EasyStart Install -- in One Image

[Boxite]

Does no one ever solder anything anymore? If you haven't an end-cap, etc... why not simply solder the three together and use heat-shrink and/or electrical tape...

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by NoResults

I would suggest to others that are going to install this to order the $10.00 accessory package. I ran all over town looking for an end cap. Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Most places had never heard of one. I ended up using a twist cap and then taped it well as I could not find another alternative to hooking the three wires together.

Dave

Hard to believe Home Depot didn't have them in the section where all the wire and electrical connectors are, but I'll take your word for it! You definitely can get them at any auto store in the electrical section. I just grabbed a package at Autozone this past weekend when I installed a new radio in my trusty old 2000 Tundra. Finally have bluetooth/hands free calling/audio streaming/aux inputs--but no longer can play cassette tapes....

As a sidenote...It's a great idea to have an assortment of butt splice connectors, end caps, twist wire nuts, fuses, and electrical tape and a stripping and crimping tool--in your trailer tool kit.

[Troutboy]

Home Depot had them when I was doing mine, but they were off to the side and not where all the other connectors were. I got lucky and saw it when I was looking for something else. I also would have purchased the kit had it been available.

[lewster]

For the wire sizes used by both Micro Air and Dometic, the BEST joining method is the heat shrink butt connector. Use the yellow, 10-12AWG size and you can easily fit 2 12AWG wires into one end with the remaining 12AWG wire in the opposite end.

Once heated, no moisture or corrosive effects on the connection, no potential corrosion from a twist-on wire nut's steel spring interior and no effect from dissimilar metallic solder.

Simply a good, solid mechanical connection that will not fail if properly executed. Don't forget the 'pull test' after you finish the crimp!

[moosetags]

This is a great thread! I will be ordering one of the Micro Air kits for Lucy.

Brian

[The Colonel]

After removing the early stuff and getting ready to do install I am faced with a white wire that I'm not sure what to do with. see photo. At C post there is the double white wires on one post, the insulated flag terminal withe wire that runs out to compressor, the white wire from the front that i had to extend (its not hooked up yet in photo), and this short white wire in my hand. Not sure if it goes on terminal board, as I see a place toplug the end into, or if it was part of the start cap that was removed earlier.

[The Colonel]

Ok, think I got it. It went to the start cap. I didn't notice when I removed it.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by lewster

For the wire sizes used by both Micro Air and Dometic, the BEST joining method is the heat shrink butt connector. Use the yellow, 10-12AWG size and you can easily fit 2 12AWG wires into one end with the remaining 12AWG wire in the opposite end.

Once heated, no moisture or corrosive effects on the connection, no potential corrosion from a twist-on wire nut's steel spring interior and no effect from dissimilar metallic solder.

Simply a good, solid mechanical connection that will not fail if properly executed. Don't forget the 'pull test' after you finish the crimp!

Lewster, I've been intending to get this type of connection system. I know absolutely nothing about it. I add a fair amount of electrical stuff to my motorcycles. (Offroad bikes that have gps, heated gear, battery tenders, and additional lights) that would benefit from a connection as you describe. What do I need to get, to start this? Is there a "do it all" kit that would handle lots of different connections, wires, and include the heater?
Thanks,
Jeff

[lsbrodsky]

Gettin,

Having done this kind of stuff for years on cars, boats, now my AS, I would tell you that it is far easier and cheaper to just buy the pieces. West Marine sells some of the best ANCOR crimps, heat shrink water proof crimps, and heat shrink tubing. The big box stores also sell this stuff, as do automotive stores.
As for the heat, you may find that what you need varies depending on the job and surrounding equipment. If there is plenty of space and electric available a heat gun is nice, not a hair dryer. When it is tight and lots of stuff is near your crimp or tubing a pinpoint butane torch works well. In a pinch, even a disposable butane lighter works fine. Oh, crimping tools are available at the same sources. The simple ones work and are cheap, people who do a lot of this buy more expensive crimpers that require less hand effort. The technique just comes from practice.

Larry

[GettinAway]

Thanks. I'll try and track this down before I do the install for the Micro Air. I also did not order the $10 accessory kit. Guess I'll get on line and order that also. Where my AS is stored a long way from any hardware stores..

[lewster]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

Thanks. I'll try and track this down before I do the install for the Micro Air. I also did not order the $10 accessory kit. Guess I'll get on line and order that also. Where my AS is stored a long way from any hardware stores..

Larry has it right. Get the best heat shrink crimps and matching crimper you can find. You will be using it more than you think. West Marine is a good source for much of the materials. Some Home Depots carries 'Raytech' heat shrink terminals, which are on par with ANCOR.

DON'T SCRIMP ON THE CRIMP!!!!

Do it right........do it once!!

[hhendrix]

Can someone post a link to Patrick Botticelli's video on how to walk on the roof please? I can't seem to find it. Thanks

[hhendrix]

Found it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lofcdz7odDk

[hhendrix]

I have a 27' dual air with a 50 amp shore power cord. I'm installing 364's in both A/C's. Does anyone know if your 50 amp cord is reduced with an 30 amp adapter if both A/C's will work on shore power.
I spoke with Roger at Micro Air and felt that both A/C's could run on twin Yamaha 2000i attached together. Anyone have experience with twin inverters. He said he has heard it will work with twin Honda's but not Champions. He wasn't familiar with the Yamahas but I think they are virtually identical to the same size Hondas.

