professor95
Explorer
Joined 21 years ago
User Profile
User Widgets
All Activity
Re: The Official unofficial CPE 2000i Generator Thread
A far as I know the offer from SuperGen is still good. Give them a call to confirm. BTW - they now have a second store in CA. Really growing and a strong independent but CPE authorized repair and sales facility. This is not an advertisement - I have no connection to SuperGen - just know the folks there and trust them. Somewhere back in this thread I posted pictures on how to strip the case and remove the module. It is not a difficult project but one must be careful to note how parts go together, what type of screws go where, and the position of the top handle for reassembly. Fuel tank is also removed so best to do the job outside or in a well vented shop with no open flames or sparks as some fuel will dribble when the fuel line is pulled. Also pay attention to the rubber on the bottom of the module - remove it and make a note to be sure and put it back on when replacing the module. Triangular metal inserts that the top handle screws into can fall out of the case - be sure to note where they go.462Views0likes0CommentsRe: 3000W Chinese Gensets Info.
We have been "on the road" since early June. Just logged 5,000 miles and still have another 800 to go before landing at brick & mortar home base next week. Finished reading post from rlchv70 a few minutes ago. Golly, I'm impressed. Looks like a class A job with the conversion. But, agree with Mr. Wiz that moving muffler to external location would be a major plus in cooling. Been there, done that. Big fan is nice but robs power. Extended exhaust pipe to muffler and then a 2-3 foot tail pipe really cuts down on exhaust noise as well. I could not determine a loss of engine power using 1/2" exhaust pipe and 3/4" tail pipe. I wrapped my exhaust pipe with header heat wrap as well. Of course, one must use a flex joint to keep from cracking piping. Just my humble opinion :)480Views0likes0CommentsRe: 3000W Chinese Gensets Info.
JiminDenver wrote: Professor I can tell you that having the remote start is SWEETTTTTT. I replaced our original dual voltage 3500/4000 with a remote start version last week after finding out a 3100i just wasn't going to cut it up where I camp. Touch the button and it starts itself and then applies the load. Touch it again and it cuts the load and shuts off. Curious as to why the 3100i wasn't going to cut it. Rope start? Elevation? I don't remember if I ever posted this set-up or not. If it is a repeat please forgive me. I'm getting old and have what my son calls CRS. Anyway, I mounted the remote start CAT5 unit below the passenger door in an open space of the Volvo. The flip down fairing normally covers it. The exhaust has been extended by attaching new pipe to the end of the muffler, making a U turn into a flex connector and then a 1" pipe terminating behind the truck cab. When moving I have the 30 amp plug attached to the camper thru the transfer switch in the camper. With the remote I can start or stop the generator running down the road or sitting in a campground. If it is one of those hot days I can pre-start the AC in the camper to cool the walls and contents down before stopping. When we are in the camper and using power from the Volvo mounted genset you cannot hear it at all. The exhaust routing and surrounding foam/fairing make the thing amazingly quiet. Yes... the remote electric start is sweet. Now, if I could only convert the thing to run off of diesel and eliminate the gasoline can. That project would not be as easy as a LPG conversion. Guess it will have to stay gasoline powered :(. Good to see Ron (fellow traveler) actually make an open post ;) We may be somewhere close to you this summer. Later...385Views0likes0CommentsRe: 3000W Chinese Gensets Info.
