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

[santaclause]

Well I am going to pull the trigger tommorow at my local sams club and get one of these did alot of debating between this and a honda and I had a champion 3000/3500 and it was a great generator but want something quieter and we didnt ever use the a/c that much with the other gen so going with the 2000 champion hope I have as good of luck with the new one as I did with the old....

[MrWizard]

I can hazard a GUESS and its only a guess

at 1300 with econ off the motor runs at full throttle but without full load, the motor has a little 'breathing room' can run a little faster and NOT be on the ragged edge of lugging

with econ on 1300 is not quite enough load to kick it up to the next throttle level its using all the power the engine can produce and there's no lee-way no breathing space

kinda like holding your car at top of 3rd gear to do 50mph when it would run easier in 4th gear, NOT identical , just a loose allegory

DSchmidt_2000 wrote:

-=dwh=- wrote:
The reason is because an inverter generator saves fuel by throttling back at lower loads. If it doesn't throttle back because the load is high enough to keep it at high rpm - then it saves no fuel.

yep, I know this. But why would runtime be less above 1300W with ECO mode ON as per this guys data?

[-_dwh_-]

DSchmidt_2000 wrote:

yep, I know this. But why would runtime be less above 1300W with ECO mode ON as per this guys data?

Do you mean less than with eco off, or less than below 1300w?


Perhaps the data is flawed?

I didn't study the numbers you posted closely. That mystery column first of all doesn't look right. Then there is the column headings which don't seem to make proper sense in relation to the numbers in the columns. All in all, it looked muddled to me so I just glanced at it and moved on.

I do know that with my Honeywell, filling from a gas can is imprecise. If I filled it from the gas pump, then 1.5g is 1.5g. But filling from a gas can, a few ounces one way or the other makes a pretty big difference in run time.

That's just one example of possible experimental imprecision. Not knowing the exact structure of the experiment, how could I know exactly how (or if) they screwed it up?

If there is a discrepancy in the data which doesn't make sense, then it's quite possible the data is flawed.

[DSchmidt_2000]

-=dwh=- wrote:
The reason is because an inverter generator saves fuel by throttling back at lower loads. If it doesn't throttle back because the load is high enough to keep it at high rpm - then it saves no fuel.

yep, I know this. But why would runtime be less above 1300W with ECO mode ON as per this guys data?

[-_dwh_-]

DSchmidt_2000 wrote:

As far as ECO mode not providing better runtime, some others have noted that above 1300W, it doesn't help. Why it hurts though - don't know, not my data.

The reason is because an inverter generator saves fuel by throttling back at lower loads. If it doesn't throttle back because the load is high enough to keep it at high rpm - then it saves no fuel. It burns the same amount of fuel as any other 100cc engine would with the same load.

Economy mode is the mode that throttles back. Turn it off, and the engine runs at full speed regardless of load. Even with it on, at some point the load will be enough that the engine runs at full speed anyway.

So it would appear, that 1300w is the breakpoint where the engine is running at full speed and that is why economy mode saves no fuel at that load level.

[DSchmidt_2000]

PrivatePilot wrote:

Data like that is virtually useless as rarely do people quantify the actual loads on the generator, but just plug in their trailer and turn (what they think is) one thing on and go accordingly.

Here's the .csv file
Amps,Watts,Eco,???,Hr/Gal,$/Hr,$/kWh
1 , 120,on ,150, 9.39,0.44, 3.68
1 , 120,off,105, 6.57,0.63, 5.26
6 , 720,on ,100, 6.26,0.66, 0.92
6 , 720,off, 80, 5.01,0.83, 1.15
7.2, 864,on , 85, 5.32,0.78, 0.90
7.2, 864,off, 70, 4.38,0.95, 1.10
10.2, 1224,on , 60, 3.76,1.11, 0.90
10.2, 1224,off, 70, 4.38,0.95, 0.77
13.2, 1584,on , 40, 2.50,1.66, 1.05
13.2, 1584,off, 70, 4.38,0.95, 0.60

Don't know what the ??? column is

I quoted the '12 hours for the furnace' just to show that someone got over 9.6 hours of runtime, but yes I know there was no definitive measurement of the load.

As far as ECO mode not providing better runtime, some others have noted that above 1300W, it doesn't help. Why it hurts though - don't know, not my data.


Where is there user data on the CPE 2000i runtime vs load?

[PrivatePilot]

DSchmidt_2000 wrote:
Found a large group of followers of the Honda EU2000 on Yahoo Groups.

...

12 hours driving a furnace

Data like that is virtually useless as rarely do people quantify the actual loads on the generator, but just plug in their trailer and turn (what they think is) one thing on and go accordingly. Often they forget about other phantom loads in the trailer (converter in charge cycle, anyone?) as well as any TV's that are powered up on standby (drawing power even when off), etc etc etc.

One person might get 13 hours running this "furnace" test (careful load shedding), and the next may only get 10 (Lots of phantom loads). It all depends how careful the testers are to ensure that ALL phantom loads are removed from the generator before testing.

[Wayne_Dohnal]

some got 4+ hours at nearly full load with ECO on, but only 2.5 hours with ECO off (which doesn't make sense).

Makes no sense at all. I'd consider all of that data to be defective.

