*Solid, **Fastly.Cool** and gets the job done. For rooms where window-mounted air conditioning is not an option, this works very well. Easy set up, rapid cooling, and great design.*
Finished the Easy Start install a few hours ago. Start to finish about 2.5 beers install time, I believe my 11 year old grandson could follow the wire colors and be successful. Used shore power for the first 7 starts for the learning curve ( just to be sure I did not get a slow learner box.) The Honda 2000I was connected and following starting I turned off the Economy mode and turned on the 13.5 Coleman. Fan worked, then the compressor kicked in with hardly a burble from the generator. SUCCESS!!!! After patting myself on the back, I turned on the economy mode of the generator and listened to "little Red" (generator) settle down to somewhere between idle and max power. To say I am very pleased would be a huge understatement. The AC has been running for about 3 hours as I finish this comment. When the compressor kicks off "little red" goes to idle until the compressor kicks back in. Much quieter than the Onan not mention less than half the fuel. OK funny part, As I type this I just heard a loud long rumble and rushed outside expecting the AC and motor home to have exploded.... Turns out It was the noise of a dump truck passing by using his exhaust brake. All is very well with "little Red" and my "Taj-ma-Haul" Thanks to all the guys at Easy Start for convincing me this was the way to go. Rodger actually called me with information during purchase. Shipping was fast and with e-mail updates. Great company to work with. Cheers, Vance
VA White I'm a little familiar with the Honda generators does yours have a 30 amp plug or just the 110 outlet that you use for the RV and is your generator pretty fuel efficient? I found out why Honda makes more power. they have a bigger engines that is light in a small portable suitcase style generator like yours has a 98 cc engine. that's bigger than the average 80 cc 2000 watt suitcase portable generators. And Honda's seem to be quieter and a better muffler on them with a little tiny hole for the exhaust. And the 2200 has a 128 cc engine on it that's even bigger and on the technical side they say they make more amps and out of every generator I looked at nobody makes a 128 cc motor in that small portable lightweight size. So when you get in a bog down moment the bigger engine will not have that overload problem. But I'm just not sure what a lot of you RV guys are running the 30 amp plug or the 110 plug? because I don't want Heat Outlet build up at the 110 volt outlet plug.
Just installed your device yesterday on a brand new Coleman Mach 15 that would not start with a Yamaha 2400EI. To my delight it worked and the installation was easy. Your shipping was very fast. I had to install the device on the front slide off cover as no room for it in the back. I'm delighted with this product as I live at high altitude (3,600 ft.) and temps reaching over 100 degrees. I've used hard start capacitors in the past and this product surpasses what they did!! Definitely worth the money Great job
Great video! Judging by the customer reviews, your product and service are superior. I will purchase one when we get our fifth wheel. I won't have to buy a 3500 watt generator so you've saved me the difference in cost between a 2200 watt and a 3500 watt unit. Sounds to me like "Winner winner Chicken dinner."
Just ordered one of these for my 2 year old camper/AC and looking forward to getting it installed, along with my new generator! At this point I don't feel like my unit has been struggling since I am generally on a good power supply, but it sounds like this Easy Start is a good option for both long life of the AC unit, as well as when I start using my generator! Thanks for the video... and if I have any questions, I'll give ya a call! lol... :)
This thing actually works. Our Generac IQ2000 didn't have a chance at running our camper AC. I installed the Easy Start, now it pulls about 80% load when the compressor is running. Saved us around $1000 by not needing to buy a second generator and parallel kit. Next, we need to test it at higher altitude on a hot day. Fingers crossed.
I purchased the EasyStart™ 364 (3-ton) Soft Starter. Installed it on a Coleman Mach 1, without any issues after watching the You Tube video. I am very impressed on how Honda EU2000i now performed on Eco mode. No more problems with brown outs or short cycling. Both the AC and Generator just work as designed. We no longer worry about the thermostat settings or the mode the generator is in. Thanks
Will - That is awesome news and we greatly appreciate your compliments! We actually invested in our own Honda EU2000i years ago at Micro-Air just to do that ECO mode testing. EasyStart works quite well in that generator application as you found, and we also did a lot of testing and refinement with a variety of inverter power sources too. Thank you again and happy EasyStarting!
Wow, I'm very impressed... I saw this on Gone With the Wynns, they're a great channel to watch. I'm definitely getting one of these for my RV. I was going to install a large DC capacitor bank before my inverter to help handle the start up load (my inverter is 4000W and will do 12000W for 20s) but what you have here is 1000x times better than that. Thanks!
Awesome vid guys. After looking at the hard start cap spec, the AC waveforms in particular, I was like no, this is not what I want (reducing startup current when starting from inverter/batteries). Then I found your vid. Makes total sense. You just saved from the hard start cap install.
Just thought I would share my experience. I have a travel trailer with a Coleman Mach 15 (15k BTU) air conditioner and a Honda EU2000i generator. Before installing the EasyStart if I turned off every circuit breaker except the AC and ran the Honda with eco-mode off the Honda "could" start the AC. When the compressor kicked on the Honda would stall for a few seconds. Most of the time the generator would rev back up... (but sometimes it would just stall out and quit with higher head pressure on the compressor; i.e., on hotter days, or if the compressor was cycling back on). However, during the few seconds of stalling/loading the generator the voltage would drop to ~70 to 80 VAC. That can be damaging for other elecronics; i.e., my laptop, my wife's laptop, TV, etc. Another reason why I used to shut off all circuit breakers; just to be sure nothing else that happens to be plugged in inside, or outside, the travel trailer experiences low-voltage/brown-out conditions. After installing the EasyStart, I first tried starting the AC with eco-mode off. No stalling, no voltage drop. Cool! So, I next went for the gusto: start the AC with eco-mode on... No stalling, no voltage drop, and the Honda just revved up to something between eco-mode and full throttle to match the load. Now the AC compressor starts every time and I don't have to worry about other voltage-sensitive electronics getting damaged. Nothing better than boondocking, working on a laptop or watching TV, and enjoying cold AC at the same time. All running off of my Honda EU2000i in eco-mode. Great product! Definitely worth the money!
Oh, I forgot to comment on the video... oopsy. Thanks for a detailed instructional video. I appreciate the detail of the install even down to the exact wiring connectors and tools needed. It made for my install to be a "one trip up the roof ladder" experience. Without the video it would have been several trips from the trailer's roof, to my garage, back up the roof ladder, to the hardware store, and back up the roof ladder, again. Thanks.
A few moments of reduced voltage isn't damaging to laptops. They run off their batteries so there's a buffer between the computer the 110v outlet. Certainly not ideal to drop the voltage momentarily, but CERTAINLY not a big deal.
Thank you so much for this video, The Wife and I are in the beginning stages of becoming full-time RV'ers as well as producing a vlog channel showing how we took an RV and set it up with solar, composting toilets and easy start technology for 100 % off the grid living. If everything goes well we should be on the road full time within the next year. Hopefully sharing our adventures with the chance of inspiring someone else to follow the open road.
Installed my easystart 364 on my RV, a Dometic 15,000 btu unit. Installation was super easy as shown and it works well with my Honda EU2000i, Im not easily impressed but yes Im very impressed. This thing is the real deal, should be installed on all RVs from the factory!
If after watching this video and reviewing our installation manual, you still have questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at Micro-Air. We already have a small collection of popular rooftop A/C wiring diagrams with EasyStart already drawn in. Perhaps one of these matches your system? Let us know, and have fun boondocking in your RV or living on the hook in your boat with EasyStart!
Sir you did a great job explaining this amazing device. I was skeptical at first buy by the end the numbers don’t lie. My hats off to the design engineers. I hope the device has the same longevity as a hard start capacitor. I’ll likely add one of these to my rig soon. Again thanks.
Installed mine today, wow! What a difference. Pretty simple install after I figured out mine didn’t have a start capacitor on the compressor. Pulling 12.9 amps at startup then settles down to 12.0 in run. 1464 watts. My generator no longer struggles to run the 13.5 btu Coleman unit. Thank you soooo much!
That black capacitor is not a stock part it's a PTC type hard start cap. The PTC is the bit plugged into the top of it. The better hard start kit is the 2 part kit that has the cap and the current switch. Same ones you would find in home and commercial central air units. They do a far better job at starting the HERM than the PTC types do which are the cheap 1 peice kits.. The easy start is a nice device and I do reccomend it to others, I even bought one that I keep as a spare in my trailer but before I even heard about this device I designed and built my own variant based around the Atmel MCU chip commonly used in Arduino boards, just for this situation since I do have a solar power system and inverters. You may have guess it by now thata I have a degree in electronics and I am NEC certified. I made some pretty big modifications to my RVs electrical system to make it more efficient on or off the grid.. Not alot of people know this but crimp on connectors if you look closely down the insulator at the metal barrel there is a seam, this seam is supposed to be aligned in yout crimping tools "valley". this is so you do not collapse the barrels walls in an uneven fashion that will eventually lead to the connector caming off the wire.. What I tend to do is remove the connectors stock plastic insulator and solder the connectors on the wires and heat shrink over the metal bits to make a new insulation.
Just installed one on my Dometic 13.5k. Works great, my Honda EU300is starts it easily in Eco mode. I too was hesitant about the cost but if you need to run on generator or sketchy shore power, it is worth the cost. If nothing else, the AC is quieter inside when the compressor starts. It is almost inaudible.
I installed the Micro Air Easystart Soft Starter on my 13000 BTU RV trailer and I have 2 Honda 2000 Generators. Now I only have to use 1 of the Honda Generators and I can run my A/C unit on Low fan and max cooling and use any lights and water pump all at the same time with no problems and in Econo mode too. Kept the trailer plenty cold had to turn up the thermostat because it was to cold at night time. If I ever need the extra power I can still hook up the other Generator.
Awesome presentation and discussion. Im sold. I wish more manufacturers would do this for their products. Some of the technical manuals for DIYers that must be relied upon for installation is rough to interpret. Thank you!
Good job on the video, nice high protein description with good detail. One suggestion I would make is that it would be helpful to show that your customized current meter is actually measuring peak current accurately by setting up a third current measurement using a current probe and a real time oscilloscope. Here it would be very useful I think to be able to show exactly the current peak compared to the steady state current that you are describing. To do this you would simply setup the trigger on the oscilloscope to activate as soon as the compressor starts. This will capture with great precision the increase and decrease in current drawn by the compressor over time. It also validates you built your box correctly (not saying you didn't BTW).
I replaced a damaged Atwood AC-1501 (15KBtu heat pump rooftop unit) with a Dometic Blizzard NXT of the same capacity, on my trailer. I had occasional trouble with my Yamaha EF3000iSEB inverter generator starting the Atwood, but it struggled big time with the Dometic. The first couple of times it would do OK, but once the pressure had built up, it would usually fail to start the compressor, and just trip into overload. This was with the generator ECO-mode switch in the off position. Even at WOT, it would still trip the overload sensor when the compressor attempted to start. After speaking with Roger at Micro Air, I decided that the Easy-Start 364 would be the best solution. The installation was trouble free, and I am absolutely amazed at how much the start up amps were reduced! I wanted to determine how much amperage the generator was seeing, so I used a Fluke clamp meter, hooked up to the hot lead coming into the breaker panel from the generator cord. On shore power, the Dometic unit averaged 36.7A at startup, over 6 cycles, with the factory installed motor start kit. After installing the Easy-Start unit, and going through 7 starts to let it "learn" my system, the start up amps averaged 12.2 over the next 6 starts. Not only can I now run the AC on ECO-mode on my Yamaha 3000W, just for fun, I tried running it off of my Kipor IG2000P suitcase generator. Amazingly enough, even with that little generator running in ECO-mode, it will start and run the AC with no trouble. Of course, turning on lights, TV, and other things at the same time will make it run a bit harder than I like, so I'll stick to using the Yamaha. Regardless of which generator I use, the amount of stress their put under is GREATLY reduced, so I'm pleased overall. I was a little skeptical at first, but I'm very impressed with the Easy-Start unit, and even more impressed with the customer service I received, even before I became a paying customer. I've been telling everyone I know about getting one for their rigs!
