Share your AC easy start results...

[03griz]

What I would like to know is with a soft start can I run my 15k A/C and not need to turn it off when I want to put on the microwave on a 30 amp circuit?

[Riverbug]

What I would like to know is with a soft start can I run my 15k A/C and not need to turn it off when I want to put on the microwave on a 30 amp circuit?

You shouldn't have an issue running both of those at once. Are you sure it isn't also running the electric water heater or something in addition to those items that causes a problem? In any event, it will certainly reduce the initial surge but will not reduce the running load.

[03griz]

Do not yet know about this new to me camper but my last keystone with 13.5 A/C you could not run microwave or a toaster unless you shut off the A/C. Everyone I know has the same issue. Always drove me nuts. The last thermostat was quick to shut off the a/c with a simple slide of a button instead of having multiple presses and making sure the a/c shuts off. The big problem was forgetting to turn the a/c back on and then leaving the camper coming back to a hot trailer. I don't think I have been to any campgrounds in canada that have 50 amp plugs. Oh and to turn off the hotwater on the old trailer was outside on the actual water heater so yes it did not get turned off. My needs are to be able to run microwave without shutting anything off when connected to 30 amps and to be able to run the a/c on a 15 amp circuit when cleaning/ loading camper at home or camping in a friends driveway. The 13.5 would run on 15amp circuit without anything else electric on.

Will the soft start help me?

[Riverbug]

Do not yet know about this new to me camper but my last keystone with 13.5 A/C you could not run microwave or a toaster unless you shut off the A/C. Everyone I know has the same issue. Always drove me nuts. The last thermostat was quick to shut off the a/c with a simple slide of a button instead of having multiple presses and making sure the a/c shuts off. The big problem was forgetting to turn the a/c back on and then leaving the camper coming back to a hot trailer. I don't think I have been to any campgrounds in canada that have 50 amp plugs. Oh and to turn off the hotwater on the old trailer was outside on the actual water heater so yes it did not get turned off. My needs are to be able to run microwave without shutting anything off when connected to 30 amps and to be able to run the a/c on a 15 amp circuit when cleaning/ loading camper at home or camping in a friends driveway. The 13.5 would run on 15amp circuit without anything else electric on.

Will the soft start help me?

Starting with the 15 or 20 amp circuit, or a small (2200 or 2000 watt) generator, soft start will definitely help. Our 15kw General Electric AC prior to the soft start had an LRA (Locked Rotor Amps - this is the initial surge) of 55 - 60 amps; after soft start it is 22-25 amp. This is within the threshold to not cause an issue with a 20 amp circuit. The RLA (Running Load Amps - this is the amperage under normal load after the initial surge) is pretty consistently 12-13 amps and that doesn't change with soft start. So, if you are using a 15 amp circuit at home, I believe you will be ok just running the AC because that surge is so fast that it would not pop your breaker and once it is running you still have enough amperage. If you turn on a vacuum cleaner or microwave - you'll have to test how far you can go.

Regarding the other problem while connected to 50 or 30 amp pedestal...we never shut off the AC to run the microwave and water heater. But I do know that before my wife uses her blow dryer we are now in the habit of making sure the microwave isn't running at the same time the AC is. We can't always tell if the water heater also happens to be running at that time or not, but we never turn that off. Ours is a 30 amp trailer with one AC. In our previous motorhomes and travel trailers without a soft start it was about the same thing; always the blow dryer while heating something in the microwave with the AC on that pushed it over the edge. I don't know but it seems like you shouldn't be experiencing the issues you are when on 50/30 amps.

In any event, the soft start will help all around whether on a small circuit at home or connected to a 30 or 50 amp pedestal. One consideration might be to just have an electrician put in a 50/30/20 amp box depending on your situation. We have one and it's really convenient. For the soft start, I also like the fact that when the compressor kicks on for the AC after it's much less noticeable, which is nice at night while sleeping. Some say it will save your compressor, but I don't think so, I mean they're made to run and there are plenty of 30+ year old AC's out there still working that never saw a soft start.

I'm sure others will chime in with better information but hope that helps.