Forum Discussion

1L243's avatar
1L243
Explorer II
Jun 18, 2018

Portable Air Conditioner

I am looking at a freestanding 8000 btu air conditioner. It's rated at 1040 watts and 9.2 amps. I don't know if that's running or startup rating.

I would like to know if my Honda eu2000i generator will run it?
  • Get a dual hose like mine.
    It takes outside air from one hose and cools the condenser then dumps the hot air outside through the other hose.
    It also uses the condensed water from the evaporator and pushes it out the through the condenser further enhancing cooling and simultaneously draining the water.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    1L243 wrote:
    I am looking at a freestanding 8000 btu air conditioner. It's rated at 1040 watts and 9.2 amps. I don't know if that's running or startup rating.

    I would like to know if my Honda eu2000i generator will run it?

    That is running and it will be darn close. it might or not.

    Starting could be as high as 30 amps on that model but so brief odds are it would NOT trip the Honda's overload sensor. a 15 amp breaker should work on that model.
  • Does the freestanding have a water drain? If not, how will you monitor the water build up in the catch pan of the AC? Depending on the humidity, the catch pan can fill up in a few hours. Which renders the AC inop until you dump it. Kind of a drag if you are not always in the RV. Doug
  • The amps listed is almost always the continuous draw not the startup surge.

    It likely will start it but it's on the edge, so no guarantees.

    One thing to keep in mind with these is you want the 2 hose versions. The single hose version pulls air from inside the RV to cool the coils...the result is you are constantly pulling the already cooled air out and dumping it outside.
  • It depends on the surge. It may run it. It may not depending on your location.
  • I understand that Don, but in this case dealing with a single appliance I didnt think potential vs real was enough difference to matter. And for what its worth, Honda in their brochures defines it as watts. So staying with that term seemed reasonable.
    Is there a circumstance like this where it would make an appreciable difference?
  • As you know from the specs you listed it should "run" it easily. Your running watts rating is 1600, The starting watts will be closer, and without knowing what the claimed draw of the AC it's difficult to answer, but, the honda's have a reputation for being able to go past their published specs by a lot of folks in here. You're close with a listed starting watts of 2000, but others in here have said they run 11,000 btuh units with them. Just make sure you are only powering the ac when you try it, shut off the converter and any other draws. And if you go to a higher elevation all this changes, so consider that as well.

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