New polar cub Mach 8 AC and the Honda eu2000i question

[Dodgemahal]

I have a question about sizing a generator after adding the Coleman Polar Cub Mach 8 AC addition to my Bigfoot camper. Please forgive me if the answer seems obvious. I lost my beloved wife to covid 47 days ago and I can't even remember which end of the tooth brush to use. I don't have clarity right now and with the fog from being sick, not much seems clear.
So I read a lot of postings here and there about running the Mach 8 on a Honda eu2000i. Which I currently have as an extra. Last summer I upgraded our Bigfoot with two 100aH lithium batteries. I also put in a Progressive Dynamics 4655LIV lithium converter charger. I just found out it draws 950 watts. The specs on the Coleman Mach 8 say 1550 watts. When I plug into AC power the batteries start charging from the converter automatically. How are people running the AC on a Honda eu2000i rated at 1600 running watts when other loads are most likely present? Turning off breakers?

I had started to look for a couple year old Honda eu2200i that did not have the CO minder. I have a generator box on a trailer that is vented with doors and it would shut down from CO readings. The eu2200i is rated for 1800 watts. However add the 950 from the PD4655LIV and I get 2500 watts. I really should be looking for a generator with at least 2500 running watts correct? Honda makes a eu2800i generator. 67 pounds and moderate on the noise. I don't want to make another mistake.

Why a Honda? I have a westinghouse 4500watt 3700 running watt that I am absolutely sick of. 20 hours on it. It is to much generator for what I need. It kills batteries, won't pull start and run with a dead battery, and two days ago I spent 30 minutes trying to get it started after running it just the day before. I can't stand that 107 pound POS. Every honda powered item I have here starts and runs without more than three pulls. Sometimes only one. I see dozens of cheap generators on the market. I bought one and I hate it. So anything with a Honda motor is a possibility. But back to my question on output. I need something bigger than the eu2200i correct? I am not into turning breakers off to run my AC on a small generator.
I am wondering how people are running the mach 8 on a 2K output.

Oh I forgot to mention I am getting a soft start from micro air no matter what generator I end up with.
I appreciate any input. There is a lot of knowledge here.
Thank you.
Al

[towpro]

srschang wrote:
My EU2000i always starts with 1 or 2 pulls if it's been run in the last few days. But if it sits for a month or longer, it's a good 20-30 pulls to get it started. But after all those pulls and finally starting, if I shut it off, it restarts in 1 or 2 pulls.

Anybody else have this problem and been able to fix it?

I used to until I read this procedure
turn on big dial switch (to get fuel into fuel pump).
turn off eco mode
turn on choke
now turn off big dial switch.
brisk pull cord around 5 times. this allows fuel to get from pump to carb)
turn back on big dial switch.
brisk pull cord and it will start pretty easy.

[Geo_Boy]

bigfootford wrote:
Back years ago I installed a piece of 1/4" tubing from the intake assembly into one of the intake tubes, drilled a hole in the bottom of the 2000 next to the bowl drain tube....
After my 2000 has sat for a while and won't start after a couple of pulls I just squirt starter fluid up that external tube and the 2000 starts after the 1-2nd pull..

I did this to a couple of buds 2000's too... A life saver.
Jim

Starter fluid/either can be deadly for an engine. It can literally blow the ring lands right off a piston.

[jimh406]

Seems like every Honda 2000 issue I've ever heard about are all in this one thread. 😄

[Kayteg1]

TxGearhead wrote:
Actually pretty easy to drain. Flat blade screwdriver...turn it, watch gas drain 30 seconds, close it.

We might have different opinions what easy is.
Finding a screwdriver on my retirement is hard job.
Jokes aside, turning valve off and running carburetor dry worked for me for decades just fine.

[bigfootford]

Back years ago I installed a piece of 1/4" tubing from the intake assembly into one of the intake tubes, drilled a hole in the bottom of the 2000 next to the bowl drain tube....
After my 2000 has sat for a while and won't start after a couple of pulls I just squirt starter fluid up that external tube and the 2000 starts after the 1-2nd pull..

I did this to a couple of buds 2000's too... A life saver.
Jim

[TxGearhead]

Actually pretty easy to drain. Flat blade screwdriver...turn it, watch gas drain 30 seconds, close it.

[Kayteg1]

Draining carburetor is overkill. Nothing wrong with it, but extra work.
I have several machines with Honda engines, like pressure washer, concrete saw and grinder. Some of them 20 yo and running carburetor dry always work for me.
Never used gas stabilizer, but if gas gets older than 2 years, than I suck it out and dispose.

[Geo_Boy]

Dodgemahal wrote:

stevenal wrote:

Dodgemahal wrote:

The round run / off dial selector when turned to the off position shuts off the fuel supply.

