AC Hard start additions

Just getting a bigger gen is not always an option for everyone. The small gens have advantages and for some it is a small gen or no gen. Given that, the question is how to run the AC off the small gen, not "just get a bigger gen"

The only thing new is the electronic soft-start that has come on the market instead of just adding a capacitor. Capacitors help, but only give you a boost of power that may or may not be enough to do the job, where the soft-start will make the motor start slower and require less of a power surge. The electronic ones are expensive compared to a $20 capacitor.

forums are full of
"just take it to the dealer"
"have a mechanic fix it"
"if you have to ask then you are not qualified to work on it"
"spend some of your money you cheapskate"
answers
None are helpful to the OP

wing_zealot wrote:
I'd rather put the $300+ it cost for a micro-air easystart into the ability to generate more amps. Much more useful around the house to have the ability to generate more amps than to have a one trick pony. For me, a micro-air may be the cheaper solution but its not the best use of my money. I'd invest my money towards the ability for a wider array of uses; even if at first blush it cost more; YOMV.

for us, since we already had honda 2200 and a honda 2000, the micro air was our choice. Now we seldom need to parallel the genny's saving time during setup, and in about 90% of the times we need are off grid, only need to bring along on 50lb genny. Worth the $ for us.

If it was a case of no genny and deciding what to do it would for us be a decision of how much more weight am I willing to lift to get a bigger genny out of the truck and how much it costs vs. micro air cost and lighter genny.

Ends up being a personal decision on what works best for each individual.

I'd rather put the $300+ it cost for a micro-air easystart into the ability to generate more amps. Much more useful around the house to have the ability to generate more amps than to have a one trick pony. For me, a micro-air may be the cheaper solution but its not the best use of my money. I'd invest my money towards the ability for a wider array of uses; even if at first blush it cost more; YOMV.

microaire easy start

jjrbus wrote:
Rumor has it that some of the new roof air have a hard start installed at the factory. If they are no one is advertising it!

I got some bad info on the net then experimented a bit. I run an 8000 btu window unit with a Honda 2000, added a hard start an run the Honda in ECO mode!

I would have installed a mini split years ago but do not have room for the inside unit.

a lot of the "hard starts" installed at the factory are the same as what is in the over the counter AC units, a start cap for the compressor. Coleman and dometic sell OEM units w/o any start cap for the compressor. grunt grunt.

If the AC already has a start cap, a "hard start" cap may help some, but likely not much. Even with a hard start cap installed Locked rotor amps is still in the 50A range, well beyond what most 2000VA or so generators can supply for enough time to get the motor running enough to get the back EMF up to the point that the running amps are in the 15A range.

I graphed the start current with a micro air on My Coleman Mach III. PEAK start current is 20A for < 1 second, well within the capability of most 2000VA generators, even in eco mode. It took 3 or 4 of the "start learning cycles" that are called out to get their. Initially peak starting current was 45A w/o the micro air.

Another well founded internet rumor??

3 tons

good one

Rumor has it that some of the new roof air have a hard start installed at the factory. If they are no one is advertising it!

I got some bad info on the net then experimented a bit. I run an 8000 btu window unit with a Honda 2000, added a hard start an run the Honda in ECO mode!

I would have installed a mini split years ago but do not have room for the inside unit.

vermilye wrote:
I don't believe they are within the last two years, but the Micro Air Easy Start is a great solution.

Micro Air Easy Start

yup easy start. The only downside is at high altitude (>3500ft or so) a honda 2000 will run out of umph and shut down. A honda 2200 will run a coleman mach III or dometic at 7,000ft+ based on our experience.

Get more generator.