AC size and generator size - advice please

[Ltrip]

I am in the process of a major transition of my RV lifestyle.
I will be buying an Arctic Fox 29Y. Wife insists that we have a generator to run the AC. We often camp in forest service/state park/boondock where no electricity is available. We also do camp in RV parks with full hookups.
Standard is a 13.5k BTU AC. Optional is a 15K.
I am strongly leaning toward the Champion 3400-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator with Electric Start, largely for the ability to run on propane. I have figured out a way to transport it/store it, and move it around.
I will also install a Supco SPP6, Relay Start Capacitor 120-288V to assure the starting of the AC.

Will this generator and capacitor run the 15K? or should I stick with the 13.5k?

The trailer is total 30' long. Is there much of a difference inside between the 13.5k and the 15k? It seems like such a small difference, 13.5 to 15, that the coolness difference would be noticeably felt inside. What am I missing?

Finally. I am unfamiliar with the capacitor thingy. Where does that install? At the AC? Is it difficult?

Any comments/advice will be much appreciated!!!

FYI....moving FROM FW TH with 5.5k generator on board.

[bikendan]

jwsigler wrote:
but 90% of the time I use a small 800 watt 2 cycle generator plugged into the shore power.

The OP asked about an inverter generator to run his a/c.

How does talking about a noisy 800w non-inverter generator help him?

[sgfrye]

Ltrip wrote:
I am in the process of a major transition of my RV lifestyle.
I will be buying an Arctic Fox 29Y. Wife insists that we have a generator to run the AC. We often camp in forest service/state park/boondock where no electricity is available. We also do camp in RV parks with full hookups.
Standard is a 13.5k BTU AC. Optional is a 15K.
I am strongly leaning toward the Champion 3400-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator with Electric Start, largely for the ability to run on propane. I have figured out a way to transport it/store it, and move it around.
I will also install a Supco SPP6, Relay Start Capacitor 120-288V to assure the starting of the AC.

Will this generator and capacitor run the 15K? or should I stick with the 13.5k?

The trailer is total 30' long. Is there much of a difference inside between the 13.5k and the 15k? It seems like such a small difference, 13.5 to 15, that the coolness difference would be noticeably felt inside. What am I missing?

Finally. I am unfamiliar with the capacitor thingy. Where does that install? At the AC? Is it difficult?

Any comments/advice will be much appreciated!!!

FYI....moving FROM FW TH with 5.5k generator on board.

i bought the champion 3400 dual fuel last summer. i have been very happy with it. my ac is 13.5k not the 15k. it ran the ac, tv, dvd player with no problems. love the electric start. its portable enough that i use it at home/garage area as much as with camper. my garage isn't wired for electricity so the champion is great to run power tools, air compressor, etc. for the cost versus honda for me is a no brainer. it also runs fairly quite. nothing like a construction site type generator.

[SoundGuy]

Ltrip wrote:
I will be buying an Arctic Fox 29Y. Wife insists that we have a generator to run the AC. We often camp in forest service/state park/boondock where no electricity is available. We also do camp in RV parks with full hookups.

JMO but in your situation I'd go with the 13,500 BTU A/C, equip it with a MicroAir Easy Start Soft Starter Kit, and invest in the about to be released new Honda EU2200i inverter genset, the combination of which will easily start a 13.5K A/C unit under most temperature and elevation conditions. :B

[kevden]

My champion propane 3750/3000w generator runs our 13.5 air with no problem. And it will run for 24 hours on a 30lb tank. I think a 3500w would have no problem with the larger air conditioner, especially with a start capacitor. Let us know how it works out. I would like to get a quieter lp generator.

[2oldman]

jwsigler wrote:
90% of the time I use a small 800 watt 2 cycle generator plugged into the shore power. .. I simple start it in the morning and let it run all day long.

Sounds like you need an inverter. Where do you camp and do this?

