Gen Auto Start questions

[Funion]

Look at V2 AutoGen for any electric start generator. I just posted asking for anyones experience.

 

[Spirithorse]

Generator Products

Generator Start Control Modules for your off grid home, yachts, motor homes, rv, and trailers.

atkinsonelectronics.com

I have converted a couple of generators to work with Outback Radians using the Atkinson Gen start modules. Champion 100297, and a Westinghouse 9600, both 240v split phase. Great documentation. I'll scan in the diagram tomorrow. Have to solder 4 wires to the remote, but works flawlessly. Do have to change the Radian from "relay" in the Mate 3S AGS to "Output" when using the mini-p

Thanks so much for this. I’ve been looking everywhere to figure out how to do this with the remote and Atkinson seems like a great fit. Which of the 4 solder joints did you use in the stop button?

 

[gblanchard81]

if it is wireless, there is a remote control, so you just wire the remote control to the dry contact.
the easiest way is to solder 2 wires over the start button.

Can you please explain this further?

 

[Checkthisout]

Can you please explain this further?

He means using the dry contact relay in like say an inverter with gen start function to simulate pressing the button on an actual key fob type remote start. You would look on the remote and find the contacts that close when you press the button and then solder the wires from the relay to each of those contacts.

This will only work if the relay closes and then opens again which would simulate a button press and release. If the relay contacts just close and stay that way it won't work.

 

[gblanchard81]

He means using the dry contact relay in like say an inverter with gen start function to simulate pressing the button on an actual key fob type remote start. You would look on the remote and find the contacts that close when you press the button and then solder the wires from the relay to each of those contacts.

This will only work if the relay closes and then opens again which would simulate a button press and release. If the relay contacts just close and stay that way it won't work.

I understand what it does, not sure how i'd wire it. I have a remote start gen and would really like to set this up if someone could explain in detail how to do it

 

[Checkthisout]

I understand what it does, not sure how i'd wire it. I have a remote start gen and would really like to set this up if someone could explain in detail how to do it

It's a bit involved as there is more than one way to skin a cat.

What gen and remote do you have? Pics.

Take the remote apart so you can see the circuit board and post a pic of it.

 

[gblanchard81]

It's a bit involved as there is more than one way to skin a cat.

What gen and remote do you have? Pics.

Take the remote apart so you can see the circuit board and post a pic of it.

Westinghouse

iGen4500DFc 4500-Watt/3700-Watt Dual Fuel Inverter Generator with Electric/Remote Start, RV-Ready Outlet, and CO Sensor​

I do not have the fob on me at the moment. I'll have to get that and post it next monday.

 

[SHucker]

Following along. Since 2015, I've used a very old, but fine running 7 kW Generac on our grid-tied hybrid solar system. Although its electric start, its manual choke. I'd like to prepare something that could auto-start for my wife's comfort. We don't lose power at night very often, but if it were to happen while I am away, I suspect my lithium batteries will not survive the experience. I also will switch to propane as these days, she has an EV and both our farmstead tractors are diesel. So my gasoline doesn't rotate like it did before. I have a open walled, roofed shelter beside the barn where I can leave a 'portable' generator 'setup' and ready to run.

Anyway, I live in Michigan. I see a lot more 2 wire generator options in Australia. A regular 2 wire driven by my Outback Radian and their external relay module was my plan since 2015.

I see an amazing number of 'remote start by key fob' appearing on the market as discussed above. Has anybody seem a module that takes a 2 wire signal and generates the appropriate key fob signal? I'm willing to open up the fob and do some soldering. Would be nice to know which fobs this as 'worked on' before buying a new generator just to take apart its fob. I see some 240 VAC units, as well as smaller 120's that can be combined to create 240. I would hope they both start from a single key fob, and not be like a car. Does anybody have experience of starting a Pair of Remote Start using the SAME key fob simultaneously?? If yes, what brand/model was it.

