Honda 2200i and 15k AC

[reno6]

I think the planets of Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn were aligned just perfectly or I am just incredibly lucky.

2018 Keystone Bullet with 15k Dometic AC and I installed an older SPP6E capacitor that I had laying around from a previous trailer. Just a simple 2 wire install taking about 10 min. Took the 2200i off eco mode, turned off all breaker in the trailer except the 20 amp AC so as to limit the load on the generator.

Set the AC fan on low for a few minutes, then slowly started to drop the temp on the thermostat waiting to see what would happen. Boom! AC fired right up with the generator slowing down just for a second. Ran it for over an hour. After the AC was running for a few minutes, I put the generator on eco mode and it actually dropped several hundred rpm so that tells me it is not maxed out.

For those of you who want to pick apart my success, I am at 4800 feet at 89 deg F outside temp. Throughout the day, I repeated this process 4-5 times and it worked 100% every time. Either the 2200i puts out more than advertised or my AC is a mislabeled 11k unit(not likely). Either way, I am incredibly happy!!!

[philh]

Interesting...

I have to do some stuff inside the trailer, and would rather not drag it home... but it would be nice to have AC running at the storage place. I may start the micro to see what happens. Part of the issue, my compressor with microair is virtually impossible to hear it start up. But, I'll be able to watch watt load on the generator.

[ktmrfs]

3 tons wrote:
This is a fascinating revelation about the Easy Start (or HyperEngineering’s Soft Start?), and the unintended (and undisclosed?) consequences that might happen... Though not quite of the same makings, my Prosine 2.0 shore power ‘pass-thru’ type inverter will temporarily interrupt poor shore or generator power, even if the inverter is panel switch is switched to OFF...

Having past experienced many of this same generator/air conditioner run issues, my Soft Start may be yet another nagging variable...

actually either the owners manual and/or information on their website describes what it does when it senses impending overload.

[3_tons]

This is a fascinating revelation about the Easy Start (or HyperEngineering’s Soft Start?), and the unintended (and undisclosed?) consequences that might happen... Though not quite of the same makings, my Prosine 2.0 shore power ‘pass-thru’ type inverter will temporarily interrupt poor shore or generator power, even if the inverter is panel switch is switched to OFF...

Having past experienced many of this same generator/air conditioner run issues, my Soft Start may be yet another nagging variable...

[ktmrfs]

philh wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:
the 2000 runs out of "omph" at about 4000-5000ft on a hot day (6000+ft density altitude). and the easy start will start to cycle the AC on and off. The nice thing it is catches the overload BEFORE the 2000 does so it will shut the AC off for 5 minutes then try a restart.

I don't get that... is the voltage dropping to keep the current up? My Westinghouse 2500, once it reaches it's limit, it's done.

the easy start monitors voltage and current. I talked to them after mine did a shutdown before the gen actually overloaded and tripped. They obviously won't disclose all the details, but the easy start does monitor voltage and current and has an algorithm to determine when they think the generator is overloading. On an AC motor as voltage drops, current rises, (less "back emf"). So I suspect they look at voltage and current compared to startup and when they think the generator is nearing an overload, they turn off the AC, wait 5 minutes then restart and monitor again. The nice thing about this is for example if you have a brain fade, have the AC on and decide to pop a sandwich in the microwave to warm it up, rather than the generator cutting off power completely, the easy start will drop out the AC, let the microwave run. Kinda a poor man's "load shed device". I actually tried that to see what would happen and that's exactly what happened. Didn't need to go out and reset the generator. And about 5 minutes later, AC fired up again, right on que!

Now from talking with them it sounds like they have done pretty extensive evaluation of the unit with honda 2000's so they probably can determine quite well when the typical honda 2000 is nearing overload. How well the same algorithm works on other generator I don't know. But most now are inverter generators, so they probably share pretty similar characteristics.

[philh]

ktmrfs wrote:
the 2000 runs out of "omph" at about 4000-5000ft on a hot day (6000+ft density altitude). and the easy start will start to cycle the AC on and off. The nice thing it is catches the overload BEFORE the 2000 does so it will shut the AC off for 5 minutes then try a restart.

I don't get that... is the voltage dropping to keep the current up? My Westinghouse 2500, once it reaches it's limit, it's done.

[ReneeG]

ktmrfs wrote:

ReneeG wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:

bid_time wrote:

philh wrote:
microair rocks the world

I went with Westinghouse 2500 to gain a little bit more overhead in the same small package.

I'd put $500 into a better generator that has lots of uses around the house before I'd spend $350 on a one trick pony that can do nothing else. YOMV.

whatever works best. For me, a generator that is easy to cart around and the microair $300 has worked out well.

Just talked to our RV tech. They've installed the Microair and EasyStart. We plan to do that too to run one AC with our Honda eu2000.

