Just thought I'd share my compressors remote choke switch

[Rhysd1309]

Hi, been as I've had to enclose my compressor to drown out the noise, I've had to wire all of the controls externally. This might be useful for someone soundproofing a compressor or generator, or who keeps it in a seperate room. Obviously adding a starter motor is pretty straight forward. I've also added a 12v solenoid valve to take the load off the pump whilst trying to start.

The more complicated task was wiring a solenoid to operate the choke. I saw a kit for sale on the net, but the guy wanted 200 quid! My way costs around a tenner and takes around 15 minutes to install.

First I drilled a 4mm hole into the choke lever, cut the metal arm to a suitable size and bent the ends to prevent them falling out the holes.

After Bit of lining up and trial and error, I drilled two holes in the engine cover to mount the solenoid.

The solenoid I purchased from maplins. It was around 8 pounds, they can be had cheaper on eBay, but I prefer going to the shop and physically seeing something before I buy it.

Next, you have to cut away some of the plastic that surrounds the choke and fuel levers to stop the solenoid rod from fouling it:

This is the final product. The solenoid has two wires coming from it. If you reverse the polarity it pulls, switch it back and it pushes. The switch you need to operate this is a double pole double throw switch. In one position it sends 12v to the blue wire and earths the green one, if you flick the switch down it reverses it and sends 12v to the green wire and earths the blue.

Hope this helps somebody, and I'll accept any constructive critism. Now I just have to build a suitable sound deadening enclosure!

 

[Flapdisk]

Hi, I'm interested in your statement "Obviously adding a starter motor is pretty straight forward" Why is it?I have often thought I would like to add a starter motor to one of my generators, wouldn't you have to have a flywheel with a cog around it or something? and where would you get a little starter motor?

 

[rtbcomp]

That's very neat.

Could you fit a similar device to the throttle so it drops back to tickover when the receiver is full?

 

[rich r]

Those car door lock solenoids are very handy things. They can exert a good push or pull force equivalent to what you can do by hand. I've used them to operate all sorts of valves and levers over the years. Yes, you can get them on eBay for about £2.50, and the quality is no worse than the ones that go for £10. The only thing you've got to watch is that if the thing you're trying to push/pull can move on its own, it's possible to shred the plastic gears inside the solenoid's gearbox if it's pushed or pulled too far.

I'd love to add an electric start to my ride on mower, but I can't seem to find anything for the Briggs and Stratton Intek 190cc vertical shaft engine (120000 series). Quite a lot of kits for horizontal shaft engines like you get on compressors and generators though.

 

[rtbcomp]

............ The only thing you've got to watch is that if the thing you're trying to push/pull can move on its own, it's possible to shred the plastic gears inside the solenoid's gearbox if it's pushed or pulled too far.
..............

You could get round that by fitting a spring loaded yielding joint in the pull/push rod.

 

[Robotstar5]

You could get round that by fitting a spring loaded yielding joint in the pull/push rod.

Something like an Omega loop? - link used on model railways where solenoid throw is more than required.

 

[Robotstar5]

The switch you need to operate this is a double pole double throw switch. In one position it sends 12v to the blue wire and earths the green one, if you flick the switch down it reverses it and sends 12v to the green wire and earths the blue.

Are you using a centre off switch?, if it's a 2 position switch solenoid will always be energised one way which could cook the coil.

 

[rtbcomp]

Something like an Omega loop? - link used on model railways where solenoid throw is more than required.

They're nice and simple, the ones I've seen were a 2-part assembly with a spring between them. We used them on adding machines to stop the operator from getting a broken wrist if she operated the machine under power with the handle in.

 

[Rhysd1309]

Hi, I'm interested in your statement "Obviously adding a starter motor is pretty straight forward" Why is it?I have often thought I would like to add a starter motor to one of my generators, wouldn't you have to have a flywheel with a cog around it or something? and where would you get a little starter motor?

The way I did it was, I brought a Cheapy Fonda engine off eBay (Fonda fake-honda) for around 130.00. Strip the flywheel, ignition key assembly, rectifier and the starter motor from it. Replace the flywheel with your old one, and bang the engine back on eBay for 85.00.

All the honda gx's have the mounting holes for the starter already there, and the flywheel is held onto the crank using one bolt. The wiring is easy enough, you just remove the kill switch and wire it to the key assembly. 12v to the starter motor and wire the rectifier to a battery. Ground the battery to the engine.

You have to fettle away some of the engine cove to make room for the starter. Like this (my old fake honda engine)

Which ended up like this:

 

[Rhysd1309]

Are you using a centre off switch?, if it's a 2 position switch solenoid will always be energised one way which could cook the coil.

Yes, forgot to mention that. The choke lever obviously holds itself in position, so the centre off switch works great.

 

[Rhysd1309]

That's very neat.

Could you fit a similar device to the throttle so it drops back to tickover when the receiver is full?

Ahhh, that's next. Was going to use a pressure switch from machine mart and hook it up to another solenoid, so that the engine drops to idle once the tanks full.

 

[Flapdisk]

The way I did it was, I brought a Cheapy Fonda engine off eBay (Fonda fake-honda) for around 130.00. Strip the flywheel, ignition key assembly, rectifier and the starter motor from it. Replace the flywheel with your old one, and bang the engine back on eBay for 85.00.

All the honda gx's have the mounting holes for the starter already there, and the flywheel is held onto the crank using one bolt. The wiring is easy enough, you just remove the kill switch and wire it to the key assembly. 12v to the starter motor and wire the rectifier to a battery. Ground the battery to the engine.

You have to fettle away some of the engine cove to make room for the starter. Like this (my old fake honda engine)

Which ended up like this:

Strewth mate what happened, did you forget to put the oil back? I have one genny with a fronda engine which already has a starter, but the other smaller genny is not a fronda engine and has no mount place for the starter