The Official unofficial CPE 2000i Generator Thread

[pritch272]

8/1/2010 edit: Thread renamed at the suggestion of the Professor.
Renamed from: Champion Inverter and Remote Gens Promo on CPE's web site)

3/22/2011 edit: Thread renamed ...
Renamed from: Official CPE 2000 Watt Inverter Generator Thread

3/23/2011 edit: Thread renamed at the suggestion of the Professor.
Renamed from: (Un)Official CPE 2000 Watt Inverter Generator Thread

Inverter Available August 2010



Remote Available July 2010

[bruno1138]

Hmmm...while I don't have any real world experience with these 2K generators yet, I noticed a big discrepancy on fuel usage of the Champion vs the Equivalent Honda at rated loads from their spec sheets...

Generator / Fuel Tank / Run time / Fuel usage / Fuel usage per 1000 hours

Champion / 1 Gallon / 2.5 hours / .4 gal per hour / 400 Gallons

Honda 2k / 1.1 Gallon / 4 hours / .275 gal per hour / 275 Gallons

So for 1000 hours of run time, the Honda would use 125 gallons less than the Champion. At approximately $3.00 / Gallon (in California anyway), the Champion would use about $375 more worth of fuel. This assumes extended running @ or near rated load (e.g. Air conditioners).

So on paper at least, the extra fuel that the Champion would use running at rated load would more or less negate the cost savings in purchase price when compared against the Honda in this example.

I would be curious about folks real world experiences with these generators to date. It is important to note also that the fuel usage is virtually identical between these two units at 1/4 load (9.6 hours vs 9.5 hours). It should also be noted that in the 0% load to 50% load range, there appears to be little difference between the two generators in published noise levels and fuel economy. The large difference in fuel consumption (and + 6db noise levels) comes at the higher loads (3/4 - full rated load). The Champion spec sheet may be found at:

http://championpowerequipment.com/doc/CPE%20Inverter%20White%20Paper.pdf

[DrBaker]

bruno1138 wrote:

*** Sorry it wasn't clearer. At a Sams club price (~ $500), this generator is worth pursuing (to me), and having checked the Sam's Clubs within a reasonable travel distance of my location, none of them carry generators. At a non Sam's club price (~ $700 on the internet or other retail outlets) it's not worth pursuing (to me). ***

I agree with you on the pricing/distance concerns.

When I called Sam's Club they said they didn't have any. When I emailed Champion they told me how many were at each store and provided direct phone numbers for the stores. Somehow the same stores then had them. Sometimes the employees don't want to bother checking or they just don't really know what they are looking for.

Never hurts to try emailing Champion. Maybe it will help.

[bruno1138]

bruno1138 wrote:

Your best bet is to contact CPE directly and let them tell you which locations they've shipped them to; if you are still interested.

*** Not really looking to drive over 200 miles (round trip) to try to find one, but thanks for the tip! It's disappointing when there is both a Sam's club and a Costco within 10 miles from my home. ***


Not sure I understood your response but on the off chance you want to spend 5 minutes on your computer ... here is the email address to send your inquiry to.

info@championpowerequipment.com

CPE was more than helpful in my case and gave me all of the addresses and store names that the generator had shipped to in my state.

*** Sorry it wasn't clearer. At a Sams club price (~ $500), this generator is worth pursuing (to me), and having checked the Sam's Clubs within a reasonable travel distance of my location, none of them carry generators. At a non Sam's club price (~ $700 on the internet or other retail outlets) it's not worth pursuing (to me). ***

[SurfaceDreamer]

bruno1138 wrote:
Your best bet is to contact CPE directly and let them tell you which locations they've shipped them to; if you are still interested.

*** Not really looking to drive over 200 miles (round trip) to try to find one, but thanks for the tip! It's disappointing when there is both a Sam's club and a Costco within 10 miles from my home. ***

Not sure I understood your response but on the off chance you want to spend 5 minutes on your computer 😉 ... here is the email address to send your inquiry to.

info@championpowerequipment.com

CPE was more than helpful in my case and gave me all of the addresses and store names that the generator had shipped to in my state.

[bruno1138]

Your best bet is to contact CPE directly and let them tell you which locations they've shipped them to; if you are still interested.

*** Not really looking to drive over 200 miles (round trip) to try to find one, but thanks for the tip! It's disappointing when there is both a Sam's club and a Costco within 10 miles from my home. ***

If you Google Champion 2000 generator, you will come up with some other vendors. Unfortunately, they are all in the $700 range.

