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Old 07-30-2021, 04:56 PM   #1
RNTFREE
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Ac cycles, trips generator

Just bought a westinghouse igen 4500 for our 28 foot Hideout with a 13.5k ac. Generator will run the air just fine for 15 minutes or so then the ac sounds like it shuts off then comes back on and when it does that it trips the overload on the generator. Temperature has not come down to thermostat setting yet so not sure why it turns off then right back on. Anyone else seen this issue? What would be some possible fixes?
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Old 07-30-2021, 05:16 PM   #2
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That 4,500 watt generator runs3,700 watts continuous, but should be plenty if you have a 13.5 AC. I read about Westinghouse issues when I was generator shopping so I bought a Generac 3,000i and it powers mine just fine (13.5k Dometic Brisk Aire II) with no issues. Make sure you have all other loads off like water heater, fridge, etc. Also factors like ambient temperature, and altitude come into play. If it continues to be an issue, a soft start for the AC unit might help
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Old 07-30-2021, 05:17 PM   #3
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Does the A/C do the same thing on shore power?

It may be the heat causing the A/C compressor to overload and it simply can't keep up with the pressure requirement to push the refrigerant without overheating and when it cycles, the head pressure is just too great so the amp demand to start the compressor "kicks the generator out".

If it works on shore power, focus on the generator. if it does the same on generator and shore power, focus on the air conditioner.....

Page, AZ is around 4100' altitude. That's about 600' higher than the "maximum full power altitude" for most generators.
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Old 07-30-2021, 05:24 PM   #4
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Does the A/C do the same thing on shore power?

It may be the heat causing the A/C compressor to overload and it simply can't keep up with the pressure requirement to push the refrigerant without overheating and when it cycles, the head pressure is just too great so the amp demand to start the compressor "kicks the generator out".

If it works on shore power, focus on the generator. if it does the same on generator and shore power, focus on the air conditioner.....

Page, AZ is around 4100' altitude. That's about 600' higher than the "maximum full power altitude" for most generators.
It does do the same cycling thing on shore power but never has popped a breaker, even on a 30 Amp hookup. It just cycles and keeps working. I was thinking the same thing, restarting against pressure would spike the amps, not sure why it cycles though.
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Old 07-30-2021, 05:39 PM   #5
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Could be the heat. Try running the AC late night/early morning when ambient temps are below about 90 and see if it does the same thing.
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Old 07-30-2021, 05:54 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by RNTFREE View Post
It does do the same cycling thing on shore power but never has popped a breaker, even on a 30 Amp hookup. It just cycles and keeps working. I was thinking the same thing, restarting against pressure would spike the amps, not sure why it cycles though.
The Air Conditioner is on its own 20 amp circuit breaker, so that "should" open before the campground 30 amp breaker (depending on what other loads you have drawing power inside the trailer)...

The compressor has a thermal overload built into it. If that thermal device senses the compressor overheating, it will "cycle off" until the compressor cools and the thermal overload resets. So, the cycling may be a symptom of the compressor overheating and shutting down to protect itself from burning up. Then, when it does "cycle on again" the head pressure is just too great for the "surge wattage in the generator"...

I'd guess that if the air conditioner is not tripping its 20 amp breaker and it's working on 30 amps from shore power, then your generator may be "sensing a pending load above the continuous rating and shutting down to protect itself... That would probably be normal, not a "failure of the generator"...

My "long distance guess" is an overworked 13.5K a/c that has a compressor that's giving it's heart to try to keep you cool and just can't keep up with the temperature.
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Old 07-30-2021, 06:27 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RNTFREE View Post
It does do the same cycling thing on shore power but never has popped a breaker, even on a 30 Amp hookup. It just cycles and keeps working. I was thinking the same thing, restarting against pressure would spike the amps, not sure why it cycles though.
How old is the trailer? Have you ever cleaned the air conditioning condenser coil on the roof? Maybe watch a YouTube video on cleaning the coil.
You may try running the fan on high all the time and see if that helps with the generator kicking out..the fan motor is only minimal amps but even 1 amp may be the one pushing it over the edge..one less motor that has to start from a dead stop
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Old 07-30-2021, 07:14 PM   #8
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How old is the trailer? Have you ever cleaned the air conditioning condenser coil on the roof? Maybe watch a YouTube video on cleaning the coil.
You may try running the fan on high all the time and see if that helps with the generator kicking out..the fan motor is only minimal amps but even 1 amp may be the one pushing it over the edge..one less motor that has to start from a dead stop
Trailer is a 2020, had been sitting in a dirt storage lot on Nellis air force base when we got it so it's possible there's dirt/ sand in things. I'll check that out next time I'm up there.
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