Since my Radian only accepts 240 VAC as a generator input, I'm beginning to see another option: Some of the larger portable units with a wiring plug for ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch) options like the very expensive

DuroMax XP9000iH 9000-Watt 459cc Dual Fuel Digital Inverter Hybrid Portable Generator​

Pricy, but to get 240, I'd need two of the Westinghouse iGen4500DF plus combiner. I'm not dead set on an inverter style, but, once the generator recharges the battery bank I don't need much generation capacity to slip thru the night so the not needing the high rpm of the typical generator would be pleasant. Of course I can't find any details on the Duramax wiring diagram for that ATS plug. I'd like to hope that 2 of them are the equivalent of a 2 wire start/stop signal. And that the generators oil level, thermal and CO would be the master override. Anybody used a ATS cable set to simulate a 2 wire start/stop system AGS mode without any of the transfer switch hardware being present? If so, what brand/model of generator and where did you buy the cable/interface module?

Scott

PS based on the helpful comment below, I've clarified my two line of questions to be more specific.

 

[Checkthisout]

Following along. Since 2015, I've used a very old, but fine running 7 kW Generac on our grid-tied hybrid solar system. Although its electric start, its manual choke. I'd like to prepare something that could auto-start for my wife's comfort. We don't lose power at night very often, but if it were to happen while I am away, I suspect my lithium batteries will not survive the experience. I also will switch to propane as these days, she has an EV and both our farmstead tractors are diesel. So my gasoline doesn't rotate like it did before. I have a open walled, roofed shelter beside the barn where I can leave a 'portable' generator 'setup' and ready to run.

Anyway, I live in Michigan. I see a lot more 2 wire generator options in Australia. A regular 2 wire driven by my Outback Radian and their external relay module was my plan since 2015.

I see an amazing number of 'remote start by key fob' appearing on the market as discussed above. Has anybody seem a module that takes a 2 wire signal and generates the appropriate key fob signal? I'm willing to open up the fob and do some soldering. Would be nice to know which fobs this as 'worked on' before buying a new generator just to take apart its fob. I see some 240 VAC units, as well as smaller 120's that can be combined to create 240. I would hope they both start from a single key fob, and not be like a car. Does anybody have experience?

Since my Radian only accepts 240 VAC as a generator input, I'm beginning to see another option: Some of the larger portable units with a wiring plug for ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch) options like the very expensive

DuroMax XP9000iH 9000-Watt 459cc Dual Fuel Digital Inverter Hybrid Portable Generator​

View attachment 105905

Pricy, but to get 240, I'd need two of the Westinghouse iGen4500DF plus combiner. I'm not dead set on an inverter style, but, once the generator recharges the battery bank I don't need much generation capacity to slip thru the night so the not needing the high rpm of the typical generator would be pleasant. Of course I can't find any details on the Duramax wiring diagram for that ATS plug. I'd like to hope that 2 of them are the equivalent of a 2 wire start/stop signal. And that the generators oil level, thermal and CO would be the master override. Anybody given this route a thought?

Scott

Its impossible for anyone to help you as there is a great variation between gensets and your lack of basic understanding of what remotes are available as well as how to tap into the generator.

You're basically asking someone to do a few hours of legwork of research and personally hand you instructions to do something you might never even do.

 

[zephyranthes]

With the posts on using the key fob, to clarify for some, you are losing the ability of having a key fob, it’s portability and using it in a permanent soldered wireless “bridge”, probably it being stuck in an enclosure as posted earlier, to allow your inverter to tell the generator to start.

If you want to get really fancy, you could use an ESP8266 and do it like this fellow here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/OffGrid/comments/mxygik

In short, pardon the pun, pin 3, +5 v momentary shorted to pin 2 is the same as push button start. Then to stop, momentary pin 3 to 2 and stop.

Pin 5 is 12-16VAC when gen is running and measuring across this pin and pin 6 can be used to indicate a running generator.

 

[Laff]

See the schematic for a Westinghouse WGen9500df. It will show terminals to attach to dry contacts in the ATS
9500dfchrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/d4/d4838959-3079-430e-a181-044bc8c2dc64.pdf
Look to the lower right hand of the page The terminals are listed ATS1 and ATS4.