IT'S A MIRACLE! 13.5AC on EU2000i Generator!

[Rbertalotto]

I have a Forest River 19RR with a 13.5 AC unit. I want to be able to run the AC on one Honda EU2000i generator in ECO mode.

Currently, when the temperature is above 85 degrees, it takes two EU2000 generators running with ECO Mode off to get them running. Once running I can switch to ECO mode but when the compressor cycles, it trips the low voltage shut off on my Progressive Industries EMS.

https://progressiveindustries.myshopify.com/products/ems-hw30c-pid



Running with two generators and ECO off is noisy and uses more fuel. Got to be a better way...

First thing I did was install a aftermarket start capacitor.



I did this installation when the temperature was 60 degrees and it would start the AC on one generator, but not in ECO mode. I could run the AC in ECO mode with both generators. But once the temperature got above 85 degrees, see above!

Research led me to a small company in Allentown NJ (Not PA). They make a device that looks at a few different parameters of your electricity draw and adjusts with some kind of magic and supposedly you can run an AC unit like I have on one 2000 watt generator.

https://www.microair.net/collections/easystart-soft-starters

I happen to be going down to Cape May NJ this past weekend and would be going right through Allentown NJ. I called them and asked if I could stop by and pick up the device I needed. I mentioned I'm a member of the Forest River Forum and they offered me a $40 discount!
The "factory" is a very small building in a beautiful farming area of NJ. A very nice lady took care of me and I was on my way.

Once home I took the cover off the AC. Removed the start capacitor and installed the Easy Start. Took all of 20 minutes! Four wires and you are done!



I mounted the Easy Start to the front of the AC unit , under the cover.



Buttoned it all up, and ran a test after starting the AC five times on shore power as the instructions tell you. You need the Easy Start and the AC unit to understand each other before you go to generator power



Temperature was 86 degrees during the tests. The generator was in ECO mode throughout the test.



I let it run for over two hours to be sure the AC could cycle while the generator was in ECO mode.

AMAZING! It works! Nice , quiet, one generator in ECO mode and a nice cool trailer.

Now I ask, why don't they install these units in the AC from the factory. For under $300, you are saving your ears, your neighbors ears and your second generator!

Highly Recommended!

[marcsbigfoot20b]

Just the fact that my AC doesn’t make that woooooong sound every time it cycles on and dims the light is a win for all the associated electronics and wiring as far as I’m concerned.???? Shore power or gen. The onboard Onan 2500 doesn’t even Flinch with the micro air installed.
Using the 2000i in extreme temps is most likely beyond the gens capacity.
Why don’t they make a tiny turbo for the 2000i? Imagine no loss at altitude.

[RSD559]

SoundGuy wrote:

RSD559 wrote:
Priorities. You have priorities. If I'm not plugged in and it's hot. Sorry, no popcorn and no hair dryer. I get cranky when I'm hot. After I broke in my EasyStart last summer, I checked the amps on my EMS display while the A/C was running. It was about 100 that day and the trailer is in the sun. Nothing but the A/C and the inverter was on. It was about 17 amps, if I remember. My A/C is a 15k BTU unit.
The idea of running a $1000+ generator in the heat with a full load and at high RPMs hurts me. I would rather have something that handles the load easily and doesn't have to run hard. Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should.

You seem to be confusing running amps with starting amps ... it's the latter the Micro-Air Easy Start solves but does nothing to lower running amps, nor does the manufacturer ever claim it does. If you want to run lots of "stuff" then of course you'd want to be using a genset capable of handling that running load. Expecting any 2K genset to constantly support a running load well beyond it's amp rating isn't the genset manufacturers' fault nor Micro-Air's, it's yours. :R

I understand just fine. My point was that my 15k A/C uses about 17 amps on a hot day at about 500 feet elevation. Most of the 2000 watt generators rate at about 1600 running watts. So if your A/C will run on your 2000 watt generator, you are probably stressing it, and I wouldn't stress a $1000+ generator to save hauling 50 extra pounds. I only mentioned the Easy Start because it was why I was checking the amps used, to make sure it wasn't doing something wacky.

After re-reading my original post, I can see where you're coming from, SoundGuy. Sorry for the confusion. The Easy Start had nothing to do with the meat of the post, even though it looked like it did.

[SoundGuy]

RSD559 wrote:
Priorities. You have priorities. If I'm not plugged in and it's hot. Sorry, no popcorn and no hair dryer. I get cranky when I'm hot. After I broke in my EasyStart last summer, I checked the amps on my EMS display while the A/C was running. It was about 100 that day and the trailer is in the sun. Nothing but the A/C and the inverter was on. It was about 17 amps, if I remember. My A/C is a 15k BTU unit.
The idea of running a $1000+ generator in the heat with a full load and at high RPMs hurts me. I would rather have something that handles the load easily and doesn't have to run hard. Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should.

