Wondering if anyone has heard of or used this for their rv. The you-tube videos show starting 2 a/c units on an rv while on a 30 amp circuit. This eliminates hard wiring a soft start into their a/c units on the roof. It is quite spendy, but if it works you just pug it in line with your power cord and no climbing on the roof, a plus for older people who do not like heights. It also works with a generator and enables you to run 1 a/c unit on 110 house current. It is made by Active Controls llc in Florida. what do the experienced rvers have to say about this idea or unit?

 

Well, it will do what it says it does, however, it can also put a strain on your AC units and the wiring in the RV. It reduces the amount of current and voltage that can be drawn by any single device. When hardwired to the AC it is wired directly to the condenser and regulates the current between the soft start and condenser motor, where the post mount one you refer to limits the current through from the plug to the motor. What can happen is when the motor is working to draw that current, it will pull it from everything else in the RV when trying to start, so all other items currently running will also get reduced current. Electronics do not like this, so things like TV's, microwaves and such can be impacted.

A 15K AC will pull 3K watts on start up. One will start and run on 30 amps, and run at ~1500 watts, a second one trying to start will pull 3K watts, making a total draw of 4500 watts. Thats 4500 watts to the plug of the trailer using the plug in soft start.

An AC with soft start can run after an AC without is already running. So the one running draws 1500 watts, the soft start equipped draws 1800 and ramps down, this stays within the 3500 watts before brownout happens on a 30 amp circuit. Nothing in the trailer is impacted by too low a voltage.

I have a Watch Dog on my 5th wheel wired in at 30 amps (it's a 50 amp unit) and with the bluetooth app I watched the draw on the unit when running the AC's. The Watchdog will cut power when voltage drops, and voltage does drop when the non soft start AC fires up.

Do they work? yes, would I use one? nope. I would rather have both AC's soft start equipped than rely on a inline softstart before the breakers.

 

That's an interesting take on that Active Start plug, thanks for sharing. I saw the video the OP mentioned, and it did look like a slick but expensive solution for anyone with 2 AC units.

Thanks also for pointing out that Watchdog app. I didn't know they had one, and it's pretty sweet!

 

I can run my OEM 2006 Coleman Mach 15 with my Victron Multiplus 12/3000 (3000 va, 2400 watts) without the inverter complaining. Since I needed to install a new air conditioning unit, I bought the Micro-air EasyStart and installed that before putting the air conditioner on the roof. I figured why stress the inverter if I don't have to. After the air conditioner, the microwave is the largest current draw. I don't know that I want something messing with how the microwave starts.