[centerline]

just something to ponder when it comes to gas engines...
like any other gas engine driven device or vehicle, when the engine is loaded to its max, its economy drops like a rock.
and when the engine is loaded to its max all the time, the longevity is taken out of it and the maintenance costs go up...

an engine that can be run at half load will last nearly forever, it will be the most economical, and when the engine isnt working so hard it will probably need nothing more than the basic normal preventive maintenance like oil/sparkplug/filter changes...

this may not be an issue for weekenders, but for a full timer who is running the air conditioner daily to keep cool, it may become an issue.

the other thing to watch for when buying a generator is to make sure of how its rated, as some are rated showing the max surge output, where others list the rating at the maximum working load (with additional watts available for surge loading).
this will insure you get one with enough power to run the load.

[TurnThePage]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
That generator would not run their A/C on propane.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lypf5W8cSc

Something wrong there I hope. As I previously mentioned, I replaced a Yamaha 2800i with the Champion 3400. The Yamaha I had is MORE powerful than the one in the video, and the Champion is in turn WAY MORE powerful than my Yamaha was. But it wasn't running on propane either. To the OP, I was also interested in a generator that ran on propane. I've since realized that gasoline is a lot easier to find on a holiday weekend, or in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere... Just a thought.

wa8yxm wrote:
3400 Watt shoudl do it but as I recall the Champion 3400 is an open frame contractor type (Read that LOUD) a 3,000 watt inverter or better yet 3600 might be a better choice.. Inverter types are lighter, More fuel efficient, and quieter both audio and electronically .

I'm pretty sure the dual fuel Champion 3400 watt is a nice, enclosed, quiet inverter generator.

[ScottG]

Go with the 15K AC power difference is only about an amp (give or take) and it absolutely rocks!
The Champion 3400 will run it easily.

[jwsigler]

I do a lot of dry camping with my toyhauler and I love having two generators. It came with a Onan 4000 which will run everything, but 90% of the time I use a small 800 watt 2 cycle generator plugged into the shore power. The small generator lets us run everything except the AC, electric water heater, and the microwave for about 6 hours on one gallon of gas. Most of the time we are only using a small amount of electricity, such as lights, TV, laptops, refrigerator; and it does not make sense to be constantly running a bigger generator and wasting gas. The small generator really takes up little space, has probably paid for itself a couple times over in fuel savings, and I simple start it in the morning and let it run all day long. The only problem is who has to go out at night to turn it off when we go to sleep. I am working on getting my son to design a simple remote control switch we can mount of the small generator to turn it off from inside.

[DownTheAvenue]

That generator would not run their A/C on propane.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lypf5W8cSc

[Ltrip]

wa8yxm wrote:
3400 Watt shoudl do it but as I recall the Champion 3400 is an open frame contractor type (Read that LOUD) a 3,000 watt inverter or better yet 3600 might be a better choice.. Inverter types are lighter, More fuel efficient, and quieter both audio and electronically .

Sorry for the confusion. On the Champion website, I see 3 versions of the quiet (58 or 59 db) invertor. It is NOT the open frame, noisy one. They all look identical and have nearly identical specs. 3100, 3400 and 3500.

[wa8yxm]

3400 Watt shoudl do it but as I recall the Champion 3400 is an open frame contractor type (Read that LOUD) a 3,000 watt inverter or better yet 3600 might be a better choice.. Inverter types are lighter, More fuel efficient, and quieter both audio and electronically .

[Ltrip]

I said: SidecarFlip said: Also, keep in mind that running the Champ on propane derates it, I think, about 15%

Please don't take offense..... Where is that documented?
Is it a gut feel, common knowledge, or somehow tested and validated.


I answered my own question!! This is direct from the Champion website:
Using gasoline, the 192cc Champion engine produces 3400 starting watts and 3100 running watts, and will run for 7.5 hours at 25% load. It produces 3060 starting watts and 2790 running watts, and will run for 14.5 hours at 25% load when using a 20-pound propane tank.

And I noticed, they have 3 versions: 3100W, 3400W and 3500W. Not sure why they would have 3 so similar.

Thanks!!

[2oldman]

TomG2 wrote:
I assume that you are agreeing with me. It does little good to have a bank of ten little generators if the main breakers only allow 30 amperes of service.

Yes. That's why I stopped at 3.