Found a use for the Honda EU1000 generator

[RunninRubicon]

Chicago Electric generator

On the last post you guys were talking about Honda generators and their high price, low noise and little need of maintence. I got for Christmas this year a 1000w Chicago Electric generator. A tiny 2.5hp four-stroke, four cycle engine pulls this one. Just like the Honda it started from out of the box with gas oil and 2 pulls. It has maybe 50hrs on it now and I must say it can become addictive to have power. I believe this model is 6 dbs louder then the Honda or Yamaha models. But this one costs $179.99 on sale. I bought a 2-year free replacement warranty for for $40.00. I find this a hard bargain to beat for what it is. This model weighs 38lbs.

 

[HINO SG]

Sounds interesting; I might have to try one of those- save my Honda for when I really need a quiet generator.

This one?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93881

 

[RunninRubicon]

Sounds interesting; I might have to try one of those- save my Honda for when I really need a quiet generator.

This one?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93881

For the price-even with a warranty, I found it cheap insurance for long camping stays off the grid and away from it all. Water turns into the REAL issue after awhile unless you have a stream or a lake to filter water from.

 

[HINO SG]

this one?

but is that the model you have? 1000w, 2.4hp, but $300 and 68lbs?

Also, someone out there was going to try an auxilury fuel tank for the 1000i?
Are you around/any luck?

 

[Desertdude]

I did buy the tank and brought it along to Surf n Turf but did not have a chance to use it - the Honda used only .5 gallons per day.

The tank has the supply tube coming from the bottom, and has two on/off valves. It goes into the gas cap on the generator in to the air closing valve.

Carrying 5 gallons is really over kill for this generator, as it weighs more than the Honda.

 

[RunninRubicon]

I did buy the tank and brought it along to Surf n Turf but did not have a chance to use it - the Honda used only .5 gallons per day.

The tank has the supply tube coming from the bottom, and has two on/off valves. It goes into the gas cap on the generator in to the air closing valve.

Carrying 5 gallons is really over kill for this generator, as it weighs more than the Honda.

I got model 94678-OVGA. It's the boxy 2.5hp model. I agree with the 5 gallon jug being too much. I use a one-gallon with a bottle of Stabl in it. Seems plenty.

 

[HINO SG]

Troubleshooting my 1000i

So I've only done preliminary troubleshooting of my own, but anyone have some suggestions here? I use my 1000i for living on-site in my "expedition vehicle" and usually run it at least twice a week, usually for 3-6 hrs, and it quit running today.
I ran it for about three hrs. a couple of days ago, left it about 2/3 full of fuel, and went to start it today. Air temp was about 15F, although it was down to 8F recently.
Generator started with the choke on, ran for 30 sec., ran for 20 sec. without the choke, then sputtered to a stop and wouldn't restart.
Somtimes the low oil sensor will turn it off after running for a few seconds if it's not on a perfectly level surface, but oil level is fine and I tried starting it on the garage floor. Nothing. The generator probably got warmed up to at least 40F while it was in the garage and I topped off the fuel, too. (As an aside, anyone know if overfilling the oil is much of a concern on one of these?)

I then tried getting it to fire using starting fluid. I don't know if I've actually heard of using starting fluid on a small motor like this, or whether it might be bad for the motor, but nothing happened anyway.
Didn't get around to checking the spark- kind of tough by yourself without an electric starter, so I guess that's my next step.

Ideas, anyone?

 

[Desertdude]

try an not to use starting fluid, it can be pretty harsh... there is a rythm to starting it, sometimes it does take a bit of choke to get it warmed up. I usually keep the automatic idle off to rev it up

have you always kept the filter in the gas filler neck? this is imperative to keeping the gas clean.

The motor is very simple - spark and gas - I would check the spark first, if that is good, then fine out if you are getting gas. Sometimes a simple new spark plug can help out.

 

[HINO SG]

Yeah, I know starting fluid is a little extreme, but it didn't hurt anything this time. It's cold out, and I need to get this thing started.

Belive me, I've started this thing many, many times and there's somthing not connecting. The low oil sensor gets me pretty often- funny how it'll be running fine one day then shut itself down as soon as it's started the next- but the oil level is not the problem today.

Yeah, I've filled it without the screen a few times and I'm a little worried about that but..

it seems like a fuel problem might cause it to run poorly, but you really think it would keep it from running at all? especially after it was running just fine?

 

[Desertdude]

when i first got mine I found it too slow filling the gas so i took out the filter for one time, the generator did not like that and ran real rough for few weeks after that. Since then I have always left the filter in. I think the tiny particles can clog things up. I have not ever hat a low oil light come on or stop the gereator from running.

hard to say without doing some tests, I would find out first if I have spark. Try it with a new plug, if you know you have spark, then it has to be fuel.

Take your plug you have now out, connect it to the plug wire and hold it tight to the engine head ( or ground it solid to the metal engine part, pull the cord and see if you can see any spark.

also;

if you try and start it a bunch, stop and take out the plug, see if it is wet?
a wet plug will indicate that it is getting fuel of some type just not sparking and burning.

 

[HINO SG]

hey desertdude-

thanks for the ideas. I just went back to the online user's manual and found out that it's actually pretty hard to overfill the oil, maybe that's why I was always running low (too careful). I've run it at night for 4-5hrs, had it cut out the next day, and run then fine after adding oil more times than I can count. Ok, not that many times, but a lot.
And I hate to admit it, but I've never changed the spark plug, even once, and I'm sure I've got ~600hrs on my machine, maybe more. Keep meaning to but guess I'll have to try a little harder.

Oh, bought mine as a dealer demo (Northern Tool). How was it treated for the first 100h? Or first 300h? no way of knowing that, either.

 

[Desertdude]

While we are confessing, I have never completed any maintaienace on the machine at all, have not checked or changed the oil, changed the plug, or cleaned/checked the filter ... not usually like me but there it is

I bought mine new in '99 and used it quite a bit, guess I should try harder too :REExeSquatsHL1:

good luck, and post back your findings

 

[HINO SG]

how to not maintain your Honda Generator

that's crazy, desertdude.

sure, I've never changed my sparkplug, but every time my oil light comes on, I just change the oil. Takes 5 min. to find the oil, take the side cover off, pull the dipstick and fill it, or 7 min. to drain, refill, and put it all back together again.

Guess I've been wasting a lot of oil.:yikes: :yikes:

 

[Desertdude]

Did you get that Honda running?

 

[HINO SG]

problem solved

It was the sparkplug.

The guy at the Honda dealer said that excessive use of the choke can cause fouling; I'm usally pretty careful but have been starting/running it at low temperatures almost daily so I use the choke more than normal just to get it going and that might have been a factor.