Question for people useing/have used a generator for air conditioning

[Steve Hammel]

"the guy who says his rooftop unit will run directly off of the 2000 I really wonder about."

I've done it. Started my 13500 rooftop just because I read that it was possible. Scared the hell out of me it was running so hard. I shut it right down. There is no way I would continuously run it enough to cool down a camper, especially while I was asleep.

However I hear there is a Coleman, cub I believe, that runs 9000 btu.

[Ryan P R]

At least consider running a small fan energy efficient 12v volt direct over you while sleeping.

I get hot every night- including at home in the winter with the thermostat set at 65F- a small fan makes all the sleeping difference for me whether its hot summer camping or cool nights at home.

[deryk]

Originally Posted by Ryan P R

At least consider running a small fan energy efficient 12v volt direct over you while sleeping.

I get hot every night- including at home in the winter with the thermostat set at 65F- a small fan makes all the sleeping difference for me whether its hot summer camping or cool nights at home.

Ryan, I understand that and most of the time it will be a fan...the point Im trying to get at is sometimes its TOO HOT & HUMID...Jersey is like that and if I have a choice to sit in my air conditioned apartment on a steamy weekend, or take my caravan down to my friends place and hang out with friends, listen to some live music, drink a lot of beers and sweat during the day, then when ready for sleep fire up my whisper quiet generator, jump in the shower to wash off the grime and go to sleep comfortably for the night then thats what Im going to do. Anyone who wants to sweat feel free lol...I moved up to a trailer for a few comforts. I have 2 friends who sometimes come out with construction type generators and a portable air conditioner for the summer or an electric heater for the winter time
...I usually dont like camping near them...I prefer the longer walk to camp near the tiny pond where its more quiet. I prefer to not have to run the generator but if its needed I will.

Ah Steve yeah that makes more sense, cause I saw the post, turn the fan on low for a minute then turn eco off and turn it on low cool...yeah first time around you can start the generator but its running full out and yeah I am in complete agreement with you...good way to kill it.

Francesca=boozer lol

Joy, now thats promising... it makes me wonder if starting amperage is really around twice running amperage which makes sense (well in my crazy delusional brain) that they have a rated 15 amp plug, plugged into a 15 amp fuse and its not tripping it. Joy how long of a run time are you getting, or are you useing an extended run tank?

Linda, Im in complete agreement! You are free to make your caravan as comfortable as you would like. Since mine is a replacement from my Hurracaine Sandy destroyed boat that I lived on, and that I think of it and use it as a 2nd home I want it set up as comfortable as I can make it within reason of course lol. If I spend the night at my parents house I will stay in it, and down the road when I have to be there more "often" I will probably stay out there to avoid the endless tv reruns they watch lol.

deryk

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by deryk

Joy, now thats promising... it makes me wonder if starting amperage is really around twice running amperage which makes sense (well in my crazy delusional brain) that they have a rated 15 amp plug, plugged into a 15 amp fuse and its not tripping it.

Deryk, I am assuming that you are wondering why a 15A fuse does not blow when more then 15A is flowing through it.
This is actually how they are supposed to operate. I am an electrical engineering tech, and in school we studied breaker and fuse curves. It is a time and current relationship. So if a device has a large start-up current, it doesn't blow the fuse.
It is necessary to compare the curves so that branch circuits and main breaker curves don't cross. You don't want the main breaker tripping when the fault is on a branch, which is what happened during our final motors exam, when a classmate took down the whole building with an incorrect wiring. The main breaker was in a locked room, so it was some time before the power came back. I don't think he passed that test.

[Joy A]

Originally Posted by deryk

Joy, now thats promising... it makes me wonder if starting amperage is really around twice running amperage which makes sense (well in my crazy delusional brain) that they have a rated 15 amp plug, plugged into a 15 amp fuse and its not tripping it. Joy how long of a run time are you getting, or are you useing an extended run tank?
deryk

Well, that's what the factory said but it was only a guess on his part. I don't think the start amps are double the run amps. I was asking him because I wanted to know whether I should purchase the Honda 1000 or 2000. He said because of the start amps I should get the Honda 2000.

I don't use an extended tank because I don't use my A/C or generator that often. Certainly not for any length of time. I do know that over the 11 days at Quartzsite a few years ago I used 2 tanks of gas and ran the generator for a total of 24 hours. I don't recall running the A/C at all. So that tracks with my memory of other years where I got about 10 hours total out of a tank of gas. Now that's just general running of the gen. with sporatic running of the A/C. I have a fantastic fan overhead and tend to use it quite bit so it's not often that I've had to use the A/C and never overnight. The only overnight running of the A/C was when I was plugged into shore power.

I think the longest period of time I've run the A/C on the gen. was 3 hours maybe 4 hours and it did fine. I was in a very hot 100 degree plus area of N. Cal.