I added the EasyStart to my travel Trailer's Dometic 15,000 BTU ac system. I live at an altitude of slightly above 8,000 ft. The technical support from Matteo at Micro-Air was simply fantastic and lightning fast. You simply don't find this level of customer and product commitment anymore. Prior to installing the device I connected my single Honda EU2000 Companion model to my camper but it could not start my ac and both the generator and my ac compressor would stall and bog down. I also tried to start a friends new campers 13,500 BTU ac system at the same altitude. My generator could start his smaller ac but would stall and fault out as the compressor attempted to cycle beyond the start cycle (after pressure had built up in the system). After installing EasyStart, I had no trouble whatsoever starting and running my ac using both the generators 30 (26.6A) and 20 amp outlets. I ran the ac system for almost 4 hours with no issues whatsoever. I should mention that I forgot to take EasyStart through its 5 learning cycles using utility power (hopefully no harm done and maybe I can do this now and its not too late), and I had not re-jetted my generator for operations at altitude greater than 4000-5000 feet. I also initially used 85 Octane fuel which Honda recommends 87 or higher to prevent loss of performance. So with all these factors stacked against EasyStart, it was no problem for my Honda EU2000 Companion to start and run my ac system over several hours of operation and multiple compressor cycles by incorporating EasyStart. A great product for 1/3 the cost of a second generator (who wants to lug around a larger generator or two EU2000's). Highly recommend the product and the company. I have several friends that will be buying the product - they are sold! NO PROBLEM AT 8,000' and I am sure if I re-jetted (not that I need to at 8,000') it will perform just as well at higher altitudes'.
I want to provide an update to my post of one month ago. After successfully installing and testing the EasyStart to my Campers Dometic 15,000 BTU ac system at 8,000 ft elevation using a single Honda EU2000 i Companion model, I was all set for a 3 week camping trip lin late August. On two separate occasions the weather was hot enough that I decided to run the ac unit using my single Honda generator. The temps were in the 86-88 degree range and I was at an altitude of approx. 6,800 ft and 6,300 ft. respectively. On the first try at an altitude of 6,800 ft. my ac unit shut down and failed to start and the generator went into fault mode. I shut everything down and tried again with the same result. I must mention that I have not re-jetted the generator for high altitude as recommended. A few days later while at a lower altitude of 6,300 ft. I tried again and this time the ac started but on the second cycle of the compressor (after pressure had built up) the compressor locked out. I tried once more and got a similar result. After getting home, I tried once more (now at slightly over 8,000 ft.) and the ac unit started but on the second compressor start it locked out. I can only surmise that when I successfully tested the Easy Start after installation that the temps must have been much cooler than 86-88 degrees but I did not make note of that. I really don't know how much of a difference if any re-jetting my generator for altitudes above 5,000 ft will make to the generators power output and if that will make a difference as the generator sounds like its running OK. Additionally, I failed to take the EasyStart through its 5 learning cycles on ac/shore power after installing it and I don't know if I need to re-do this step by clearing its memory using a jumper technique???? Does anyone know how much increase power one can expect after re-jetting or even better, how much power degradation one can expect of the Honda EU2000 if not re-jetted. Finally, I used fresh, non-alcohol based premium unleaded gas in the generator. Over the next couple of weeks I will find time and re-jet my generator and see if that will make a difference but as it stands my early success and celebration has been premature.
Nice video showing start current instantaneous reduction. Looking at your two meters it appears the current pulse has been widened. This can be seen because the comercial meter current measurements are getting closer to the built meter. Since the comercial meter averages it can more accurately measure the wider pulse.
Hello Micro-Air, (again) Wow, I don't think I've ever received a response faster than that. Thank you so much for that and the extra input. I am interested and will be checking out that info on your website. Thanx again. SiGar (CGar)
Excellent video. I imagine this issue of starting up the air conditioner is why most RVs where equipped with 4k-6k Onan generators. Everyone is going to the smaller to the 2.4k wat generators but the starting surge of the air conditioners. was the problem.
Hello Matteo, I received the easy start a couple days ago, going to install in the AM looks straight forward. I will let you know how it works with the Honda EU2000I gen. the other campers in the club are very interested. thanks Craig.....Next day..That soft start box is huge..lol I had to relocate the run and fan caps to mount the soft start and then my cover did not fit had to make new screw locations , but I did the 6 starts on house power and now have it running off my eu2000i Honda generator, this is in Arizona so I am sure this will be a state to really test the unit. I am waiting for it to cycle . HMMM not able to start after cycle after it shuts off on eco, will not start the compressor it trys then fan just runs. Only way to get it back on is to turn the eco off and wait another 5 min. it will then start. I have noticed when the eco is off the gen runs higher than when nothing is on like the ac really puts a load on the gen even when eco is off it revs so high. Not really a happy camper at this point as this was to be used for boondocking in the desert of Arizona.. I am going to replace the run cap, in case it is a little weak and drawing an extra amp or so.
Hello Craig. Sorry for the delay in responding here. The 5-minute delay you experienced was the EasyStart's short-cycle prevention timer. The way it works is the EasyStart will hold off restarting the compressor for 5 minutes _since the last time it was run_. This timer is "smart" in that it will keep track of the elapsed time, even if power is completely removed from the EasyStart or the entire trailer. So, if the thermostat calls for the compressor to run again in 3 minutes, the EasyStart will only wait an additional 2 minutes before it gently soft starts the compressor. If more than 5 minutes has elapsed, then the EasyStart will not add any delay (other than its minimum 5-second starting delay). Normally, when your thermostat is regulating the room temperature, becoming satisfied and then later calling for cooling again, the amount of compressor off time typically exceeds 5 minutes. So, the effects of this short-cycle prevention timer will not at all be noticed. However, when you are deliberately short-cycling the compressor like you were in order to accomplish the 5 learning starts, then of course the timer will be noticeable. It's good to understand this though because this timer is one of EasyStart's 5 additional fault protections that actually extends the life of your compressor. For example, if your compressor is operating and the campsite utility power or your generator browns out for a split second, this brownout may not be long enough to reset the A/C's digital control, but it may be long enough to stall the compressor (which typically only takes 50ms). The EasyStart will catch this brownout and NOT reapply power to the compressor when power comes back again, even though the A/C's digital control board may still be calling for it (because it "rode through" the brownout without resetting). Without EasyStart, the immediately reapplication of power would result in the compressor stalling and drawing locked rotor amperage (LRA) since the internal refrigerant pressures inside of the system had not had a chance to equalize yet. When this happens, the compressor's only protection is its thermal overload protector, which will "pop" open in about 3 seconds. During this short duration, the compressor is enduring potentially damaging locked-rotor amperage and significant mechanical stress (torque) that can shorten its life. EasyStart prevents this by stepping in immediately, preventing the short cycle, and waiting 5 minutes for the pressures to equalize before restarting the compressor.
You left out the benefit of making your AC last longer. As it requires less stress on it. I would tell anybody to install one of these to save on @hr usage on battery banks.
Micro-Air, Inc. rock on. I watched this video through and through because I am very detail oriented. I just bought a smaller camper but have been looking for a solution to run the ac on a smaller generator. Thanks again
No electrician ... from what I seem to read just having this thing installed, running your Genator in an RV it will not burn as much gas ? My other question seems OK to use regular 120v house plug will work better too ? Like to hear thoughts on this .. Thanks
I've installed the easy start on a 15k Dometic and my 30 Amp plug was across my shop. I had to use a 25 ft. 30 amp extension cord to make it reach so I could use the a/c.. After installing the easy start, I can now use an adapter and tie into a 20 Amp standard outlet circuit right next to the rv and run the a/c. I have an online monitor, and the inverter and a/c draw a max of 14.5 amps, so it's possible it may run on a 15 amp circuit.
this guy is correct on hard start kit hard start kit is for compressors that about ready to give up give him a little extra kick black compressor is about ready to give up
These Easy Starts by Micro Air are simply awesome. I just installed one on our coach which is setup to operate off grid and be able to run both AC units simultaneously off it’s solar system/lithium bank. The difference after installation in how the AC pulls on any power input be it inverter, generator or shore is incredible. The AC used to come on with a real thump, now it sounds and feels effortless. The onboard Victron CCGX readout isn’t designed to catch the amp draw, but in the video (link attached) you can clearly see the difference in both AC units (one with Easy Start, one without) as I have two inverters wired in split phase, there’s an AC on each one being displayed on the same CCGX. It’s incredibly obvious looking at the difference on the CCGX. ua-cam.com/video/CXBNn7lCSUY/v-deo.html
Very nice product. Does it work by "clipping" the waveform to reduce voltage thus controlling and limiting start current? I assume so because a PWI inverter would probably cost significantly more and most likely be larger in size. Important question: Is the unit UL rated? I may be purchasing one of these "soft start" units from you and attempt to run my roof AC with a Yamaha 2kW generator.
EasyStart is CE rated and it uses all UL-rated components and practices, but it is not yet registered with UL or equivalent agency. For marine applications and RV aftermarket applications, UL registration is not required. Also, UL restricts any design from being further refined thereafter. If and when an RV or land-based OEM elects to install the EasyStart as part of their standard equipment, Micro-Air will proceed with investing in the UL compliance testing.
I have a question I hope you can answer.. I am purchasing a truck camper for the primary purpose of boondocking when we frequent golf tournaments my sons are involved in - (hotels are very expensive). I plan on installing a micro-air easy start and having a Honda i3000 generator on the back to power the air (tourneys happen in the summer when it’s extremely hot). Do you think the generator will power everything in the RV if the power requirements are reduce on the Air. And if not, how do you run the air on generator and the interior stuff on battery?... I’m a novice and I have been watching videos trying to learn.. your video is very informative. Thank you in advance.
Hi Gerald and thanks for the interest in our EasyStart product! Your question has many possible answers due to the variables but I will try my best! The Honda 3000i is capable of 2800 watts continuously and 3000 watts surge. My experience with Honda tells me it will probably do nearly all of the 3000 watts at sea level even on a hot day. This means that if you were running the air conditioner (typically 1800 watts for a 13.5K BTU rooftop) it will probably start and run most of the time without an EasyStart. Where it gets problematic is when you add elevations over 5000 feet and more heat. That reduces the generator output to the point where the surge from starting may prevent the AC from operating. You also want to add in more loads from the camper that are not always obvious. The largest are microwaves and electric water heaters. If the microwave draws 1000 watts then adding the AC at 1800, may work at sea level but will be a problem as elevations climb over 2000 feet. Many other loads are small like battery chargers which are 100-400 watts, and TV’s are around 75 or less. These add to the generators work load and should be considered if any are significant or many are run at the same time. The bottom line is EasyStart can make the starts lower making it possible to operate with your generator under most if not all conditions as long as you are careful with your additional loads. As to your second question, separating the loads is an electrical challenge that probably requires re-wiring your camper. It is probably beyond the scope of a novice but do-able as you gain electrical experience that you will undoubtedly get traveling!
