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  1. #1
    Fireside Member SKI367BHS's Avatar
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    Single 15K Ac ops with generator/soft start kit

    Afternoon all,
    I am wondering about the "soft start" capacitors and how they really affect the starting of an AC unit from a generator.

    I spoke to Coleman Mach and was told by an engineer that third-party soft start kits would void my 3 yr warranty but I could purchase a part from them (a capacitor for $25) and that this would then make my set up “soft start” capable. I guess depending on the model number some are made with different capabilities and some are soft start capable from the factory. Mine happens to need this extra capacitor.

    So, my question is; for those of you who’ve done this soft start kit (either the Coleman Mach or third party) does this help you fire up the AC when on genset power? My 367BHS does not have an on-board gen set, and I have two 2000W units that I parallel. Our plans for this upcoming summer have some time set aside for boondocking and I want to make sure I can use the AC if necessary. I’ve seen a lot of info and videos on the microair kit and it looks like it would work well. But a video, and reality are not necessarily the same things. Also, I don't want to void any warranties. We’ve been through the wringer with our prior 5th wheel and I have zero desire to hemorrhage money because I didn’t do my research or installed something that voided a warranty. I’ve been searching through the forum and see some info and some that isn’t exactly what I’m after as far as answers.

    Secondly, have any of you used this Coleman-Mach capacitor upgrade on your AC units? If so what is your impression of it?
    I very much appreciate any info or experience you all might have.

    Respectively,
    Sean

  2. #2
    Big Traveler
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    two 2000 watt generators is more than enough to start an Air with plenty to spare. You don't need any modifications.

    4000 watts, lets say .75 of that which is 3k watts running. 120 volts that is 25 amps, running amps.

    Air, once settled down will run at around 14 amps or a little less. Our 15k pulls around 13 and change when running. You are banking 1k watts with this calculation for startup.

    You have plenty of juice.
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  3. #3
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Single 15K Ac ops with generator/soft start kit

    I can run our Dometic 15k roof air on my single Honda EU2200i Companion without a soft start. Ran our air for a week in Texas last Summer.
    That $25 capacitor they’re offering to install isn’t even close to be the same thing as a Microair Easystart though.

    I bought the Easystart but never installed it. Haven’t needed it since we follow the weather and rarely need air conditioning.


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    Last edited by DaveMatthewsBand; 12-29-2018 at 04:04 PM.
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  4. #4
    Site Sponsor
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    I installed a $25 capacitor on my previous camper and can say it works.. I have a Yamaha 2400ishc and it would struggle to start the 13.5 Coleman-mach that I had. After a 30 minutes install, it was done and I noticed that it started every time without much fuss. The reason they probably want to sell you the capacitor is that there are different sizes and I (and others) found it pretty confusing trying to figure out which one was needed. I saw the Microair stuff and it's pretty slick, but $200 plus pretty slick? If I had to do it again, I would go the same route I did before buy dropping a starter capacitor in line with what is in there.

    - Ken
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  5. #5
    Site Sponsor
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    I installed to MicroAir and it works great. I run my A/C on either my 3300 inverter or a Honda 2200 watt gen. It is not a strain on either. If you go that route, I can send you pics so you know exactly which wires to use. By far, the hardest thing was getting the A/C cover off.
    2017 F350 4x4 6.7 Turbo Diesel
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  6. #6
    Fireside Member SKI367BHS's Avatar
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    All,
    I very much appreciate the replies and information. I am going to mull this all over and see what I need to do. First and formost I want to test things out with the gensets first (when I have some decent weather) and see how it all works. While hunting this past Nov, I tried to use the microwave with only one of my gensets and it was not happening. I was a little dissapointed and was skeptical it would work without tripping the genset overload, but it is what it is. I really wanted to stay small with the gensets to keep that clean power. I was hoping to install the soft start piece to help keep that power consumption down should someone flip something on at the time the AC is trying to start.

    Again, thank you all for the advice and insight, I do appreciate it.

  7. #7
    Rolling Along JColeman's Avatar
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    @DaveMatthewsBand - if you are wanting to get rid of the EasyStart bring it to Quartzsite.
    Last edited by JColeman; 12-30-2018 at 05:37 PM.
    Jeff and Jen
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    Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin

  8. #8
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JColeman View Post
    @DaveMatthewsBand - if you are wanting to get rid of the EasyStart bring it to Quartzsite.
    Good idea.

    Are you calling dibs?

    [emoji38]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  9. #9
    Rolling Along JColeman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DaveMatthewsBand View Post
    Good idea.

    Are you calling dibs?

    [emoji38]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Sure...if the price is right
    Jeff and Jen
    2016 F250 CC Lariat 4x4 6.7L, Firestone Airbags, Pullrite Superglide
    2017 Solitude 310GK, a little solar, a little lithium, disc brakes and a few suspension mods

    Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin

  10. #10
    Setting Up Camp
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    My dometic didn't came with one and my honda 3000 couldn't run it. installed soft start for 25$ and now it works like a champ. Even my Magnum inverter can run it of 4 6v batt bank.

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