How? The device is described as a switch. To cut off fuel, one needs a valve. Is it both?

The round run/off dial when turned to off, shuts off the fuel supply and shorts out the spark plug lead. So adding the remote kill switch allows it to run out of fuel. You don't even need to use the switch. Just let it run out of fuel. Approx 2-3 minutes.


On a side note.
I am reading some posts from many years ago that state that there is some fuel left in the carb bowl after running the gen to stall.
I may have a look on mine.

Always remove the side panel and drain the carburetor via the drain screw, to eliminate any gasoline in the carburetor bowl.

[Dodgemahal]

stevenal wrote:

Dodgemahal wrote:

The round run / off dial selector when turned to the off position shuts off the fuel supply.

How? The device is described as a switch. To cut off fuel, one needs a valve. Is it both?

The round run/off dial when turned to off, shuts off the fuel supply and shorts out the spark plug lead. So adding the remote kill switch allows it to run out of fuel. You don't even need to use the switch. Just let it run out of fuel. Approx 2-3 minutes.


On a side note.
I am reading some posts from many years ago that state that there is some fuel left in the carb bowl after running the gen to stall.
I may have a look on mine.

[stevenal]

Dodgemahal wrote:

The round run / off dial selector when turned to the off position shuts off the fuel supply.

How? The device is described as a switch. To cut off fuel, one needs a valve. Is it both?

[_1Flyboy]

…. And for those that need more than a Honda 2200 but don’t want to lift a heavier load don’t forget: … get 2 Honda 2200 = plenty of watts & easier to lift…….And not made in Communist China….

[Kayteg1]

srschang wrote:
My EU2000i always starts with 1 or 2 pulls if it's been run in the last few days. But if it sits for a month or longer, it's a good 20-30 pulls to get it started. But after all those pulls and finally starting, if I shut it off, it restarts in 1 or 2 pulls.

Anybody else have this problem and been able to fix it?

I noticed that on small engines, when you have empty carburetor bowl, it takes about a minute for gas to fill it up.
Since I always run my Honda 3000 dry before storage, I always give it couple of minutes to soak, before I pull the cord.
Actually I do the same on my 1922 Ford T.
My 3000 is about 17 years old and only couple years ago I put new carburetor since rebuild kits are not available.
It still starts on 1st pull most of the time. Still have the battery that come with it in dry stage, with acid in the bottle. Never felt the need for electric starter.

[Grit_dog]

srschang wrote:
My EU2000i always starts with 1 or 2 pulls if it's been run in the last few days. But if it sits for a month or longer, it's a good 20-30 pulls to get it started. But after all those pulls and finally starting, if I shut it off, it restarts in 1 or 2 pulls.

Anybody else have this problem and been able to fix it?

Been like that on every Honda 2000 I've ever used. IMO, save the 20-30 pulls. You know it's not going to start right away. It takes less than a minute to remove the side cover and airbox cover to use some starter fluid/carb cleaner/wd40/brake cleaner/gasoline to get it to fire on the first pull.

[Dodgemahal]

stevenal wrote:
I'm confused. How can an electrical switch cut off the fuel? Is there an existing solenoid valve in the fuel line? Thanks.
On edit: Is the OEM fuel pump electric?

The fuel pump is mechanical. Like many small engines, It has a line connected to the crank case that uses the vacuum/pressure impulses created from the piston running up and down to activate the fuel pump.

The round run / off dial selector when turned to the off position shuts off the fuel supply. It also kills the engine at that same time. That leaves the carb full of fuel. So by adding the remote kill switch for the engine, (which you don't use unless you need to stop the generator right now), it allows the engine to run out of fuel by itself instead of being shut off when the dial is turned to the off position. The Hutch Mountain add on only changes how the engine is shut off. By running out of fuel. Again the kill switch they include is not used unless you need an immediate engine off shut down for what ever reason. Honestly for twenty something bucks, it is a fantastic mod.
My eu2000i took about two minutes to run out. Sitting three days and demonstrating for a neighbor, it started in 4 pulls.

As for the hard to start problem the gent from NY mentioned. I would check the impulse rubber lines that make the fuel pump work and make sure they are intact, no leaks, cracks, poor connections ect. Then I would just for the heck of it remove and clean the carb with carb cleaner and compressed air. Not just a rinse, but take out the brass jet rod. Really clean it out. I suspect it is a fuel delivery problem and not a run ability issue that a carb would cause. Cleaning the carb will only help things.
You could remove the fuel line to the carb, hose barb it to a little bit longer hose that goes into a cup. And pull the cord to see if you are getting fuel when trying to start it. It should pulse fuel into the cup. You might have a weak or bad fuel pump. It starts easy after running because there is fuel in the carb bowel already. It sounds like a fuel delivery problem.
You are to far away to stop by and help. 🙂