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Re: Charging with a Honda 2000i generator


 

Determining when your battery is "topped off" will be difficult.? Lead acid batteries take forever to charge the last 10%, and the surface charge left on a battery after charging makes determining full charge difficult.? I'd just measure the current going into the battery while charging, and be aware that current tapers as charging progresses.

It looks like that Hutch Mountain propane conversion has a very nice mounting feature.? They appear to put a quick connect on the propane line where it come out of the generator, so you can store that big "pie plate" regulator separately.? The Hutch stuff is about $90 more than motor snorkel, so motor snorkel is attractive pricewise, but I wouldn't know what special fittings Hutch uses to install that quick connect.? One thing I'd clarify, though, is exactly how the install is done, to save you a trip to an RV place.

For the install, what you want to do is connect the generator to your trailer propane lines after the propane goes through the trailer mounted propane regulator.? That will allow you to pull from either tank, and only the current tank.? No need to partially deplete both tanks, and no need for an extra regulator.

So here's what looks like a good install option:

Put a T connector just below the propane regulator on your trailer.? Connect a short propane hose to the side of that T (15" long on my trailer)..? Put a ball valve shutoff, and a female quick connect fitting, on the other end of the 15 inch hose.? I think it's code to put a ball valve next to a quick connect that has pressurized propane behind it.? On mine they had to use a male to male stubs to get the fittings connected.? You also have to tell them about each hose you need, because they have to use a special crimper tool to put the ends on the propane hoses.??

Get an 8 ft propane hose with female quick connect on one end and a male quick connect on the other end.??

Install the propane plumbing in the generator, with a male quick connect on the generator handle, as seen in the Hutch kit picture.? Have the pie plate thing attached to a short piece of propane hose for the input, and another short piece of hose for the output.? Each piece of hose has a quick connect on the end.? That way you can store the pie plate separate from the generator or the hose. You will probably want an elbow in there somewhere too so you can "hang" the pie plate in front of the propane tanks.? You can't lay the pie plate on the ground because that would let it stuck dirt into the air vents.

Get dust covers for all the quick connects.? They sell dust covers made explicitly for quick connects.? But I found a chair leg cover from ace hardware exactly fits a female quick connect, and an eye dropper bulb from ace fits a male quick connect.??

Get two stubby bolts to fill the two air input ports on the pie plate.? Another trip to Ace.

You may also want to buy another propane hose about 3 or 4 ft with a regulator on the end, just like the regulator in the Hutch pick on the propane tank, so you can use the generator to power your house fridge if you have a blackout.? ?

In the Hutch writeup they also mention converting a 1/4" to 3/8" quick connect.? My thoughts on that are the 1/4" is plenty big enough for our little generators.? Thats all mine has.

The folks at motor snorkel were emphatic that I use pipe dope for the screw on fittings.? No Teflon tape.? They said several propane kits were sent back for failure due to slivers of Teflon tape getting stick in the regulator.

Anyways, good luck with your conversion.? I assume you'll have followon questions.? Its hard to explain this stuff in writing.? You might find a YouTube video that's more clear.

The "T" below the regulator, looking from between the batteries and propane tanks.? That white "cylinder" is the chair leg cap i have covering the female quick connect on my propane line:




On Fri, Apr 19, 2024 at 07:34 AM, Don DeRyke wrote:
Steve, great input thank you.? This is what I needed.? My Schumacher has 30 amp setting, and automatically goes to maintain when fully charged.? But my converter is very good as well.? I think I'll run the battery down, and see how long it takes the converter to top it off.
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This is the propane kit my friend bought, and he is very pleased with it.
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Don DeRyke
Sunrise, Florida

2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.?
Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 ltr EcoBoost engine.

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