PH4000Ri/E Owner’s Manual
7
1.
The PH4000Ri/E computer-controlled fuel and ignition system
This generator has a computer-controlled fuel and ignition system. An on-board computer, referred to in this manual as
an ECU (
Engine Control Unit
) utilizes a series of virtual maps (
lookup tables
) that provide values for various aspects
of engine performance. The ECU analyzes data provided through the various engine sensors to determine the best
combination of values from these lookup tables to provide optimum performance. This is communicated to the generator
components through the use of digital signals. This is in contrast to non-computer-controlled ignition systems that rely on
mechanical feedback, and sometimes vacuum, to control the motion of the various components.
This generator is equipped with an Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) system, which provides increased efficiency over
carbureted fuel systems. In a carbureted fuel system, the fuel and air are mixed in a carburetor that relies on a mechanical
choke system controlling the rate of air intake to maintain the vacuum necessary to mix the fuel with air for combustion.
In a fuel injection system, the ECU calculates and adjusts the fuel mixture directly, based on real-time feedback, allowing
for greater fuel and emissions efficiency. The ECU also controls the timing for the spark plug, dynamically controlling the
speed of the engine depending on requirements for power generation.
When there is a problem reported by a generator component (such as an engine sensor), the ECU stores a fault code
for it. These fault codes can be read in the
Wattage (P)
field of the digital display, and then used to identify the issue and
correct it. For more information on fault codes and how to access them, refer to the
Fault codes
section of this manual.
For more information on the digital display and its use, refer to the
Digital display
section of this manual.