Nazih wrote: Dear Professor95, This is related to the installation of the electric start kit for Honda Engine. I purchased the same kit from the same supplier. I was reviewing your post, and found out a discrepancy that you might be able to assist or explain. The contents of the switch box "Does it contain all the components as shown in the picture you provided with the open box and the electric diagram or you added them?". I received the same kit as in the ad but when I opened the key start box, there are no components (Charge coil Diode, Transition Diode and the 5 Amp fuse)! Did you add them to the kit or the kit came with these components? Are they required for a simple electric start for a Go Kart? Your feedback is appreciated. Nazih You were short changed. Yes, the components I showed did come with my kit. No, those components are not needed for a simple ES on a go-cart. All you need is a switch to engage the starter solenoid - it can be a key switch or just a push button. Your engine has the so called Transition Diode and kill button and truthfully the charge coil is a waste of time to try to keep a battery charged. Not sure I would even want to carry a battery on a go-cart??? I just keep a small 1 amp charger on the battery for my pressure washer and use a portable battery in the golf cart and #10 jumper cables for the log splitter start. (Grandson is cutting and splitting wood for me.) Bob came looking for me the other day and I told him I would make a post. What happened was an abscess ready to rupture on my colon. This sent me in the emergency room and 5 days in the hospital with IV antibiotics. I got 6 weeks back home on antibiotics then had to go back in the hospital to have 14" of my colon removed and another 5 day hospital stay. The big deal was the restriction to not lift more than 10 pounds for three months after surgery. This totally stopped any work or experiments on generators. I couldn't even pick up our dog. Then we spent the winter in Florida where I did not have any tools to experiment or test generators other than one stop over in Tampa at the RV Show when I used the 3500 in the Volvo to power the fiver. This allowed the DW to use the convection microwave and hair dryer while conserving battery power for quiet hour use. I can't say that I am too disappointed to be away from my workshop as we missed all the cold, snow and ice back home. The 3100i hasn't gotten the use I expected since I cannot lift it without a hoist or the front loader on my tractor. Same for the twin 2000i gensets. They did not go to Florida with us. Fortunately the 3100i has wheels and a handle and has an easy rope pull that starts easily. I can now roll it out on the paved driveway without too much strain. I received news that Champion has begun shipping an electric start 3100i with remote control. SuperGenProducts has been taking pre-shipment orders. I would really like to get an electric start unit or maybe the parts to convert mine (if possible)as the lifting and rope pulling needed for manual units are now out of the question for me. If I can swing an electric start 3100i I will most likely swap it out with the synchronous unit in the Volvo. IMHO, the 3100i has proven to be a really nice unit with the ability to handle significant inrush current without going into overload. Of course, the original 196cc 3,000 watt class synchronous units are like the Energizer Bunny - they just keep going and going. The CPE 46596 is darn near bulletproof and the $299 sale price that Tractor Supply occasionally advertises is a bargain. I don't think there will be much new from me on Chinese gensets as we are heading out to the north west in a few weeks and will once again be away from the ability to disassemble and experiment. I will rely on one of the two installed electric start synchronous gensets when stopped with no shore power. The CPE 46539 in the passenger side compartment in the Volvo gets a lot more use than the LPG conversion unit in the fiver. I have it wired to supply both the Volvo and camper. Should the need arise to run two RV air conditioners I have the capability to do one from each generator. I also use the one in the Volvo to run the electric AC in the cab for our dog when we stop for a meal or shopping. I will be sure to visit the thread more often - as long as Internet is available. Always glad to try and answer any questions from past experiences. Thanks for your kind thoughts.588Views0likes0CommentsRe: 3000W Chinese Gensets Info.
Wgeorge11 wrote: Thanks for the post Prof. Since my favorite son recently destroyed one of my gens I've been looking for a replacement. Your input is as good as the gold standard, certainly worthy of consideration. Meanwhile, DO NOT move this post to another forum. It fits well with our information needs and would only create another unnecessary search by old analogue dudes like me. This forum is one of a few places I truly put my trust into. And you are the heart of it all. Thank you. Well, one says move, the other says no. Hummm....... The bad thing is I landed in the horsepistol... er, hospital, right after I made the post so nothing new - that is other than an abscess on my colon that hurts like Hades and has to be cut out once it is less inflamed (about 6 weeks from now). I DO LIKE this genny and look forward to CPE's possible advance of the design to include electric start with the remote along with the ability to parallel or sync with another unit - even if I never end up with a second generation product unless SuperGen has a liberal trade-in program :). Speaking of sync or parallel operation - I do not know how that would work. I mean, I am sure you could put two 3100i units together when that feature is added but I know nothing about the compatibility of other CPE units. For example, could I (if I wanted to) sync one or even both of my 2000i units to the 3100i? I know you can sync a CPE1000i to a 2000i and I have even been privy to a test sync'ing 4-CPE 2000i units together even though I know of no commercial cable you can buy to allow that. If you owned two of the current 3100i units (or a 3100i and even a xxx 120 volt non-synchronous genset) and had a camper with a 50 amp (actually 50-50 amp) power cord it would be safe to have one 3100i on each of the two 120VAC 50 amp feeds with one of those dual 30-20 cheater adapters as long as the common neutral current did not exceed 50 amps (6000 watts) - which it would not. For big rigs this would give the ability to power TWO air conditioners with relatively low dBA levels (compared to a single 6,000 to 9,000 watt genny). I don't approve of unauthorized use without licensing of another companies design/property rights unless patents have expired and I would prefer that this unit was a made in the USA item. But, it is made in China and sold in the USA to the benefit of many USA employees and sellers. As far as design rights or license with others (Yamaha?) I know CPE is not a thief and they will not use the name Yamaha or make any reference to the brand just as they did not with the synchronous units to Honda and the GX series engine all over the China brand line - but we all know of the similarities and I appreciate knowing the design has been well tested. It is a different world than what I grew up in and International design royalties/trade has changed drastically. It is what it is. so, any use of the name Yamaha in citing similarities you may find here is strictly my own observation and nothing from CPE. As I said earlier - I have no horse in this race and just want a good solid product that does the job it is claimed to do without crapping out in the middle of the show - and doesn't take two retirement checks to pay for. Just buying diesel fuel to get on the road with the RV is enough expense. (guess you can tell I'm bored and my mind is rambling?) OK good news for me....Dr. just came in and I go home tomorrow. Maybe I can at least take the covers off the 3100i and make some photos of the innards to share? I know the Dr. isn't going to let me pull the cylinder head off the Volvo D12 to change injector seals and cups so it might as well be the 3100i. I have to do something - I can't just sit or I will go crazy.484Views0likes0CommentsRe: 3000W Chinese Gensets Info.
