Smart Start?

[Rondo]

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!

[Daryles]

Trailer Life had a good article about this

AC soft starter. Trailer Life, Aug 2019
http://www.trailerlife.com/tech/this-is-cool/

[prndl]

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.

[Rondo]

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?

[h2ojocky]

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

[prndl]

Three of us have bought the micro air 364.

[Mikendebbie]

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.

[navybanker]

Do you have to turn other electrical draws off to run the A/C?

[prndl]

Originally Posted by navybanker

Do you have to turn other electrical draws off to run the A/C?

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.

[CRUZIN 2]

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

[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.

[Ahdmeyer]

anyone know of these easy starts
https://www.ebay.com/itm/RV-A-C-Star....c100667.m2042
al meyer
3931fb
az

[PNW Fireguy]

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.

[CaptDane]

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.

[denhammkc]

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.

[Bfisher003]

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.

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).

[McRod]

I have MicroAir easy starts on both my AC units. No issues.

[ncognet0]

Read the negative reviews, id avoid it.

[prndl]

micro air yes

[McRod]

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).

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.