Wayne Dohnal wrote:
I've never seen such a post myself. The ones I've seen used the eu2000i powering the RV via an inverter's automatic transfer relay. When the air conditioner starts the generator voltage droops, the transfer relay flips, and the inverter starts the air conditioner. Without a load, the generator voltage picks back up and the transfer relay flips again, placing the running air conditioner back on generator power. One post I specifically remember used a Prosine 2.0 for the inverter.
Wayne,
That is an extremely interesting approach. Maybe a Prosine 2.0 will start a conventional RV A/C, but my Vector MAXX 3000/6000 will not. I connected the MAXX to four 127Ah AGM batteries via a 3' long set of four 00 copper cables and no-go. The MAXX would immediately go into overload shutdown.
But, when connected to a double 1,500 watt rated resistive load (actual 1,325 each) it would hum right along. Of course the MAXX is not a true sine wave inverter and therefore lacks the Peak to Peak voltage needed to give a starting capacitor all of it's kick.
I remember someone on a generator thread talking about an inverter generator that uses the electric starter DC battery as an additive power source for the inverter module to start high current inductive appliances. Since you appear to have a rather extensive knowledge of the specs for different inverter generators perhaps you can tell me if this is a myth or real. In any event, I like the concept.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FWIW to anyone interested - I DO occasionally run a 6,000 BTU roof mount A/C in the camper's bedroom from a 1,200 watt modified sine wave inverter and the 6,500 BTU unit in the Volvo from a 1,500 watt Xantrex MSW inverter. Either one is also quite happy connected to the KGE2000i Kipor. What's nice about this is we can at least sleep without sweat from silent power when no gen power is allowed at night. Of course, you must have a lot of battery reserve to make it through the night. My point being if you have two A/C's on your camper like we do, both of them do not need to be 15K or even 13.5K units. Downsize the one in your sleeping area and wire it so you can power it directly from the inverter or small generator. I have seen small (5K to 8K BTU) window A/C units placed in portable plywood frames temporarily set in the pop-out escape window openings of a camper. You may not be able to put frost on the walls with a smaller A/C in a larger space but you can make your living or sleeping area a lot more comfortable for less than $150 without having to purchase twin 2,000 watt generators or a heavy 3,000 watt unit. I also have a small 600 watt microwave I picked up at a thrift store for $15 that we often pitch in the camper when dry camping. That is 1/2 the power requirement for a generator or inverter than our built-in microwave. Of course it can take twice as long to heat something but you do not have the high load that chokes a small generator. By the same token, many portable hair dryers have a half-heat (wattage) setting. It takes longer to dry the DW's hair but she is happy not to be totally without. I guess we are really roughing it when we make our morning coffee in a stove-top Coleman drip coffee maker and keep the excess warm in a Thermos bottle to drink later.