I had decided months ago that I would not buy one of the new CPE 3100i watt inverter generators when they became available. I had previously purchased a pair of 2000 watt inverter generators and the parallel kit. Sorry to have to say it, but I was somewhat disappointed that the 2000i would only provide dependable power to the 1700 watt level. The overload was fast, even after the upgrade of the inverters module. Still, it was a great unit if you were content with 1700 watts max rather than 2000 watts. The new 3100i did not offer electric start or remote control, two features I had come to appreciate on my 3500 watt, remote controlled electric start unit that ended up being mounted in my TV to provide power to either the camper or truck. Without the RF remote and/or electric start I had to physically get out of the camper or truck and pull a rope. For me, sort of inconvenient. Then, last week when NASCAR came to town two of my friends that work with Super Gen Products drove down from NY for the race. They just so happened to have a brand new sealed box 3100i with them. When they came by the house we took the thing out of the box and added the required engine oil and a gallon of gasoline. I turned on the fuel valve and let it sit for a few minutes to allow gas to fill the carburetor float bowl and gave the rope a 1/2 pull. It immediately started. We rolled the unit down to my camper, disconnected the camper's 50 amp power cord from its storage outlet and plugged in a 50 to 30 amp adapter. The 3100i has a 30 amp TT outlet that is only protected by the electronic overload. The 20 amp standard outlet has a 20 amp circuit breaker. Once connected and running I turned on the 15K BTU air conditioner. The 3100i was in econ mode and barely burped as the A/C compressor locked in. The converter was on but the batteries in the camper were at a full charge. I also had the fridge on electric which added another 370 watts to the load. At that point I filled a cup with water, placed it in the 1100 watt Dometic microwave and hit the start button. The 3100i revved up to compensate for the new added load then settled back down to a flat speed. This thing was sweet! I noticed that the overload delay was long. Much, much longer than the 2000i. This indicated that the 3100 watts was perhaps attainable. The unit is rated for 2800 watts with a maximum of 3100. While I did not measure the dB sound levels or actual current being drawn I can tell you it was impressively quite. When it came time to put the thing back in the box for a trip home to NY I began to feel some pain. Being a guy that has an admitted obsession to own most every tool made I just couldn't let it leave. Besides, my tax return was sitting in my bank account still unspent. I bought it. It belongs to me. Right now I know little more than what I have just written other than it has a 171 cc engine that appears to be more along the design of the Yamaha than Honda GX style engines we are used to seeing on the 3,000 watt Chinese open frame synchronous generators. Of course, as time allows, I will do a full comparison with this unit and my existing 2000i twins along with the 3500 watt synchronous. You know - sound levels, wattage, fuel consumption, etc. I also intend to do a disassembly of the outer case and photograph the inner workings. This may take awhile as I am not planning on being at the shop much this summer. With the DW now retired as well we have lots of places to go and things to do. I'm not even sure if I should continue this thread with the 3000i - but it is a product that fits the thread title and purpose. What do you think? New thread or here? While I may seem crazy with my generator collection, I can assure you all of them are put to good use when we lose power in our rural last-to-restore power service location. When that happens they are all quickly loaned out to family and neighbors so some comfort can be achieved. I think this generator is going to be a real winner. But, the difference in price between a Tractor Supply sale priced bare bones 3500 watt synchronous genny at $299 on sale or even the regular price of $349 is significant. The suggested retail price of the 3100 is just shy of a grand. But that is still much less than a red, blue or Powerhouse (Magna rebranded) 3100i. Due to the short supply of CPE3100i gensets I suspect the price will stay up there for awhile. Maybe a future offering by Costco or Sam's will be lower - just guessing. But for now, expect to pay near retail. BTW, I have NO horse in this race and have no financial agreement or connection to CPE or SuperGenProducts.484Views0likes0CommentsRe: 3000W Chinese Gensets Info.
