Champion 3100 - running an AC - how many hrs out of a tank?
Can anyone tell me how many hours a Champion 3100 inverter generator will run on a tank while running a roof air?
Forum Discussion
My experience is it will speed up,
But it won't go to max RPM (with the Econ switch on) unless it is near the power over load point which changes with ambient temperature and electronics heat
Which means at 80 degrees and cold generator i can draw 3000va and surge 3400va
But at 105 degrees an hot generator maybe 2700va and surge 2900va
I measured just under 2700va running the a/c , fridge, pc , and fans on a 105 degree day and then get an overload when the fridge cycles on
And i have to shut down and restart
My fridge is residential 1 amp running 10 amps compressor start
So any way , when it gets hot i turn Econ off, and let it have a few extra rpm of breathing room
Econ does what it can to hold engine speed to power being used,
But Max speed means it must be Max power being used if in Econ mode
With out Econ the generator gains a little tiny cushion of breathing room, under that heavy load from the AC
For me when the A/C is on, it's not about fuel economy, it's about keeping the A/C going, keeping the generator going
That little bit of extra air flow from the engine fan cooling the inverter electronics, after all 100+ air temp doesn't do much cooling,
Moving as much air as possible helps keep the available power a little bit higher, the intake air goes over the inverter electronics before it goes over the engine
This is my experience, your experience might be different
If it gets Too hot, i just unplug the charger/converter, switch the fridge to the inverter, let the solar and batteries take care of the fridge , pc, fans etc and let generator have only one job the A/C
But it won't go to max RPM (with the Econ switch on) unless it is near the power over load point which changes with ambient temperature and electronics heat
Which means at 80 degrees and cold generator i can draw 3000va and surge 3400va
But at 105 degrees an hot generator maybe 2700va and surge 2900va
I measured just under 2700va running the a/c , fridge, pc , and fans on a 105 degree day and then get an overload when the fridge cycles on
And i have to shut down and restart
My fridge is residential 1 amp running 10 amps compressor start
So any way , when it gets hot i turn Econ off, and let it have a few extra rpm of breathing room
Econ does what it can to hold engine speed to power being used,
But Max speed means it must be Max power being used if in Econ mode
With out Econ the generator gains a little tiny cushion of breathing room, under that heavy load from the AC
For me when the A/C is on, it's not about fuel economy, it's about keeping the A/C going, keeping the generator going
That little bit of extra air flow from the engine fan cooling the inverter electronics, after all 100+ air temp doesn't do much cooling,
Moving as much air as possible helps keep the available power a little bit higher, the intake air goes over the inverter electronics before it goes over the engine
This is my experience, your experience might be different
If it gets Too hot, i just unplug the charger/converter, switch the fridge to the inverter, let the solar and batteries take care of the fridge , pc, fans etc and let generator have only one job the A/C
