Here is a good read for folks that want run their ac unit while boondocking off a 2000w generator.
Instead of having to sell your small gen and buy a larger one or a 2nd 2000 and parallel them this seems to be good option.
This has also been done using it off of lithium batteries but don't expect to do it for long periods of time.
EasyStart Install -- in One Image - Airstream Forums

 

I posted on this, but not sure if folks understood what I was saying. Before buying anything, try your AC on your 2,000 first. My 2,000 Yamaha will start most 13,500s and 15,000 ACs. My 2,400 will start nearly all. Yes, they will scream, but they will pull the load.

If it won't start and you want to go a step further, pull your cover and the metal cover over the capacitors. There used to be three capacitors, one for the compressor, one for the fan motor, and a hard start kit for the compressor.

Dometic went to a single capacitor to save money a few years ago, but in meeting with techs privately, we were told it may create some start problem and if it did, they would supply the start capacitor free of charge (I don't know if they are still willing to do that). If you go a step further and add one, it might allow your 2,000 to start it without spending a whole lot.

Just a thought,

Steve

 

That looks pretty interesting. I have a 15K A/C and one Honda will run it, but not start it. I still advocate a parallel set of generators for boondocking. Redundancy is a wonderful thing. Myself and all my hunting/camping buddies have the Honda sets and I think most of us have had an unscheduled stoppage of one form or another over the years.

 

My intent starting this thread was to let folks know that there is other option out there to use the ac without having to buy some monster of a generator or second one. Lately it seems to be on a lot of rv forums about generators with the debate of which is better, then quieter, then cheaper, then lighter, then american made well you get the point.

I have a Carrier Air V 15k (low profile) and have tried different ways to start it and use it. I prefer to move towards higher elevation than use the ac but at times a day or 2 for a couple few hours is needed and not everyone has this option.
(1) Starting without the generator using solar. I have more than enough solar, lithium batteries and a Magnum 3000w hybrid inverter which can handle the electrical draw for awhile (couple or so hours) but it won't handle the initial power spike from the compressor which shuts the inverter down protecting it.
(2) Using 1 Honda eu2000i generator. Once again the system has the hybrid inverter which allows me to load share meaning that if the generator doesn't have enough power it will pull power from the batteries with both working in unison , preset the Magnum with 15a load share setting. If I try just turning the AC unit on it will be hit and miss whether it will start plus there will be an overload condition for a fraction of a sec that the inverter can handle but the generator can't sometimes and will shutdown from overload condition.
Once again with 1 generator if turning the AC unit on fan for a minute or 2 then turn the AC on it will work everytime but I'll get an overload fault light but no shut down of the system. This way the system has enough time to sync with each other.
(3) Using 2 Honda eu2000i (2nd gen is the companion) working in tandem. I'll change the load share setting to 30a. Now there is full 30a power coming in when trying to start AC unit and there will be no issues. But this means having 2 generators which the purpose of solar was to eliminate 1 generator and use the other as little as possible. For the record for long periods of non use drain and run the generator dry or add some fuel stabilizer and run it on occasion.

As Steve mentioned about the hard start capacitor could be purchased and installed but there still seems that it might work or not with one generator. Maybe generators aren't all created equal or possibly the capacitor .
What does seem to work is this easy start. (I don't have one and have been reseaching and reading post from different rv forums) From reading the micro site it seems that after installing it you need to be using shore power for the initial learning process, after x amount of restarts that it basically applies power to the AC unit in stages so there is no hard start by the compressor straining the system.
I have been on the roof and taken the cover off my AC unit to see how hard it will be to install it when the time comes. There is not alot of extra room with this low profile unit to mount the easy start but over all though it doesn't look that hard.

djousma posted in the generator thread that he has ordered it for both his AC units and hopefully will post here how it works and if he does the install himself how it went.

 

I think that is an excellent summary. I never found it was a particular brand of air conditioner in terms of more or less start-up draw. It just seemed to vary by unit. Normally you have to set your meter to max hold to see the rise in amperage at start-up which normally is about 30-35 amps with a duration of less than an eye blink. Yes, I know, that should mean it is not possible of small gensets to start the AC, but remember, it has a slow blow 20 amp breaker which does fine on shore power. When I worked on dealer lots, I didn't want to take the time to always run a shoreline, so I always used the genset on my truck and often it was enough to start the AC.

This is the part I noted that Dometic starting leaving out of their AC units a few years back Dometic Duo-Therm Brisk Air Conditioner Motor Hard Start Kit - $2...

It makes start up much easier. I can't recall what Coleman has in their new Machs. They also had a hard start kit. Not trying to talk anyone into or out of anything. Just throwing this information out.

Steve

 

I am planning on getting up on the roof today. I ordered two to install in two of my three A/C units. I'll report back. I bought them because we run a 3100 watt Champion inverter generator, and the AC kicking on works most of the time, but last tailgate out, it was very hot, and when the compressor kicked on, it did overload the champion.

 

I completed the install of the Micro Air Easy Start 364 on both of the A/C's (front,rear), left the mid-ship A/C alone, as we dont run that one very much. Front A/C is a 13.5K Dometic Penquin II low profile. Very easy, just as the instructions layed out. Took me about an hour, but while in there I cleaned the cooling fins as they were getting clogged. The rear air is a 15K Dometic Briskair II with Heatpump. The wiring that the Easy start tied into was the same colors as the Penquin, but there was a lot of additional wires due to being a heatpump too. I was glad I did the standard AC first, that made doing the second one easier to understand.

I've done all of the training starts as required for the box to do the learning. And I'm doing that on a 15 amp circuit at home one at a time obviously. Can't hardly hear the compressors start. This weekend we'll be on generator tailgating at U of M vs Mich St. football game. That wil be my first real world test. A couple weeks ago while on generator, the 13.5K ac overloaded my champion 3100 watt inverter, which I thought was odd, but it was probably a convergence of AC kicking on and the converter going into its regular high charge mode or Refrigerator kicking on.

The claim by the manufacturer is that I should be able to run my air with the Champion on eco-mode. They also claim that I will be able to run two A/C's on a full 30A circuit due to the reduction of in-rush current requirements on startup.

I'll report back after this coming weekend on how things worked on generator.

 

Steve,

Just to clarify, in my Dometic units, there is a combined, run, and fan capacitor, and a separate start capacitor. Of course, now I have two paperweights, as I removed those with the install of the Easy Start.

 

Ran all weekend on generator. Never took it off eco mode. ran the AC all night. Wow what a difference! Best upgrade I've done recently.

Dave

 

Dave that is excellent to hear. Did you run both of your ac units at the same time?

 

No, I didn't try that. This coming weekend, I'll probably be on a 30amp campsite, so I will try that then.