Honda portable generator?

[psneeld]

Well, I haven't seen non ethanol gas in NJ for 8 years at least.... and I run it and thousands of other boaters run it in their little Yamahas (mine is an 8hp) all year.
According to the EPA, moisture in the air isn't what causes phase separation, only liquid water. Is that correct? Cant say for sure, but matches my experience.

 

[DavidM]

Thanks for that video, HC!

There's a little known Honda eu2000i trick. When the rotating off switch is selected, it does 2 things....stop the spark and turn off the fuel. If you slide off the spark control wire terminal, it renders the spark control circuit inop so when you rotate the OFF switch, it turns off the fuel while the spark continues. The unit runs for a minute or so then empties the carb. No need to catch the discarded fuel.

I was very interested in this "trick" as I keep a Honda EU2000i at home for power failures. I do drain the gas from the carb for long term storage, but was interesteed in this approach to drain it all including the fuel pump while running.

So, I looked it up. Here is a pictorial: Honda EU2000i Generator Fuel Shut-Off (The Easy Way!) | RVB Precision

The gist of it is you pop open a two conductor (black and green) connector that controls the spark output. With it open the engine keeps running when the fuel valve is shut until it runs out of gas. Contrary to the article it takes a full minute of running to use up all of the gas in the carb and even after it stops there is a half teaspoon still in the carb that you can drain with the valve on the bottom of the carb. I didn't bother adding the new switch discussed in the article.

Here is a pic of the connector:

 

[Insequent]

Thanks FlyWright and dmarchand. I have saved this 'trick' and may well use it.

But so far my two units have performed faultlessly. I started using Stabil after talking to the dealer when I bought my second unit a year ago. My only observation at this point is that if I turn the units off before the gas tank is empty, causing them to stop, then they are easier to start next time I use them, which may well be some months. So, using the trick in my case does not seem the way to go at this point.

 

[Maerin]

Well, I haven't seen non ethanol gas in NJ for 8 years at least.... and I run it and thousands of other boaters run it in their little Yamahas (mine is an 8hp) all year.
According to the EPA, moisture in the air isn't what causes phase separation, only liquid water. Is that correct? Cant say for sure, but matches my experience.

If the fuel tank is vented, ambient air enters the tank during thermal expansion/contraction, the ambient air is by nature moisture-laden, so it condenses: liquid moisture. If you haven't had problems, you're livin' right, I guess! My experience as a full-time cruiser whose dinghy is used A LOT, has been that I just won't use ethanol unless there's no other alternative. Nothing like having the outboard crap out when crossing a cut in an outgoing tide to make one swear off ethanol!

 

[psneeld]

Me and a lot of other boaters I live with (full time live aboard) and the hundreds I meet though the work I do as a professional captain and assistance towing captain must be living right.

The tiny little bit that could condense in a small outboard tank that is being used up once a month or so has never been an issue with me or anyone I have met.

Living in the world of only ethanol tainted fuel, I just dont see the problems that TF (known for hysteria over the most simple of boating issues......) seems to be worried about.

Seem like much of the worry is from people who have alternative fuel..... I dont except when cruising, and even then I dont look for non ethanol fuel, I just follow a simple routine and not have problems.

 

[HopCar]

I was playing with my Honda EU2000i today. I wanted to see how much fuel is left in the carb bowl after the engine stops from lack of fuel.

I let it run until it stopped. Then I was able to restart it and it ran another few seconds. Then I drained the bowl into a small cup. I got about half a teaspoon of gasoline. I pulled the engine over several times and got another half teaspoon out of the system. There was a surprising amount of gasoline in the tank as well.