[Jon Vermilye]

Actually, the starting current of an AC motor can be 20X the running current, however that only lasts for a cycle or so. It is still 4X - 8X for a second or so, then tapers down to the running current. That initial hit is what makes it difficult to run on a inverter generator. For some reasonably non technical information on motor starting & fusing, check this page at Cooper Industries.

One somewhat expensive solution is to add an inverter that is capable of detecting low input AC voltage & transferring the load to the inverter. Once the load goes down, the generator comes back up to normal voltage & the inverter transfers back to the generator. As long as the battery powered inverter has a high, short term overload capability, it works well. One example is the Xantrex 2000 Watt Prosine inverter. Check their specification sheet for more info.

Probably not worth it unless you want to add an inverter/charger - but is is a solution other RVers have used.

There is also a big difference between ACs. For example, at one time the lowest current roof top AC was the Coleman Polar Cub 9200 BTU unit. Now, Dometic makes a 11,000 BTU model that has a lower start & run current:

From the Manufacturer's websites:

Polar Cub 9200:
Locked rotor (starting amps) 58.4
Running amps cooling - 11.5
Running Heating amps - 13.75

Dometic Penguin 11000 Model 600312.321:
Locked Rotor (Starting amps) 53
Running amps cooling 9.5
Running Heating amps - 12.7

[stevebaz]

When I had my motorhome it wasn't a generator or Air conditioner issue it was the wiring between them. The generator had a 20 amp circut running through the 30 amp cord to the motor home load center, but the 15 amp circut going to the Air conditioner had only 14 guage wire running through who knows where. On Air conditioner start-up the 14 guage leg and the high amp draw was killing the Air conditioner especially on a hot restart cycle. it would pop the breaker on the generator which seem to be more sensative than household breakers. I had to rewire the air conditioner leg to the pannel with 10 guage wire and life was good. Your ratings on your air conditioner says 6 foot wire run, the longer run more amp draw. There are also special starting capisitors that can be added to help with the starting overload. Most low amp air units are already built with this technology. When running a generator starting the air conditioner with only the fan on high first and then starting tha actual cooling cycle can sometimes get the generator to step up a little before being slammed with full load right off the bat and get you past a marginal system.
When in doubt before you buy go rent a generator from your home supply you will find out quick before making a 4 didget mistake.

[deryk]

Steve that is a good point... wonder if i ran the heater for a while and got the cabin hot i wonder if the ac would work? I don't want to wait till it gets hot before i order it lol


deryk

[cpaharley2008]

Deryk,
I have ordered from Wise on the internet a Honeywell generator 3 years ago, and before that a Kipor 2000 watt. Due to the good pricing I was able to sell both via Craigs List for a small loss(less than $100 total). My point is, whichever you decide, if it doesn't work, you won't take a big hit. My Yamaha I bought local a year ago, used it twice, ran my Coleman polar cub 9200 without any issues, you always have to start on low fan and slowly turn down thermostat to activate the compressor, never phased the Yammie.

[deryk]

Jim, you have the 2000 watt model right? Did you use an extended run tank? With the egg camper did you have to do the same start the fan first then the air conditioner?


deryk

[cpaharley2008]

No extended run tank on my 2000 watt model and you always start fan first and the turn compressor on, works every time.

[deryk]

Yeah wise seems to be the only site that sells the extended tank for the yamaha 1000 and 2000. I do like the idea of it....kills 2 birds with 1 stone...


deryk

[deryk]

I heard back from Chandler and he feels there is no reason a 2000 watt generator shouldn't handle the ac with no issue.

Now red or blue...hmmmmm lol

deryk

[Eddie Longest]

Make sure you get an hour meter for it when you order your gen.
Eddie

[deryk]

Oh yeah....got to stay on top of maintenance!

deryk

[deryk]

Well blew my tax return and ordered from wise today...EF2400iSHC Yamaha Generator 2400 WiseSales.com

Not bad, got it for $1280 shipped to me with a Yamaha hour meter...bought 2 quarts of oil.

So feel free to try to beat them up on their price and add some stuff in. Personally all generators should come with an hour meter for maint. purposes.

Im hopeing it shows up on friday since Im going to my parents house saturday to install the battery meter. I wanna hook the generator up and run their fridge on it so next time the power goes out, my parents can have some power... cause if another storm hits Im heading to their house since that's where my ParkLiner is lol.

deryk

[deryk]

Oh, came across this site on youtube, he does extended run tanks for Yamaha's. I spoke with the owner Paul yesterday, nice guy and he said he is actually just working on a version for the ef2400 series and says it should be availible in the next 2-3 months.

Yamaha Generator Products - Pinellas Power Products - Portable Generator Extended Fuel Systems & Wireless Remote Control

deryk

[Thomas G.]

Looks like a sweet generator. Let us know how well it powers your AC unit.

[deryk]

Thanks Tom! I know its a bit of an overkill for my ac, but since its a multipurpose tool I figure it was worth it. I can't wait to be able to use it and check it out lol.

deryk