figured it out ! Remote start for Honda EU3000is

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
S

saltwater redneck

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2011
Posts
8
After a couple months thinking about it and alot of researching I figured it out. Total cost is about 100 bucks to add a remote start to a Honda EU3000is. You dont have to leave the ign key on like others I have seen,  it includes a elec choke addition and the generator will completely operate by the key and mauual choke if you need to. I finished the install today and everything went smooth and works great. I took pictures along the way and I am planning on doing a more extensive follow up, so stay tuned.

Lee
 
Please keep us posted (or at least me) on how everything goes.  I also have the same model and contemplated the remote start option.  I don't really need it, but maybe I am getting lazy in my old age.
 
Here are some pics and wiring diagrams

http://s34.photobucket.com/albums/d150/111sal****erredneck/Honda%20EU3000is%20remote%20start/
 
Okay...you are saying you bought the remote start for $100 and then installed it yourself?? That is great. I went to the Honda home page a good while back and I thought I read it would cost about $350 to get one and so we decided against it. $100 is MUCH more doable!! Thanks for posting this!!
 
The unit I used isn't really a remote start but it can be adapted to work as one. The remote start units available for autos would work well but all have a major problem. They have an auto shutoff that cannot be bypassed, this means they will shut off the engine after a short time. Not good for generator use.
I used mine some over the weekend and I am quite happy, I really wish I could get it down to a single button push to start and stop but so far so good.
Lee
 
At the risk of starting a parellel thread, has anyone attempted to wire an automotive remote starter to a generator?  Other than the auto shut off after so many minutes, it seems like it would work.

I have three vehicles with remote starters that work great.  All Vipers.  300' range.  I see them advertised for under $100 bucks.  This thread has me wondering...
 
The auto shutoff problem is why I went with this unit. The longest runtime I found on an auto remote start system was 1 hour which is not long enough. The ign lead was also wrong because on a car it is a pos 12v but on a generator it is usually a neg ground.
It is possible to use the auto remote start but you would need to create a latching relay to bypass the auto shutoff, another relay to handle the ign circuit and then you would still have to deal with the choke activation.
The RA10 that I used has 4 outputs - 2 latched and 2 momentary. Each output can be fed from any source you want so they can be poss or neg. It has the same range as most of the auto remote systems and was 80 bucks.  It just seemed to be a better starting point to use it other than an auto system.
 
Redneck, are you still around?

I purchased a 3000 Honda, want to add a remote, and I have a couple of questions for you.
 
Just figured I'd post this in case anyone else is interested in doing a wired remote on a Honda. This would only work for a cabin where the generator is close by or an RV with the same situation.

In a nutshell, I made an extension harness for the ignition switch and use a power door lock solenoid for the choke.

The harness was a bear to find the correct connector parts but a place in the UK on Ebay had them. The choke cable was removed and in it's place I used a shortened 87 Chev 1/2 ton hood cable. The only thing I modified that can not be returned to original is a small cutout in each side of the plastic fascia, one for the wire harness, one for the choke cable. Other than that, there are no cut wires, no new holes drilled anywhere. The choke actuator bracket uses the holes where the ignition switch and the choke cable used to be.

The two relays (for choke on and choke off) as well as the ignition switch will be mounted on a small control panel in the cabin. The wiring is simple, two wires to the actuator, a 12 volt feed wire and a ground.

I don't have a picture of it with the fascia bolted back on but it all fits fine.

 
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx76/lottapics/Honda%20Generator%20Remote/DSCF1171.jpg

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx76/lottapics/Honda%20Generator%20Remote/DSCF1170.jpg

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx76/lottapics/Honda%20Generator%20Remote/DSCF1167.jpg

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx76/lottapics/Honda%20Generator%20Remote/DSCF1166.jpg

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx76/lottapics/Honda%20Generator%20Remote/DSCF1169.jpg

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx76/lottapics/Honda%20Generator%20Remote/DSCF1168.jpg

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx76/lottapics/Honda%20Generator%20Remote/DSCF1172.jpg

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx76/lottapics/Honda%20Generator%20Remote/DSCF1173.jpg

 
Darth,
Did you have to remove the original key switch and choke knob?  I also own the same genny and would love a remote start.  I have had a tag on this thread.  In your setup, is the front cover able to be put back on during use?  It doesn't appear so in your pics.
 