[jayseejay]

Originally Posted by hhendrix

I have a 27' dual air with a 50 amp shore power cord. I'm installing 364's in both A/C's. Does anyone know if your 50 amp cord is reduced with an 30 amp adapter if both A/C's will work on shore power.
I spoke with Roger at Micro Air and felt that both A/C's could run on twin Yamaha 2000i attached together. Anyone have experience with twin inverters. He said he has heard it will work with twin Honda's but not Champions. He wasn't familiar with the Yamahas but I think they are virtually identical to the same size Hondas.

Hi. We also have a 27' with 50 amp service and dual ACs with EasyStarts on both and yes, two honda 2000s in parallel absolutely will run both ACs, and both ACs will also run off a 30 amp power source. And we use our 50amp power cord with an adapter. I hope that helps. Joe

[John Geisen]

Originally Posted by Troutboy

When you order, use th code AIRSTREAM, I think it's also posted further up in this thread or another one....

Just call Lewster. He will give you the same deal. -John

[hhendrix]

Originally Posted by jayseejay

Hi. We also have a 27' with 50 amp service and dual ACs with EasyStarts on both and yes, two honda 2000s in parallel absolutely will run both ACs, and both ACs will also run off a 30 amp power source. And we use our 50amp power cord with an adapter. I hope that helps. Joe

Yes that helps. Parts haven't come in yet so in the meantime I'm tying to see how to work on the roof. Did you install yours?

[pcskier]

Installed mine yesterday. Piece of cake, really.

A lot of this thread is partially moot at this point in terms of installation tips since the grey 354 unit is the only one available, so the option to squeeze the smaller black one in the electrical box is gone.

However, the new grey one has an extended wiring harness that easily reaches to the box, with plenty to spare...I shortened all of the wires on mine.

So simple, if you follow the instructions that you can download from Micro Air's website (they don't come in the box, the instructions in the box are much more abridged--I took both up on the roof with me.)

1. Remove AC cover and electrical box cover

2. Sit the EasyStart in the compresser housing...I had to gently push some copper tubing over half and inch to get it to fit.

3. Drill a hole in the plastic housing separating the compressor housing from the motor housing, and install the bushing strain relief in the hole to run the wires through. (Or you could remove the putty from an existing hole and run the wires through there and reinstall the putty.) I chose to drill and use the bushing. One thing to note: the directions say to drill a 13/16 hole, I only had a 3/4 inch wood spade bit, but the bushing fit beautifully. A wood spade drill bit is fine for this, it's just 1/8 of an inch of soft plastic you are drilling through.

3. Remove the two existing parts from the electrical box as directed.

4. Run wires from Easystart through hole/bushing you installed between the compressor housing and the fan motor housing, and then into the electrical box, replacing the bushing in the existing hole with a new one that is in the install kit. The new one provides more room to get the wires through. Old one snaps out, new one snaps in. Simple.

4. Attach the four wires from the EasyStart as directed, using supplied connectors if you got the $10 kit. You'll need a crimping tool for this. Pants and Suspender types will also use heat shrink tubing, but that is 'extra'. Nice additional option if you have the tools, which I don't. But a good crimp will be fine. On the one three-wire connection, I did put a tight wrap of electrical tape around the crimped connection.

One other minor note, the instructions for installing the brown wire from the EasyStart to the white wire from the compressor say that the white wire (there are four to choose from) is usually the largest wire. In my case, it was not, there was one other that looked to be fatter, or at least the same. Just be sure the the wire you are selecting is the one that runs through the hole in the back of the electrical box and over to the compressor, along with the blue and red one. That's the one you want.

5. Once everything is wired in place, secure the EasyStart in the compressor housing using the provided double sided tape. I did this at the end just to make sure everything was installed before committing to securing it. Also there is a stick-on wiring clip/Zip Tie provided to secure the wiring that runs through the fan housing.

6. I put the one-page instructions/wiring schematic in a ziplock baggy and tucked that in the electrical box as well, in case ever needed by a future owner or technician so they knew what they were looking at. Reinstall the electric cover, then the AC shroud, and get the Hell off the roof.

7. Hook up to generator or shore power and start your AC five times, allowing it to rest for a few minutes in between starts. Keep in mind that when you start your unit, the fan will come on, but the compressor may take a few minutes before it kicks in. That's what you want...the actual compressor kicking in five times. It's actually harder to hear that happening with the EasyStart installed.

8. Enjoy your AC with your single generator (for a single AC system), or hooked up to a household outlet of 15 or 20 amps.

[Shiny16]

It's slightly different for the 11500 BTU unit on the sport 16. The control panel on this unit is somewhere out of sight. I took a leap of faith and cut the blue wire and then spliced both ends to the black easy start wire. This in place of the extra short black wire. Works great.
I think you could fit the grey unit in the electric box. I didn't try because I had allready mounted the unit and drilled the hole before opening the electrical box.

[Shiny16]

Just wanted to add that my sport 16 a/c also starts and runs with one eu2000 in eco mode. You can hardly hear a burn when the compressor kicks in.

Anyone interested in a slightly used gennconnex eu2000?