Any luck with extended gas tanks for a Champion?

[RSD559]

I found this IPI Bergs1 Anyone have success with it or any other product? The only downfall of my Champion I've found is the limited run time if it's really hot outside.

[LittleBill]

RSD559 wrote:

LittleBill wrote:
hbillsmith,

thanks for the info maybe im confused, but i thought impulse pumps worked off both a pull/push pressure? my rider lawn mower has a impulse pump, with no check valve. guess im confused whats changing with these generator and how the pump is working if its only getting a push

The first step in the video is to disable the one-way valve located in the valve cover. The branch to the pulse port on the pump is before the new PCV valve. So the pump gets pressure and vacuum, and the PCV system is intact.

ty this helped

[hbillsmith]

Chuck the Champion solution is different because of the need to add a $10 fuel pump. Honda's fuel delivery system is different. I already owned my marine tank and hose so I only needed the kit parts that I sourced mostly from Amazon. My cost was only $52.

[chuckbear]

I can't speak for the Champion, but I built my own for our Honda and used it and it worked great with no issues for a couple of years. It cost a lot less than these "kits". It must be done properly and the fitting in the cap has to be sealed so there are no air leaks. I have details on our build on our blog here. Chuck

[RSD559]

Works great! Ran it for about 10 minutes. Put a load on it and it was fine. I store my generator empty of gas. So I hooked the hose to the gas can and the generator, primed it, and after about the 4th pull, it fired. I was expecting several pulls while gas was pulled in. Very pleased. Thanks again all!

[RSD559]

Finished the install this afternoon. Mine was a little different from the video. I found it easier to remove the charcoal canister from the back cover and take the cover all of the way off. I also removed the inverter to make more room for my clumsy mitts. Took me about an hour. Not too bad. I'll test it tomorrow. Again, thank you for all the information and the links.

[RSD559]

LittleBill wrote:
hbillsmith,

thanks for the info maybe im confused, but i thought impulse pumps worked off both a pull/push pressure? my rider lawn mower has a impulse pump, with no check valve. guess im confused whats changing with these generator and how the pump is working if its only getting a push

The first step in the video is to disable the one-way valve located in the valve cover. The branch to the pulse port on the pump is before the new PCV valve. So the pump gets pressure and vacuum, and the PCV system is intact.

[LittleBill]

hbillsmith,

thanks for the info maybe im confused, but i thought impulse pumps worked off both a pull/push pressure? my rider lawn mower has a impulse pump, with no check valve. guess im confused whats changing with these generator and how the pump is working if its only getting a push

[hbillsmith]

wa8yxm wrote:
Ok, far as I know only HONDA has the "Extended Run Tank" feature...

Almost correct except a little more clarification is appropriate. Honda's Inverter/Generators have a factory built-in fuel pump and a pressurzied tank feed. For that reason, for the most part a modified fuel cap will suffice to add an external tank.

Champion and others use a gravity fed internal fuel tank and in order to add an external tank one must modify the inverter/generator to add a vacuum fed fuel pump (similar to what's used on most lawn mowers).

Pinellas perfected the parts and process for adding the fuel pump to Champion and others. This message thread has a video link and instrucutions and DIY parts list should one want to do so.

[wa8yxm]

Ok, far as I know only HONDA has the "Extended Run Tank" feature and there is a very good reason for this.

MOST portable generators (in fact far as I know most means ALL EXCEPT seleccted Honda) use gravity feed for gasoline to the carb.

Honda has a genuine real life FUEL PUMP to succk gas out of an extended run can, and a sealed gas tank Short story about that follows.

So you remove the stock Gas Cap, Fill the on board tank and screw on the Extended Run cap with the line to the ER cap... If you figure out about how long that ER tank lasts you can remove it and refill it and get back before the Onboard tank is down too far.. .Several times.

But only on selected Hondas (Like the EU-X000i line)

The story. Had one of those (A 2000i) would run for a few minutes then die
They got it running againh but just a mniute or two it would die
Gas tank full..

THEY FORGOT TO OPEN THE VENT ON THE GAS CAP. I "fixed" it for 'em (without even touching it,, Simply ask "Did you open the vent?" and it ran for about 2 hours after that then it stopped.... Due to operation of the OFF switch (normal stop) and I went to collect my fee.. (Pizza). Longer story omitted. .

[RSD559]

hbillsmith wrote:


If you convert for to be able to use an external marine tank, the Champion fuel selector becomes the switch that selects either "Internal Tank" or "External Tank". It is a mechanical switch, also there's no automatic switch over. If you need to run uninterrupted for a long period you can fill both tanks, then run off the external until it's dry. At that time, manually switch to internal and let it run while you either switch to another external tank or just go into town to refill you one external. When the external's ready to go back online, manually switch it over.

One of the advantages of the external tank is that you don't risk a fire from spillage that might be caused if you were refilling the internal tank while the unit is hot. The external option is much safer.

For us, 3 gallons is plenty. I won't use the internal tank unless it makes sense for some situation, which I don't foresee. We only use the generator for sleep stops on the way to our destination. For example, it takes us 2 days to get to northern Utah. Not much between here and there. Not even a camper friendly WalMart. So we'll sleep at a rest stop with the A/C roaring. Between the big trucks and the other campers with their generators and A/Cs, we fit right in.

[hbillsmith]

RSD559 wrote:
Ordered the parts from Amazon. $149. But, I ordered a smaller 3 gallon tank. I do have a question about the generator. The fuel on/off switch. How does it shut off the fuel at the tank? Is it mechanical with a cable, or electrical? Anyone know how it works? It does make it more simple for the kit to do it's thing. I do hate putting anything Honda or Yamaha on the Champion, though. That's going to be the toughest part. Which begs another question. If Honda and Yamaha are so bulletproof, why does Amazon sell parts for them?

If you convert for to be able to use an external marine tank, the Champion fuel selector becomes the switch that selects either "Internal Tank" or "External Tank". It is a mechanical switch, also there's no automatic switch over. If you need to run uninterrupted for a long period you can fill both tanks, then run off the external until it's dry. At that time, manually switch to internal and let it run while you either switch to another external tank or just go into town to refill you one external. When the external's ready to go back online, manually switch it over.

One of the advantages of the external tank is that you don't risk a fire from spillage that might be caused if you were refilling the internal tank while the unit is hot. The external option is much safer.

[hbillsmith]

rjsurfer wrote:
Whatever you do dont try one of those marine fuel tank conversions with the modified fuel cap.

Total piece of ****, tank is garbage along with all the plastic fittings.


Ron W.

My Yamaha Marine 6gal tank has brass connectors and the Atwood quick connect I added to my Champion Inverter is also brass. I guess there are cheaper plastic fitting ones, I just was lucky to already have a tank that came with my 5hp outboard.

[hbillsmith]

LittleBill wrote:
what exactly is the point of the check valve on the impulse pump?

It insures that the air being captured out of the OHV is one directional to the fuel pump. When installing the check valve, I blew on each end to make sure the air flow was one directional from the OHV to the fuel pump. Without the check valve, you would still be pushing air to the fuel pump but without it I guess you could risk a malfunction and have a fuel eruption or leak.

By the way, the fuel pump you use is the same cheap kind that Honda, Briggs Stratton and others use on lawn mowers etc.

[LittleBill]

what exactly is the point of the check valve on the impulse pump?