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

[BENT_ARROW]

Spent 4 days at 10,000 feet this past weekend running the 2000i 9 hours each night for the wife's medical equipment, worked great for both units on Eco mode and with the generator outside and at the front of the MH there was little sound heard. It's more like a new toy than a tool, I want to find some outside lights and maybe a bug zapper and my wife wants to use it for cooking with the crock pot and electric skillet outside. Used it with the battery charger to charge the house batteries instead of the 5500 MH generator since I had it next to the battery compartment.

[Oletop]

#40Fan wrote:
I guess it was pretty easy to wire up?

It is very simple to wire up. It just involves two wires. One is the ground, which I used the factory ground wire location. The other you just have to make at least 4 wraps around the spark plug wire. If you are looking at the unit from the access panel for the oil and spark plug, my hour meter is mounted to the left side. I explained how I wallowed out the hole and ran my wire. Really very simple, but quite nice looking when complete.

I also posted that the hour meter stores max RPM. I mispoke in saying this. That was an option on another hour meter I was looking at.

[MrRchitty]

This morning, I ran the table saw out in the shed with the twins. Cut up some 2x4's and all of this from eco mode.

:B :C

[_40Fan]

Oletop wrote:
I installed the maintenance minder hour meter by Briggs and Stratton. It works well and very easy to hook up. It is also yellow so it matches pretty well. The pics shouldn't be more than 4 or 5 pages back.

I found your post...

I connected my Briggs and Stratton MainteanceMinder hourmeter. I tested it out and it works. I registers in 1/10 hour which is 6 minutes. It is yellow and comes with 3M sticky pad on the back for easy mounting. I took the side panel off which is on the oil dipstick and spark plug side. I also took the top off and the grey/silver snap on corner piece. I pulled the top rubber grommet out of the corner and used a small drill bit to make a notch in it for my wire to sit. I ran my wire and pushed therubber grommet back into place and replaced the corner piece. I then placed a lock washer under the black handle where the wire comes out just so that it would not smash and possibly short the meter. No visible holes were made anywhere for the wires and everything works and looks nice in my opinion. Now it easy to keep track of the hours run for maintenance. It also registers the Max RPM. I'll take pics and post later.

David J.

And Picture...



I guess it was pretty easy to wire it up?

Also, I took off the carb bowl and saw the jet. Boy is that thing small. Found the number 67 on it. Searching now for replacement jets.

[MrRchitty]

Kids on the Waterslide today. Blower rated at 8 amps and gave me an in-rush current of 33 amps. Handled by the Little Champs both single and eco mode off. Eco mode on was a little tough for single. Eco off was no problem and after starting the blower, turned eco on for a decrease in rpms and noise level.

Doubled together to keep rpm's down. 7.5 amps running which meant that was shared between both Little Champs, never came off of an idle. Noise level very nice and kids enjoyed the waterslide about 150' from the house.

Edit: added the use of wet and dry vac...

Simultaneously ran a wet and dry vac for cleaning up the water slide after use.

Power where you need it.

[Oletop]

I installed the maintenance minder hour meter by Briggs and Stratton. It works well and very easy to hook up. It is also yellow so it matches pretty well. The pics shouldn't be more than 4 or 5 pages back.

[MrRchitty]

#40Fan wrote:
Sorry, guys, but 81 pages and I don't see a "search this post" option.... so..

Anyone install an hour meter on one of these?

Pertaining to the above post, anyone dug into the carb to see what the jet looks like? Already at 4500 ft. and will be climbing when I camp. Would hate to run into any problems. Changing jets would be a cake walk.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24022161/srt/pa/pging/1/page/79

[_40Fan]

Sorry, guys, but 81 pages and I don't see a "search this post" option.... so..

Anyone install an hour meter on one of these?

Pertaining to the above post, anyone dug into the carb to see what the jet looks like? Already at 4500 ft. and will be climbing when I camp. Would hate to run into any problems. Changing jets would be a cake walk.

[Searching_Ut]

As an update to my 2000I, having seen the professors video, I decided to look into mine a little more and sort out the burping, and uneven engine speed. When checking it out more closely, rather than just using it, it became quite obvious that it's running quite rich, which is somewhat normal given the lowest I ever operate the unit at altitude wise is about 4200 feet.

