Micro-Air Easy Start--install and 2000 watt Generator

@diamonds, you and other inspired me likewise.
Micro Air 364 installed today - just finished.
Did the five start procedure on household 110, proved up, then connected to the Ryobi 1800/2300 we have and that proved up as well.
I seriously had doubts about the generator.  After it held thru the AC startup the digital display showed it running just shy of full tilt, not much room left to take the compressor start.  Maybe the converter was grabbing a bit of power, too.  Don't know.
Altitude here is about 4500 ft.

I wonder, if easy start, makes using inverter and solar, more practical?

RobertMT posted:

I wonder, if easy start, makes using inverter and solar, more practical?

That's the main reason why I installed a MC 364 on our Coleman Mk15. I've  successfully completed the five learning starts on house current via a 15 amp circuit and a 12/3 50' extension cord. Then it got cold again and I haven't yet tried the Honda EU2200i. I hope to have my hybrid inverter tied in and the solar panels expanded out to 650 watts from the current 370 watts.

I fully expect it to work given @R&V Spiker's and @Ty J's experience with the Victron 30/3000/120 Multi I'm installing. @Chuck3006 has had good reports running his AC and more with his Magnum MagnaSine 3000A Hybrid inverter. I don't know if he's installed a MicroAir 364 on his AC.

Just installed one myself well worth the money.....

RobertMT posted:

I wonder, if easy start, makes using inverter and solar, more practical?

I have the easy start, a smaller 9200 air conditioner, two Renogy 100 Ah Lithium batteries and a 2000 watt inverter. I can run the air easily with this setup, probably for two hours without replenishing the batteries.

I would have loved to have one more battery and a 3000 watt inverter, but at some point I had to reign in the spending.  

VigII posted:

RobertMT posted:

I wonder, if easy start, makes using inverter and solar, more practical?

That's the main reason why I installed a MC 364 on our Coleman Mk15. I've  successfully completed the five learning starts on house current via a 15 amp circuit and a 12/3 50' extension cord. Then it got cold again and I haven't yet tried the Honda EU2200i. I hope to have my hybrid inverter tied in and the solar panels expanded out to 650 watts from the current 370 watts.

I fully expect it to work given @R&V Spiker's and @Ty J's experience with the Victron 30/3000/120 Multi I'm installing. @Chuck3006 has had good reports running his AC and more with his Magnum MagnaSine 3000A Hybrid inverter. I don't know if he's installed a MicroAir 364 on his AC.

I have installed the MicroAire on my Coleman 15k. It would not start on the Honda 2000 without it.

As to RobertMT's question I think the answer is yes. I think I've kind of looked at it from a whole system point of view as opposed to focusing on single components. If you decide where you want to end up and design a whole system that has adequate capacity you will likely be happy. 

If I made one mistake it was probably in the buying a TT with the Coleman 15k. But the local dealer had a trailer that had everything we wanted on the lot, met Richards price, so we bought it. I wish I'd investigated if there were any more efficient AC units that would do the job at a lower energy cost. Given the size of the 2285 we likely could not have gone less than 13.5 and maintained the ability to cool the trailer. 

But for now I'm happy with the system and I can easily run the AC on the inverter. I mentioned before that I ran the AC and microwave simultaneously as a system stress test. FWIW nobody seems to believe that you can run the AC on battery power until you show them.

One thing I'm l curious about going forward is how much of the load the AC will place on the battery bank will be supported by the solar. If I add one more panel it could be close to half which would extend the run time.

As an aside I really think everybody looking at an inverter should look at spending a few extra dollars to get the Hybrid function. If considering a 2000 I'd look at going with the 3000. The cost may not be much more and a with a 3000 you can do anything in the trailer that can be done with a 30 Amp shore power hookup; well other than run the AC continuously. 

Installed my ez start on my camper. Was not so ez ------ to install. But glad I did. Couldnt get cover off my a/c bolt stripped in. It was a good investment. Works just fine. I draw around 1250 watts (Depending on the tempature outside) in the 90's running it and it ramps up and never spikes . Here are some pictures if lance would not of stripped the bolt in sideways probably had done in couple hours not a couple of days! Had to find bolt instert to put in the whole that was stripped. Ran just fine on my honda eu2000 then I upgraded to a eu2200 after I sold my 2000 to a friend for same price i paid. Even runs on propane just fine. I only have a 20 amp breaker in my house and it barely runs it. When the fridge kicks on it pops the breaker. So I use power assist on My victron,  it assists with by 4 battleborn batteries. Set the victron to only take 1200 watts then assist! Here are a few pictures of my wanting to stretch a neck out at lance.

I kept blowing fuses on my setup with victron and with Battleborn batteries running a/c till I replaced my anl fuse with T Fuse FYI. 4 x battleborns run a/c fully charged to 20 percent around 5 to 6 hours at 20 percent left at a tempature of 95 degrees outside. FYI. I have hond eu2200 now and runs on gas from hutch mountain, you lose supposedly 12 to 18 percent power running generator on gas according to Hutch Mountain. No problems running a/c though except my blowing fuse episodes.

The price difference between 2k and 3k inverters, is quite a bit.  The price difference between inverters and hybrid, is even more.

