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Thread: A/C Soft Start

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    A/C Soft Start

    I've seen a little talk on this site about some "newer" rv air conditioners have soft starts installed from the factory, we have a Dometic 15K on our 2017 Reflection 315 RLTS. Is there anything to this and if so how I can I determine if ours has a factory installed on? On the other side of that, seems as though most who are installing after market one are leaning towards the Micro Air brand. Is that the best way to go?

    Thanks,
    Kevin

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    A/C Soft Start

    Quote Originally Posted by Wvnitroman View Post
    I've seen a little talk on this site about some "newer" rv air conditioners have soft starts installed from the factory, we have a Dometic 15K on our 2017 Reflection 315 RLTS. Is there anything to this and if so how I can I determine if ours has a factory installed on? On the other side of that, seems as though most who are installing after market one are leaning towards the Micro Air brand. Is that the best way to go?

    Thanks,
    Kevin
    2020 31MB here and no factory installed soft start. Just have to take off the cover, open the panel, and see what solenoids are there.

    On my previous 5er (2018 Starcraft POS) I had a simple hard start capacitor installed. It did the trick but no brains behind it. Just gathering energy to boost the initial start up. I went with the microaire on this rig and installed myself because it has some additional built in technology that seems to protect the compressor. Might be marketing spin but I bought in and so far it has worked as advertised.


    +++++++++++++++++++
    2016 Ram 2500 Cummins
    Andersen ultimate
    2020 GD 31MB
    Champion dual fuel 3500 generator
    Steadyfast stabilizers
    Dinosaur electronics ignitor board
    MicroAir Easy-Start
    Last edited by Rgkeaney; 09-06-2020 at 07:50 PM.
    2020 Reflection 31MB
    2016 Ram 2500 Cummins

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    On at 2017, I would say not factory install.

    Advanced search will give you plenty of discussion on previous posts.
    Bob and Cheryl, Puka the doodle
    2018 Ram 2500 Crew,Diesel,4x4
    2016 Reflection 27RL
    2012 Palomino 6.5 camper

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    Site Sponsor livinthelife's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wvnitroman View Post
    I've seen a little talk on this site about some "newer" rv air conditioners have soft starts installed from the factory, we have a Dometic 15K on our 2017 Reflection 315 RLTS. Is there anything to this and if so how I can I determine if ours has a factory installed on? On the other side of that, seems as though most who are installing after market one are leaning towards the Micro Air brand. Is that the best way to go?

    Thanks,
    Kevin
    We have a 2017 26RL, with 2 15K ACs (Dometic Brisk air II & Dometic Penguin II). My husband installed the microair soft start on both of them. They draw about 15 amps of current when running. Start up is quieter.

    We actually did it so we could run both ACs using our 2 Honda 2000, if necessary.

    2017 Reflection 26RL "Mili"
    2016 Ford F250 Extended Cab Gas Engine "Buck" (the truck)

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    Quote Originally Posted by livinthelife View Post
    We have a 2017 26RL, with 2 15K ACs (Dometic Brisk air II & Dometic Penguin II). My husband installed the microair soft start on both of them. They draw about 15 amps of current when running. Start up is quieter.

    We actually did it so we could run both ACs using our 2 Honda 2000, if necessary.
    Soft Start or not, 15A is 1800W and that is 200W more than a 2000W Honda can supply continuously. You could get by with a pair of the 2200s.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

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    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    A/C Soft Start

    Quote Originally Posted by jkwilson View Post
    Soft Start or not, 15A is 1800W and that is 200W more than a 2000W Honda can supply continuously. You could get by with a pair of the 2200s.
    Maybe you missed it, but Livinthelife mentions they have a 2 of them.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    At any rate, one of them will run a 15k roof air as I’ve done it many times.

    Here’s a video I shot running mine outside San Antonio in May of 2018 when we were boondocking in a field and it was hot and humid.

    A Champion or HF won’t power it, unless you step up to a 3000 or 3500. This is one reason Honda is king.

    https://youtu.be/eVBHNV_FCzg


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by DaveMatthewsBand; 09-07-2020 at 02:48 PM.
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


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    Site Sponsor livinthelife's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jkwilson View Post
    Soft Start or not, 15A is 1800W and that is 200W more than a 2000W Honda can supply continuously. You could get by with a pair of the 2200s.
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveMatthewsBand View Post
    Maybe you missed it, but Livinthelife mentions they have a 2 of them.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Adjustments.jpg 
Views:	19 
Size:	80.3 KB 
ID:	29345


    At any rate, one of them will run a 15k roof air as I’ve done it many times.

    Here’s a video I shot running mine outside San Antonio in May of 2018 when we were boondocking in a field and it was hot and humid.


    https://youtu.be/eVBHNV_FCzg


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    OK, to clear it up, my husband says he misspoke, we use both generators to run one AC and everything else we want on at the time. We typically don't have both ACs running at the same time. We use the one in the room we're not in, for noise reasons. Haven't boondocked at over 100 degrees yet, though.

    2017 Reflection 26RL "Mili"
    2016 Ford F250 Extended Cab Gas Engine "Buck" (the truck)

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    Quote Originally Posted by DaveMatthewsBand View Post
    Maybe you missed it, but Livinthelife mentions they have a 2 of them.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Adjustments.jpg 
Views:	19 
Size:	80.3 KB 
ID:	29345


    At any rate, one of them will run a 15k roof air as I’ve done it many times.

    Here’s a video I shot running mine outside San Antonio in May of 2018 when we were boondocking in a field and it was hot and humid.

    A Champion or HF won’t power it, unless you step up to a 3000 or 3500. This is one reason Honda is king.

    https://youtu.be/eVBHNV_FCzg


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    She also mentioned running both ACs.

    You may be able to run an AC on a 1600W generator, but if it draws 15A, you are running it at 12.5% over its rated load. Just not a very good idea for generator longevity, and it’s not sustainable unless you can shut off the AC at night and recharge the battery.

    Two of the EU 2000s to run an AC and the remainder of the power needs is a pretty nice setup.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

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