[DSchmidt_2000]

Found a large group of followers of the Honda EU2000 on Yahoo Groups. A few of them ran consumption tests and posted their results though the data is confusing. None of them got 15 hours at 1/4 load (more like 9.6 as Honda has stated), some got 4+ hours at nearly full load with ECO on, but only 2.5 hours with ECO off (which doesn't make sense).
You have to join to see the excel spreadsheet.

Here's a thread where a guy got 4.5 hours driving a 1500W heater

This guy claims 12 hours driving a furnace

Wayne Dohnal wrote:
Talking about the "camshaft" is even an overstatement because it's just a single lobe on the side of the belt sprocket.

I thought there was a lobe on the other side, but you're right - there is only one lobe and it first actuates the exhaust valve then the intake.

[-_dwh_-]

pritch272 wrote:
I am considering doing a "rated load" run test on the All Power 2000i that I have, I thought it was an indirect chonda clone, ie, made by Kipor, but it's 105cc vs 98...

That case looks like it's probably one of the ones made by Suzhou Tiger Power Machine. Co., Ltd:

http://www.sztiger.com/en/product.asp?keys=176

The Generac ix2000 is made by Suzhou Tiger and has a similar case:

http://www.generac.com/Portables/IX/Products/iX2000/

[Old___Slow]

I like it. This is turning into a learning channel/thread. We are able to get many points of view and actual testing results. I have had lots of fun with the 'KILL A WATT (P3)'. Just this morning I plugged in the B&D Coffee Maker. It registered 122.2v 59.8hz and 980 watts to start and settled in @ 910w for the coffee maker. The 1875w Conair hair dryer on high was 1410/1412w and 415w on low. Kinda like my 1500w room heater. It runs @ 1370watts. The 1100w M/W in the MH hits up to 1375 to start with High cooking level. The Eureka Vac 12a operates @ 1030w ~

'MrRchitty' has found some interesting results with the Champion Global Power Equipment 2000i. A little different than previous posts. This will be good news to the folks a CPE. I'm told they read all the generator threads, no doubt the other brands tech folks do the same, that's a good thing. They can read to good and the bad.

I also found it interesting that 'pritch272' found his All Power 2000i to be not exactly like the Kipor 2000i and not a chonda. That's different than what I've read. Guess you can read most anything on the Net. and doesn't make it 'exactly' correct. I would like to know if the Module in the Kipor and All Power is like the Honda or more like the Champion Global Power Equipment 2000'. ~ The Honda/Yamaha/Kipor are said to use 'analog transistor induced technology, in the module, which is said to be simulated signal processing. Running cool and requiring no Heat sink. The Champion 2000i on the other hand and pictured in a recent post, has a large heat sink module, saying to me, it must operate with some amount of heat. We all know, heat kills.

[pritch272]

I am considering doing a "rated load" run test on the All Power 2000i that I have, I thought it was an indirect chonda clone, ie, made by Kipor, but it's 105cc vs 98...

Found an interesting link stating you can parallel up to 5 of these for a max of 10,000 watt surge..... That ought to handle the Air Conditioners !
clicky

Here is the manual, I don't see anything about paralleling additional units.

The All Power is up at the lake with the boat, I'm fishing on Saturday, I'll bring it back home, and Sunday afternoon will do maintenance (oil change to Synthetic, clean the air filter, etc).

Suggestions on the load? Thinking about a 1500 watt heater and perhaps tweaking with 2 or 3 light sockets in parallel with a few different wattage bulbs. I don't have an analog electric clock, so I'll have to listen for it to stop.

Maybe this will help toward the comparison against the CPE 2000i .....

[MrRchitty]

Spent the day cleaning the camper out and flushing the pink stuff out. The little Champ was supplying my electrical needs all day. Managing where I needed power, electric element on the water heater, hair dryer on low setting (high would be 1875 watts) to dry the bagless vacuum filter, keureg coffee maker, microwave to rewarm that coffee. Each one by itself. The WFCO converter was on all the time. Just remember to have the fridge set to propane. Total time was about 7 hours. Almost a gallon of gas. She did good.

[Wayne_Dohnal]

Prof - There have been several posts on other threads that the only difference between the regular and CARB eu2000i is the gas cap.

DSchmidt - Those engine features you pointed out are troubling to me. Had I known about them before I bought the eu2000i, it may have scared me away. Talking about the "camshaft" is even an overstatement because it's just a single lobe on the side of the belt sprocket. On the other hand, these are traits of the gx100 engine, and there are zillions of them out there that seem to keep running. I'm always cautious with new technology that appears cheap and/or flimsy. Sometimes I'm right, and sometimes it's a learning experience.

[DSchmidt_2000]

professor95 wrote:

On the Honda web site the info given is up to 9.6 hours of operation on one gallon of gas. There is no mention of how much load the generator is operating under for that number.

You have to click on the 'specifications' tab on this page which says

AC Output 120V 2000W max. (16.7A) 1600W rated (13.3A)
Fuel Tank Capacity 1.1 gal
Run Time per Tankful 4hrs. @ rated load, 9.6 hrs. @ 1/4 load
Dimensions (L x W x H) 20.1" x 11.4" x 16.7"
Noise Level 59 dB @ rated load 53dB @ 1/4 load
Dry Weight 46.3 lbs.
Residential Warranty 3 Years
Commercial Warranty 3 Years

one thing that turns me off on the Honda is
- no cast iron sleeve cylinder (!)
- plastic camshaft driven by a belt. Don't see that it is lubricated.
- no separate cylinder head - the head + cylinder is one piece

I'm guessing the internals of the CPE is more conventional