spending many years rebuilding motorcycle single cylinder engines is to run it hard to get it hot, shut it down overnight to cool, then repeat for 3 or 4 cycles; hard, cold, hard, cold. The idea is that the relatively soft metal of the piston rings are designed to wear into the cylinder; the proverbial "break in". Running a motor without enough load to get things hot will result in the rings never really breaking in and the motor burning oil as the oil from the lower crank is not sealed from the combustion chamber plus the fuel from the combustion chamber seeping past the rings into the crank and diluting the oil.
The other opinion on break in procedure is to vary the load. Many car manufacturers tell owners to vary speed, not use cruise control, etc during the first few hundred/thousand miles. For a genny, I think this would be easier to apply than running hard and cycling hot/cold for break in.
For my most recent generator, a Honda 1000i inverter generator, I used my smoker without anything in it. The smoker is electric and cycles on and off every 5 to 20 seconds without any mass in there to stabilize the air temperature. The heater element draws 750 watts, so call it 75% of the genny's capacity. I ran it for about an hour like that on ECO setting. The motor changed from idle to near full RPM's several times a minute as the load would cycle on and off with the smoker. I now consider it broke in. Other loads that you can use to cycle might be small space heaters with low/high settings. Most have a low of 750Watts and a high of 1500 watts. Add/Subtract heaters as need based on the rated output of the genny being broke in.

[Colo_Native]

Just wondering what anybody used to have a load on for the break in? 50% or less.

[jamesroadking]

I never heard of magnetic dip sticks, only magnetic drain plugs.
I've been using my Champion 4000/3500 watt generator since 2012 it's been very reliable. All I've ever done as far as maintenance is change the oil every year or so after the initial 5 hour first oil change.
I did have to replace the electric start battery once, but that's to be expected after three or four years.
I try to remember to run it every month or so with an electrical load. Also try to keep non ethanol gas in it.

[RSD559]

Robert_at_Honda posted earlier on this post. I didn't know he was still around.
He would know. Are Honda inverter generators made in Japan anymore? I really couldn't find anything substantial to say yes or no on the net. Please clear this up. Thanks.

[RSD559]

SoundGuy wrote:

RSD559 wrote:
The Hondas certainly are not built in Japan anymore.

"Certainly" incorrect. robert_at_honda could clarify but as I recall from one of his earlier posts the Honda EU3000iS is built in Japan, the EU2000i is now manufactured in Thailand. Honda obviously builds a wide range of generators of all types and in different parts of the world but he would be the best source of correct information as to which model is built where. 😉

Honda is very good at hiding information about "made in" specifics. That's suspicious in itself. Made in Japan is no longer negative. It was when I was a kid. If they were made in Japan, I would think they would boldly advertise it. I did find that a lot of Honda gas engines are made and assembled in Thailand. And the rest is even more vague. I did find a reference to a post by someone who purchased a large open frame Honda that had Made in China printed on the box. I did see the post you referred to a few years ago. Who knows if it is still true. I think most mechanical stuff comes from all over the far east anymore.

[SaltiDawg]

Colo Native wrote:
I got the generator and it does show that it had oil in it, can't tell if it had gas. Yes it was made in China.

Colo Native,

I suspect that we can assume it never had gasoline in its tank because once it has been fueled, it will come up against a whole new requirement as far as shipping - at least in the USA. Draining it after fueling is no more effective in removing this prohibition than trying to Un-ring the proverbial bell.

No such prohibition exists for engine oil.

When I got my home generator, I ran it on gasoline with a gas can as a source of gasoline. I then installed my propane conversion kit. The gas tank has never had gasoline in it - not for a second.

Thanks for following up.