A question probably asked, so pardon me if I repeat it.

[CapnCrunch]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Which easy start did you get? I put a Supco easy start cap on our 16K AC and I’d didn’t seem to help much if at all, but it wasn’t $300 either.

It was the EasyStart 364 https://www.coastalclimatecontrol.co...egory=25823691.

Some "easystarts" are just capacators, but this one supposedly "learns" your system and "spools up" the compressor rather than firing it up all at once. After installation, which was not too hard, you let the a/c run on shore power thru 5 or 6 cycles before switching to the generator. My Honda 2000i Will run the a/c for about 8 hours on a gallon of gas if I set the thermostat at 76 degrees. If I run the genny in Eco mode, it runs at normal speed most of the time but will drop back to the lower rpm from time to time. I was pretty impressed with the EasyStart.

[Mike Banks]

The killer is air conditioning. It uses HUGE amounts of power when compared to other ship-board devices. I had solar electric run fans and refrigerators, water pumps, lights etc, radiant solar to heat water, while using LP gas to heat additional water if required and for cooking.

Beware of radiant solar water heating though--it is unregulated in the simple systems one can make easily, and severe scalding can occur.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by CapnCrunch

It was the EasyStart 364 https://www.coastalclimatecontrol.co...egory=25823691.

Some "easystarts" are just capacators, but this one supposedly "learns" your system and "spools up" the compressor rather than firing it up all at once. After installation, which was not too hard, you let the a/c run on shore power thru 5 or 6 cycles before switching to the generator. My Honda 2000i Will run the a/c for about 8 hours on a gallon of gas if I set the thermostat at 76 degrees. If I run the genny in Eco mode, it runs at normal speed most of the time but will drop back to the lower rpm from time to time. I was pretty impressed with the EasyStart.

Thanks, I run mine off of my Diesel generator, but it “hits” it pretty hard on start up, I’d like to reduce the “hit”.
If a Honda can start your Webasto 16K, then it’s start up surge is greatly reduced

[GrowleyMonster]

I might also add that fans can be almost as good as A/C. Fans was all we had on shrimp boats when I started out. 32VDC. Would probably run on a 48V system. 110VAC fans are cheap and reasonably efficient if properly sized.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by GrowleyMonster

I might also add that fans can be almost as good as A/C. Fans was all we had on shrimp boats when I started out. 32VDC. Would probably run on a 48V system. 110VAC fans are cheap and reasonably efficient if properly sized.

While fans are great for cooling, they do nothing for humidity

During the rainy season, when humidity is around 100%, I run one AirCon all day set at 27°C primarily to dehumidify.

This is a 0.6hp invertor unit which cycles on and off without a big surge and at max cooling draws I think about 21amps @ 24v (Need to check)

If partial cloud the solar is putting out 28-32amps, so I am only loosing 2-3% SOC, with everything else running

It is a special installation of a well insulated air cooleed window unit that vents thru the deck hatch access to lazarette.
Makes a wonderful clothes drier during rainy season and is perfect when drydocked in the Tropics

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by 3Days_at_a_time

Our house loads, lights, fridge, electronics come from the house bank which is recharged by the motor, I should have mentioned that. We are a motor boat so we do run the big motor often. The solar is connected to it's own battery bank, and only powers the inverter. It can be connected to the house bank to keep those batteries charged as well, but I only do that when we aren't using the boat since we move often enough to keep that bank charged with the alternator when we are on board. The AC takes 900W while it's running, we don't use it during the day very often because we are usually not sitting in the cabin very often. It runs at most a 50 percent duty cycle once the boat is cooled down.

Assuming you get 4hr at your 450w rating from the solar panels, that means the air/con can run about 2hr. So 8pm to 7am (11hr) means you are less than a 20% duty cycle (unless there is more information we are not aware of).

A 20% duty cycle suggests it's either working in a very small space and/or you are only dropping the temp by a few degrees. I'm guessing by 10pm, the outside temps are low 70's or cooler and once the cabin is cool the thermostat turns it off.

Nothing wrong with that if it serves you needs but that is very different from a more typical scenario.