SaltiDawg wrote: I will be adding a Kill A Volt over protection device based on the info in this great thread. Final question. There seems to be little doubt that if using gasoline as the generator fuel, that a wise thing to do is periodically (say monthly) run the generator for a while and then run it out of fuel before storing away until needed or until the next monthly test run. Is there an argument to be made for test running a propane only fueled generator on a monthly basis? I have a trickle charger on the starter battery so I was thinking I might test run it once or twice a hurricane season and also a few days before a predicted storm arrival. Adding the KillaVolt is a smart move for any synchronous open frame generator using a potted solid state AVR at the accessible end cap of the generator. If one should fail things get really nasty for anything connected. 170 VAC can destroy any surge protector or unprotected appliance. Many models of CPE generators have the device built in under the name of Volt Guard. I designed (invented) the thing about 4-5 years ago and GAVE THE DESIGN AWAY with no royalties so that we could reduce the risk of frying our appliances. IMHO, a generator that has any importance to provide power in an emergency should be exercised on a regular schedule regardless of the fuel it uses. My suggestion is 15 minutes every 2 weeks but at the worst monthly. The generator and engine are always exposed to moisture via humidity and moisture results in metal oxidation. Exercising the genset gets the oil hot and as a result helps to avoid oxidation. I have discovered oxidation on the surface of the flywheel on some GX style engines that is deposited between the flywheel magnets and coil. When this happens you can lose spark. Regular exercise is just a smart thing to do.484Views0likes0CommentsRe: The Official unofficial CPE 2000i Generator Thread
CajunBuccaneer wrote: professor95 wrote: Just an added comment on the extended run fuel tank I fabricated that is quoted below. You need to have the 2000i fuel tank full to the brim before screwing the cap that goes to the AUX tank on tight. ANY air in the 2000i tank or fuel fine from the AUX tank and it may not work. I used the AUX tank as shown last summer after a bad storm and it worked great but all air had to be purged first. Also note when you connect up and prime the system you will most likely spill some gasoline down the side of the generator. NEVER do this with a hot engine and let any spilled fuel evaporate before starting the genny. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions. Any comments on how to do this for a parallel unit. Should I dual feed from one tank or two separate tanks? You know, the biggest problem with this set-up is the lack of significant vacuum being developed in the fuel tank to pull fuel from the aux tank. The ONLY thing you have that makes the vacuum is the gravitational fall of fuel for about 2" into the carburetor. I suspect you would encounter problems using a T or Y and trying to feed twins from one tank. My knee jerk is probably not what you want to hear - use two independent aux tanks and feed lines. If there was a fuel pump on the CPE unit sucking fuel it would be a lot simpler - but there is not. Upside is not having a pump means one less part in the system to fail. A small-engine vacuum operated fuel pump like this one connected to port vacuum on the 2000i engine between the tank and carb should do no harm and would improve the performance of an aux tank. But, I have not tested this and it might void your CPE warranty. Another issue is developing a way to get port vacuum sufficient to run the pump. As built, there is no port vacuum access on the 2000i. My thinking is a 3/8" thick spacer added between the engine and carb with at least a 1/8" tube drilled in the center of one side to supply ported vacuum. It gets complicated, doesn't it? :h454Views0likes0CommentsRe: The Official unofficial CPE 2000i Generator Thread
Just an added comment on the extended run fuel tank I fabricated that is quoted below. You need to have the 2000i fuel tank full to the brim before screwing the cap that goes to the AUX tank on tight. ANY air in the 2000i tank or fuel fine from the AUX tank and it may not work. I used the AUX tank as shown last summer after a bad storm and it worked great but all air had to be purged first. Also note when you connect up and prime the system you will most likely spill some gasoline down the side of the generator. NEVER do this with a hot engine and let any spilled fuel evaporate before starting the genny.483Views0likes0CommentsRe: The Official unofficial CPE 2000i Generator Thread
Searching_Ut wrote: While I can't say for certain, I would be really surprised if there is any trouble with paralleling the older units with the new black unit. I know there isn't any problem running the red and yellow units together as I have done it quite a bit. The new black units will sync up with any model CPE 2000i or even a CPE 1000i watt inverter. I have been told that the new 3100 watt inverter does not yet have the capability to sync (parallel) with another like unit. I "think" that might be projected for a future update. I sure would like to get a 3100, but it doesn't look likely any time soon. I doubt that I will invest in one unless they come out with electric start and RC. In the interim I will either run my twin 2000i units or my good old dependable synchronous 3,500 watt genny.446Views0likes0Comments
Groups
