iGen 4500 restarts electronics when AC comes on

**EddieK82** · 03-26-2024, 09:21 PM

I know this generator has much more power than needed to run 1 AC unit, a tv and a laptop. Yet, when the AC starts, all my electronics reboot. Does anyone know why this happens? It's also louder than it should be, it's less than a year old.

**xrated** · 03-27-2024, 05:02 AM

Originally Posted by EddieK82

I know this generator has much more power than needed to run 1 AC unit, a tv and a laptop. Yet, when the AC starts, all my electronics reboot. Does anyone know why this happens? It's also louder than it should be, it's less than a year old.

First things first. It's a 3700 Watt running/4500 Watt peak generator. While running, it can provide up to right at 30 amps of power. Then if there is a power demand (like when the A/C unit kicks on, it can for a short period of time, provide 4500 Watts of power (37.5 amps). When an A/C unit, like the ones we have in our campers, starts up, the inrush of current can be up to FOUR times the normal running current draw. For example, a typical 15K BTU A/C unit will pull 12, maybe 13 amps of power when running. If you multiply that times 4 on start up, you are looking at 48 to 52 amps of current on start up of the unit. That inrush current only lasts for milli-seconds, but can be enough to suck the generator down and of course when the generator does that, the voltage drops temporarily until the A/C unit's compressor comes up to full speed. At that point, the A/C unit will likely be using the "normal" or FRA (Full Running Amperage) of 12 or 13 amps. That time period when the generator is being pulled down and the voltage drops, is likely the reason that your electronics are rebooting because they are getting that same low voltage for a short time period.

A couple of suggestions for you. 1. If you are running the generator with the "Efficiency" switch turned on (it next to the start button), turn it off. Yes, that that will cause the generator to run at at higher speed, but it will also allow it to kick into "PEAK" current output (4500 watts) quicker than if the generator has to speed up on the demand, then be able to provide that extra power. 2. If that doesn't solve your "electronics reboot" issue, I would highly suggest a soft start be installed on the A/C unit. That device will cut down on the amount of inrush current that I was talking about earlier and may just allow everything to work properly when the A/C kicks on.

With the TV on and a laptop plugged in and possibly your Converter/Charger using some current to charge the battery of the trailer, you may actually be pulling around ~ 10 amps already (of the 30 amps that the generator provides as running power, not peak). Then when the A/C kicks on and tries to pull that start up current (48 - 52 amps) it is simply too much for the generator.