Suzuki has 250 CC fuel injected entry level motorcycle. This is the engine output range for many portable camping generators.
All are equipped with catalyst for cleaner exhaust. The engines compensate the fuel mixture for temperature and elevation. The Honda scooter engines use liquid cooling. Could make for a very quiet clean generator.
Good point, however existing red and blue gen sets are pricey as it is. Seems to me that this would be "excessive" technology for just a simple generator.
I certainly can see generators coming out with it. More and more lawn mowers are coming out with fuel injection. Larger generators may already have fuel injection.
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2008 F-250 CrewCab 5.4L,
2004 21' Forest River Surveyor
Quote: Could make for a very quiet clean generator
This is very true, however, it would be a very costly generator.
Honda's are among the most expensive portable generators I looked at. Adding fuel injection would make them even more expensive.
Water cooling might make it a bit quieter, but it also adds weight and more maintenance. i.e. radiator, water pumps. hoses, etc.
Briggs & Stratton did a study and were able to drastically cut emissions by building their engines to tighter tolerances. Something I'm sure all small engine manufactuers are doing now.
For a generator, the engine stays pretty much at one speed, or close to it, something a carburetor can work well at. I think we're going to see carburetors for a few more years.
2007 Dodge RAM 2500 Quad Cab w/6.7 Cummins
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And, a carbureted engine with the fuel tank on top doesn't require a high pressure fuel pump. It would seem for a simple device like a generator, simple is better and more reliable.
I installed a 5.5kw fuel-injected Onan Marquis Platinum in my motorhome a few years ago. Model 5.5 HGJAA-600A. Had to tee into the vehicle's fuel return line to the gas tank. The tank already had a seperate pickup tube for the generator. So, it's out there, but it ain't cheap.
On edit, after re-reading the title of the post, i realize that i missed "portable". Sorry about that.
* This post was
edited 11/11/09 08:53am by melton *
Vehicle gas fuel injectors are driven by a pump in the gas tank,(this keeps it cool), that puts out 40 to 60 PSI and it has to run continuously. Also injector is controlled by a computer, and a whole bunch of sensors to continuously adjust fuel flow.
Unless someone can come up with something simpler, I doubt that it will happen.
We all need to go on the ONAN web site and look at the 'Platinum' series of generator sets that have been fuel injected for the past few years. Check Melton's post above.
JimL
Jim & Jane Latour
08 Chevy 3500HD, crew cab, dually, Duramax/Allison
05 Wilderness Advantage AX6 365 BSQS, Onan 3.6KY
Retired AF CMS (E9) Power Generation and Onan RV genset Level III tech
Grand Strand Sams
Blog.rv.net
I'd like to see a fuel injected model along side the current lineup. Starting with the 3000 watt unit. Fuel injection may be impractical in the small 1000 watt units while keeping small size and weight. I can see fuel injection in the 2000 watt unit using an air cooled engine. I think the 150 CC liquid cooled Honda scooter engine could be very nice for a super quiet 3000 watt generator. It may gain 10 pounds or so over the current model, and could be on casters. But I can see 6 dB quieter with little or no exhaust odor with 20% lower fuel consumption.
As far as the cost, if this technology is in entry level motorcycles (which cost little or no more than their carbureted competition), it couldn't be too expensive.
I can see fuel injection for on-board RV generators, or whole house stationary generators. But with the small portables, the fuel injection and water cooling seems to bring to it complexity and weight, both enemies of the small lightweight portables.
Anything is do-able, but it seems common sense would keep the portables to a minimum of complexity, while still letting it do it's job.
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