Honda EU 2200i and starting Dometic AC

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Power required to run an A/C unit is very much a "that depends" sort of thing. More heat makes them work harder. More humidity also increases how hard they labor. As they get older, they pull more current. Dirt here or dirt there can get them chugging harder. Long cords between the generator and A/C mean lower voltage and more current. Cord gauge and wire composition also matter .....

Lots of variables, even on the exact same make / model of A/C.

Bob

[dlenhert]

Here is a brand new product worth considering. It is by the same people as SoftStartRV but in a plug n play surge protector configuration that can be plugged into a 30am pedestal or a small generator.
https://softstartup.com/

https://camperreport.com/product-review-softstartup/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weKrYA8cvao

Any chance anyone on the forum has experience or more information?

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by dlenhert

Here is a brand new product worth considering. It is by the same people as SoftStartRV but in a plug n play surge protector configuration that can be plugged into a 30am pedestal or a small generator.

Any chance anyone on the forum has experience or more information?

Hi

I very much would *not* want to depend on something like that for my A/C. The unit on the roof is still "stock" so it is trying to pull those 45A all the way back to the pedestal. Stopping things at that point sounds very difficult to manage. You want to limit the current *and* not fry the motor. You also don't want to fry the other stuff plugged into the AC outlets in the trailer.

Bob

[BHChieftain]

I don’t use an easy start but I run two Honda 2200’s in //

[Wross]

One additional factor is the state of charge of your batteries and the charge current required by your converter. If your converter is drawing an additional 5-7 amps to charge the batteries it will put the total over the capacity of your generator when you try to start the air conditioning.

[zapper]

Originally Posted by dlenhert

Here is a brand new product worth considering. It is by the same people as SoftStartRV but in a plug n play surge protector configuration that can be plugged into a 30am pedestal or a small generator.
https://softstartup.com/

https://camperreport.com/product-review-softstartup/

Any chance anyone on the forum has experience or more information?

It's no substitute for 2 Softstart AC's. If you read their specs it definitely says not for starting 2 AC units using a single Honda 30 AMP. Generator. Sounds like use on a 30Amp pedestal. Not sure why use a 30Amp connection if a 50AMP is available. Most parks today have both. A few just have 30AMP I don't know that I would spend $600 for those few just to run both AC units. Thoughts?

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by zapper

It's no substitute for 2 Softstart AC's. If you read their specs it definitely says not for starting 2 AC units using a single Honda 30 AMP. Generator. Sounds like use on a 30Amp pedestal. Not sure why use a 30Amp connection if a 50AMP is available. Most parks today have both. A few just have 30AMP I don't know that I would spend $600 for those few just to run both AC units. Thoughts?

All depends on where you camp. We've been to lots of places in the upper Midwest and New England with only 20/30 on the pedestal. Also lots with only a few 50-amp sites which are often hard to get.

Seems like something like this could be useful if you use induction cooktops while running a/c.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

If you mostly stay at KOA's and "big" parks, then 50A is pretty common. Some state park systems set up with them, others ... not so much ( some state parks have > 100A hookups ...). If you head out to smaller / older parks in out of the way places, you most certainly will run into 30A posts ..... sitting here hooked up to 30A as I type this

Bob

[Ronyx]

I have a Honda 2200 and live in a location that is 3,200 feet and the generator wouldn’t start the AC without the easy start. I installed easy start last year and the generator starts and runs the AC with no trouble.

[jaybauman]

In 2020, I installed 2 MicroAir Easy Starts on my FC30Bunk. I purchased 2 Honda 2200 units and installed Hutch Mountain conversions to allow me to connect to the propane port on the front of the trailer. For every use case we found (all less than 3000’ altitude), I could run a single AC unit on a single generator indefinitely, or I could put the gennies in parallel and run 2 AC units. This was expected.

Then we sold that trailer and upgraded. Last year, I installed 2 of the new MicroAir Easy Starts (with Bluetooth connectivity) on my Classic 33. Before the installation, I ran an experiment. I could run a single AC on a single generator, or both AC units with parallel generators. (N.B. I ran each experiment in >90F temperatures, at sea level, with generators running on propane, both AC units on my Classic are 15k.). This implies I don’t even need the Easy Starts to run my AC units on propane.

But I installed them anyway. With the Bluetooth feedback, the Easy Starts communicate with my phone and share various detail. I was able to read the startup current before the Easy Starts “learned”, and also after they were fully trained. I no longer recall the actual values, but the max current draw upon startup was reduced by more than half.

I’m thinking I want to be better safe than sorry, so I’m glad I installed the Easy Starts. However, I do wonder if I really needed to….

[FMSports]

I just did a test with a Champion Power 2500/1850W with a 2019 27FB Serenity. Single AC I assume that's the 15K BTU unit.

I shut off the ECO mode so full bore. I killed all breakers except the 20A AC. Started and ran fine. Then added back in the other breakers.

At essentially sea level. I'm thinking that fueling the little engine with ethanol-free 94 octane fuel might give best results.

[Skyhook]

I see the EU 3000 unit has a 30 amp outlet and is rated for 20 amps. When I run the ac on our 23’ Flying Cloud our surge protector is reading 15 amps. I will watch when it starts. It would seem the 3000 would be borderline

[Bill M.]

I really like the Micro Air soft start and think that you should go ahead and install it in the AC even though it will start without it. I know that it will start more quietly and with less of a current surge with the soft start installed. I think the Soft Start is a worthwhile addition.