I contacted customer service, and they responded right away recommending a hotter plug. When I changed it out, I found the factory plug was quite fouled with black soot, more than I expected even though I knew it was running rich. The new plug helped, but I still find the unit doesn't really do what I'd hoped for when I bought it.

Biggest issue I have is that the little champion just doesn't like my WFCO 55 amp converter in my TT. The power factor on the converter is .67, which is murder on the generator. If I let my two type 24 batteries drop down to about half charge, the converter draws right around 700 watts when I first plug the trailer in to the generator. With that much of a reactive load the overload trips right around 700 to 720 watts, so half the time when I first plug the trailer in, it kicks the overload. Trying other less reactive loads I can get up to 1600 watts, sometimes slightly higher. The other issue with the converter in the TT is that the generator tends hunt a fair bit throttle wise when trying to power the TT with nothing else on, which is something it doesn't do nearly so much with other loads. On an intersting side note, I borrowed a little 2 cycle 1000 watt generator which is only rated for 800 continuous and it works great with the power convertor in the TT.

Bottom line, the spark plug helped a little for the altitude, and will probably work until they get an approved altitude kit for the carb, so I'm pleased with customer service. That said: For using the 2000i to charge the batteries in the TT, and run small stuff like the microwave etc. I find the 2000i is not really quite up to the task.

[_40Fan]

Mine read 12/2010.

[MrRchitty]

So far, I've been pleased with the twins. Aside from the 13.5 k SC unit, I've been finding things to try with it. Skill saw and power washer wouldn't run on one for me, but runs perfectly on two and barely kicks up the idle.

My trip to Cabella's a few days ago I thought would reveal a new Champion inverter on display. It was a no go. I was curious on the production date.

[_40Fan]

JConatser wrote:
My local Sam's Club is selling them for $489. I wouldn't pay more than that.

That is where I saw mine. I told the boss about them, he is going camping this next weekend, and he ran down and bought one. I stopped by and fired it up and boy is it quiet.

Had to get my own! I also purchased a parallel kit off of Ebay...guess who's genny I will be borrowing next trip? 🙂

[professor95]

Oletop wrote:
Ran a test yesterday. I was running a 6500 BTU window A/C. I let it run for about 5 minutes, then attempted to start another 6500 BTU A/C. No Go. What I did find interesting and different from Proffessors tests is that my Breaker tripped. I knew that it was not going to work but I had to do it. I tried to start a 13500 btu RV A/C and it was a no go as well. It also tripped the breaker. The manufacture date on my Gen is 7/2010. I am happy with my CPE 2000 and will add another to my arsenal.

Yep. It is sort of interesting that the CPE2000i trips the module overload light from a zero load to a high load - say 15 amps - instantly. But, when you do manage to get a high load running that is right at the edge of overload and then add another device that should turn on the overload light, it doesn't. Then, after a few seconds, the breaker trips. My video showing the power levels using sequenced 100 watt light bulbs demonstrates this.

The newer USA models do not have a circuit breaker. The original models that were first introduced into Canada were required by CSA for certification to have the circuit breaker. When the first USA models appeared they too had the 13.3 amp circuit breaker. While the Canadian model is listed as a 73552i and the USA model is the 73531i I honestly do not know the difference in the two unless the ground is bonded to neutral on the CSA model and not bonded on the USA model.

I am going to remove the circuit breaker on one of my 73531i units (actually just jumper around it) and repeat the tests with the resistive light bulb sequenced load as soon as I get a break back at the ranch.

In the interim, the lesson learned is to sequence your loads rather than trying to kick them all in at once.

[Oletop]

Ran a test yesterday. I was running a 6500 BTU window A/C. I let it run for about 5 minutes, then attempted to start another 6500 BTU A/C. No Go. What I did find interesting and different from Proffessors tests is that my Breaker tripped. I knew that it was not going to work but I had to do it. I tried to start a 13500 btu RV A/C and it was a no go as well. It also tripped the breaker. The manufacture date on my Gen is 7/2010. I am happy with my CPE 2000 and will add another to my arsenal.

[JConatser]

My local Sam's Club is selling them for $489. I wouldn't pay more than that.