Air Conditioners and Generators
So I just got my first generator: $175 for an old 2kw no-name (PowerTek) inverter on Kijiji.
I have seen many posts about what capacity of generator is required to run an air conditioner, all saying it cannot be done with a 2 kw unit. This makes total sense, the surge is way beyond the surge rating (on mine it is only 2.2kw surge) and an inverter based generator should be very sensitive to an overload.
Being inquisitive I decided to try to see if the A/C would work on the low setting, mine has three. It did. Turns out it works even on the highest setting (13,500 BTU unit). I even left it running long enough to cycle on/off a couple of time to see if I was just 'lucky' on the first surge. Kept lasting cool air like I was on 'shore power'.
The trip circuit on the generator does work, in the early part of charging my three batteries (with two chargers) trying the A/C will trip the overload. This should not work, but so far it seem to?!
I am not planning on using this, on anything past idle this cheap generator is LOUD, I just find this result 'most puzzling' and was wondering if others had any comments?
I have seen many posts about what capacity of generator is required to run an air conditioner, all saying it cannot be done with a 2 kw unit. This makes total sense, the surge is way beyond the surge rating (on mine it is only 2.2kw surge) and an inverter based generator should be very sensitive to an overload.
Being inquisitive I decided to try to see if the A/C would work on the low setting, mine has three. It did. Turns out it works even on the highest setting (13,500 BTU unit). I even left it running long enough to cycle on/off a couple of time to see if I was just 'lucky' on the first surge. Kept lasting cool air like I was on 'shore power'.
The trip circuit on the generator does work, in the early part of charging my three batteries (with two chargers) trying the A/C will trip the overload. This should not work, but so far it seem to?!
I am not planning on using this, on anything past idle this cheap generator is LOUD, I just find this result 'most puzzling' and was wondering if others had any comments?
