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

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Oct 22, 2015
If gou want -try- and find out what went wrong.
GordonThree
Explorer
Oct 22, 2015
SATX_Camper wrote:
Well, I took some advice I got from you lot and tested the generators individually. It turns out that one of the generators wasn't producing any electricity. Well ****.

It didn't cross my mind to do this initially because they were bought in June 2014 and only have about 45-50 hours on them. On the bright side, there is a three year warranty on the generators and this should be covered. On the down side, I need another generator for this weekend.

Off to see what the Google machine can find for me.

Thanks for all the advice. It is much appreciated. Cheers!

Glad to hear you found a problem, rather than it continuing to be a mystery. Hopefully it's nothing major and the warranty repair will have it fixed up quickly.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Oct 21, 2015
gatorcq wrote:
Bring earplugs for the Harbor Freight generators

Have you heard their new "quiet" inverter generator? It's no honda but it's certainly far and away better than one of their clanky open framers.
JiminDenver
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2015
Bring ear plugs for any generator.
gatorcq
Explorer
Oct 20, 2015
Bring earplugs for the Harbor Freight generators
SoundGuy
Explorer
Oct 20, 2015
SoundGuy wrote:
Just curious ;) - in your original post you mentioned using a "Surgeguard" ... my question - is it really a TRC Surge Guard and if so which model, if not what exactly do you have? :@

SATX_Camper wrote:
Yes, it is a TRC Surge Guard. I have the 34830 seen here http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/portable-surge-guard-with-lcd-display-30-amp/81277

Why do you ask?

Since you own a TRC and not a Progressive Industries surge protector you may not be aware that PI has done some extensive testing and found the Yamaha EF2000iS genset capable under some circumstances of generating a waveform destructive to the Progressive EMS units and will deny warranty coverage for any of their EMS units used with this particular generator.

Progressive Industries / Yamaha EF2000iS Warranty Disclaimer

Since surge protector circuit design between TRC and Progressive products is likely similar I'm wondering if a TRC might also be subject to damage if used with the EF2000iS. :@ If so, that then raises the question as to whether the reverse could then be possible - i.e. whether a surge protector that has failed because it was being fed a non-sinusoidal waveform by this particular Yamaha generator could in turn damage the generator. :E I'm not saying that is definitively what has happened in your case but it does make one wonder considering Progressive's concerns about the Yamaha EF2000iS. :h
SATX_Camper
Explorer
Oct 20, 2015
SoundGuy wrote:

Just curious ;) - in your original post you mentioned using a "Surgeguard" ... my question - is it really a TRC Surge Guard and if so which model, if not what exactly do you have? :@

Yes, it is a TRC Surge Guard. I have the 34830 seen here http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/portable-surge-guard-with-lcd-display-30-amp/81277

Why do you ask?
SoundGuy
Explorer
Oct 20, 2015
SATX_Camper wrote:
Well, I took some advice I got from you lot and tested the generators individually. It turns out that one of the generators wasn't producing any electricity. Well ****.

Just curious ;) - in your original post you mentioned using a "Surgeguard" ... my question - is it really a TRC Surge Guard and if so which model, if not what exactly do you have? :@
SATX_Camper
Explorer
Oct 20, 2015
Well, I took some advice I got from you lot and tested the generators individually. It turns out that one of the generators wasn't producing any electricity. Well ****.

It didn't cross my mind to do this initially because they were bought in June 2014 and only have about 45-50 hours on them. On the bright side, there is a three year warranty on the generators and this should be covered. On the down side, I need another generator for this weekend.

Off to see what the Google machine can find for me.

Thanks for all the advice. It is much appreciated. Cheers!
mkirsch
Nomad II
Oct 19, 2015
wld1985 wrote:
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

Doing what? What conversion?

Is there some secret way to parallel Harbor Freight inverter generators? I've been doing some online google-ing, and everything I've found says that it's not possible, there is no frequency matching capability on the HF inverter gennys.