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06-14-2020, 09:19 PM
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#1
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Site Team
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,791
M.O.C. #7560
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Smart Start?
Has anyone here installed the Smart Start addition on their air conditioners? Thinking about ordering and wondering the Pro's and Con's to this addition to the A/C systems. Thanks for any posts on this subject!
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06-14-2020, 09:39 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Alton
Posts: 2,892
M.O.C. #24086
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Trailer Life had a good article about this
AC soft starter. Trailer Life, Aug 2019
http://www.trailerlife.com/tech/this-is-cool/
__________________
Daryl and Marianne,
2019 3130re 20th Anniversary Edition
2016 F350 Lariat
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06-14-2020, 09:57 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: 1000 oaks
Posts: 978
M.O.C. #19630
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I just installed one on my Dometic, my friend installed one on his at the same time. They both work as advertised. MY little Costco (Yamaha) 2000 runs my 15K A/C with no problem. His also using a Honda 2000 runs fine.
__________________
2011 2955RL Gen-Y Executive Kingpin
2022 GMC 2500HD Duramax/Alison
4X4 Crew Cab/Standard bed.
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06-14-2020, 10:00 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,791
M.O.C. #7560
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Thanks Daryl going to read this article closer and make up my mind which one to go with.
Also Thanks Brian for the info. Did you go with the Smart Start or another of the brands that are suppose to do the same thing?
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06-14-2020, 10:45 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Rancho Santa Margarita
Posts: 633
M.O.C. #13025
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micro air soft start
I put this on my trailer and it works great. I can start and run my 15 k A/C on my Honda 2000.
https://www.microair.net/products/ea...nt=30176048267
__________________
Russ and Linda, So. California
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD, D/A, SRW, SB
2005 2955RL, Pullrite Superglide 16K hitch. Bridgestone Duravis R500 tires. EZ Flex Equilizers with wet bolts.EMS HW50C, Disk brakes
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06-15-2020, 07:52 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: 1000 oaks
Posts: 978
M.O.C. #19630
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Three of us have bought the micro air 364.
__________________
2011 2955RL Gen-Y Executive Kingpin
2022 GMC 2500HD Duramax/Alison
4X4 Crew Cab/Standard bed.
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06-15-2020, 09:07 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Granger TX
Posts: 2,593
M.O.C. #21044
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I saw a thread on another forum discussing these things. One guy in particular was not happy with the brand of AC capacitor he bought...don't remember the name brand or which forum it was on. Maybe one or both had failed and he was disappointed with the customer service he received. You can find unhappy customers all over the internet - so one bad review is no big deal. For me - I just mentally bookmarked a thought to remind myself to do lots of research on these things before buying in the future.
__________________
MikenDebbie Aggie ‘77 in the sticks near Austin TX
2019 Chevy 3500 High Country DRW
2018 Montana 3921FB
Aussie Gus + Texas Heeler Jimmy
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06-15-2020, 09:27 AM
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#8
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northwest Tennessee
Posts: 450
M.O.C. #10884
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Do you have to turn other electrical draws off to run the A/C?
__________________
2017 Montana 3611
2012 Chevy 2500
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06-15-2020, 10:18 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: 1000 oaks
Posts: 978
M.O.C. #19630
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Quote:
Originally Posted by navybanker
Do you have to turn other electrical draws off to run the A/C?
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With only a 2000W generator, Yes you have to turn the other 120V things off. After all, a small generator can only do so much. Not the converter though.
The Micro air is not just a capacitor. It is not a "hard start" capacitor type add-on.
My friend had a "hard start" kit in his Dometic from the factory and while installed it would not allow the Honda 2000 to start the A/C compressor. He installed the Micro air 364 and removed the hard start capacitor and now the Honda will run the A/C just fine.
__________________
2011 2955RL Gen-Y Executive Kingpin
2022 GMC 2500HD Duramax/Alison
4X4 Crew Cab/Standard bed.
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06-15-2020, 11:50 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Osmond
Posts: 673
M.O.C. #3160
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Hard Start Capacitor
Hi Rondo
Just my info. we put a Hard start Capacitor on our last rig (Alpine) in the bedroom. We put a meter on and watched it before and after the meter would jump way over before, then with the hard start, you could barely see it move, you couldn't hear the compressor kick in.
