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

[Hybridhunter]

Do you have the updated control board?

[MrRchitty]

Tried both ways. Let me know how you do.

[PrivatePilot]

MrRchitty wrote:
The relays for my unit are inside the air intake. The low and high each had the letters L and H labeled next to each of their respective terminals. I simply pulled the wire with the L label and the blower, which was on low, stopped. That is when I tried to get the little Champ to start just the compressor without success.

Yes, I read about your attempt, but what concerns me was that (as I read it) your problematic start capacitor was still in the circuit when you attempted this. It's quite possible that it was partially (or entirely) at fault for the lack of success. 😉

[MrRchitty]

PrivatePilot wrote:
Back on the topic, It's looking like I'm going to have some spare time this coming weekend, so I'm going to be installing a hard start cap on my AC. I'm also going to wire in a remote toggle to the fan motor so that I can isolate it's load and provide 100% of my 2000i's power to the compressor. If there's any way in heck this generator will fire off an A/C, this will be it.

I'll report back if I have success or not.

The relays for my unit are inside the air intake. The low and high each had the letters L and H labeled next to each of their respective terminals. I simply pulled the wire with the L label and the blower, which was on low, stopped. That is when I tried to get the little Champ to start just the compressor without success.

[PrivatePilot]

Back on the topic, It's looking like I'm going to have some spare time this coming weekend, so I'm going to be installing a hard start cap on my AC. I'm also going to wire in a remote toggle to the fan motor so that I can isolate it's load and provide 100% of my 2000i's power to the compressor. If there's any way in heck this generator will fire off an A/C, this will be it.

I'll report back if I have success or not.

[MrRchitty]

Hybridhunter wrote:

MrRchitty wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:
I also tried starting my Dometic Brisk Air 13.5KBTU, not a chance. I will try again with a hard start capcitor.

It will not start your AC unit. It has been tried a few times on this forum. I tried a while back with the blower relay pulled so as to only have the compressor start alone. Under the white cover on the roof will be the specs for just the compressor, mine requires (from memory) 4200 watts to start it. It's not going to work. You will need the 2 in parallel.

Besides, I just pulled my hard start out last weekend. It failed. It was causing the breaker to pop after about two minutes. With a clamp meter it measured 30 amps. 10 amps after pulling it.

Again, the little Champ is not going to start the 13500 AC unit. The professor has kindly pointed out pages in the manual of the ratings.

Please, keep us updated on the converter issue. Good luck.

If you were somehow drawing 30 amps to your AC with the cap on it, it was connected wrong, or it was the wrong cap. Or the cap was screwed up, so saying it won't do it after that type of scenario is inconclusive. Which cap did you use, and who else had tried to start their AC with the 2000i? I've looked for posts, and can't find any.
I know with the Honda 2000, at my elevation, (around 1000'ASL) it will start a properly set up Brisk Air 13.5K

The hard start capcitor was a supco SPP7. It didn't always draw 30 amps. This cap had oil around it when diagnosing why I was popping the breaker. As far as hooking it up, well that was easy. It was attached to the existing cap. This was the first time I had problems with it.

[Hybridhunter]

Not sure they want me spilling the beans.... But here goes...
The control board is the same but it has updated programming. I have worked out an arrangement where I am getting the re-programmed boards, and sending mine back. Basically the new programming tolerates surges better. CPE must have identified the issue recently, because when I described the problem, it was assumed that I didn't have the updated firmware. I found that the 2000i tolerated large loads, up to 2000watts, but an abrupt load, would trigger the O/L light. I still can't figure why my converter is tripping it, especially once I have it charging, and then it goes into bulk mode, and the generator still overloads, even though it does not sound like it is laboring.

[DSchmidt_2000]

PrivatePilot wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:
Champion informs me they have updated programming for the control module to better handle surges.

More info, please!

I'm assuming this is a physical hardware swap that is required...are they providing you with parts, or what's the deal here?

I too am interested. Everything on the shelf to be sold is going to be outdated.

[PrivatePilot]

Hybridhunter wrote:
Champion informs me they have updated programming for the control module to better handle surges.

More info, please!

I'm assuming this is a physical hardware swap that is required...are they providing you with parts, or what's the deal here?

[WindsorJ]

Rats ~ just Tuesday of last week I bought a Honda !

[Hybridhunter]

Champion informs me they have updated programming for the control module to better handle surges. I am in the process of getting one.
I'll keep y'all posted.
As for the AC not working, did you try pre- loading the generator?