I haven't had a converter, for last two years and don't foresee a reason to add one.  I don't have MW nor do I intend to get one.  I seldom use one at home, so see no need camping.

I'm considering MS, instead of pure, since AC can run on both.  Opinion is split, if mod will hurt AC or not.  I currently run compressor freezer or small AC on small mod inverter and charge cell off DC.  I'm not sure if pure is worth the extra cost.  I'll contact inverters plus, before I spring for pure inverter.

The investment for going Lithium and solar and inverters is totally up to how you camp or how much you camp. (Its not for everybody) I have a dream of Living for 3 to 4 months in my Travel Trailer and love boondocking. I wish frigerators were more efficient in campers and all dc, someday they will get more efficient and run dc and gas but there are limited options. Since its my only hobby and I love learning about electronics and its a big investment until I retire it gives me something to work on and look forward to. We have boondocked at least 4 weeks in our camper and that is all the time I can afford to take off from work, being part of the working force. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcth_y5Jwas

Short video on solar or no solar from a professional installer. I love solar and its a passion that gives me something to look forward to other than the same old monotonous grind of everyday work! Take care!

Ty J posted:

I kept blowing fuses on my setup with victron and with Battleborn batteries running a/c till I replaced my anl fuse with T Fuse FYI. 4 x battleborns run a/c fully charged to 20 percent around 5 to 6 hours at 20 percent left at a tempature of 95 degrees outside. FYI. I have hond eu2200 now and runs on gas from hutch mountain, you lose supposedly 12 to 18 percent power running generator on gas according to Hutch Mountain. No problems running a/c though except my blowing fuse episodes.

Inverters really want a Type T fuse. Lots of people have problems if they try using something less. I'm glad the change to to T fixed your problem.

Ty J posted:

Installed my ez start on my camper. Was not so ez ------ to install. But glad I did. Couldnt get cover off my a/c bolt stripped in. It was a good investment. Works just fine. I draw around 1250 watts (Depending on the tempature outside) in the 90's running it and it ramps up and never spikes . Here are some pictures if lance would not of stripped the bolt in sideways probably had done in couple hours not a couple of days! Had to find bolt instert to put in the whole that was stripped. Ran just fine on my honda eu2000 then I upgraded to a eu2200 after I sold my 2000 to a friend for same price i paid. Even runs on propane just fine. I only have a 20 amp breaker in my house and it barely runs it. When the fridge kicks on it pops the breaker. So I use power assist on My victron,  it assists with by 4 battleborn batteries. Set the victron to only take 1200 watts then assist! Here are a few pictures of my wanting to stretch a neck out at lance.

You just illustrated why I recommend a Hybrid or Power Assist Inverter/Charger. And you are lucky to have a 20 amp garage circuit; a lot are only 15 amps. I always use the example of visiting a friend and plugging into his garage circuit. I turn it down to cap the input at 14 amps and let the inverter and solar do the rest.

RobertMT posted:

The price difference between 2k and 3k inverters, is quite a bit.  The price difference between inverters and hybrid, is even more.

I haven't had a converter, for last two years and don't foresee a reason to add one.  I don't have MW nor do I intend to get one.  I seldom use one at home, so see no need camping.

I'm considering MS, instead of pure, since AC can run on both.  Opinion is split, if mod will hurt AC or not.  I currently run compressor freezer or small AC on small mod inverter and charge cell off DC.  I'm not sure if pure is worth the extra cost.  I'll contact inverters plus, before I spring for pure inverter.

I guess we have different perspectives on cost. I was thinking in terms relative to the cost of the trailer and to the overall cost of the solar/lithium/inverter package.

I just looked at AM Solar and a Magnum 3000 Hybrid was 2239 and a 2000 non Hybrid was 1735, for a 504 difference. I think that difference is larger than it should be as I only paid 1700 for my 3000 Hybrid; but the AM Solar example is likely the worst case. When I bought mine I would only have saved 300.00 going 2000 watt non Hybrid. There are numerous reasons to go larger; one main one to me as that with a 1800 watt load the 2000 is close to its limit and working and with the same load the 3000 is cruising at a bit more than half its output. Much as a dimmed light lasts a lot longer than one at full output.

Plus I confess that I have an "overkill is underrated" mentality and lean towards "do it right, do it once".

But then I am the guy who put a 5 HP totally enclosed fan cooled Baldor motor an an Ingersoll Rand 80 gallon V-twin compressor that was built between 1945 and 1950 (before I was born) and that I rebuilt. The Baldor was (and still is) the high dollar option but 50 years later it is still running just fine. I am using tools (hand and power) I bought in my early 20's. One of my welders is a Lincoln I bought 45 years ago. None of the low dollar stuff from HF (compressors, welders, power tools) etc will be running in 45 years; and there won't be parts to keep them running.

Prior to retiring I did field work in the energy industry and had quite a bit of electronics to do the job. My department insisted on relatively high dollar sign wave inverters in our trucks and we had no problems and ran them for years and years. Other departments were cheaper and went with lower cost modified sine inverters because "they would work". They had more problems with power supplies on their equipment than I did and the lower quality MS inverters seemed to die more frequently. I learned to carry an extension cord to help them out. Sorry, but I wouldn not run a MS inverter if it was given to me.

I am not saying that everyone should do it my way, but it has worked for me my whole life.