Champion Dual Fuel Inverter and LPG

[RedRoverComeOver]

I have the 2500W model but does anyone have one of the recent dual fuel models and successfully used LPG?

Followed the instructions with no luck. Their support claims I should be smelling gas during the priming process but smell nothing except when disconnecting the regulator from both full tanks. For those that have successfully used LPG, is this the case?

They're sending me a replacement regular/hose assembly but skeptical.

[5picker]

One of our camping friends has a dual fuel Champion 2500. He runs his exclusively on LP and has done so since he bought it about 3 years ago. I've helped him lift it out of the truck bed. He sets the tank nearby, connects the hose and it starts right up. I've never witnessed any special priming procedures.

[GolfingDave]

I could not start mine last summer and it had been working fine. Finally figured out I was waiting too long between priming it with the slow pulls and then trying to start it with the rapid pull. Can not be any hesitation between the two. More than a couple of seconds maybe one made the difference.
I was positive I had a bad regulator also.

And you have to use the hose with the black plunger/finger on it that came with the regulator. I thought the only time I smelled LP was when I was attempting to use a longer hose that did not have that plunger/finger on it. Do not recall smelling LP using the correct hose.

I am thinking I was able to use it hooked up to my low pressure port under the camper also. Not sure right now. Almost positive since I just looked at my regulator and I see I put a standard LP hose connection on it and it is with my generator. If I was still needing the twist on to the tank connector I think I would have it stored with my generator. Seem to recall just taking the hose off of my griddle and putting it on the generator.

If you are hooked up to your low pressure port that you might want to try going straight to your propane tank even though mine worked.

I just seemed to recall also I had no LP gas flow through my generator regulator assembly either when not hooked up or something to that effect. Was positive I had a bad regulator assembly until I stumbled upon waiting too long between pulls.

[SacRV]

Are you connecting directly to a full 5 lb. tank with the supplied regulator/hose? Have you run it on gasoline too?

[GolfingDave]

Let me revise what I posted above. Just grabbed my generator, has not been started since last fall.

Hooked it up to my low pressure port but that is going straight to the generators regulator. Pulled it slow in the choke position five times, then moved to the propane run position with the cord just starting to engage and pulled fast. Nothing. Several more times that way and nothing. What is going on here?

I knew it was something quirky. Double checked my LP was on. LP does not flow through the regulator disconnected from the generator. You would think it would.

Hooked back up in choke position. This time I pulled five times full and quickly, not slow at all. Fairly quickly I moved knob to the propane run position, pulled slowly until it started to engage then pulled abruptly. Started right up.

I believe you have to pull the cord rather quickly the 3-5 times with no hesitation on the choke setting to get the propane flowing.

[5picker]

@GolfingDave... I'm surprised your generator even starts/runs.

If you are supplying the genny from the low pressure port on your R/V, straight into the genny's regulator, you are double regulating the LP flow. That typically doesn't work. Did it originally have another regulator ahead of that big one?

The genny's regulator is designed to work off LP tank pressure which is way higher.

As an aside... it looks in your photo the lever on the LP line is also partially closed.
That lever serves two purposes... 1. to keep the quick-coupler locked when mated with the plug and 2. to stop the flow of LP.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by GolfingDave

Let me revise what I posted above. Just grabbed my generator, has not been started since last fall.

Hooked it up to my low pressure port but that is going straight to the generators regulator. Pulled it slow in the choke position five times, then moved to the propane run position with the cord just starting to engage and pulled fast. Nothing. Several more times that way and nothing. What is going on here?

I knew it was something quirky. Double checked my LP was on. LP does not flow through the regulator disconnected from the generator. You would think it would.

Hooked back up in choke position. This time I pulled five times full and quickly, not slow at all. Fairly quickly I moved knob to the propane run position, pulled slowly until it started to engage then pulled abruptly. Started right up.

I believe you have to pull the cord rather quickly the 3-5 times with no hesitation on the choke setting to get the propane flowing.
Attachment 285448

I have a Champion Dual fuel Inverter/Gen. but it's a 3500w size. Always a little more difficult to start on LPG.

Learned the reason for this is that the large diameter "regulator" requires vacuum from the engine to activate flow of propane before it will start. Some will have a "Prime Button" on it which will force the flow of propane momentarily. Enough to get the motor started much like pouring a some gasoline down the carburetor on a gasoline engine.

I have to choke the heck out of mine but since I have electric start I just have to let it crank a little longer.

I've considered replacing the Low Pressure regulator with one like this that has a priming button on the back side:



~$60 from various sources.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by 5picker

@GolfingDave... I'm surprised your generator even starts/runs.

If you are supplying the genny from the low pressure port on your R/V, straight into the genny's regulator, you are double regulating the LP flow. That typically doesn't work.

The genny's regulator is designed to work off LP tank pressure which is way higher.

As an aside... it looks in your photo the lever on the LP line is also partially closed.
That lever serves two purposes... 1. to keep the quick-coupler locked when mated with the plug and 2. to stop the flow of LP.

Looking at the picture it appears that the High pressure regulator has been removed.

Here's a pic of a "stock" Champion regulator/hose assy::

[5picker]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Looking at the picture it appears that the High pressure regulator has been removed.

Here's a pic of a "stock" Champion regulator/hose assy::

Thanks Mike, that explains it.