Hello. Yes, EasyStart will allow you to start and run a 15k BTU rooftop on a 2000W generator. We've verified that it works on a single Honda EU2000i, Yamaha EF2000iSv2, and the Westinghouse WH2000iXLT, all from each generator's respective ECO mode. There are others that have worked as well, but we've come to find out that not all 2000W generators are created equal.
@Esua. We haven't made any formal video as of yet because our 15k in in our NJ factory and I work out of FL. I'm still planning a full video to show this demonstration and to also address some of the other questions raised in the comments for this video. We did make one very short video back in June to help answer some questions in an Airstream Forum at www.airforums.com/forums/f382/running-your-dometic-penguin-ii-on-honda-200-generator-with-easystart-168019-2.html#post1962537. This short video shows our Dometic 15k Penguin II with our EasyStart running on our Honda EU2000i, with added load (a light bulb) to force the Honda close to its full 2000W capacity. Obviously, that is not the demonstration you are looking for, but it is for real and obviously it works. Also please check out our customer reviews posted on our website at www.microair.net/products/easystart-364-3-ton-single-phase-soft-starter-for-air-conditioners, and you will see multiple 5-start testimonials from customers reporting success with 15k units with EasyStarts on their Honda EU2000i generators. Sorry I cannot offer anything else as of yet, but please stay tuned.
Could you make an extinction cord capable version to run a few refrigerators and possibly a home ac unit? I’m interested in your product but I don’t have an RV.
Could you use three of these linked together "wireless communication" for the condenser fan, evap fan and compressor? For a mini split or multiple compressor units?
Will this Soft Start effect the life of the A/C or damage the compressor? I'm interested in installing a huge battery bank and solar system to run an A/C. If seen it done and they suggested watching your videos.
EasyStart actually does the opposite. It protects your compressor far better than any factory OEM configuration. This is because of its 5 different fault conditions that it constantly monitors for during start-up and steady-state operation. Also, EasyStart has a "smart"" short-cycle prevention timer to avoid restarting the compressor while the internal refrigerant pressures may still be built up from the previous run. Beyond this, although we don't have any empirical life test data (yet) to prove it, use of a soft start on a compressor will very likely extend its usable life because the mechanical and electrical stress of the brief locked-rotor condition that normally occurs during every regular (hard) start, is completely eliminated by EasyStart. Many customers with large solar/battery systems have succeeded in starting and running their A/C with EasyStart on inverters as small as 2000W. Depending on the heat load and how long the A/C has to run, typically customers can get through a night's sleep entirely on battery power with an 800-1200Ah 12V battery bank.
Thanks for the video. I will definitely be ordering one. I have seen a few people mention their dometic products, but do you know if this product is compatible with all dometic AC's. I will be installing one of their smallest units.
You are most welcome, and thank you for your business! Our customers have installed EasyStart on all models of the Dometic Brisk I & II & Penguin I & II A/C systems with great success. The only Dometic model that we haven't heard anyone use EasyStart with yet is the Dometic Blizzard NXT, which is their newest, high-end model. But even in this, EasyStart should work just as well. If send us an e-mail, we can send you a wiring diagram for your exact system and we will be happy to answer any of your other questions!
By watching this video and reading the comments below, it appears that this device will allow for consistently starting and continual running of most typical 15000 BTU travel trailer/RV ac systems using a single Honda EU 2000 genset. Music to my ears - no more lugging two EU 2000 gensets. Has Micro-Air Inc. or any customer installed this device and successfully paired it with a single Honda EU 2000 for use at altitudes greater than 8,000'? Much of my camping is at higher altitudes that puts greater pressure/demand on ac startup draw.
Hi Kaivon. Thank you for your interest. We have confirmed reports of people running their 13.5k and 15k A/C units for prolonged periods using EasyStart on a Honda EU2000i up to about 3000', and on propane. At altitudes higher than this, customers have encountered issues with the generator being unable to sustain their output during steady-state operation of the A/C, without any problem at startup. That is, the altitude is not preventing the EasyStart's from starting the A/C on generator, but the generator is having problems keeping the A/C running thereafter, which has nothing to do with EasyStart. In a very recent case, an EasyStart customer at 5300' installed the high-altitude carburetor kit on his Honda generator, and afterwards he was able to run it for an extended period without any further issues.
Great info and will probably buy an easy start. I have a Honda inverter 2000 iu generator for my camper and by this video should work great. Can you do a video showing it running on a 2000 watt Honda inverter generator?
Hello Craig. Thanks for your comment. Although we and our customers have demonstrated starting and running an RV rooftop A/C on a Honda EU2000i generator literally hundreds of times, we have yet to formally video tape and publish it. Instead, we demonstrated how we could start and run a 15kBTU Dometic Penguin II on a smaller 1800W inverter. This video is available at the following link: ua-cam.com/video/dmIQkOw6Tl4/v-deo.html. We still hope to publish a Honda EU2000i video soon.
Wow, wish I would have seen this video before I sold my Airstream! That said, have you ever installed one of these on a portable AC unit? Seems that's the only option these days if you want something with less that 13,500 btu anymore, and I just don't need a big unit like that on my current setup, but still would like to know I can run everything off a single honda EU2000!
Hi Dawn Many customers are using EasyStart to run with Honda EU2000i generators and portable AC units. Ducted or window units do not have enough room to mount the unit inside, you will be mounting the box on the outside of the case. Under counter and rooftop units can mount EasyStart inside in most installations. Honda generators are great generators but there are limitations. They can produce about 16.6 amps at sea level and less at higher elevations and temperatures. An air conditioner draws a little more than 1 amp per 1000 BTU so a 10K BTU would draw about 11 amps. That leaves you with a few amps of power to run other loads from your generator. At 6000 feet on a hot day, you will not have as much “head room” for any additional loads though since there is less oxygen for the generator.
Hi I have a new Solaire 202RB 20FT camper. I think it has a 13,800BTU AC Unit. Am I to understand that with your kit I would be possible to run my camper with a single Honda EU2000 generator without needing a second generator hooked together to make it work????
Hi Arlene Thank you for your interest in our EasyStart product and many of our customers are using the Honda 2000 generator without issue. Please keep in mind though that outside elements can negatively affect generator power such as heat, elevation and other items that are running in your environment.
I installed a 13500 btu mach 3 roof top ac in my ford trasit 350 with a 6000w power bright inverter, Im using the batteries from the van to power the inverter, my idea was to use the ac only when the van is on so it wont drain the batteries, ac compressor will start but my hot wire from invert to battery gets really hot and pops the fuse. Will the easy start help or what else do i need to make it work?. Im also using 1ott cable to power the inverter. do i need to add batteries? and dont want use an inverter generator, batteries only. Inverter provides 50amps, but the ac has a rotor amp cooling of 54amps, would that be the problem?
Hi Robert, you can get a better idea of mounting options by visiting our EasyStart Knowledge Bank, check out the wiring diagrams as they have good visuals of locations. www.micro-air.com/knowledgebank
HI Jim. That's awesome you are going to add an EasyStart to your Coleman. Thank you for that. You won't be disappointed. Ironically, another customer just a few hours ago asked us the exact same question via e-mail that you are asking about EasyStart and refrigerators. Yes, EasyStart does work with refrigerators, but installation thereto will be more challenging. This is because refrigerator compressors have connectors and wiring that don't lend themselves to adding in the EasyStart quite as conveniently as A/C compressor do. But don't give up hope. Customer's have done it before and we can help you. If you can snap a clear photo of your refrigerator's *compressor* data plate label (not the label for the refrigerator itself), send it to our Technical Support e-mail address listed on our website under "Contact Us", and we'll advise you from there on what to expect. Thank you again for your interest and your question!
Micro-Air, Inc. Could I just bring my most energy efficient I can find brand new refrigerator up to New Jersey and have you guys to install it? How much would it cost For the part and labor?
Hi again Jon. Unfortunately, we don't offer such services at our factory, and as explained above, we would not be able to assure you that it would work. Refrigerators have strange compressor wiring that makes adding in the EasyStart tough. Beyond this, some refrigerators refuse to soft start because their internal refrigerant pressures never seem to equalize. That being said though, we just had a customer successfully install an EasyStart into a very difficult Embraco refrigerator compressor. He had to "modify" the plug-in module quite extensively to separate out and wire in all of the connections. Feasible, but unfortunately not something we have resources to handle at our factory. Sorry.
My AC's looks like yours but is a Coleman 15K. On mine, there is no way for the Micro Air to fit in the space you installed it on yours. I had to install it on the outside of the electrical connection box right behind the compressor.
Hi CJ. Yes, when this video was shot 2 years ago, we used our older generation EasyStart 364 in the black plastic enclosure. This version was slightly smaller and not weatherproof, versus our current version in the beige-colored enclosure which is very slightly larger and IP65 (fully weatherproof). Customers who now install EasyStarts into Coleman Mach 1, Mach 3, Mach 3+, and Mach 15 (all high profile Coleman) rooftops simply mount the EasyStart in the open space between the evaporator and condenser, and route the harness wires back into the same electric box, where all of the electrical connections get made in a protected area. The current EasyStart being located in this open area which is exposed to the elements is not a problem since it is now IP65 and fully weatherproof! Thank you again for your business!
any idea how much it would cost to pay someone to install? this video seems complicated and i would be worried im gonna mess up my rooftop aircon on my truck camper
Hi Lisa and thank you for your question, legally it should not. We do however offer an Extended Warranty that covers your AC unit’s compressor motor for the duration of your AC manufacturer’s warranty. That can be found here: www.microair.net/products/easystart-soft-starter-extended-warranty-2-year
I like where he put it, because then he can remove the cover without having the bulk of the device there. But I would've used heat shrink compatible butt connectors. Or at least added heat shrink. You're around high/low temperatures, it's outside all the time, you have condensation and regular humidity to deal with. Protect those circuits!
my 32ft Coronado has two A/C units ,,,15k each..my onan gen is 7000 quiet model...it runs fine ,both work great in south texas weather,would i benefit from using your product?????
Hello Jose. Thank you for your comment and question. Given that your generator is 7000W, although you have less of a need for the EasyStart, you can still benefit. Specifically, if you have heavily loaded your generator and you only have just enough power left (~1800W for example) to _run_ your A/C, it may not _start_ when the generator is already this loaded (i.e. 5200W is already being drawn from it). The EasyStart would make the difference there between it not working and it working reliably in this case. Beyond this, the EasyStart continues to monitor and protect your compressor for 5 different fault conditions during steady-state running operation, after the start is long over with, including compressor stalls, overcurrent, open thermal protectors, failed wire connections, and brownouts/short power interruptions. No OEM factory configuration protects your compressor this well. And all of these issues can all happen even when running your A/C from a utility power source, not just on generator. So, there are benefits to be gained here as well. Thanks again for your question.
Hi Stephen. Thanks for the question. The answer unfortunately is a bit of a long story. I'll try to be brief. As most know, there are primarily two rooftop A/C manufacturers in the USA, Dometic and Coleman/Airxcel. First, Dometic manufacturers all of their rooftops in China, and there is no way that any Chinese manufacturer would ever import USA made electronics; in my 30+ year career, I've never known of that to happen, so it's basically out of the question for them. Second, Coleman/Airxcel did actually build EasyStart into a special 240V/50Hz rooftop they made for the Australian market about 4 years ago. They eventually lost the contract to Air Command (now owned by Atwood/Dometic). While I was working with them in their Wichita, KS factory, I did ask them why they would not consider offering EasyStart in their domestic 120V/60Hz models, and they answer has always been the same: "We're in a fierce price war with Dometic, and we do not believe our customers would see the value and want to pay more for the air conditioner". Because of all of this, we at Micro-Air have instead focused on the RV aftermarket (instead of the OEM A/C or even the OEM trailer market). We've proven over and over again that the RV customers DO see the value of EasyStart since it DOES cost less than buying a second generator to put in parallel, a larger generator, or a larger inverter, all just so they can run their A/C.
