15000 BTU A/C on a 2000 watt Honda

[MrWyoming]

Just wanted to stop by and say that I installed an easy start (Not a hard start) in my Jayco 5th Wheel and love it. I can now run my 15000 BTU A/C with a single 2000 watt Honda. This is the best money I have spent on my new 5'er. The part is from Micro-Air.

[ecksdude]

Link?

[MrWyoming]

Originally Posted by ecksdude

Link?

https://www.microair.net/products/ea...nt=30176048267

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[ecksdude]

Thanks. This is on my shortlist. Running a single genny is far less trouble than 2...

[SICARIO]

I've got one of those as well, works great.

[Atlee]

What is the difference between "easy start" and "hard start"?

Originally Posted by MrWyoming

Just wanted to stop by and say that I installed an easy start (Not a hard start) in my Jayco 5th Wheel and love it. I can now run my 15000 BTU A/C with a single 2000 watt Honda. This is the best money I have spent on my new 5'er. The part is from Micro-Air.

[Rivercityjeff]

It's the same thing. The "hard start kit" is for air conditioners that are hard to start. Some people call this making them do a soft start. So sure enough, some people call the "hard start kit" a "soft start kit" It is useful when your generator has enough VA to run the air conditioner but not enough to start it unless you get the hard start kit.

[gahris]

I have a stock 2017 Jayco 28BHBE with a 15,000BTU coleman AC and it runs on my Honda 2000.

I have to put the fan on "ON" so the fan turns on before the AC, but it runs it good enough that I can have AC + Fridge on.

[toklas]

Originally Posted by Rivercityjeff

It's the same thing. The "hard start kit" is for air conditioners that are hard to start. Some people call this making them do a soft start. So sure enough, some people call the "hard start kit" a "soft start kit" It is useful when your generator has enough VA to run the air conditioner but not enough to start it unless you get the hard start kit.

not even close to the same thing. a hard start capacitor is just that it is an added capacitor that stores AC voltage and discharges it during the compressor start up. they usually run about 10 bucks.

the "soft start" linked above is not a capacitor but a phased sequence startup managed by a circuit board. it uses the least amount of current during startup and increases it slowly. these are much more expensive usually a few hundred bucks.

[Atlee]

How difficult are either the "hard start" or "soft start" devices to install? Can a person with very limited knowledge and/or mechanical ability do the install?

Originally Posted by toklas

not even close to the same thing. a hard start capacitor is just that it is an added capacitor that stores AC voltage and discharges it during the compressor start up. they usually run about 10 bucks.

the "soft start" linked above is not a capacitor but a phased sequence startup managed by a circuit board. it uses the least amount of current during startup and increases it slowly. these are much more expensive usually a few hundred bucks.

[toklas]

Originally Posted by Atlee

How difficult are either the "hard start" or "soft start" devices to install? Can a person with very limited knowledge and/or mechanical ability do the install?

I've installed a hard start capacitor and it was very easy. as long as you can read a wiring diagram (not very difficult) and are able to get to the top of your rig and remove the cover yourself you should be ok. there are plenty of youtube videos show how to install one.


I have not installed a soft start module, but from what i've read it is just as easy. I'm sure there are also plenty of vids on youtube showing the process.

[Mbranscum]

I can start and run my 15000 a.c. unit with one Honda 2000 but would not want to do it on a regular basis. The gen sounds like it's gonna blow a gasket while running.

[cariboocreek]

Your A/C isn't happy either.

[vcbice]

Why? According to Coleman the running power for the 15k AC is under 1600W unless temps are over 100F.

The only issue here is starting current which is what the soft start systems manage.

You won't be able to have much else drawing electricity, but, at least you can have AC with a smaller generator.

[Mbranscum]

Originally Posted by vcbice

Why? According to Coleman the running power for the 15k AC is under 1600W unless temps are over 100F.

The only issue here is starting current which is what the soft start systems manage.

You won't be able to have much else drawing electricity, but, at least you can have AC with a smaller generator.

Well that's not exactly correct. If you go to Honda's website it states that 2000 watts is max output. Average output is 1600 watts.

The question is do you really want to put that much constant load on your Honda and that much stress on your AC unit.

[RAurand]

Originally Posted by Rivercityjeff

It's the same thing. The "hard start kit" is for air conditioners that are hard to start. Some people call this making them do a soft start. So sure enough, some people call the "hard start kit" a "soft start kit" It is useful when your generator has enough VA to run the air conditioner but not enough to start it unless you get the hard start kit.

Hard Start and Soft-Start are NOT the same thing. Do some research.
I had a hard start Capacitor added to my A/C and when trying to start it with my 2000 watt Yamaha Inverter, the generator would shut down every time.
When I installed the Micro-air, The generator only goes up to about 3/4 power on the compressor start and then goes back down to just above economy idle.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Micro-Air.

[RAurand]

Originally Posted by vcbice

Why? According to Coleman the running power for the 15k AC is under 1600W unless temps are over 100F.

The only issue here is starting current which is what the soft start systems manage.

You won't be able to have much else drawing electricity, but, at least you can have AC with a smaller generator.

Its not the "RUNNING" current that causes the issues. It's the Instantaneous Peak current (which is very high) that only last for milli-seconds that causes the generator overloads.

[vcbice]

I thought that's what I said.