RecPro RV A/C

toot1977 wrote:
. . . This gives me some confidence that my 2200 will be good at a higher elevation and higher ambient temperatures

Seriously doubt you'll have any issues with your 2200 at elevation. We've powered our 10k Dometic Penguin II a/c (with Micro Air installed) using our Honda EU2200i at 7k elevation a few times. Ambient was somewhere in the mid/high 80's. A/c typically pulls about 8-11a (11a with very high ambient temps). Zero issues.

For a quick test, I borrowed a friends Honda EU2000i to see if it would start and run my RecPro Houghton A2801 9.5K air conditioner which has a Microair EasyStart installed. The Honda EU2000i started and ran the air conditioner with no obvious hesitation from the AC or the generator. This test was done with Eco-mode turned off. I did not try to start the air conditioner with the EU2000i with Eco-mode turned on. Even though I did successfully start and run the AC using my EU2200i with Eco-mode turned on, I did that only as a test and I do not normally run it that way because I do not know how the response time of the Eco-mode compares to, or affects, the starting surge of the air conditioner.

Test conditions were:
* Camper batteries fully charged, Everything other than the AC was turned off. The Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C showed 0 amps with AC turned off, showed 8 amps with AC on with low speed fan, and showed 9 amps with AC on with high speed fan.
* Sunny and 77 degrees
* 770 feet elevation

This gives me some confidence that my 2200 will be good at a higher elevation and higher ambient temperatures

toot1977 wrote:
. . . In an effort to get an idea what the peak inrush current at startup may be, using the Min/Max and fast Peak settings on the Fluke 87iii, I recording the following Max peak readings during six starts: 23.36, 24.76, 30.84, 26.44, 27.40, & 28.28 amps. I realize that this may not be an accurate way to measure peak inrush, but it is best way I had available and may give an idea. I have used several Microair EasyStarts on my RV’s and installed several more for friends. The EasyStarts make a huge difference during compressor start up. . . .

Totally agree. Used an Amprobe 320 to measure inrush current on our 10k BTU Dometic Penguin II a/c. Prior to installing the Micro Air Easy Start, I believe the inrush was in the low 50's. After installing the Micro Air, 15-16a. Very dramatic drop. It's so low that just about any high-frequency 2000 watt inverter could start this a/c compressor.

Thank you so much for the followup of your Recpro install. The info will be very useful for those of us that are interested in it! Wondering if the 2000 honda will run it too.

Jim

Last year I installed a RecPro (Houghton) A2801 9.5Kbtu on my truck camper to replace the OE 11Kbtu Dometic Penguin II in an effort to get something quieter. It is definitely much quieter, I am not sure I would say it is as quiet as Houghton specifies, but I am very pleased and would do it again.

As noted above, the RecPro Houghton A2801 9.5 AC does not have any kind of easy start or soft start device as built. There is no additional starting capacitor or PTCR.

I installed it, ran it a couple times and then immediately installed an EasyStart (Microair.net) on it just because that was my plan to begin with (I did read a thread on another forum where someone had successfully installed an EasyStart on a Houghton 9.5). I also did not try to run it with my Honda 2200 prior to the EasyStart install. I should say that RecPro told me that they recommend against using any soft start device. They did not give me a reason. From the wiring diagram, I saw no reason an EasyStart cannot be connected and used on the Houghton 9.5. The wiring from the AC relay to the compressor is the same as Dometic or Coleman. Microair did tell me that they have customers who are using EasyStarts on Houghton AC units (I do not know which models). My Houghton A2801 9.5 has the same Boyard KFA092T 8A compressor as is in my tc’s original Dometic Penguin II. The fit of the EasyStart is tight, but it fit.

I did not check current prior to installing the easy start (running current should not be different). Running current readings after the EasyStart install are:
Low Fan only: 0.60 amp Low Fan with AC: 8.64 amp
Med Fan only: 0.63 amp Med Fan with AC: 8.75 amp
High Fan only: 0.66 amp High Fan with AC: 8.85 amp

All current readings were taken with a Fluke 87iii meter using a Fluke Y8101A clamp on current transformer. I measured current at the wall receptacle with all circuit breakers turned off except the camper’s 30amp main and 20amp AC breakers. The meter did show about 0.10 amp with the AC and fan both turned off.

In an effort to get an idea what the peak inrush current at startup may be, using the Min/Max and fast Peak settings on the Fluke 87iii, I recording the following Max peak readings during six starts: 23.36, 24.76, 30.84, 26.44, 27.40, & 28.28 amps. I realize that this may not be an accurate way to measure peak inrush, but it is best way I had available and may give an idea. I have used several Microair EasyStarts on my RV’s and installed several more for friends. The EasyStarts make a huge difference during compressor start up.

My Honda EU2200i easily starts and runs my Houghton A2801 9.5 AC, with EasyStart, with the Honda Eco Mode Off or ON. I do believe that the AC compressor does start quieter with the EasyStart. I did not try to start it with the generator prior to installing the EasyStart.

mrggg, thanks for the info! The inrush and continuous current measurements for the RecPro are especially helpful.

You mentioned the RecPro is "dramatically quieter". Glad to hear that. Is your unit ducted or non-ducted? Much difference in loudness when selecting different blower/fan speeds?

Does the RecPro use one motor (and two squirrel cage fans) for the evaporator and condenser coils like Dometic?

I just installed a RecPro 2801 ( 9500BTU, $1100 ) on a 2012 Keystone Springdale 179. My roof is 5" thick, so I needed the thick roof kit, which worked fine. It's little tricky to change the duct to the longer one, make sure you screw it out in the correct direction, which was clockwise for me. Otherwise, you end up tightening it and it's very difficult to remove. Putting the new one on is a little tricky, but after a few tries I got it. My old AC was a Dometic Brisk II. This new one is dramatically quieter. However, I hoped to run it off a single Yamaha EF2000is ( 1st generation), and it did not work. Later I took the cover off and found out the "locked rotor amps" is 52A! So, there is no soft starting in this thing. At least it’s less than the 62A of the Brisk Air. Looks like mounting a SoftStartRV will be tricky, I might do it. Have to mount it under the outside air fan. I suspect they say "does not need a soft start" because it does not have a loud "thump" when the compressor starts. A soft start can fix that with any AC. The reason this one does not thump is the excellent mounting of the compressor on springs that isolates it from transmitting compressor sound to the RV. When I saw that SoftStartRV has a wiring diagram for this unit, I knew it must need a soft start. I was able to measure the inrush current with a special meter, and it showed 48A, close to the 52A on the label. So far, the highest running current I have measured is 6A, but others have reported 9A. Unfortunately we have had a very cool summer so far, so I have not had a chance to see how well it cools our small 18' trailer. But, the prior 13500BTU unit was clearly far larger than needed, so I am confident this will work fine.

Yes, Thank you. It's a bit difficult to read the text, but I'll figure that out.

The link to download the manual from RecPro's site did not work for either my iPhone or Mac

Haven’t been near my laptop. These are pics from the manual, which I downloaded from the RecPro site, I believe. Don’t know if this is what you are looking for. Hard to see on my phone.

Yes I can Google that, I did Google that, I did not find a wiring diagram for an RecPro or Houghton AC. That is why I politely asked here. I am sorry if my request did not appear sincere.