Hello Archer11ca. Thank your for your comment. Yes, the terminology can be confusing and our use of the word "peak" RMS to describe a "maximum" RMS is a mix of terms. This of course is not to be confused with the peak of the instantaneous current waveform, if you were looking at it on an oscilloscope. As you said, both clamp-on meters report true RMS of the instantaneous current waveform, by measuring and doing the actual math on the instantaneous current several times per AC alternation. A 60Hz sine wave is 16.67ms long. During this 16.67ms period, our internally-developed takes about 100 readings of the instantaneous current (about once every 170µs). Then its microprocessor quickly does the RMS arithmetic to come up with a true RMS for every full waveform. This RMS value is then saved at the end of every 60Hz waveform as a single RMS reading. These individual RMS readings are then put into what is known as a moving average, where a moving "window" of the last 3 RMS readings is always averaged and preserved. 3 x 16.7ms = 50ms. So, the internally-developed ammeter can report a maximum RMS that has a very narrow time window that is only 3 AC cycles long. This is a more conservative (tougher) measurement approach. Alternately, the commercially-obtained clamp-on ammeter reports the maximum RMS averaged and captured over about a 200ms window (or about 12 60Hz cycle periods). During a hard start of a compressor, the maximum current that occurs does not vary much during its 150-250ms duration (9 to 15 periods at 60Hz), so many ammeters can do a descent job of capturing the maximum RMS. Alternately, the startup of the compressor when using the EasyStart extends the duration of the startup to about 1.0s (about 60 periods at 60Hz), and goes through a distinct ramp that varies in RMS amplitude during this time period. Since the internally-developed ammeter operates faster with its shorter 50ms moving average window for all of the RMS readings it is taking at 50 samples per 60Hz period, it is much more conservative and will report the higher, more accurate maximum RMS that occurred during this 1-second startup. Whereas, the commercially-obtained ammeter will report a lower maximum value since its moving average window is much wider and therefore mathematically lowers the maximum that can be measured across the 1-second ramp. In conclusion, the speed of the ammeter to capture a maximum RMS reading is therefore important, thus the reason we developed our own to be able to report the true RMS maximum for demonstration purposes, without having to use an oscilloscope in the video. Regarding your question on UL, the EasyStart is CE approved, but not yet UL listed. All of its individual components are UL listed, and it was designed and constructed with all UL practices since we develop and manufacture other products that are UL listed. Our plan is to submit the EasyStart for formal UL testing testing if and when an RV A/C OEM wishes to formally incorporate EasyStart into their product for distribution into North America. Marine HVAC equipment in North America is not required to have UL compliance, thus the reason the use of EasyStart in marine OEM applications does not require it. Regarding your question on warranty, EasyStart comes with its own 2-year warranty and we will repair or replace it if it ever has a problem. For the OEM manufacturers of the A/C units themselves, both Dometic and Coleman state that any modification to their equipment - including the use of an aftermarket hard-start capacitor or an EasyStart - will likely void their respective warranties. To go along with this information, we recommend to everyone that they consider all of the facts. Besides EasyStart's obvious benefits of dramatically reducing the startup amperage, it also continues monitoring the compressor for 5 different fault conditions during steady-state running operation, including a stall, open overload protector, overcurrent, miswiring (loose connection), or a very brief power interruption. All of this provides much better protection for your compressor than any OEM configuration or hard-start capacitor ever could. We therefore leave it up to our customers if they want to install an EasyStart into their A/C systems. If they choose to, and the A/C system later experiences a failure within its warranty period unrelated to the compressor (like a refrigerant leak, fan motor failure, or control board failure), then the customer can legitimately remove the EasyStart and submit it to the manufacturer for claim, similar to what they could do if they had instead installed an aftermarket hard-start kit. Alternately, if a customer is uncomfortable installing an EasyStart if their A/C is still under its manufacturer's warranty, then we always advise that they should not do so. For the record, we can report that of the thousands of EasyStarts installed into RV A/Cs, none of them have caused premature compressor failures or damage of any kind.
Micro-Air, Inc. thank you for your reply. I'm a sales rep for a large electrical manufacturer and we sell soft starts for industrial controls. When it comes to single phase motor soft starts it can be complicated and I do believe your product works just fine. You will need ULc in order to sell it in Canada. I would recommend not using your own meter in your presentation though as it seems to be causing some distrust in your findings. Get a good quality Fluke meter instead and that will eliminate some of the controversy. As for the pricing, $300 sounds about right to me. There may be other cheaper products out there but the added running protection is a great added value, you should mention it more. If you're running your AC off of a small generator or solar or batteries and the power dips down then a brownout condition occurs and that's the best way to ruin your AC unit. Your device protects against that, that's a huge selling feature and you don't touch on it in the video. Just a suggestion.
Hi Jay and thank you for your interest in our EasyStart product, we should have a model for your situation but I would recommend that you use our EasyStart Model Selector in order to apply the correct EasyStart model for your environment. This is a simple 4 question process and will guide you to the correct model for purchase. www.micro-air.com/microair_support.html (image with the question mark)
I was following until I saw the generic crimp tool. To create a video like this takes a lot of effort. The ONLY way to get a secure crimp confidently is to use Klein Crimpers. They are about $30 and preferred by professionals for connections that never fail. Over 20 years installing car electronics. Great video but that detail is critical. Not everyone can get the right leverage from cheap crimpers.
It is probably in one of your other videos if not could you show us. how to take the power out of the capacitors or any thing else holding power thanks. I have wired alot in automotive and some around the home. Wearing insulated gloves is not easy to work in. I'm going to buy you product I'm sold great product and I will be talking about your product like the good benefits of alkaline 9.5 ph water!
Hi Jon. Thanks for your question. As it turns out, RUN capacitors do not need to be discharged because they will discharge through the motor, after only a few seconds of off time. This is true even when EasyStart is wired in. START capacitors - if your system even has one - might need to be discharged if they are 1) connected to your motor via a CURRENT-TYPE START RELAY (like on a refrigerator), AND 2) they do NOT have a bleed resistor built into their terminals at the top. If a start capacitor has this bleed resistor, OR it is connected to the motor via a POTENTIAL-TYPE start relay (like on many air conditioners), or via a PTCR (start assist) device as is often used with factory-installed start capacitors in RV A/C units, then like the run capacitors the start capacitors will discharge themselves through the motor in 2 or 3 minutes after the power is removed from the compressor. This is because the POTENTIAL start relay CLOSES once power is removed, thus connecting the start capacitor back to the motor, in parallel with the run capacitor, both of which can then discharge through the motor itself. Similarly, the PTCR reconnects the start capacitor, but only after it cools off and drops to its low, starting resistance again, which takes a few minutes. Remember, start capacitors, start relays, and PTCR devices always get defeated or removed BEFORE the EasyStart gets installed. Worst case, AFTER you ensure AC power is completely removed from the A/C unit either via a circuit breaker or the trailer is completely unplugged, you can always use an insulated handle screwdriver to short the terminals on either capacitor to ensure it is discharged.
Hi and thank you for your interest. Legally, installing an EasyStart unit should not void the manufacturer warranty at all. We did however want to make certain that anyone who felt uneasy about this could be provided with an extended warranty option. You can read more about our Extended Warranty here. www.microair.net/products/easystart-soft-starter-extended-warranty-2-year
My Domestic rooftop AC is low profile so there is no room to mount the easystart like on your video...are they anyway I can still use the easystart for low profile AC or am I just out of luck? Anyone else out there with low profile AC found a solution...not ready to give up
Hello Christian. Thank you for your comment. Yes, if you want to start and run two 15kBTU A/C units on a single 4000W or two paralleled 2000W generators, then you will need to install an EasyStart into each A/C. This is necessary because you won't be able to control which A/C turns on second, while the other A/C is already running. We've had many customers with two A/C units do exactly this with success. Installing EasyStart on both A/Cs also allows them to start and run on a 30A utility hookup, versus the normally required 50A. That benefit turned out to be more beneficial to our customers than being able to run on generator since more often they're at campsites with limited hook-ups, and 50A hook-ups are not only less prevalent, but often more expensive. One customer reported that his EasyStarts eventually paid for themselves because of this.
Hi and No, the start surge will not overload a 30 amp outlet. Outlets actually have two ratings but only one is really used. The 30 amp rating is its continuous duty rating and that determines how much you can pull from an outlet without overheating. There is also a peak duty rating on outlets for doing things like starting motors. This is often 5 or more times the continuous rating and designed so the breaker will trip long before you reach any excessive temperature on the outlet.
*Solid, **Fastly.Cool** and gets the job done. For rooms where window-mounted air conditioning is not an option, this works very well. Easy set up, rapid cooling, and great design.*
Finished the Easy Start install a few hours ago. Start to finish about 2.5 beers install time, I believe my 11 year old grandson could follow the wire colors and be successful. Used shore power for the first 7 starts for the learning curve ( just to be sure I did not get a slow learner box.)
The Honda 2000I was connected and following starting I turned off the Economy mode and turned on the 13.5 Coleman. Fan worked, then the compressor kicked in with hardly a burble from the generator. SUCCESS!!!!
After patting myself on the back, I turned on the economy mode of the generator and listened to "little Red" (generator) settle down to somewhere between idle and max power.
To say I am very pleased would be a huge understatement. The AC has been running for about 3 hours as I finish this comment. When the compressor kicks off "little red" goes to idle until the compressor kicks back in. Much quieter than the Onan not mention less than half the fuel.
OK funny part, As I type this I just heard a loud long rumble and rushed outside expecting the AC and motor home to have exploded.... Turns out It was the noise of a dump truck passing by using his exhaust brake. All is very well with "little Red" and my "Taj-ma-Haul"
Thanks to all the guys at Easy Start for convincing me this was the way to go. Rodger actually called me with information during purchase. Shipping was fast and with e-mail updates. Great company to work with.
Cheers, Vance
VA White I'm a little familiar with the Honda generators does yours have a 30 amp plug or just the 110 outlet that you use for the RV and is your generator pretty fuel efficient? I found out why Honda makes more power. they have a bigger engines that is light in a small portable suitcase style generator like yours has a 98 cc engine. that's bigger than the average 80 cc 2000 watt suitcase portable generators. And Honda's seem to be quieter and a better muffler on them with a little tiny hole for the exhaust. And the 2200 has a 128 cc engine on it that's even bigger and on the technical side they say they make more amps and out of every generator I looked at nobody makes a 128 cc motor in that small portable lightweight size. So when you get in a bog down moment the bigger engine will not have that overload problem. But I'm just not sure what a lot of you RV guys are running the 30 amp plug or the 110 plug? because I don't want Heat Outlet build up at the 110 volt outlet plug.
Just installed your device yesterday on a brand new Coleman Mach 15 that would not start with a Yamaha 2400EI. To my delight it worked and the installation was easy. Your shipping was very fast. I had to install the device on the front slide off cover as no room for it in the back. I'm delighted with this product as I live at high altitude (3,600 ft.) and temps reaching over 100 degrees. I've used hard start capacitors in the past and this product surpasses what they did!! Definitely worth the money Great job
So this easy start will work with a solar hookup, that you don't need to use shore power?
