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Old 03-13-2007, 09:22 AM   #11
Frenchy
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The Yamaha EF2400iS is not as quiet as the Honda 2000 but it's not too bad.
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Old 09-21-2016, 03:55 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PopBeavers View Post
A Honda 2000 generator will run my a/c at sea level, but not in the mountains. From my research it appears that the Yamaha 2400 will run the a/c up to around 6,000 feet.

You don't need a quiet generator for your situation, because you will not have neighbors complaining about the noise. It is up to you if you can tolerate the noise of your own generator. Cheap contractor generators tend to be rather loud. Quiet generators are expensive.

Cheap contractor generators are not famous for producing clean sine wave power. It is typically more of a square wave. For running sensitive electronics, like television and dvd player, you might need cleaner power.
My wife and i just spent 8 night at Twin Lakes, Mammoth, CA in our 2027SL, we used out Yamaha 2400i generator to power the micro, coffee, recharge the batts, and TV. Elevation was 8500ft and the Yam2400 would not run the AC without an overload. Darn thing weighs at about 75lb. Thinking of purchasing two Honda 2000i gens and parallel together for the hot days.

Also no hookups, waste was collected in Baker 32gal tote and dumped on final day for $10 per dump.
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Old 09-21-2016, 03:58 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frenchy View Post
The Yamaha EF2400iS is not as quiet as the Honda 2000 but it's not too bad.
Definitely louder than the Honda
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Old 09-21-2016, 07:04 PM   #14
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Maldos, I recently bought two WH2400s (Westinghouse) generators thinking that surely having these two paralleled (4800 W) that I should have no problem running AC. I was at about 7500 ft above sea level when I tested this out and one or the other generator would shut down and then the other one would overload. It could be that I was doing something wrong, but before next Spring, my plan is to get an easy start device to minimize the surge when the Air Cond / Compressor kicks on and see if I can run AC with just one generator.
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Old 09-21-2016, 07:23 PM   #15
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Default power inverter

does anyone use a power inverter, it seems so much easier (just let truck run,,not much gas at idle ,, plus a truck engine running is pretty quiet etc, I have a 1000/2000 watt i use around the house ,,( i do have a loud 4k champion gas generator for prolonged power outages)
I have seen inverter advertised up to 5000 watts seem pretty cheap
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5000-Watt-Co...25.m3641.l6368
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Old 09-21-2016, 08:15 PM   #16
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+1 - the key to reliably starting that ac on one generator is to install an easy start device. Are several in the $250-$350 range, want a single phase 115 or 120vac unit. 20-30A

Installing is a little (but not much) more difficult than replacing the start capacitor.

Once started, the ac only needs about 12A to run.

My rig is what I consider a balanced system: WH2400i gen, two GC2 batteries, 200W of solar, and a 1KW (continuous) inverter. Had a week of AC every day at Sun'n'Fun.

Mine will run the AC on a single Honda 2000 but there is little excess capacity for anything else (AC pulls about 1440W and the EU2000 is only rated at 1600 continuous.).

Now to really have a no-holds-barred system you would need to replace the on-board converter and the inverter with a combination unit having an automatic transfer switch like a Xantrex HF1800.

If I ever find a 2922SD, that is what I'd install along with a boost to 300W of solar.\

IMNSHO if you have two paralleled WH2400i's and one is stalling after the AC has started, there is something wrong with it. I assume you are using the Westinghouse parallel cable ?

BTW I also have a WH2000XLT that I can parallel with the WH2400i and will start and run an unmodified 15,000 btu AC but the most cost effective method is a single 2200-2500W inverter generator and a soft-start mod on the AC.

ps I find the Westy 2400 is no louder than my Honda 2000.
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Old 09-22-2016, 06:57 AM   #17
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If the air conditioner needs 12 amps at 120 VAC to run, this translates to about 150 amps at 12 VDC into the inverter. This is a lot. I'm not sure that the alternator in most cars will put out 150 amps - almost certainly not with an idling engine. At the same time, you will need really big cables (welding cables?) from the alternator to the inverter to carry this much current.

So that is the situation when the air conditioner is running. How do you handle the startup transient? Even with the hard-start device in place, Padgett's experience is that the air conditioner needs at least 20 amps at 120 VAC to start - which will translate to about 250 amps at 12 VDC.

Finally, these big but cheap inverters produce either a square wave, or a modified sine wave. I'm not sure that the air conditioner will be happy with this kind of power. Padgett, any thoughts?

Overall, I'm not sure that an inverter is a good approach.

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Old 09-22-2016, 07:44 AM   #18
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Yes, I would not try to run an AC from an inverter. Period.

I have been trying to figure out a way to use a battery and possibly an inverter to absorb some of the surge for an AC startup but have not found a way to sync and the 12v DC connector on a typical generator/inverter is only rated for 10A.

OTOH the motor inertia in a generator allows it to absorb a millisecond surge and a 12v battery has A Lot of "inertia".

The major problem I ran into with the Predator was that its bigger and longer stroke engine (Westpro is 79 cc, Honda 98cc, Predator 125cc) does not rev fast enough to contain the surge. Did fine once the soft surge was added.

In fact the most cost effective combo is a Predator (on sale regularly for about $400), 2 year service contract: $79, Soft-start device: $300. I just personally like the Westy better.

I go into a lot more detail on my web site but the bottom line is that a 13,500 rooftop AC uses a cheap kludge to start that depends on electrical inertia (not right term but would need to go into boring math about phase angles and line capacitance to describe otherwise) for starting that is actually hard on both the system and the motor.

Big expensive rigs all have "soft start" devices that are just not cost effective for something sold at Camping World or Lowes. A few better ones stage the start so the compressor starts first and a few seconds later the fan(s). Most don't bother and rely on the fact that most circuit breakers can absorb a 300% overload for less than a second without popping. Still I would not try to run an AC on a 15A breaker, only on a circuit designed for at least 20 (I use 10ga wire in my garage).

ps Have run into a gadget called 5-2-1 and seems too good to be true. Anyone know if this is a gimmick or real ?
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Old 09-22-2016, 09:55 AM   #19
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Padgett, my plan is to buy an Easy Start from Microair. I think someone else on the forum has one. Agree with you that something may be wrong with the WH generators I purchased and I was using the parallel cable they supplied. I'm kinda wondering if two gennies paralleled really are the same as a single gennie with double the watts. When one shut down on me and then the other overloaded when running the AC, it wasn't always the same one that shut down first.
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Old 09-23-2016, 03:17 PM   #20
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They make an inverter generator with batter assist.. Battery assist provides the extra juice during the compressor start up. Bonus inverter generators can run at slower speeds when extra amperages is not needed. It sets speed to the amount of the power needed.
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