With several different vendors selling them, I doubt CPE will sell them for less than their dealers. If they do, they won't have dealers very long....

*** Getting into the $700 range, it makes more sense to me to just go with the proven Honda EU2000ia. Not worth experimenting (especially after reading through the Honeywell 2k generator thread) for the smaller price differential, as this is primarily for backup power in case of earthquake (i.e. expectation is for near 100% reliability in an emergency). Being able to run stuff on the RV & charge batteries when boon-docking would be a plus. Of course the price differential may be worthwhile @ $700 if you're buying 2 of these to parallel. ***

[curt12914]

SurfaceDreamer wrote:

bruno1138 wrote:
Ok, called about 20 Sam's Clubs in the Southern California area, and none of them carry any generators in the warehouses. Guess they don't want to sell them in CA. With any luck CPE will start selling these at Costco in the US at some point.

Your best bet is to contact CPE directly and let them tell you which locations they've shipped them to; if you are still interested.

If you Google Champion 2000 generator, you will come up with some other vendors. Unfortunately, they are all in the $700 range.

With several different vendors selling them, I doubt CPE will sell them for less than their dealers. If they do, they won't have dealers very long....

[curt12914]

DrBaker wrote:
...The external tank gas cap is also sealed so the pull from the generator is causing it to suck gas out of the external tank. The primer bulb is just used to get the flow started at the beggining. The venting will occur in the external gas tank with its vent...

The vent in my auxiliary tank (a 6 gallon marine tank from Walmart), is in the fuel cap. It draws from a barbed fitting in the marine tank. When I first built mine, I left the vent closed and it sucked the top of the plastic marine tank down. After I opened it, I never had a problem.

BTW, I don't use a primer bulb. I always start out with my generator tank full. As soon as it uses some gas, it forms a vacuum, that pulls the gas from the auxiliary tank.

I went from about 4 hours running time with the AC on and running both generators to aout 16 hours run time with the auxilary tank. Since the generator is a few feet from the generator, I sometimes refuel the auxiliary tank without shutting the generators off.

I use marine disconnects (from Walmart) at the top of my caps, so connecting and disconnecting the auxiliary tank is very easy. I, also, use about 5' of line between the T in my fuel line, so I can run one generator in each back corner of the truck box. I have about the same amount (5') between the T and the marine tank, so I can put the tank in front of my fifth wheel hitch. I was worried about too much heat close to the plastic tank, which isn't a problem with the generator a few feet from the generators.

[SurfaceDreamer]

bruno1138 wrote:
Ok, called about 20 Sam's Clubs in the Southern California area, and none of them carry any generators in the warehouses. Guess they don't want to sell them in CA. With any luck CPE will start selling these at Costco in the US at some point.

Your best bet is to contact CPE directly and let them tell you which locations they've shipped them to; if you are still interested.

[pritch272]

bruno1138 wrote:
Ok, called about 20 Sam's Clubs in the Southern California area, and none of them carry any generators in the warehouses. Guess they don't want to sell them in CA. With any luck CPE will start selling these at Costco in the US at some point.

I gave up trying to get one. Maybe by the time the 3000 watt is out I might be again trying to find one.

[bruno1138]

Ok, called about 20 Sam's Clubs in the Southern California area, and none of them carry any generators in the warehouses. Guess they don't want to sell them in CA. With any luck CPE will start selling these at Costco in the US at some point.

[DrBaker]

That doesn't look too bad.

Let's make sure I understand it. The connection on the generator gas cap is sealed so instead of venting it pulls fuel from the extended fuel line. The external tank gas cap is also sealed so the pull from the generator is causing it to suck gas out of the external tank. The primer bulb is just used to get the flow started at the beggining. The venting will occur in the external gas tank with its vent. ???

It looks like the hardest part will be getting a spare gas cap. The picture on the link above sure has a familiar looking gas cap.

[pritch272]

clicky: http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/articles/generators/fuel%20tank.html

[johnjces]

An extended run tank should be a piece of cake for these gensets.

http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/articles/generators/fuel%20tank.html

URL for the Honda DIY extended run tank above.

John

[DrBaker]

I believe so. You have to open the vent on the cap for it to run.

I can try to set one up. Anyone got instructions for the Honda that I can use as a cheat sheet?

[curt12914]

Just looking at DrBaker's pictures.
The fuel cap looks very similar to my Honda EU2000i's. Is the fuel cap the only vent in the gas tank, like the Honda? If it is, it will be very easy to build an extended run auxiliary fuel tank, like many of us built for our Honda's.