EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Electronics => Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff => Topic started by: jjrbus on December 05, 2023, 12:38:28 pm
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Greetings, first post. I have a Honda EU2200i inverter generator in an aluminum box, the generator has blue tooth shut down which the aluminum box interfers with.
I want to add a wired remote momentary contact shutdown switch, which will require up to 20 feet of wire, I have some 14 gauge wire I would like to use. The Honda is an inverter generator and has quite a bit of electronics in it. I am concerned that the added wire will strain the electronics and burn something out. Should this be a concern or what info do you need to decide if it is good or bad?? Thanks Jim
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Hi and welcome :)
Do you have any ideas / a diagram on where you want to wire in the switch?
Without knowing exactly how and where you plan on adding it, I think the answer might be “it depends” :P
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Thanks for the quick response. I have a link to the wiring diagram. I have unplugged the start/stop switch, it shows no continuity when on and continuity when turned to the off position. I want to use the on/off switch plug to tap into the system and I also want to add an over temperature switch, disc thermostat type. The plug for the switch is about 2 inch from the switch.
This is the only legible schematic I can find. It does not include the CO blue tooth modual so is likely for the Canadian model.
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/453607/Honda-Eu2000i.html?page=58 (https://www.manualslib.com/manual/453607/Honda-Eu2000i.html?page=58)
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The oil level switch can also shut down the unit if low on oil.
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From the diagram, it looks like the engine stop switch just grounds the ignition coil circuit so I don’t foresee any issues with extending the wires (please feel free to chime in if any of you guys diagree / see something I have missed) :)
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How about substituting the switch with a relay and operate the relay remotely instead. Ignition coil primary need a sharp dv/dt at the falling edge to generate spark, having excessively long wire may compromise that. Using relay keep the primary wire short.
Ignition coil wires are also often noisy, won't be surprised if you got whole house bluetooth problem instead with the long wire mod.
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Thanks for the responses greatly appreciated. At first I though this was a great idea, then looking at it I am not comfortable with it which is why I asked. I could go with a wireless remote, I see issues with that also, what would your thoughts on that be?
Relay seems to be a good idea. Would you suggest a good relay for this? I do not know if I am dealing with AC or DC here, Where would the relay get it's power from? Where would a wireless remote get it's power from. Knowing Honda the electronics are running of 1/10th of a volt and I am afraid to use a multi meter in case it might damage something in the inverter which is expensive!
As long as I am here asking questions, the aluminum box the generator is in interferes with the blue tooth signal. The blue tooth is in a sealed block so I see no way to extend or add to an antenna. Is there anyway to get the blue tooth into the box??
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I can’t say for sure without actually looking at it in person but if it is similar to ones I have seen in the past, I would imagine the engine stuff would all be low voltage DC :)
Again, yours might be different and I would highly recommend confirming before touching anything (better safe than sorry!) but most little generators I have seen are just like a car or motor bike engine :) They only need to tap off a tiny little bit of power to run themselves, then they send all the extra power to drive the wheels (or in the case of generators, power stuff via an inverter) :)
As for making the Bluetooth work, I am not sure. There are others here much smarter than me on that side of things :)
From the sounds of it the aluminium box might be acting as a faraday cage / impassable wall which would stop signals from getting in or out so you need a way to get the signal from one side of the box to the other!
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Thanks for the response, appreciated.
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So all this messing around, playing with wires, asking questions, trying to determine how to do this without any damage and I find out the power cord to the RV acts as a blue tooth antenna. I can shut the generator down with the phone app!