Honda Generator and Air Conditioning

[sailor0516]

I have new honda 2000 gen and would like to use it for a/c at anchor.
A/C is cruise air 16k btu. I am told I need a capacitor to start the a/c unit.
Any info greatly appreciated.
sailor0516

[GordMay]

Your 2KA Gen is unlikely to start a 16 K Btuh A/c, even with a hard start capacitor.

See ➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tor-61932.html

And ➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...and-82875.html

[svlamorocha]

Originally Posted by sailor0516

I have new honda 2000 gen and would like to use it for a/c at anchor.
A/C is cruise air 16k btu. I am told I need a capacitor to start the a/c unit.
Any info greatly appreciated.
sailor0516

What model is the Cruisair A/C? The answer may depend on the specific model.

I know of a Honda 2000 genset that consistently starts a Cruisair 16kbtu unit without any soft-start add-ons (capacitor). Only trick is to turn off the Eco option; otherwise the Eco-genie takes too long to detect the load and you have a problem.

I also know of people who had problems even if with soft-start add-ons but I believe they did not quite understand the importance of turning off the Eco option.

See a nice write up from Cruisair in the "other forum":

Honda eu2000i and air conditioning - Page 3 - SailNet Community







My undertsanding tis that the foks having problems with a Honda 2000 genset and a CruiseAire

[a64pilot]

I think your going to need a Companion, a second 2K Honda to do that. Even once you get past the start up, the current will exceed the Honda's 1600 W limit, I feel sure.
Honda can only provide 13 amps continuously. My 16K CruiseAIr pulls about 15 or so running, don't forget the water pump too.

[David M]

You need to find the start load and the continuous load of your air conditioning unit. If it is not on a plate on the AC unit then call the manufacturer or look up online the units PDF of its specifications.

The continuous load of the Honda is indeed 13 amps at 120 volts.

I can't run the calculations without the AC units specs, but my gut feeling is that you will need a smaller AC unit with your existing generator.

An AC unit that draws no more than 10 amps continuous at 120 volts is probably what would work best.

[transmitterdan]

You can try a "hard start capacitor" and maybe the A/C unit will start but the end game is that the Honda 2000W generator is rated at 13.3A "rated load". I think you will find that a 16K BTU A/C unit plus the water pump draws more current continuously than the Honda is rated. Our boat has a 16K BTU A/C and when running it draws about 14.5A continuously. And that is at 120V. If the voltage sags a bit to 108 then the current draw is about 15A.

[AnchorageGuy]

Sometimes the Honda 2000 with start a 16K BTU air conditioner and sometimes it won't. It won't for us, even with a hard start capacitor. The only way you will know is after try it. Chuck

[svlamorocha]

Originally Posted by AnchorageGuy

Sometimes the Honda 2000 with start a 16K BTU air conditioner and sometimes it won't. It won't for us, even with a hard start capacitor.

Chuck
What brand/model A/C unit you have? Have you turned off the Eco feature?


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[AnchorageGuy]

We have a King Air. And yes the Eco feature was off. Chuck

[a64pilot]

Even if you can get it to start a 16K Ac, the poor little Gennie will be busting a gut to run it, and it will sound like it too, when you run the little Honda's at max capacity, they run at very high RPM.
If you buy a Companion to go with the gen you have, they can run your AC on eco mode, plus charge batteries and probably run your other AC loads, excepting the water heater of course. I've got two of the Honda's and they will run the entire boat, one 16K AC, and one 5K and charge batteries on eco mode.
Hauling two Honda's out of the Lazarette was more work than I wanted to do on a regular basis though.

I have a 3.5 KW Nexgen that I will be installing soon


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[svlamorocha]

Originally Posted by AnchorageGuy

We have a King Air. And yes the Eco feature was off. Chuck

I recall there were two 16k versions from King Air; one with piston compressor and one with rotary compressor. Which one do you have? C

[Garrettw]

Our old boat had a 16k CruiseAir. My Honda2000 wouldn't start it, even with a hard start cap. I had to get a Dometec soft start module for it to finally work (and it would work on Eco at that point). Nameplate specs on the A/C were 11amps in cooling mode, without the pump load. Add in maybe a couple of amps for the pump and the Honda was screaming.


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[AnchorageGuy]

It's a standard compressor, the same as the Cruiseair or any other. Chuck

[Sinbad51]

I have an Ocean Air 16k unit that runs on my 2000 as long as the echo is turned off. It barks pretty good because it is working very close to capacity.

[sailor0516]

Thanks, did you need a soft start capacitor to start the a/c?
sailor0516