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

[McZippie]

professor95 wrote:
I dug the old steel outboard motor tank out of the barn.

Yes, it looks nasty. You would too if you had been sitting there collecting dirt and dust for 15 years 🙂

I save all this old stuff too.

Recently my daughter, who loves to borrow my MH, was ranking on me 'again' for not throwing out all the junk.

Years ago, she purchased an exercise machine, that has sat unused in our basement. It has a lot of bolt together metal channel, brackets and rubber parts.

As the conversation was taking place, I moved her along, so we would be closer to the MH. Where I pointed out, how pieces of her exercise machine and 'other' junk was modified and fabricated into unrecognizable parts in the new MH... the MH that she about to borrow 'again'

[McZippie]

Ordered a Mr. Gasket 12S Micro Electric Fuel Pump, to try as a primer pump, to replace the Outboard motor primer bulb. Cost $36.
It has dismal reviews on Amazon when used as a replacement inline fuel pump for cars. But the below review caught my eye, so thought I'd give it a try.

Copy of review:
I have an old farm truck that sits sometimes for a couple of weeks without being started, and the fuel drains back out of the carburetor bowl and lines. Then it requires a lot of cranking by the starter before the engine will start.
I bought this pump and wired it to a toggle switch so I could turn it on to preprime the line and bowl before trying to start the truck so as to save wear and tear on the starter and battery. Once started, this pump is turned off, and the engine-run pump handles the transfer of the fuel.
It was cheap, easy to install and works perfectly.

Amazon Link

[McZippie]

Thanks for pressure tank ideas. The 5 gallon tank I already have mounted could be pressurized.

[professor95]

I dug the old steel outboard motor tank out of the barn.

Yes, it looks nasty. You would too if you had been sitting there collecting dirt and dust for 15 years 🙂

But, the inside is NOT rusty and some soap, water and maybe paint will do wonders!

The tank is sealed and will hold 2-3 psi of air pressure nicely. This can be provided via the built-in piston pump or via an external source. When I last used this tank I had it connected the pressure line going to the engine crankcase breather/pressure vent port.

I believe this type of tank would work well as an extended run tank without using an electric or vacuum fuel pump. The same type of tank could be created from a thick walled plastic marine tank.

[johnjces]

@Radioman55

I too was pondering this when I first bought mine. However, having been in LE for 28+ years, most thefts are opportunistic. It is somewhat rare that a thief would be carrying around a socket set then remove the handles. More than likly and if they are somewhat prepared, they will have a "master key", one large set of bolt cutters. It would be gone in a heartbeat. If it is chained, most badguys will over look it for something easier to obtain next campsite over. Again, generally speaking. Odds are more in favor of if chained being left alone.

With that said, I'd still chain it up when you are around and when you are gone from your campsite, tuck it away out of site and locked up.

Just my thoughts anyway. The Yamaha's and Hondas are not that much better.

John

[professor95]

McZippie wrote:

The fuel pump would be wired to a momentary push button switch. Of course it would be fuse protected and also have a covered toggle switch, that first must be activated to provide power to the momentary push button switch.

Anyone know of a source for a fuel pump that would work for this application?

what you are looking for "may" be hard to find. The fuel pumps I researched a few years back were all diaphragm or rotary and did NOT pass fuel when not running.

That said, what comes to mind are the outboard motor fuel tanks of yesteryear. I do occasionally run across these at yard sales or flea markets.

The old tanks were made of steel and had a small hand pump built in to pressurize the fuel tank enough to push fuel up to the outboard. The down side was a six gallon tank usually need to be pumped more than one time to supply all of the fuel.

These tanks were, of course, un-vented. This is nice when you have a closed space for storage as no fumes can escape.

I have one of these tanks and have given some consideration to connecting it directly to the carburetor fuel line, by-passing the OEM tank. The secondary mod would be to run a pressure line from the engine crankcase breather back to the tank so that it would NOT need to be re-primed with the built-in pressure pump to empty the tank. We are talking about LOW pressure here - so low in fact the risk of blowing the float bowl needle or seat is no more than gravity feed.

Knowing how the plastic outboard motor tanks in our boat can swell up in the sun or suck down when cooled if the vent on the cap is closed I believe it is possible to make a low pressure tank from one of these by installing a regular wheel tire valve stem without the valve in the tank as a pressure port. A second valve stem with a valve may be needed so one could create the initial pressure with a bicycle pump.

I'll make some photos of the old steel tank so anyone interested will know what to look for at yard or garage sales.