CRUZIN 2
Larry & LaVonne
SPP6 Hard Start Kit Capacitor Relay 1/2HP-10HP Increases Torque 500% Pow-R-Pak
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LARRY & LAVONNE HUMMEL
2018 3811MS
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06-15-2020, 01:41 PM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Arlington
Posts: 1,523
M.O.C. #18081
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Rondo if you are referring the MicroAir Easy Starts we have installed one on each AC unit. They work as advertised and are pretty straight forward to install.
I cannot think of a con short of the cost of adding another modification. If you wait until Black Friday they always have a decent discount code available.
__________________
SOB
2015 Volvo VNL780 D13, iShift, 32k ET air hitch, Idle Free LiFePO4 APU
16.8KWhr LiFePO4, 2.52 kw solar, 10kva Victron split phase
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06-15-2020, 08:32 PM
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#12
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: new river
Posts: 417
M.O.C. #24181
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06-15-2020, 08:42 PM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Arlington
Posts: 1,523
M.O.C. #18081
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I will tell you right off the bat that e-bay item is not UL listed and when it comes to insurance companies and electrical modifications they use that to there advantage all the time.
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SOB
2015 Volvo VNL780 D13, iShift, 32k ET air hitch, Idle Free LiFePO4 APU
16.8KWhr LiFePO4, 2.52 kw solar, 10kva Victron split phase
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06-21-2020, 01:33 PM
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#14
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New Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Apex
Posts: 6
M.O.C. #21039
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I installed the Micro Air and it works great with my 15 a/c using my Honda 2000 on propane. Relatively easy install with great customer support. I would do it again for sure.
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06-21-2020, 01:35 PM
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#15
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Established Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 37
M.O.C. #18294
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I put 1 on each of my 2 ACs and I can run both ACs on 30 Amp as well as both on my Champion 3400 generator.
Plenty of YouTube videos to walk you through the install.
__________________
2011 RAM / airbags / Anderson Ult. hitch / 2017 Montana 3721RL/Disc brakes, oil-bath Timkin bearings, shocks, X-factor/Tank-less water heater and built in water softener/Barker auto drain valves/4x100 amp Battle born/Go-power 3000 whole rig inverter/all LED running lights and a lot more.
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06-21-2020, 02:06 PM
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#16
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Established Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Palm Coast
Posts: 29
M.O.C. #23201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW Fireguy
Rondo if you are referring the MicroAir Easy Starts we have installed one on each AC unit. They work as advertised and are pretty straight forward to install.
I cannot think of a con short of the cost of adding another modification. If you wait until Black Friday they always have a decent discount code available.
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Same here on both 15K units. Much easier and quieter compressor start up and our Champion 3400 watt inverter generator can run both A/Cs at the same time (although it’s really not too practical to do so because there is no power leftover for other things).
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06-21-2020, 08:28 PM
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#17
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Austin
Posts: 226
M.O.C. #18363
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I have MicroAir easy starts on both my AC units. No issues.
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08-14-2020, 11:10 AM
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#18
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Moab
Posts: 3
M.O.C. #26807
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Read the negative reviews, id avoid it.
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08-14-2020, 12:44 PM
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#19
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: 1000 oaks
Posts: 978
M.O.C. #19630
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micro air yes
__________________
2011 2955RL Gen-Y Executive Kingpin
2022 GMC 2500HD Duramax/Alison
4X4 Crew Cab/Standard bed.
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08-14-2020, 02:29 PM
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#20
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Austin
Posts: 226
M.O.C. #18363
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bfisher003
Same here on both 15K units. Much easier and quieter compressor start up and our Champion 3400 watt inverter generator can run both A/Cs at the same time (although it’s really not too practical to do so because there is no power leftover for other things).
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Added, FYI. I have not 1 but 2 Champion 3500 watt inverter generators. Yes, you can start and run both ACs under ideal conditions, but under extreme conditions they can not handle the amperage draw. I do not consider 90 degrees extreme, but rather 110 plus as common in the SW US in summer. This forces the generator to run 12-18 plus hours each day under extreme heat. They can't handle it, and you will experience brown outs.
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