New user here. I have a TT with a 15k btu AC unit that function perfectly on shore power. Last year we bought a couple of Yamaha ef2000is generators and the parallel kit for boondocking, which we used a couple of times last year with no issue. I'm getting ready for a trip next weekend and decided to pull out the generators and make sure everything was operational. The gennies cranked up with some fresh gas and ran just fine, powering lights, outlets, etc in the trailer. I turned off everything in the trailer and tried to turn on the AC and got nothing. Went to check on the generators and one of them had the overload light on. I've tried several troubleshooting steps:- with and w/o the Surgeguard- checked all the fuses/breakers- turned off breakers for everything but the main and ACAnyway, I can't get the AC to run with the generators, but I know it is operational. Has anyone ever had this issue? Any ideas on how to resolve this?Anthony

Start capacitor in the AC might be getting old? That capacitor limits the in-rush current going to the compressor motor, to keep it from tripping breakers / killing generators.Did you have the AC running on shore power, turn it off, then try to start it again on the generators? Pressure in the compressor is higher than normal until the gas cools down. Maybe it's time for a third Yamaha... folks on youtube doing crazy stuff with custom made parallel cables :)

Thanks for the response Gordon.The trailer is only a year and a half old, so I would guess that the start capacitor isn't old yet.The AC was running on shore power for a little while before I attempted the generators so that could have been the initial issue. I attempted troubleshooting the generators for a couple of hours, taking a break to do an oil change and make sure the air filter was clean, cleaned the filter on the air return for the AC unit. So I would guess the AC had cooled significantly by the time I attempted to start it up again.Three Yamaha's?! That's crazy talk! I'm guessing these people have a couple of AC units on their trailer and need the extra juice.

I've been reading up on doing this, it seems Harbour freight has the best price and wattage for doing this conversion. Then with there warranty ya can't beat it, 449.00 a piece and if ya drop it off the back of the truck and smash it into pieces ya get anew one

SATX_Camper wrote:and the parallel kit for boondocking, which we used a couple of times last year with no issue. Went to check on the generators and one of them had the overload light on. I assume the first statement means you ran the a/c on the yammies with no issue, so, why would there be an issue now?With just ONE overload light on, I just had a crazy thought that maybe only that generator was successfully connected via the parallel cables. IE.. get out your ohmmeter and check those cables! I'm not clear on whether you've tried this with Eco throttle off (Honda's term for auto-load throttle).And yes, your air won't come on right away after it's been running.

2oldman wrote:I assume the first statement means you ran the a/c on the yammies with no issue, so, why would there be an issue now?With just ONE overload light on, I just had a crazy thought that maybe only that generator was successfully connected via the parallel cables. IE.. get out your ohmmeter and check those cables! I'm not clear on whether you've tried this with Eco throttle off (Honda's term for auto-load throttle).And yes, your air won't come on right away after it's been running.Yes, the AC ran on the generators last year with no problem, and yes, the economy mode was turned off. I wondered about the cables being bad myself, but will have to get one of my more electrical-minded friends to have a look at that.

Parallel Yamaha generators can't run the AC now

24 Replies

2oldman
Explorer II
Oct 18, 2015
SATX_Camper wrote:
and the parallel kit for boondocking, which we used a couple of times last year with no issue.

Went to check on the generators and one of them had the overload light on.
I assume the first statement means you ran the a/c on the yammies with no issue, so, why would there be an issue now?

With just ONE overload light on, I just had a crazy thought that maybe only that generator was successfully connected via the parallel cables. IE.. get out your ohmmeter and check those cables! I'm not clear on whether you've tried this with Eco throttle off (Honda's term for auto-load throttle).

And yes, your air won't come on right away after it's been running.
wld1985
Explorer
Oct 18, 2015
I've been reading up on doing this, it seems Harbour freight has the best price and wattage for doing this conversion. Then with there warranty ya can't beat it, 449.00 a piece and if ya drop it off the back of the truck and smash it into pieces ya get anew one
SATX_Camper
Explorer
Oct 18, 2015
Thanks for the response Gordon.

The trailer is only a year and a half old, so I would guess that the start capacitor isn't old yet.

The AC was running on shore power for a little while before I attempted the generators so that could have been the initial issue. I attempted troubleshooting the generators for a couple of hours, taking a break to do an oil change and make sure the air filter was clean, cleaned the filter on the air return for the AC unit. So I would guess the AC had cooled significantly by the time I attempted to start it up again.

Three Yamaha's?! That's crazy talk! I'm guessing these people have a couple of AC units on their trailer and need the extra juice.
GordonThree
Explorer
Oct 18, 2015
Start capacitor in the AC might be getting old? That capacitor limits the in-rush current going to the compressor motor, to keep it from tripping breakers / killing generators.

Did you have the AC running on shore power, turn it off, then try to start it again on the generators? Pressure in the compressor is higher than normal until the gas cools down.

Maybe it's time for a third Yamaha... folks on youtube doing crazy stuff with custom made parallel cables :)

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Parallel Yamaha generators can't run the AC now

24 Replies

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