In Idaho you may run into a problem with the 2000. Based on my brothers who lives in souther idao's experience, and mine, with the easy start the 2000 will easily start the AC even in eco mode and then comes the issue. the 2000 runs out of "omph" at about 4000-5000ft on a hot day (6000+ft density altitude). and the easy start will start to cycle the AC on and off. The nice thing it is catches the overload BEFORE the 2000 does so it will shut the AC off for 5 minutes then try a restart. sometimes it keeps running sometimes it shuts off again. Now either of us tried installing the high altitude jets in the 2000, that's worth a try and may solve the problem. Sometimes it would run for 30+ minutes then cycle, sometimes only 10 minutes. depended on altitude and temperature.

He is often camping at 6-7K ft.

I had loaned him one of my 2000's till the 2200's we ordered came in.

What he found is that the honda 2200 will run consistently at 7000+ ft all day long. the few extra watts AND a much larger motor makes a world of difference.

Thanks for the feedback. When we camp at 7k, we don't run our generator or need it for AC, but in other states at lower elev we would. Tetons in September can be hot!

[ktmrfs]

ReneeG wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:

bid_time wrote:

philh wrote:
microair rocks the world

I went with Westinghouse 2500 to gain a little bit more overhead in the same small package.

I'd put $500 into a better generator that has lots of uses around the house before I'd spend $350 on a one trick pony that can do nothing else. YOMV.

whatever works best. For me, a generator that is easy to cart around and the microair $300 has worked out well.

Just talked to our RV tech. They've installed the Microair and EasyStart. We plan to do that too to run one AC with our Honda eu2000.

In Idaho you may run into a problem with the 2000. Based on my brothers who lives in souther idao's experience, and mine, with the easy start the 2000 will easily start the AC even in eco mode and then comes the issue. the 2000 runs out of "omph" at about 4000-5000ft on a hot day (6000+ft density altitude). and the easy start will start to cycle the AC on and off. The nice thing it is catches the overload BEFORE the 2000 does so it will shut the AC off for 5 minutes then try a restart. sometimes it keeps running sometimes it shuts off again. Now either of us tried installing the high altitude jets in the 2000, that's worth a try and may solve the problem. Sometimes it would run for 30+ minutes then cycle, sometimes only 10 minutes. depended on altitude and temperature.

He is often camping at 6-7K ft.

I had loaned him one of my 2000's till the 2200's we ordered came in.

What he found is that the honda 2200 will run consistently at 7000+ ft all day long. the few extra watts AND a much larger motor makes a world of difference.

[ReneeG]

ktmrfs wrote:

bid_time wrote:

philh wrote:
microair rocks the world

I went with Westinghouse 2500 to gain a little bit more overhead in the same small package.

I'd put $500 into a better generator that has lots of uses around the house before I'd spend $350 on a one trick pony that can do nothing else. YOMV.

whatever works best. For me, a generator that is easy to cart around and the microair $300 has worked out well.

Just talked to our RV tech. They've installed the Microair and EasyStart. We plan to do that too to run one AC with our Honda eu2000.

[ktmrfs]

bid_time wrote:

philh wrote:
microair rocks the world

I went with Westinghouse 2500 to gain a little bit more overhead in the same small package.

I'd put $500 into a better generator that has lots of uses around the house before I'd spend $350 on a one trick pony that can do nothing else. YOMV.

whatever works best. For me, a generator that is easy to cart around and the microair $300 has worked out well.

[TurnThePage]

That MicroAir sounds awesome. If I didn't already have a Champion 3400, I would consider it. My set up now is a Coleman MachIII 13.5k BTU AC with an SPP6E, and a fan delay circuit. When I fire it up, the Champion doesn't hesitate a bit, and runs barely off idle. Last weekend my wife used a curling iron and blow drier while the AC was running, the Champion generator didn't flinch. Yeah it's heavy, but I think I'll stick with it.

[philh]

Already have a 5500 for the house.

3500 watt, my wife can't move by herself. Not sure I'd want to move it either.

2500, she can move it, and start it all by herself.

[3_tons]

bid_time wrote:

philh wrote:
microair rocks the world

I went with Westinghouse 2500 to gain a little bit more overhead in the same small package.

I'd put $500 into a better generator that has lots of uses around the house before I'd spend $350 on a one trick pony that can do nothing else. YOMV.

You’re a free agent, so do as you wish...

[bid_time]

philh wrote:
microair rocks the world

I went with Westinghouse 2500 to gain a little bit more overhead in the same small package.

I'd put $500 into a better generator that has lots of uses around the house before I'd spend $350 on a one trick pony that can do nothing else. YOMV.

[philh]

microair rocks the world

I went with Westinghouse 2500 to gain a little bit more overhead in the same small package.