I have watched several of these videos on easy start and this was by far the best and most detaied video
Great video! Judging by the customer reviews, your product and service are superior. I will purchase one when we get our fifth wheel. I won't have to buy a 3500 watt generator so you've saved me the difference in cost between a 2200 watt and a 3500 watt unit. Sounds to me like "Winner winner Chicken dinner."
Just ordered one of these for my 2 year old camper/AC and looking forward to getting it installed, along with my new generator! At this point I don't feel like my unit has been struggling since I am generally on a good power supply, but it sounds like this Easy Start is a good option for both long life of the AC unit, as well as when I start using my generator! Thanks for the video... and if I have any questions, I'll give ya a call! lol... :)
This thing actually works. Our Generac IQ2000 didn't have a chance at running our camper AC. I installed the Easy Start, now it pulls about 80% load when the compressor is running. Saved us around $1000 by not needing to buy a second generator and parallel kit. Next, we need to test it at higher altitude on a hot day. Fingers crossed.
I purchased the EasyStart™ 364 (3-ton) Soft Starter. Installed it on a Coleman Mach 1, without any issues after watching the You Tube video. I am very impressed on how Honda EU2000i now performed on Eco mode. No more problems with brown outs or short cycling. Both the AC and Generator just work as designed. We no longer worry about the thermostat settings or the mode the generator is in. Thanks
Will - That is awesome news and we greatly appreciate your compliments! We actually invested in our own Honda EU2000i years ago at Micro-Air just to do that ECO mode testing. EasyStart works quite well in that generator application as you found, and we also did a lot of testing and refinement with a variety of inverter power sources too. Thank you again and happy EasyStarting!
Wow, I'm very impressed... I saw this on Gone With the Wynns, they're a great channel to watch. I'm definitely getting one of these for my RV. I was going to install a large DC capacitor bank before my inverter to help handle the start up load (my inverter is 4000W and will do 12000W for 20s) but what you have here is 1000x times better than that. Thanks!
Awesome vid guys. After looking at the hard start cap spec, the AC waveforms in particular, I was like no, this is not what I want (reducing startup current when starting from inverter/batteries). Then I found your vid. Makes total sense. You just saved from the hard start cap install.
I don't even need/want one of these and I still enjoyed watching your video....great job as tutorial.
Just thought I would share my experience. I have a travel trailer with a Coleman Mach 15 (15k BTU) air conditioner and a Honda EU2000i generator.
Before installing the EasyStart if I turned off every circuit breaker except the AC and ran the Honda with eco-mode off the Honda "could" start the AC. When the compressor kicked on the Honda would stall for a few seconds. Most of the time the generator would rev back up... (but sometimes it would just stall out and quit with higher head pressure on the compressor; i.e., on hotter days, or if the compressor was cycling back on). However, during the few seconds of stalling/loading the generator the voltage would drop to ~70 to 80 VAC. That can be damaging for other elecronics; i.e., my laptop, my wife's laptop, TV, etc. Another reason why I used to shut off all circuit breakers; just to be sure nothing else that happens to be plugged in inside, or outside, the travel trailer experiences low-voltage/brown-out conditions.
After installing the EasyStart, I first tried starting the AC with eco-mode off. No stalling, no voltage drop. Cool! So, I next went for the gusto: start the AC with eco-mode on... No stalling, no voltage drop, and the Honda just revved up to something between eco-mode and full throttle to match the load. Now the AC compressor starts every time and I don't have to worry about other voltage-sensitive electronics getting damaged. Nothing better than boondocking, working on a laptop or watching TV, and enjoying cold AC at the same time. All running off of my Honda EU2000i in eco-mode.
Great product! Definitely worth the money!
Hi SLOaccent. That's awesome! Thank you very much for sharing your success story with EasyStart.
Oh, I forgot to comment on the video... oopsy.
Thanks for a detailed instructional video. I appreciate the detail of the install even down to the exact wiring connectors and tools needed. It made for my install to be a "one trip up the roof ladder" experience. Without the video it would have been several trips from the trailer's roof, to my garage, back up the roof ladder, to the hardware store, and back up the roof ladder, again.
Thanks.
A few moments of reduced voltage isn't damaging to laptops. They run off their batteries so there's a buffer between the computer the 110v outlet. Certainly not ideal to drop the voltage momentarily, but CERTAINLY not a big deal.
Thank you so much for this video, The Wife and I are in the beginning stages of becoming full-time RV'ers as well as producing a vlog channel showing how we took an RV and set it up with solar, composting toilets and easy start technology for 100 % off the grid living. If everything goes well we should be on the road full time within the next year. Hopefully sharing our adventures with the chance of inspiring someone else to follow the open road.
Installed my easystart 364 on my RV, a Dometic 15,000 btu unit. Installation was super easy as shown and it works well with my Honda EU2000i, Im not easily impressed but yes Im very impressed. This thing is the real deal, should be installed on all RVs from the factory!
Sounds like this circuitry should be made mandatory for all AC manufacturers just sayin'
If after watching this video and reviewing our installation manual, you still have questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at Micro-Air. We already have a small collection of popular rooftop A/C wiring diagrams with EasyStart already drawn in. Perhaps one of these matches your system? Let us know, and have fun boondocking in your RV or living on the hook in your boat with EasyStart!
Micro-Air, Inc. mine work perfectly thank you for your quality parts and the schematics on how to hook it up
Sir you did a great job explaining this amazing device. I was skeptical at first buy by the end the numbers don’t lie. My hats off to the design engineers. I hope the device has the same longevity as a hard start capacitor. I’ll likely add one of these to my rig soon. Again thanks.
Installed mine today, wow! What a difference. Pretty simple install after I figured out mine didn’t have a start capacitor on the compressor. Pulling 12.9 amps at startup then settles down to 12.0 in run. 1464 watts.
My generator no longer struggles to run the 13.5 btu Coleman unit.
Thank you soooo much!
That black capacitor is not a stock part it's a PTC type hard start cap. The PTC is the bit plugged into the top of it. The better hard start kit is the 2 part kit that has the cap and the current switch. Same ones you would find in home and commercial central air units. They do a far better job at starting the HERM than the PTC types do which are the cheap 1 peice kits..
The easy start is a nice device and I do reccomend it to others, I even bought one that I keep as a spare in my trailer but before I even heard about this device I designed and built my own variant based around the Atmel MCU chip commonly used in Arduino boards, just for this situation since I do have a solar power system and inverters. You may have guess it by now thata I have a degree in electronics and I am NEC certified. I made some pretty big modifications to my RVs electrical system to make it more efficient on or off the grid..
Not alot of people know this but crimp on connectors if you look closely down the insulator at the metal barrel there is a seam, this seam is supposed to be aligned in yout crimping tools "valley". this is so you do not collapse the barrels walls in an uneven fashion that will eventually lead to the connector caming off the wire.. What I tend to do is remove the connectors stock plastic insulator and solder the connectors on the wires and heat shrink over the metal bits to make a new insulation.
Just installed one on my Dometic 13.5k. Works great, my Honda EU300is starts it easily in Eco mode. I too was hesitant about the cost but if you need to run on generator or sketchy shore power, it is worth the cost. If nothing else, the AC is quieter inside when the compressor starts. It is almost inaudible.
I installed the Micro Air Easystart Soft Starter on my 13000 BTU RV trailer and I have 2 Honda 2000 Generators. Now I only have to use 1 of the Honda Generators and I can run my A/C unit on Low fan and max cooling and use any lights and water pump all at the same time with no problems and in Econo mode too. Kept the trailer plenty cold had to turn up the thermostat because it was to cold at night time. If I ever need the extra power I can still hook up the other Generator.
Awesome presentation and discussion. Im sold. I wish more manufacturers would do this for their products. Some of the technical manuals for DIYers that must be relied upon for installation is rough to interpret. Thank you!
THANK YOU! for the video table of contents. I wish a lot more people did that.
Good job on the video, nice high protein description with good detail. One suggestion I would make is that it would be helpful to show that your customized current meter is actually measuring peak current accurately by setting up a third current measurement using a current probe and a real time oscilloscope. Here it would be very useful I think to be able to show exactly the current peak compared to the steady state current that you are describing. To do this you would simply setup the trigger on the oscilloscope to activate as soon as the compressor starts. This will capture with great precision the increase and decrease in current drawn by the compressor over time. It also validates you built your box correctly (not saying you didn't BTW).
Great video. Very well made and you covered all the important parts.
I replaced a damaged Atwood AC-1501 (15KBtu heat pump rooftop unit) with a Dometic Blizzard NXT of the same capacity, on my trailer. I had occasional trouble with my Yamaha EF3000iSEB inverter generator starting the Atwood, but it struggled big time with the Dometic. The first couple of times it would do OK, but once the pressure had built up, it would usually fail to start the compressor, and just trip into overload. This was with the generator ECO-mode switch in the off position. Even at WOT, it would still trip the overload sensor when the compressor attempted to start.
After speaking with Roger at Micro Air, I decided that the Easy-Start 364 would be the best solution. The installation was trouble free, and I am absolutely amazed at how much the start up amps were reduced! I wanted to determine how much amperage the generator was seeing, so I used a Fluke clamp meter, hooked up to the hot lead coming into the breaker panel from the generator cord.
On shore power, the Dometic unit averaged 36.7A at startup, over 6 cycles, with the factory installed motor start kit. After installing the Easy-Start unit, and going through 7 starts to let it "learn" my system, the start up amps averaged 12.2 over the next 6 starts. Not only can I now run the AC on ECO-mode on my Yamaha 3000W, just for fun, I tried running it off of my Kipor IG2000P suitcase generator. Amazingly enough, even with that little generator running in ECO-mode, it will start and run the AC with no trouble. Of course, turning on lights, TV, and other things at the same time will make it run a bit harder than I like, so I'll stick to using the Yamaha. Regardless of which generator I use, the amount of stress their put under is GREATLY reduced, so I'm pleased overall.
I was a little skeptical at first, but I'm very impressed with the Easy-Start unit, and even more impressed with the customer service I received, even before I became a paying customer. I've been telling everyone I know about getting one for their rigs!
Fantastic and informative video, Micro-Air Inc.! This was very enjoyable and you skipped no detail. Much appreciated.
I added the EasyStart to my travel Trailer's Dometic 15,000 BTU ac system. I live at an altitude of slightly above 8,000 ft. The technical support from Matteo at Micro-Air was simply fantastic and lightning fast. You simply don't find this level of customer and product commitment anymore. Prior to installing the device I connected my single Honda EU2000 Companion model to my camper but it could not start my ac and both the generator and my ac compressor would stall and bog down. I also tried to start a friends new campers 13,500 BTU ac system at the same altitude. My generator could start his smaller ac but would stall and fault out as the compressor attempted to cycle beyond the start cycle (after pressure had built up in the system). After installing EasyStart, I had no trouble whatsoever starting and running my ac using both the generators 30 (26.6A) and 20 amp outlets. I ran the ac system for almost 4 hours with no issues whatsoever. I should mention that I forgot to take EasyStart through its 5 learning cycles using utility power (hopefully no harm done and maybe I can do this now and its not too late), and I had not re-jetted my generator for operations at altitude greater than 4000-5000 feet. I also initially used 85 Octane fuel which Honda recommends 87 or higher to prevent loss of performance. So with all these factors stacked against EasyStart, it was no problem for my Honda EU2000 Companion to start and run my ac system over several hours of operation and multiple compressor cycles by incorporating EasyStart. A great product for 1/3 the cost of a second generator (who wants to lug around a larger generator or two EU2000's). Highly recommend the product and the company. I have several friends that will be buying the product - they are sold! NO PROBLEM AT 8,000' and I am sure if I re-jetted (not that I need to at 8,000') it will perform just as well at higher altitudes'.