[Mr_Grumpy]

Hybridhunter wrote:

MrRchitty wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:
I also tried starting my Dometic Brisk Air 13.5KBTU, not a chance. I will try again with a hard start capcitor.

It will not start your AC unit. It has been tried a few times on this forum. I tried a while back with the blower relay pulled so as to only have the compressor start alone. Under the white cover on the roof will be the specs for just the compressor, mine requires (from memory) 4200 watts to start it. It's not going to work. You will need the 2 in parallel.

Besides, I just pulled my hard start out last weekend. It failed. It was causing the breaker to pop after about two minutes. With a clamp meter it measured 30 amps. 10 amps after pulling it.

Again, the little Champ is not going to start the 13500 AC unit. The professor has kindly pointed out pages in the manual of the ratings.

Please, keep us updated on the converter issue. Good luck.

If you were somehow drawing 30 amps to your AC with the cap on it, it was connected wrong, or it was the wrong cap. Or the cap was screwed up, so saying it won't do it after that type of scenario is inconclusive. Which cap did you use, and who else had tried to start their AC with the 2000i? I've looked for posts, and can't find any.
I know with the Honda 2000, at my elevation, (around 1000'ASL) it will start a properly set up Brisk Air 13.5K

My attempt with my A/C Unit.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24022161/gotomsg/24936220.cfm#24936220

Ryan

[Hybridhunter]

MrRchitty wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:
I also tried starting my Dometic Brisk Air 13.5KBTU, not a chance. I will try again with a hard start capcitor.

It will not start your AC unit. It has been tried a few times on this forum. I tried a while back with the blower relay pulled so as to only have the compressor start alone. Under the white cover on the roof will be the specs for just the compressor, mine requires (from memory) 4200 watts to start it. It's not going to work. You will need the 2 in parallel.

Besides, I just pulled my hard start out last weekend. It failed. It was causing the breaker to pop after about two minutes. With a clamp meter it measured 30 amps. 10 amps after pulling it.

Again, the little Champ is not going to start the 13500 AC unit. The professor has kindly pointed out pages in the manual of the ratings.

Please, keep us updated on the converter issue. Good luck.

If you were somehow drawing 30 amps to your AC with the cap on it, it was connected wrong, or it was the wrong cap. Or the cap was screwed up, so saying it won't do it after that type of scenario is inconclusive. Which cap did you use, and who else had tried to start their AC with the 2000i? I've looked for posts, and can't find any.
I know with the Honda 2000, at my elevation, (around 1000'ASL) it will start a properly set up Brisk Air 13.5K

[MrRchitty]

Hybridhunter wrote:
I also tried starting my Dometic Brisk Air 13.5KBTU, not a chance. I will try again with a hard start capcitor.

It will not start your AC unit. It has been tried a few times on this forum. I tried a while back with the blower relay pulled so as to only have the compressor start alone. Under the white cover on the roof will be the specs for just the compressor, mine requires (from memory) 4200 watts to start it. It's not going to work. You will need the 2 in parallel.

Besides, I just pulled my hard start out last weekend. It failed. It was causing the breaker to pop after about two minutes. With a clamp meter it measured 30 amps. 10 amps after pulling it.

Again, the little Champ is not going to start the 13500 AC unit. The professor has kindly pointed out pages in the manual of the ratings.

Please, keep us updated on the converter issue. Good luck.

[Hybridhunter]

I throw in my 2 pennies....
I got my CPE 2000i about 3 weeks ago, I just got to go camping last weekend.
I ran the genset for 2 hours morning and evening, mostly to charge the batteries. It worked well except I had 1 issue.
When the rv battery was run down in the morning, not dead, still ran the fridge, pump, or furnace no prob. I would start up the generator, warm it up for a minute, (it never needed more than 20 seconds of choke, btw). Anyhow, I would plug the RV in, and it would labor slightly, and the overload light would come on. It did this a number of times, so I checked for other loads, and it was the converter only (WFCO 8955PEC), and it was causing an overload.The engine was not laboring very much, maybe like it would for a medium load. So I went and got a 1800 watt hairdryer, cranked it on high, no problem. I tried loading the gen with the hairdryer, and then quickly switching to the converter load, no problem. It would even idle right down in ECO mode.The genset should not have an issue with a converter that draws less than 1000 watts. I contacted CPE, we had a ridiculous exchange of 6 emails, and then I followed up with details, and no response.
Anyone else have any issues with their converter?
I also tried starting my Dometic Brisk Air 13.5KBTU, not a chance. I will try again with a hard start capcitor.