You seem to be confusing running amps with starting amps ... it's the latter the Micro-Air Easy Start solves but does nothing to lower running amps, nor does the manufacturer ever claim it does. If you want to run lots of "stuff" then of course you'd want to be using a genset capable of handling that running load. Expecting any 2K genset to constantly support a running load well beyond it's amp rating isn't the genset manufacturers' fault nor Micro-Air's, it's yours. :R

[RSD559]

Priorities. You have priorities. If I'm not plugged in and it's hot. Sorry, no popcorn and no hair dryer. I get cranky when I'm hot. After I broke in my EasyStart last summer, I checked the amps on my EMS display while the A/C was running. It was about 100 that day and the trailer is in the sun. Nothing but the A/C and the inverter was on. It was about 17 amps, if I remember. My A/C is a 15k BTU unit.
The idea of running a $1000+ generator in the heat with a full load and at high RPMs hurts me. I would rather have something that handles the load easily and doesn't have to run hard. Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should.

[Rbertalotto]

:B not really...just every once in a while I actually bu6 something that works exactly as advertised....not often, but it happened with this product.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

[Rbertalotto]

Still loving my Micro-Air.....just saying

[MrWizard]

i had one, in the stick house many years ago

when i went shopping 6yrs ago to replace the dead GE under cabinet over stove
the best FIT was another GE 1100 cooking watts 1580 input

yeah it pulls pretty heavy, genny or inverter

[ktmrfs]

road-runner wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
all i'm saying is thats a D**** big MW that won't run on a 2000w generator
unless something else is going on, WH ?

I'm not as surprised as you are. I know from experience that at a few thousand feet altitude a 1,000 watt microwave can max out the eu2000i all by itself. Having said that, however, I believe a lot of RVers don't know about (or forget to) change the fridge to "gas only", or turn off the power converter.

A 1000W microwave, with it's power factor and draw from the control circuit can easily draw 1600VA . Not that's near many 2000VA (note VA, not W, since most generators are really VA) continous rating.

So, with a few other things on the microwave may put it over the limit.

Now, a very good solution is to toss the 100W micrwave and install a 1000W panasonic true inverter microwave which doesn't cycle power between 100 percent and 0 to the magentron, but runs at a continous power level between 10 and 100 percent. 50 percent is around 800VA. works great on a 1000VA sine wave inverter. We love it. And in almost all case it doesn't take twice as long to heat something, maybe 1.5X.

[road-runner]

MrWizard wrote:
all i'm saying is thats a D**** big MW that won't run on a 2000w generator
unless something else is going on, WH ?

I'm not as surprised as you are. I know from experience that at a few thousand feet altitude a 1,000 watt microwave can max out the eu2000i all by itself. Having said that, however, I believe a lot of RVers don't know about (or forget to) change the fridge to "gas only", or turn off the power converter.

[MrWizard]

all i'm saying is thats a D**** big MW that won't run on a 2000w generator
unless something else is going on, WH ?

but use the 2kw as power for the converter, and use a big inverter to run the MW for a few minutes

[pnichols]

MrWizard wrote:
Any body with a good stand alone inverter big enough for their MW can do the same thing with a 2000w generator
Let the generator charge the batteries at Max available and run the mw from inverter and batteries
Yes you are pulling power from the batteries, this extends the run time recharge by whatever amount of power was pulled from the batteries

Hmmm .... it looks there's two workable configurations if you want to RV camp off-pedestal like you can on-pedestal:

1. Small generator that just barely runs the A/C plus a large inverter and battery system. (Plus maybe solar.)

OR

2. Large generator that runs everything anytime plus only a small inverter and small (or large, for other reasons) battery system. (Plus maybe solar.)

IMHO, part of configuration 1. plus part of configuration 2. is the preferred setup -> large generator plus large inverter and battery system. (Plus maybe solar.)

We have configuration 2. in our RV but mix in something odd because it provides more flexibilty - we carry along a small generator instead of having solar.

[MrWizard]

I think many people would call 'QuickSilver'
A penthouse, going by your description of the build
Teak interior, huge freezers, aircraft fittings, space shuttle real gold window tint solar treatments
Yes it was all bought pennies on the dollar
But gotta be worth $500 grand the way it's built

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Ring down for room service RVing? When I horse packed, a hundred degree day at 10,000 feet was brutal. Slapping a set of wheels on a park avenue penthouse somehow clouds the vision of RV'ing

"Pull the blinds Honey, the pine trees are reflecting on the Dukes of Hazzard"