I want to provide an update to my post of one month ago. After successfully installing and testing the EasyStart to my Campers Dometic 15,000 BTU ac system at 8,000 ft elevation using a single Honda EU2000 i Companion model, I was all set for a 3 week camping trip lin late August. On two separate occasions the weather was hot enough that I decided to run the ac unit using my single Honda generator. The temps were in the 86-88 degree range and I was at an altitude of approx. 6,800 ft and 6,300 ft. respectively. On the first try at an altitude of 6,800 ft. my ac unit shut down and failed to start and the generator went into fault mode. I shut everything down and tried again with the same result. I must mention that I have not re-jetted the generator for high altitude as recommended. A few days later while at a lower altitude of 6,300 ft. I tried again and this time the ac started but on the second cycle of the compressor (after pressure had built up) the compressor locked out. I tried once more and got a similar result. After getting home, I tried once more (now at slightly over 8,000 ft.) and the ac unit started but on the second compressor start it locked out. I can only surmise that when I successfully tested the Easy Start after installation that the temps must have been much cooler than 86-88 degrees but I did not make note of that. I really don't know how much of a difference if any re-jetting my generator for altitudes above 5,000 ft will make to the generators power output and if that will make a difference as the generator sounds like its running OK. Additionally, I failed to take the EasyStart through its 5 learning cycles on ac/shore power after installing it and I don't know if I need to re-do this step by clearing its memory using a jumper technique???? Does anyone know how much increase power one can expect after re-jetting or even better, how much power degradation one can expect of the Honda EU2000 if not re-jetted. Finally, I used fresh, non-alcohol based premium unleaded gas in the generator. Over the next couple of weeks I will find time and re-jet my generator and see if that will make a difference but as it stands my early success and celebration has been premature.
Thank you so much for this really instructive presentation. This is exactly the product I have been looking for You were great! Thanks!
Nice video showing start current instantaneous reduction. Looking at your two meters it appears the current pulse has been widened. This can be seen because the comercial meter current measurements are getting closer to the built meter. Since the comercial meter averages it can more accurately measure the wider pulse.
Excellent video presentation. As a motor home owner and the owner of a honda eu2000 I see an easy start in my future!
Fabulous presentation. So easy . But watch twice a
Hello Micro-Air, (again) Wow, I don't think I've ever received a response faster than that. Thank you so much for that and the extra input. I am interested and will be checking out that info on your website. Thanx again. SiGar (CGar)
Really appreciate the time-stamps. Thanks!
Excellent video. I imagine this issue of starting up the air conditioner is why most RVs where equipped with 4k-6k Onan generators. Everyone is going to the smaller to the 2.4k wat generators but the starting surge of the air conditioners. was the problem.
Hello Matteo, I received the easy start a couple days ago, going to install in the AM looks straight forward. I will let you know how it works with the Honda EU2000I gen. the other campers in the club are very interested. thanks Craig.....Next day..That soft start box is huge..lol I had to relocate the run and fan caps to mount the soft start and then my cover did not fit had to make new screw locations , but I did the 6 starts on house power and now have it running off my eu2000i Honda generator, this is in Arizona so I am sure this will be a state to really test the unit. I am waiting for it to cycle . HMMM not able to start after cycle after it shuts off on eco, will not start the compressor it trys then fan just runs. Only way to get it back on is to turn the eco off and wait another 5 min. it will then start. I have noticed when the eco is off the gen runs higher than when nothing is on like the ac really puts a load on the gen even when eco is off it revs so high. Not really a happy camper at this point as this was to be used for boondocking in the desert of Arizona.. I am going to replace the run cap, in case it is a little weak and drawing an extra amp or so.
Hello Craig. Sorry for the delay in responding here. The 5-minute delay you experienced was the EasyStart's short-cycle prevention timer. The way it works is the EasyStart will hold off restarting the compressor for 5 minutes _since the last time it was run_. This timer is "smart" in that it will keep track of the elapsed time, even if power is completely removed from the EasyStart or the entire trailer. So, if the thermostat calls for the compressor to run again in 3 minutes, the EasyStart will only wait an additional 2 minutes before it gently soft starts the compressor. If more than 5 minutes has elapsed, then the EasyStart will not add any delay (other than its minimum 5-second starting delay).
Normally, when your thermostat is regulating the room temperature, becoming satisfied and then later calling for cooling again, the amount of compressor off time typically exceeds 5 minutes. So, the effects of this short-cycle prevention timer will not at all be noticed. However, when you are deliberately short-cycling the compressor like you were in order to accomplish the 5 learning starts, then of course the timer will be noticeable. It's good to understand this though because this timer is one of EasyStart's 5 additional fault protections that actually extends the life of your compressor. For example, if your compressor is operating and the campsite utility power or your generator browns out for a split second, this brownout may not be long enough to reset the A/C's digital control, but it may be long enough to stall the compressor (which typically only takes 50ms). The EasyStart will catch this brownout and NOT reapply power to the compressor when power comes back again, even though the A/C's digital control board may still be calling for it (because it "rode through" the brownout without resetting). Without EasyStart, the immediately reapplication of power would result in the compressor stalling and drawing locked rotor amperage (LRA) since the internal refrigerant pressures inside of the system had not had a chance to equalize yet. When this happens, the compressor's only protection is its thermal overload protector, which will "pop" open in about 3 seconds. During this short duration, the compressor is enduring potentially damaging locked-rotor amperage and significant mechanical stress (torque) that can shorten its life. EasyStart prevents this by stepping in immediately, preventing the short cycle, and waiting 5 minutes for the pressures to equalize before restarting the compressor.
Very well done. No smoke and mirrors. Honest video.
You left out the benefit of making your AC last longer. As it requires less stress on it. I would tell anybody to install one of these to save on @hr usage on battery banks.
An amp-meter that doubles as a scrolling billboard. That’s trick haha👍🏻
This is a fantastic video. Very clear explanation. Thank you!
Looks so easy,... even a caveman can do it! I desperately need easy start to help my little generators out! Thank You Sir for the video!
Awesome job providing useful timestamps
Excellent video. I recently purchased a Yamaha 2400is. If it has any trouble I'll definatly be giving you a call.
this smart "soft-starter" also saves the compressor life. All AC compressors should use one not just RV'S
I will keep this product in mind. Excellent video and thank you for producing a youtube video that we can actually HEAR. Excellent job, thank you.
Thank you for the compliments, Ken. We're very happy to hear that the video was helpful and informative to you.
I follow the Winns and will be getting the model 364 unit for my 12,500 BTU AC on our boat!
Thank you this was very informative. I learned more than expected. I can’t wait to get one.
I like how your device is saying “order your easy start today” lol
Thanks for noticing. Yeah, I snuck into my firmware a little subliminal marketing there ;-).
Micro-Air, Inc. rock on. I watched this video through and through because I am very detail oriented. I just bought a smaller camper but have been looking for a solution to run the ac on a smaller generator. Thanks again
on a brown out after 5 minutes does Easy start check the voltage before energizing the compressor that's pretty important
Great presentation!
No electrician ... from what I seem to read just having this thing installed, running your Genator in an RV it will not burn as much gas ? My other question seems OK to use regular 120v house plug will work better too ? Like to hear thoughts on this .. Thanks
I've installed the easy start on a 15k Dometic and my 30 Amp plug was across my shop. I had to use a 25 ft. 30 amp extension cord to make it reach so I could use the a/c.. After installing the easy start, I can now use an adapter and tie into a 20 Amp standard outlet circuit right next to the rv and run the a/c. I have an online monitor, and the inverter and a/c draw a max of 14.5 amps, so it's possible it may run on a 15 amp circuit.
If I install myself on a brand new Lance 1475 I imagine it would void warranty. Your thoughts?
Gone with the Wynns (who now sail a catamaran) brought me here.
Excellent video
Nice video! Very informative! Oh by the way, the Wynn's got me here...........
Use 3M VHB tape instead of screws. It is used to hold windows into skyscrapers, it is not just doublestick mounting tape. No screws, holes, or leaks.
Excellent presentation. Thank you.
it would have been good for you to show the measurement from a few attempts of starting with a hard start capacitor
this guy is correct on hard start kit hard start kit is for compressors that about ready to give up give him a little extra kick black compressor is about ready to give up
These Easy Starts by Micro Air are simply awesome. I just installed one on our coach which is setup to operate off grid and be able to run both AC units simultaneously off it’s solar system/lithium bank. The difference after installation in how the AC pulls on any power input be it inverter, generator or shore is incredible. The AC used to come on with a real thump, now it sounds and feels effortless. The onboard Victron CCGX readout isn’t designed to catch the amp draw, but in the video (link attached) you can clearly see the difference in both AC units (one with Easy Start, one without) as I have two inverters wired in split phase, there’s an AC on each one being displayed on the same CCGX. It’s incredibly obvious looking at the difference on the CCGX.
ua-cam.com/video/CXBNn7lCSUY/v-deo.html
Very nice product. Does it work by "clipping" the waveform to reduce voltage thus controlling and limiting start current? I assume so because a PWI inverter would probably cost significantly more and most likely be larger in size.
Important question: Is the unit UL rated?
I may be purchasing one of these "soft start" units from you and attempt to run my roof AC with a Yamaha 2kW generator.
EasyStart is CE rated and it uses all UL-rated components and practices, but it is not yet registered with UL or equivalent agency. For marine applications and RV aftermarket applications, UL registration is not required. Also, UL restricts any design from being further refined thereafter. If and when an RV or land-based OEM elects to install the EasyStart as part of their standard equipment, Micro-Air will proceed with investing in the UL compliance testing.
Music at the end is Comedian's Gallop.
Thank you for your efforts. Good stuff.
I have a question I hope you can answer.. I am purchasing a truck camper for the primary purpose of boondocking when we frequent golf tournaments my sons are involved in - (hotels are very expensive). I plan on installing a micro-air easy start and having a Honda i3000 generator on the back to power the air (tourneys happen in the summer when it’s extremely hot). Do you think the generator will power everything in the RV if the power requirements are reduce on the Air. And if not, how do you run the air on generator and the interior stuff on battery?... I’m a novice and I have been watching videos trying to learn.. your video is very informative. Thank you in advance.
Hi Gerald and thanks for the interest in our EasyStart product!
Your question has many possible answers due to the variables but I will try my best!
The Honda 3000i is capable of 2800 watts continuously and 3000 watts surge. My experience with Honda tells me it will probably do nearly all of the 3000 watts at sea level even on a hot day. This means that if you were running the air conditioner (typically 1800 watts for a 13.5K BTU rooftop) it will probably start and run most of the time without an EasyStart. Where it gets problematic is when you add elevations over 5000 feet and more heat. That reduces the generator output to the point where the surge from starting may prevent the AC from operating.
You also want to add in more loads from the camper that are not always obvious. The largest are microwaves and electric water heaters. If the microwave draws 1000 watts then adding the AC at 1800, may work at sea level but will be a problem as elevations climb over 2000 feet. Many other loads are small like battery chargers which are 100-400 watts, and TV’s are around 75 or less. These add to the generators work load and should be considered if any are significant or many are run at the same time.
The bottom line is EasyStart can make the starts lower making it possible to operate with your generator under most if not all conditions as long as you are careful with your additional loads.
As to your second question, separating the loads is an electrical challenge that probably requires re-wiring your camper. It is probably beyond the scope of a novice but do-able as you gain electrical experience that you will undoubtedly get traveling!
:)),, you guys should get all the manufacturers to have them installed as standard equipment
I have a Dometic 15,000 BTU A/C and this device will allow me to start the A/C compressor with 1 2000 w generator reliably?