[GolfingDave]

Yes, I removed the high pressure side and just plug into the campers low pressure side. Double regulators has worked fine for me. I don't want to screw around with connecting and disconnecting at the tanks.

Just wanted to post the picture of how my set up is.

Valve is partially off. Started to take everything apart and then decided to take a picture.

I believe I even attempted to start it last year with the regulators back to normal off the tank and still would not start. That is why I thought I had a bad regulator.

The quick pulls on the cord does the priming. Glad to read that in the above posts. Maybe some just prime easier?

[RedRoverComeOver]

Appreciate the responses.

The tanks are 20# and directly attached with stock regulator. I haven't tried priming quickly and will try that since the manual says to do it slowly.

Support also said I may need to prime 10-15 times and starting shouldn't be attempted more than four times.

I don't want to use gasoline because of the maintenance hassles. It's just an option if I really need to use it.


So nobody else smells propane when priming?

[GolfingDave]

Originally Posted by RedRoverComeOver

Appreciate the responses.
I don't want to use gasoline because of the maintenance hassles. It's just an option if I really need to use it.

So nobody else smells propane when priming?

Agree with you on the gas. None in mine so far and do not plan on it.

I am pretty sure the only time I smelled propane was when I was hooking up a standard hose to the propane fitting instead of the supplied one with the black finger/plunger on it. Do not recall smelling any this morning.

You do have the plunger along side the brass fitting on the end of the hose?

[32742716]

I have been repairing small engines for 53 years now and have installed quite a few of these conversion propane kits.
With the new engines with electronic ignition the motor has to turn over at least 500 rpms in order for the coil to fire.
Most propane adapters that bolt on the carb goes between the air filter and the carb. To choke it serves no function at all. All you are doing is cutting the propane off getting into the carb making it even harder to start.
You can only have one low pressure regulator in the system, have two will prevent the propane getting to the motor.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by 32742716

I have been repairing small engines for 53 years now and have installed quite a few of these conversion propane kits.

With the new engines with electronic ignition the motor has to turn over at least 500 rpms in order for the coil to fire.

Most propane adapters that bolt on the carb goes between the air filter and the carb. To choke it serves no function at all. All you are doing is cutting the propane off getting into the carb making it even harder to start.

You can only have one low pressure regulator in the system, have two will prevent the propane getting to the motor.

The propane regulator (low pressure) on my generator is fed from regulator directly to carb and between choke and throttle butterfly valves.

On the Champion engines you are instructed to choke.

I had to replace the carb because stepper motor on throttle failed. Champion sent one free of charge and I was able to see exactly how it was plumbed.

Champion doesn't use a conversion kit or their dual fuel units but a dual fuel carburator and electric speed control via stepper motor.

[aircommuter]

I have a forklift with a dual fuel conversion and choking is a must (vapor withdraw). I also have a man-lift with liquid withdraw that does not have a choke.
My Champion 8500 starts without choking or priming.

[GolfingDave]

Originally Posted by 32742716

You can only have one low pressure regulator in the system, have two will prevent the propane getting to the motor.

Have to disagree with this. Mine runs fine with the regulator at the tank and at the generator.

Starts fine as long as I remember to pull fast on the priming portion and no pauses between pulls.

Maybe the two regulators make the priming more difficult but I am pretty sure I had the same problem with having to pull fast hooked up without the second regulator. That is why I thought I had a bad regulator last year also.

[itat]

I have a newer Champion 2500W dual fuel inverter generator and so far I’ve only run it on propane. It takes 4-5 pulls to prime the propane. They don’t have to be fast pulls.

[DocP]

Originally Posted by itat

I have a newer Champion 2500W dual fuel inverter generator and so far I’ve only run it on propane. It takes 4-5 pulls to prime the propane. They don’t have to be fast pulls.

Same here - I have 2 of them with the parallel kit. Very light pulls (4 to 5 times), and then turn to RUN and pull. Starts right up every time.

[GolfingDave]

One thing I have learned over the years of fixing customer's products.
Never say "never" and never say" always" for what it is going to take to fix something.

Two identical products can and will act up with the same symptoms. May take "A" to fix one and "B" to fix the other. May be "A" twelve times in a row so that is the first thing you check. Not the problem, now you have to look elsewhere.

I am sure many of us have seen this.

[RedRoverComeOver]

Originally Posted by GolfingDave

Let me revise what I posted above. Just grabbed my generator, has not been started since last fall.

Hooked it up to my low pressure port but that is going straight to the generators regulator. Pulled it slow in the choke position five times, then moved to the propane run position with the cord just starting to engage and pulled fast. Nothing. Several more times that way and nothing. What is going on here?

I knew it was something quirky. Double checked my LP was on. LP does not flow through the regulator disconnected from the generator. You would think it would.

Hooked back up in choke position. This time I pulled five times full and quickly, not slow at all. Fairly quickly I moved knob to the propane run position, pulled slowly until it started to engage then pulled abruptly. Started right up.

I believe you have to pull the cord rather quickly the 3-5 times with no hesitation on the choke setting to get the propane flowing.
Attachment 285448

Tried again today following instructions and nothing. Tried pulling 10 times at choke, per support, and still nothing.

Tried fast pulls at choke and on the second pull, felt like it wanted to go. Did five pulls. Switched to Gas and it started after the pull.

Disconnected and tried again with success. Tried new hose and first attempt failed but second worked.

Many thanks to GolfingDave for the secret sauce!