Champion Generators

Wow. I created this blog to share our journey of learning in our new RV before we even got our RV and I never posted. Well, I'm going to try and change that, starting now.

Champion 73535i Inverter Generator

We bought 2 Champion 2000W Inverter Generators
so that we can use them in parallel to power our RV when we needed to. Over the past 2 years, we've needed them twice but didn't have them. Now that I'm retired and plan on snowbirding during the winter, we needed to get them in case we need to boondock while waiting for sites to open up.

The Honda EU2000i and the Champion 73535i are both comparable units according to the specs that they both publish. Both can be used in parallel to allow you to connect your RV to the generators. So we decided to go with the Champions because they were 1/2 the price. They were $599 CAD, on sale, and the Hondas are $1299 CAD. We also picked up the parallel kit, Champion part #73500, from Costco online.

We brought them home and tested each one separately while we waited for Costco to ship us the parallel kit. They started easily and ran quiet enough for us.

A few days later the parallel kit arrived. Ripped open the box, read the instructions (yes, I read the instructions - didn't want to blow up 2 new generators :), pulled the generators out, hooked everything up and started them up.

That's when the problems started. The first Genset went into overload as soon as the second one got up to speed after starting. OK, time to reread the instructions. Nope, everything was connected properly. So I switched the sets of cables around, just in case it was fiddly. Nope. Same thing. The first generator went into overload as soon as the second one got up to speed.

Crap. Now what to do. Let's try and start them in a different order in case they are fiddly that way. Nope. Still the same. The Genset that gets started first goes into overload as soon as the second gets up to speed.

Time to call Champion. I called Champion and spoke with an extremely helpful gentleman named Chrestian. I was on the phone with him for more than half an hour trying to figure out what was going on. He put me on hold a few times to consult with his colleagues and some more senior techs. It turned out that between the time my 2 generators were built (Oct 2014 & May 2015 - both bought new within a week of each other) there were some software updates that appear to be incompatible with one another.

So he put me on hold again to see if he could find the control modules to ship to me. It was taking longer than he wanted, so he came back on the line, took my number and said he would call me back once he's found them.

Within an hour, he had called me back and was checking to see if I would be comfortable replacing these 2 control modules. Between me being a computer geek and having built a number of PCs from scratch to Trish (my bride-to-be) being an Electrical Engineering Technologist, we were quite comfortable replacing them. So they said they would ship us 2 replacement computer control modules. The replacement parts arrived within 3 business days, as promised.

The first step was to look at the technical bulletins on the Champion site (http://www.championpowerequipment.com/sales-service/tech-bulletins/) to see if there were any instructions available. Sure enough, bulletin #6010001 Computer Module Removal was just what the doctor ordered. So I printed it out and went to work.

Before I start, I take NO RESPONSIBILITY if you follow these instructions and wreck your generator. You need to decide if you have the skills to do this yourself, or you need to hire someone to do it. The steps here are only as a guide, follow what Champion recommends.

Step 1: Remove the top X handle. All that was needed was to remove the 4 bolts in the corners and the handle just lifted off.

Step 2: Remove the fuel on/off knob. That was a single Phillips head screw deep in the middle of the knob.

Step 3: Top off

Note: I did these in opposite order on the second GenSet so I could easily turn it around once the fuel knob was off. It's kinda difficult to spin the generator around without the carrying handle on it.

Step 3: Pop the top off to expose the fuel tank. take the gas cap off, then the top then put the gas cap back on so you don't spill the gas.

Step 4: Take the back maintenance cover off. It'll come in handy if you have large hands.

View looking down on the
computer control module 

Step 5: Unbolt the fuel tank and move it out of the way. Take care, because the fuel line is STILL attached and you don't want to pull it off and spill gas everywhere.

Step 6: Remove 2 bolts holding computer control module to the frame of the generator.

Step 7: Undo the Molex connectors one at a time AND MARK THEM so you know what goes where when you are putting the new one in. I started at the one closest to me with a number 1, then went back and down numbering them consecutively.

Step 8: Pull the module out and take the rubber isolators off the feet and put them on the new module.

Step 9: Put the new module back in the generator and connect all the Molex connectors. Then bolt it back in.

Note: Getting to the back bolt and some of the Molex connectors may require small hands and not big mitts like mine. Luckily my darling wife has tiny hands and could get to the connectors easier than I could. So don't be afraid to get the help of your darling. :)

Step 10: Follow steps 5 through 1 in reverse order to put the generator back together.

It took about 1/2-hour start to finish for each generator, for a total of about 1 hour for both.

Correctly aligned tab

Misaligned tab

Note: When you are putting everything back together, make sure that the metal tabs that the x-handle bolts screw into don't get knocked out of place. If they do, and you don't notice it before putting the top back on, you may have to take the top off to fix it. Don't ask me how I know this. The pictures show what I'm talking about.


Now that they both had new matching computer control modules in them, I figured it was time to fire them up and see if they still worked. Low and behold they did :) So now it's time to connect them in parallel and see if this fixed the overload condition when they are hooked up in parallel.

So I hook up the parallel kit and fire them up. Wait for them to come up to speed and temp. Then Boom. Red flashing overload light. So I shut them down and try starting them in the reverse order. Nope. Same problem. Overload condition on the GenSet that was started first as soon as the second one got up to speed and temp.

Time to call Champion again. Get on the phone with a customer support rep and explain the situation. She puts me on hold for a few minutes and asks if I have the circuit breakers for the power outlets on or off. Well, I had them off. I figured that was the safest way to make sure that there would be no load on the generators while they were starting up. So she tells me that the circuit breakers need to be ON when starting the generators and asks me to try it with them on.

I go back outside and flip the breakers on and start them up. Wait a minute for them to stabilize and get up to temp. All green lights. Woo hoo!! It worked. I thanked her and hung up.

Now that everything is working, I decide it's time to put them to the test and see if they will run our camper. I grab the 30 Amp to 50 Amp dogbone and plug the camper's 50 Amp plug into the dogbone. Then plug the 30 Amp end into the plug on the parallel kit.

With the camper plugged into the generators, I go inside and start turning things on. Everything we tried worked flawlessly, even the air conditioner. We are happy campers!

We are now prepared for any power outages we may have and some boondocking.