HOT HOT HOT! running AC on Honda generator

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

........... am looking at the Honda systems to run them.

...................

What I learned is that there are 2 ways to go about this:
1 - Dometic Smart Start (looks to be around $400)
2 - Supco SPP6E capacitor (looks to be around $30)


What experiences do others have as far as running AC off a Honda? Just how much of sound problem are these Honda units also.

So I got a new Honda EU2200i generator. It wouldn't start either the 16k or 7k BTU units.

Installed the Supco SPP6 on both air conditioners. Still wouldn't start the 16k unit. Will start the 7k unit, but the ECO needs to be OFF during the starting and then you can switch back to ECO. After turn the ECO back on it runs at about 1/2 speed and is pretty quiet and is like white noise and we can sleep just great with it right above us in the cockpit.

Got EasyStart soft start from Micro-Air for the 16K unit. Pretty easy to install and there was a drawing on their webpage for my exact unit. The 16K AC will start and run in ECO mode now. It is pretty much at max speed as myunit uses a little more than 13 amps (I knew ahead of time that the Honda would run the 16k unit by having it running and quickly switch breakers so it wasn't quite stopped before the Honda powered it.)

One thing to note: the easyStart says it needs to "learn" how to start the AC. So you need to plan on installing when you have shore power so it can cycle on/off a while before going to Honda power. This is in the directions and I don't know if it matters as I was on SP when I installed.

Also there are discount codes available to save $25. Search the web to find one that works. I used "AIRSTREAM".

https://www.microair.net/products/ea...nt=30176048267

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

So I got a new Honda EU2200i generator. It wouldn't start either the 16k or 7k BTU units.

Installed the Supco SPP6 on both air conditioners. Still wouldn't start the 16k unit. Will start the 7k unit, but the ECO needs to be OFF during the starting and then you can switch back to ECO. After turn the ECO back on it runs at about 1/2 speed and is pretty quiet and is like white noise and we can sleep just great with it right above us in the cockpit.

Got EasyStart soft start from Micro-Air for the 16K unit. Pretty easy to install and there was a drawing on their webpage for my exact unit. The 16K AC will start and run in ECO mode now. It is pretty much at max speed as myunit uses a little more than 13 amps (I knew ahead of time that the Hinda would run the 16k unit by having it running and quickly switch breakers so it wasn't quite stopped before the Honda powered it.)

One thing to note: the easyStart says it needs to "learn" how to start the AC. So you need to plan on installing when you have shore power so it can cycle on/off a while before going to Honda power. This is in the directions and I don't know if it matters as I was on SP when I installed.

Also there are discount codes available to save $25. Search the web to find one that works. I used "AIRSTREAM".

https://www.microair.net/products/ea...nt=30176048267

This is why I bought the Yamaha 2400Watt genny that has been running 16000btu a/c for almost 4 yrs now.

[RickG]

We ran our vintage CruiseAir 12K with Easy Start on the Honda for three hours this week. It was stinking hot in the Virgin Islands and I needed to do maintenance below. It was worth the price of the Easy Start for that one job.

We went through the training process on shore power, but the first test start was with the Honda and it worked first time.

Cheers, RickG

[Fence Man]

On our last boat (houseboat), the big generator crapped out during a really hot midsummer trip. As an emergency fix, I found a pair of EU2000 generators and the parallel kit to join them. We had a 13,500 BTU AC, and also needed to power the battery charger and the fridge which was 110 only. With no soft start on the AC compressor, it was still a strain on startup, but worked great after the initial load. We did eventually add a second AC that was 7,000 BTU if I'm not mistaken. As long as the bigger AC unit was powered up first, the second didn't seem to add an unreasonable load to the generators. We were so satisfied with the fuel economy of the little Hondas, we didn't even repair the big generator until we put the boat on the market. Those generators have thousands of hours on them, and now each live on a fencing truck and get used daily. They start first pull every time.

[RickG]

Another good article from Coastal Climate Control on how compressor capacitors behave and how Hard Start Kits and Soft Start Kits work.

https://www.coastalclimatecontrol.co...bly-start.html

Cheers, RickG