Hello. Yes, EasyStart will allow you to start and run a 15k BTU rooftop on a 2000W generator. We've verified that it works on a single Honda EU2000i, Yamaha EF2000iSv2, and the Westinghouse WH2000iXLT, all from each generator's respective ECO mode. There are others that have worked as well, but we've come to find out that not all 2000W generators are created equal.
@micro-air, Inc. Have you uploaded videos of a Honda running a 15k AC with your system?
@Esua. We haven't made any formal video as of yet because our 15k in in our NJ factory and I work out of FL. I'm still planning a full video to show this demonstration and to also address some of the other questions raised in the comments for this video.
We did make one very short video back in June to help answer some questions in an Airstream Forum at www.airforums.com/forums/f382/running-your-dometic-penguin-ii-on-honda-200-generator-with-easystart-168019-2.html#post1962537. This short video shows our Dometic 15k Penguin II with our EasyStart running on our Honda EU2000i, with added load (a light bulb) to force the Honda close to its full 2000W capacity. Obviously, that is not the demonstration you are looking for, but it is for real and obviously it works. Also please check out our customer reviews posted on our website at www.microair.net/products/easystart-364-3-ton-single-phase-soft-starter-for-air-conditioners, and you will see multiple 5-start testimonials from customers reporting success with 15k units with EasyStarts on their Honda EU2000i generators. Sorry I cannot offer anything else as of yet, but please stay tuned.
Could you make an extinction cord capable version to run a few refrigerators and possibly a home ac unit? I’m interested in your product but I don’t have an RV.
There are THREE windings on the compressor? I found two. Where is the third?
Could you use three of these linked together "wireless communication" for the condenser fan, evap fan and compressor? For a mini split or multiple compressor units?
Will this Soft Start effect the life of the A/C or damage the compressor? I'm interested in installing a huge battery bank and solar system to run an A/C. If seen it done and they suggested watching your videos.
EasyStart actually does the opposite. It protects your compressor far better than any factory OEM configuration. This is because of its 5 different fault conditions that it constantly monitors for during start-up and steady-state operation. Also, EasyStart has a "smart"" short-cycle prevention timer to avoid restarting the compressor while the internal refrigerant pressures may still be built up from the previous run. Beyond this, although we don't have any empirical life test data (yet) to prove it, use of a soft start on a compressor will very likely extend its usable life because the mechanical and electrical stress of the brief locked-rotor condition that normally occurs during every regular (hard) start, is completely eliminated by EasyStart.
Many customers with large solar/battery systems have succeeded in starting and running their A/C with EasyStart on inverters as small as 2000W. Depending on the heat load and how long the A/C has to run, typically customers can get through a night's sleep entirely on battery power with an 800-1200Ah 12V battery bank.
Why don’t the manufactures have all RV air conditioners made with some form of east start?
Oh my! Blow away!!
Helpfull video. Do you have or plan to do a video for the very common Dometic Penguin series of air conditioners?
Thank you for the compliment. Yes, we do plan on filming the installation into a Dometic Penguin II A/C.
Look forward to it!
Thanks for the video. I will definitely be ordering one. I have seen a few people mention their dometic products, but do you know if this product is compatible with all dometic AC's. I will be installing one of their smallest units.
You are most welcome, and thank you for your business! Our customers have installed EasyStart on all models of the Dometic Brisk I & II & Penguin I & II A/C systems with great success. The only Dometic model that we haven't heard anyone use EasyStart with yet is the Dometic Blizzard NXT, which is their newest, high-end model. But even in this, EasyStart should work just as well. If send us an e-mail, we can send you a wiring diagram for your exact system and we will be happy to answer any of your other questions!
By watching this video and reading the comments below, it appears that this device will allow for consistently starting and continual running of most typical 15000 BTU travel trailer/RV ac systems using a single Honda EU 2000 genset. Music to my ears - no more lugging two EU 2000 gensets. Has Micro-Air Inc. or any customer installed this device and successfully paired it with a single Honda EU 2000 for use at altitudes greater than 8,000'? Much of my camping is at higher altitudes that puts greater pressure/demand on ac startup draw.
Hi Kaivon. Thank you for your interest. We have confirmed reports of people running their 13.5k and 15k A/C units for prolonged periods using EasyStart on a Honda EU2000i up to about 3000', and on propane. At altitudes higher than this, customers have encountered issues with the generator being unable to sustain their output during steady-state operation of the A/C, without any problem at startup. That is, the altitude is not preventing the EasyStart's from starting the A/C on generator, but the generator is having problems keeping the A/C running thereafter, which has nothing to do with EasyStart. In a very recent case, an EasyStart customer at 5300' installed the high-altitude carburetor kit on his Honda generator, and afterwards he was able to run it for an extended period without any further issues.
Great info and will probably buy an easy start. I have a Honda inverter 2000 iu generator for my camper and by this video should work great. Can you do a video showing it running on a 2000 watt Honda inverter generator?
Hello Craig. Thanks for your comment. Although we and our customers have demonstrated starting and running an RV rooftop A/C on a Honda EU2000i generator literally hundreds of times, we have yet to formally video tape and publish it. Instead, we demonstrated how we could start and run a 15kBTU Dometic Penguin II on a smaller 1800W inverter. This video is available at the following link: ua-cam.com/video/dmIQkOw6Tl4/v-deo.html. We still hope to publish a Honda EU2000i video soon.
Hi again Craig. Please send us an inquiry from our website in order to get in touch with me. Ask for Matteo. Thanks again.
Sent a message through your website. thank you
Wow, wish I would have seen this video before I sold my Airstream! That said, have you ever installed one of these on a portable AC unit? Seems that's the only option these days if you want something with less that 13,500 btu anymore, and I just don't need a big unit like that on my current setup, but still would like to know I can run everything off a single honda EU2000!
Hi Dawn
Many customers are using EasyStart to run with Honda EU2000i generators and portable AC units. Ducted or window units do not have enough room to mount the unit inside, you will be mounting the box on the outside of the case. Under counter and rooftop units can mount EasyStart inside in most installations.
Honda generators are great generators but there are limitations. They can produce about 16.6 amps at sea level and less at higher
elevations and temperatures. An air conditioner draws a little more than 1 amp per 1000 BTU so a 10K BTU would draw about 11 amps. That leaves you with a few amps of power to run other loads from your generator. At 6000 feet on a hot day, you will not have as much “head room” for any additional loads though since there is less oxygen for the generator.
a lot of compressors have lock rotor amps printed on them some don't that's why he made that device to find it little info for you
So, if you do have a starting capacitor, it is removed using the Easy Start, correct?
Hi John, Correct. EasyStart KnowledgeBank: www.micro-air.com/knowledgebank
Hi I have a new Solaire 202RB 20FT camper. I think it has a 13,800BTU AC Unit. Am I to understand that with your kit I would be possible to run my camper with a single Honda EU2000 generator without needing a second generator hooked together to make it work????
Hi Arlene
Thank you for your interest in our EasyStart product and many of our customers are using the Honda 2000 generator without issue. Please keep in mind though that outside elements can negatively affect generator power such as heat, elevation and other items that are running in your environment.
I installed a 13500 btu mach 3 roof top ac in my ford trasit 350 with a 6000w power bright inverter, Im using the batteries from the van to power the inverter, my idea was to use the ac only when the van is on so it wont drain the batteries, ac compressor will start but my hot wire from invert to battery gets really hot and pops the fuse. Will the easy start help or what else do i need to make it work?. Im also using 1ott cable to power the inverter. do i need to add batteries? and dont want use an inverter generator, batteries only. Inverter provides 50amps, but the ac has a rotor amp cooling of 54amps, would that be the problem?
That’s awesome I’ll be ordering some for sure. My only concern is the size of the module do you make a smaller one for tight spaces
Hi Robert, you can get a better idea of mounting options by visiting our EasyStart Knowledge Bank, check out the wiring diagrams as they have good visuals of locations. www.micro-air.com/knowledgebank
Will this also work on a refrigerator? I have the same Coleman unit mounted on my sailboat and will be adding your soft start asap. ;)
HI Jim. That's awesome you are going to add an EasyStart to your Coleman. Thank you for that. You won't be disappointed.
Ironically, another customer just a few hours ago asked us the exact same question via e-mail that you are asking about EasyStart and refrigerators. Yes, EasyStart does work with refrigerators, but installation thereto will be more challenging. This is because refrigerator compressors have connectors and wiring that don't lend themselves to adding in the EasyStart quite as conveniently as A/C compressor do. But don't give up hope. Customer's have done it before and we can help you. If you can snap a clear photo of your refrigerator's *compressor* data plate label (not the label for the refrigerator itself), send it to our Technical Support e-mail address listed on our website under "Contact Us", and we'll advise you from there on what to expect.
Thank you again for your interest and your question!
Micro-Air, Inc. Could I just bring my most energy efficient I can find brand new refrigerator up to New Jersey and have you guys to install it? How much would it cost For the part and labor?
Hi again Jon. Unfortunately, we don't offer such services at our factory, and as explained above, we would not be able to assure you that it would work. Refrigerators have strange compressor wiring that makes adding in the EasyStart tough. Beyond this, some refrigerators refuse to soft start because their internal refrigerant pressures never seem to equalize. That being said though, we just had a customer successfully install an EasyStart into a very difficult Embraco refrigerator compressor. He had to "modify" the plug-in module quite extensively to separate out and wire in all of the connections. Feasible, but unfortunately not something we have resources to handle at our factory. Sorry.
My AC's looks like yours but is a Coleman 15K. On mine, there is no way for the Micro Air to fit in the space you installed it on yours. I had to install it on the outside of the electrical connection box right behind the compressor.
Hi CJ. Yes, when this video was shot 2 years ago, we used our older generation EasyStart 364 in the black plastic enclosure. This version was slightly smaller and not weatherproof, versus our current version in the beige-colored enclosure which is very slightly larger and IP65 (fully weatherproof). Customers who now install EasyStarts into Coleman Mach 1, Mach 3, Mach 3+, and Mach 15 (all high profile Coleman) rooftops simply mount the EasyStart in the open space between the evaporator and condenser, and route the harness wires back into the same electric box, where all of the electrical connections get made in a protected area. The current EasyStart being located in this open area which is exposed to the elements is not a problem since it is now IP65 and fully weatherproof! Thank you again for your business!
On the first learning easy start do you put the fan on high or low?
Hi Mike, EasyStart learns the amperage needed for the compressor. www.micro-air.com/knowledgebank
any idea how much it would cost to pay someone to install? this video seems complicated and i would be worried im gonna mess up my rooftop aircon on my truck camper
I know what you mean. I will just watch the video about 100 times before attempting. I’m allergic to those KA-BLOOIE noises. Ha
Will this void the warranty on my low profile dometic unit? Our RV is brand new and I don't want to void the warranty.
Hi Lisa and thank you for your question, legally it should not. We do however offer an Extended Warranty that covers your AC unit’s compressor motor for the duration of your AC manufacturer’s warranty. That can be found here: www.microair.net/products/easystart-soft-starter-extended-warranty-2-year
Dude I would have mounted it on the inside of the cover plate that you removed
yes..!
I like where he put it, because then he can remove the cover without having the bulk of the device there. But I would've used heat shrink compatible butt connectors. Or at least added heat shrink. You're around high/low temperatures, it's outside all the time, you have condensation and regular humidity to deal with. Protect those circuits!
my 32ft Coronado has two A/C units ,,,15k each..my onan gen is 7000 quiet model...it runs fine ,both work great in south texas weather,would i benefit from using your product?????