I removed the original ignition and now plug it in to the end of the extension harness about 10 feet long.  I removed the entire original choke cable and used a shortened up hood cable from the 87 1/2 ton.  Yes, the front cover will fit easily. I made it that way because I wanted it to be an add on without altering the originality of the unit.

I had to finally order the connectors for the extension harness off ebay from the UK because I couldn't find that unique connector anywhere in North America and I refused to cut the original harness. As it is now, I can completely remove this remote and put the unit completely back to original except for two very small holes drilled in the rear edge of the front plastic cover where I fed the choke cable and the wire harness out.

I'll try to post more pictures later, maybe today or tomorrow.
 
Here's a shot of it all put together.

I did the maiden voyage this afternoon and it worked flawlessly.  Now I can't wait for a chance to use it!

I'll try to get some better shots of it in natural light so you can get a better idea.
 

Attachments

  • DSCF1046.JPG
    DSCF1046.JPG
    323.1 KB · Views: 69
I would be very interested in hearing about the virgin voyage of your project.  A couple other questions...

You did use the same remote starter mentioned by the OP?  And any idea of the true range of the remote?
 
No, this is not a wireless remote. It is simply an extension harness for the igntion switch as well as a power door lock actuator wired in to operate the choke cable. It would likely only be suitable for an application such as a motor home or cabin.  Of course, a guy could likely extend the wires quite a distance, in my case it will only be about 10 feet from the generator to the control box for it inside the cabin.

I already had the idea for a power lock actuator when I came to this forum but I see that is not at all an original/unique idea I had when I start googling to look up generator remotes!

I had thought of doing a wireless remote but a few things discouraged me from doing that. One was cost (this was a very cheap conversion), another was having to possibly deal with dead batteries in the remote transmitter, and thirdly, I only ever need to use it at the cabin so it can be somewhat permanent.



 
...
Unless I missed something in the previous postings, I was still under the impression this was a wireless remote set-up.
That will probably change things for me due to the fact I would be talking a distance of about 40'.  My genny is placed in my shed and the remote would be placed in the TT.
 
No, I'm sorry, I must not have explained it properly.  Basically I just moved the ignition switch about 10 feet from the generator (using my own home made harness with connectors that match the Honda ignition switch connectors) and wired in a choke actuator (also with a harness that runs 10 feet to a switch) so that I can start my generator from inside the cabin.

For that matter, you could easily so the same, make a 40 ft harness and start your generator that way. Because of voltage drop, I think you would need to use a heavier gauge wire but otherwise it would work fine I think.
 
That thought occurred to me.  I also started wondering if the thermostatic/electrostatic type chokes used on alot of earlier auto applications could be made to do the job for start-up?  Just a thought.
 
I don't think those would work for choke because they need a longer warmup to open the choke. From my experience, Honda generators need the choke on to start, after a second or two of running the choke can be off (opened).

On one of the web pages where I saw a home made remote setup, they removed the factory fuel tank and used a larger remote fuel tank. When you do that there is a ton of room inside the generator unit to mount the choke actuator. I had to mount mine outside because there is about NO room in there for it.
 
Concerning the choke, exactly why I was wondering about a thermostatic choke.  Such as the ones used on Ford V8's back in the 70's.  12vdc feed and grounded through the block.  I was a Ford mechanic back in those days and a common complaint was stalling due to the fact that the choke opened too early.  I just wondered if maybe I can take advantage of that situation?  Assuming that specific part is still available.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 703 (members: 31, guests: 672)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,964
Posts
1,388,321
Members
137,718
Latest member
urnwholesaler
Back
Top Bottom