[McZippie]

blksmith wrote:
Yeah nothing I hate worse than at 7:30 ANM pushing on that DUMB A-- primer bulb trying to start the gen.
Wouldn't have bought it if i had known about that bulb. How does the outboard bulb work?
If you run into anything on electric pumps that could be hidden inside let me know please. If I find something I'll let you know.
TJ

The outboard motor bulb works great. It holds the prime for a few days. I just plumed it in between the shut off valve and the finger push primer bulb.

[blksmith]

Yeah nothing I hate worse than at 7:30 ANM pushing on that DUMB A-- primer bulb trying to start the gen.
Wouldn't have bought it if i had known about that bulb. How does the outboard bulb work?
If you run into anything on electric pumps that could be hidden inside let me know please. If I find something I'll let you know.
TJ

[Radioman55]

I've recently purchased a Champion 2kw Inverter Generator (73552i) from Costco and have a question about the security of this unit.

With out having to build a box (Which I may do at a later time) is there a way to secure this unit to my trailer when it is running. I can chain & lock it to the rear bumper, but I noticed that the top handle can be removed quite easily. I'm looking at some options that won't void my warranty if at all possible.

[McZippie]

rustycopperballs wrote:
Is the warranty void now?:@ or this just betwee us;)

warranty...Warranty...WARRANTY! we don't need no stink'in Warranty.

I had to hack the handles off the top the Lifan to fit it under my Rig.

[McZippie]

professor95 wrote:

I would make some suggestions on your thoughts of using a battery powered fuel pump as a pusher, but I will hold them until a time you let me know you might want to hear them.

For the benefit of other readers, to know what I'm refering to, here again is the
clicky to my Lifan generator thread.

I'm currently using an outboard motor primer bulb to purge air from the line. The line to the generator is on top of the aux fuel tank. The generator has a pressure differentiation fuel pump.

When not running it loses it's 'prime' over time. With the current set-up, I need to get down on my old knees and contort my body in an uncomfortable way to squeeze the primer bulb.

To replace the 'bulb' primer, would like to source a 12 volt, very low pressure, flow through fuel pump (ie...fuel would flow through the pump when power is off)

The fuel pump would be wired to a momentary push button switch. Of course it would be fuse protected and also have a covered toggle switch, that first must be activated to provide power to the momentary push button switch.

Anyone know of a source for a fuel pump that would work for this application?

[McZippie]

professor95 wrote:
Brent,

I like the electric start feature - constantly going outside and then inside to start or stop a generator is a PITA.

That was the whole reason for doing it.
Logic was, that someday someone would make a small electric start inverter generator, that would fit in the space available in our Rig.

Wish Honda or Yamaha had come out with one... but the many ways I had to hack up and modify the cheapo Lifan, maybe I'm better off.
Would of hated to take the Sawsall to a Red or Blue.

Could of purchased an Onan but the little bit we actually use a generator I couldn't justify the price. Plus I enjoy doing this type of 'odd' stuff. My Rigs electrical systems are a blend of Automotive, Boat, and Household components with very little traditional RV components.

[McZippie]

professor95 wrote:
Brent,

It looks really nice! What is your exhaust pipe extension made from?

A compliment from the Professor of 'Generators' is most appreciated!
Over the years I've learned a lot from the 'many' contributors to the experimental generator threads. What I gleamed from these threads gave me the knowledge to permanently mount a 'stand-alone' generator and control it from inside the MH. Thanks to the many that have taken the time to share their work and knowledge, hope you can see some of 'your' ideas that I have incorporated in my set-up!

I'll detail the whole exhaust set-up starting from the Lifan:

A conduit coupler smashed onto the Lifan exhaust outlet, set screw filed to point, small indent made to Lifan exhaust outlet, set screw tightened into indent.

A short piece of conduit pipe into coupler, same set screwed set'up as above. The conduit pipe extends out 2 inches.

Stainless Steel flexable exhaust pipe, left over from the installation of Espar Airtronic Diesel Heater. Attached with hardware store U-clamp.

Automotive exhaust pipe hanger with rubber flex piece, large clamp was discarded and replaced with conduit pipe hanger.

Tip made from conduit compression coupler cut in half.

So far so good, I knew if I didn't get this right it would vibrate apart.

[McZippie]

PrivatePilot wrote:
Ummm....this is the Champion thread, isn't it?

Check back to the earlier posts, this is thread where I first learned of the Lifan electric start.

[PrivatePilot]

Ummm....this is the Champion thread, isn't it?