Hello Jose. Thank you for your comment and question. Given that your generator is 7000W, although you have less of a need for the EasyStart, you can still benefit. Specifically, if you have heavily loaded your generator and you only have just enough power left (~1800W for example) to _run_ your A/C, it may not _start_ when the generator is already this loaded (i.e. 5200W is already being drawn from it). The EasyStart would make the difference there between it not working and it working reliably in this case. Beyond this, the EasyStart continues to monitor and protect your compressor for 5 different fault conditions during steady-state running operation, after the start is long over with, including compressor stalls, overcurrent, open thermal protectors, failed wire connections, and brownouts/short power interruptions. No OEM factory configuration protects your compressor this well. And all of these issues can all happen even when running your A/C from a utility power source, not just on generator. So, there are benefits to be gained here as well. Thanks again for your question.
Why don't the AC manufactures install this from the start
Hi Stephen. Thanks for the question. The answer unfortunately is a bit of a long story. I'll try to be brief.
As most know, there are primarily two rooftop A/C manufacturers in the USA, Dometic and Coleman/Airxcel. First, Dometic manufacturers all of their rooftops in China, and there is no way that any Chinese manufacturer would ever import USA made electronics; in my 30+ year career, I've never known of that to happen, so it's basically out of the question for them. Second, Coleman/Airxcel did actually build EasyStart into a special 240V/50Hz rooftop they made for the Australian market about 4 years ago. They eventually lost the contract to Air Command (now owned by Atwood/Dometic). While I was working with them in their Wichita, KS factory, I did ask them why they would not consider offering EasyStart in their domestic 120V/60Hz models, and they answer has always been the same: "We're in a fierce price war with Dometic, and we do not believe our customers would see the value and want to pay more for the air conditioner".
Because of all of this, we at Micro-Air have instead focused on the RV aftermarket (instead of the OEM A/C or even the OEM trailer market). We've proven over and over again that the RV customers DO see the value of EasyStart since it DOES cost less than buying a second generator to put in parallel, a larger generator, or a larger inverter, all just so they can run their A/C.
Micro-Air, Inc. Great answer
Stephen Clay because they build the absolute minimum they have to. installing that from jump would make too much sense.
The clamp on meter reads RMS (root mean square) peak it's not that it's not fast enough.
Is this product UL listed? If you install this product does it void the manufacturer's warranty?
Hello Archer11ca. Thank your for your comment.
Yes, the terminology can be confusing and our use of the word "peak" RMS to describe a "maximum" RMS is a mix of terms. This of course is not to be confused with the peak of the instantaneous current waveform, if you were looking at it on an oscilloscope. As you said, both clamp-on meters report true RMS of the instantaneous current waveform, by measuring and doing the actual math on the instantaneous current several times per AC alternation. A 60Hz sine wave is 16.67ms long. During this 16.67ms period, our internally-developed takes about 100 readings of the instantaneous current (about once every 170µs). Then its microprocessor quickly does the RMS arithmetic to come up with a true RMS for every full waveform. This RMS value is then saved at the end of every 60Hz waveform as a single RMS reading. These individual RMS readings are then put into what is known as a moving average, where a moving "window" of the last 3 RMS readings is always averaged and preserved. 3 x 16.7ms = 50ms. So, the internally-developed ammeter can report a maximum RMS that has a very narrow time window that is only 3 AC cycles long. This is a more conservative (tougher) measurement approach. Alternately, the commercially-obtained clamp-on ammeter reports the maximum RMS averaged and captured over about a 200ms window (or about 12 60Hz cycle periods).
During a hard start of a compressor, the maximum current that occurs does not vary much during its 150-250ms duration (9 to 15 periods at 60Hz), so many ammeters can do a descent job of capturing the maximum RMS. Alternately, the startup of the compressor when using the EasyStart extends the duration of the startup to about 1.0s (about 60 periods at 60Hz), and goes through a distinct ramp that varies in RMS amplitude during this time period. Since the internally-developed ammeter operates faster with its shorter 50ms moving average window for all of the RMS readings it is taking at 50 samples per 60Hz period, it is much more conservative and will report the higher, more accurate maximum RMS that occurred during this 1-second startup. Whereas, the commercially-obtained ammeter will report a lower maximum value since its moving average window is much wider and therefore mathematically lowers the maximum that can be measured across the 1-second ramp. In conclusion, the speed of the ammeter to capture a maximum RMS reading is therefore important, thus the reason we developed our own to be able to report the true RMS maximum for demonstration purposes, without having to use an oscilloscope in the video.
Regarding your question on UL, the EasyStart is CE approved, but not yet UL listed. All of its individual components are UL listed, and it was designed and constructed with all UL practices since we develop and manufacture other products that are UL listed. Our plan is to submit the EasyStart for formal UL testing testing if and when an RV A/C OEM wishes to formally incorporate EasyStart into their product for distribution into North America. Marine HVAC equipment in North America is not required to have UL compliance, thus the reason the use of EasyStart in marine OEM applications does not require it.
Regarding your question on warranty, EasyStart comes with its own 2-year warranty and we will repair or replace it if it ever has a problem. For the OEM manufacturers of the A/C units themselves, both Dometic and Coleman state that any modification to their equipment - including the use of an aftermarket hard-start capacitor or an EasyStart - will likely void their respective warranties. To go along with this information, we recommend to everyone that they consider all of the facts. Besides EasyStart's obvious benefits of dramatically reducing the startup amperage, it also continues monitoring the compressor for 5 different fault conditions during steady-state running operation, including a stall, open overload protector, overcurrent, miswiring (loose connection), or a very brief power interruption. All of this provides much better protection for your compressor than any OEM configuration or hard-start capacitor ever could. We therefore leave it up to our customers if they want to install an EasyStart into their A/C systems. If they choose to, and the A/C system later experiences a failure within its warranty period unrelated to the compressor (like a refrigerant leak, fan motor failure, or control board failure), then the customer can legitimately remove the EasyStart and submit it to the manufacturer for claim, similar to what they could do if they had instead installed an aftermarket hard-start kit. Alternately, if a customer is uncomfortable installing an EasyStart if their A/C is still under its manufacturer's warranty, then we always advise that they should not do so. For the record, we can report that of the thousands of EasyStarts installed into RV A/Cs, none of them have caused premature compressor failures or damage of any kind.
Micro-Air, Inc. thank you for your reply. I'm a sales rep for a large electrical manufacturer and we sell soft starts for industrial controls. When it comes to single phase motor soft starts it can be complicated and I do believe your product works just fine. You will need ULc in order to sell it in Canada. I would recommend not using your own meter in your presentation though as it seems to be causing some distrust in your findings. Get a good quality Fluke meter instead and that will eliminate some of the controversy. As for the pricing, $300 sounds about right to me. There may be other cheaper products out there but the added running protection is a great added value, you should mention it more. If you're running your AC off of a small generator or solar or batteries and the power dips down then a brownout condition occurs and that's the best way to ruin your AC unit. Your device protects against that, that's a huge selling feature and you don't touch on it in the video.
Just a suggestion.
Awesome
I have a 10,000 BTU portable AC unit in my van does about 650W when running low fan. Will this work on one of these units?
Hi Jay and thank you for your interest in our EasyStart product, we should have a model for your situation but I would recommend that you use our EasyStart Model Selector in order to apply the correct EasyStart model for your environment. This is a simple 4 question process and will guide you to the correct model for purchase. www.micro-air.com/microair_support.html (image with the question mark)
I was following until I saw the generic crimp tool. To create a video like this takes a lot of effort. The ONLY way to get a secure crimp confidently is to use Klein Crimpers. They are about $30 and preferred by professionals for connections that never fail. Over 20 years installing car electronics. Great video but that detail is critical. Not everyone can get the right leverage from cheap crimpers.
It is probably in one of your other videos if not could you show us. how to take the power out of the capacitors or any thing else holding power thanks. I have wired alot in automotive and some around the home. Wearing insulated gloves is not easy to work in. I'm going to buy you product I'm sold great product and I will be talking about your product like the good benefits of alkaline 9.5 ph water!
Hi Jon. Thanks for your question. As it turns out, RUN capacitors do not need to be discharged because they will discharge through the motor, after only a few seconds of off time. This is true even when EasyStart is wired in. START capacitors - if your system even has one - might need to be discharged if they are 1) connected to your motor via a CURRENT-TYPE START RELAY (like on a refrigerator), AND 2) they do NOT have a bleed resistor built into their terminals at the top. If a start capacitor has this bleed resistor, OR it is connected to the motor via a POTENTIAL-TYPE start relay (like on many air conditioners), or via a PTCR (start assist) device as is often used with factory-installed start capacitors in RV A/C units, then like the run capacitors the start capacitors will discharge themselves through the motor in 2 or 3 minutes after the power is removed from the compressor. This is because the POTENTIAL start relay CLOSES once power is removed, thus connecting the start capacitor back to the motor, in parallel with the run capacitor, both of which can then discharge through the motor itself. Similarly, the PTCR reconnects the start capacitor, but only after it cools off and drops to its low, starting resistance again, which takes a few minutes. Remember, start capacitors, start relays, and PTCR devices always get defeated or removed BEFORE the EasyStart gets installed.
Worst case, AFTER you ensure AC power is completely removed from the A/C unit either via a circuit breaker or the trailer is completely unplugged, you can always use an insulated handle screwdriver to short the terminals on either capacitor to ensure it is discharged.
Will this void the warranty of a new AC one a new RV?
Hi and thank you for your interest. Legally, installing an EasyStart unit should not void the manufacturer warranty at all. We did however want to make certain that anyone who felt uneasy about this could be provided with an extended warranty option.
You can read more about our Extended Warranty here. www.microair.net/products/easystart-soft-starter-extended-warranty-2-year
I have a trailer out in the boonies I run on a 2k generator. Can I put the easy start into learning mode with not ever putting it onto grid power?
Hi and thank you for the question, check out our EasyStart Knowledge Bank www.micro-air.com/KnowledgeBank Type "learn" in the search.
My Domestic rooftop AC is low profile so there is no room to mount the easystart like on your video...are they anyway I can still use the easystart for low profile AC or am I just out of luck? Anyone else out there with low profile AC found a solution...not ready to give up
Hi Terry, Take a look in our EasyStart Knowledge Bank for mounting locations and options for your brand. www.micro-air.com/KnowledgeBank
If I want to connect 2 AC 15k BTU to one generator(same line), I need two EasyStart, one for each AC?
Hello Christian. Thank you for your comment. Yes, if you want to start and run two 15kBTU A/C units on a single 4000W or two paralleled 2000W generators, then you will need to install an EasyStart into each A/C. This is necessary because you won't be able to control which A/C turns on second, while the other A/C is already running. We've had many customers with two A/C units do exactly this with success. Installing EasyStart on both A/Cs also allows them to start and run on a 30A utility hookup, versus the normally required 50A. That benefit turned out to be more beneficial to our customers than being able to run on generator since more often they're at campsites with limited hook-ups, and 50A hook-ups are not only less prevalent, but often more expensive. One customer reported that his EasyStarts eventually paid for themselves because of this.
Is the start surge enough to overload a 3500W Generators 30A receptacle?
Hi and No, the start surge will not overload a 30 amp outlet. Outlets actually have two ratings but only one is really used. The 30 amp rating is its continuous duty rating and that determines how much you can pull from an outlet without overheating. There is also a peak duty rating on outlets for doing things like starting motors. This is often 5 or more times the continuous rating and designed so the breaker will trip long before you reach any excessive temperature on the outlet.