Soft Start ?

JBM3M · 02-20-2022, 11:39 AM

Do you have Soft Start? Are you pleased with it?
I need to clarify, SoftStartRV

Considering one(two) for our 5th wheel. Two 11,500 btu, have Honda EU3000. Soft Start claims you can run 2 units on 30 amp with these.

I also hear customer support is nil...?

Village Idiot · 02-20-2022, 11:50 AM

I installed the Micro Air Easy Start to utilize on the one trip a year I normally use the generator to run the 15k AC, I have 120 to run the other stuff.....of course the weather was cooler so I didn't need the air so I didn't get a good test. During a test run at home my 3100 watt generator hardly grunted when the AC kicked on. I will say it is much quieter when the compressor kicks in now than it was.

**sourdough** · 02-20-2022, 12:06 PM

I do not own a Micro Air Soft Start. I do own a Micro Air Easy Touch thermostat (same company). If their support for the soft start is anything like the support for their thermostat they are top notch in my experience. I believe others own the soft start so they can share any experiences they've had.

Natesadie2 · 02-20-2022, 01:14 PM

I installed two micro air soft starts to my 15k btu a/c to be run off batteries , great customer service when I had a question. Purchased off Amazon. You can start an ac with a 2000 watt gen.

NH_Bulldog · 02-20-2022, 02:36 PM

If you are going to add a soft-starter, I highly recommend MicroAire brand. Very reliable and customer service is topnotch.

LHaven · 02-20-2022, 03:14 PM

I don't have one, since with a 30A rig the benefits are limited, but I would consider adding one if I had the need. The only downside I know of is that if you need service on your A/C, some places demand you remove the Soft Start before they will touch it.

bfisher003 · 02-21-2022, 03:25 AM

I have Micro-Aire Soft starts and their thermostats on both 15K btu units on our Montana and have been very happy with them all. I can run both a/c units with our 3400 watt Champion inverter generator at the same time and the units fire up much more quietly. Great products.

pbaz · 02-22-2022, 04:09 AM

I too have been considering MicroAire soft starts for my ACs. Living in Arizona You need to be ready. We are not really camping anyway.

JBM3M · 02-22-2022, 05:34 AM

You folks have me sold on the Micro Air. Ordered one for now for the 2nd AC unit we are installing on the rig. Probably go for a second when we check out how it works with our genset

jsb5717 · 02-22-2022, 07:47 AM

Good plan. I have one MicroAire EasyStart on my primary AC. I had a 2nd AC installed last Fall and ordered the 2nd EasyStart. I'll install it this Spring. As has been stated...great customer service with them.

JBM3M · 02-22-2022, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Good plan. I have one MicroAire EasyStart on my primary AC. I had a 2nd AC installed last Fall and ordered the 2nd EasyStart. I'll install it this Spring. As has been stated...great customer service with them.

Well I asked about a different brand but the overwhelming response was way one sided toward the MicroAir. My end goal is to be able to run both units off of a honda 3000I which will be very close to being able to. Fortunately each area cooled by either unit can have a door closed to cut down on the cubic feet needing to be cooled.

At this point my biggest issue is getting the unit on top of the RV without renting a fork lift. lol

ChuckS · 02-22-2022, 09:17 AM

This is a demo of the amperage draw without and with the Micro Air easy start...

https://youtu.be/rCjFBhDy9QI

jsb5717 · 02-22-2022, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBM3M

At this point my biggest issue is getting the unit on top of the RV without renting a fork lift. lol

What do you need to lift onto the RV? Don't you already have 2 AC's installed?

JBM3M · 02-22-2022, 09:54 AM

No, RV only has one unit in main area, vent over bed. I demand AC for bedroom, against wife's wishes.

jsb5717 · 02-22-2022, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBM3M

No, RV only has one unit in main area, vent over bed. I demand AC for bedroom, against wife's wishes.

I hear ya...after the heat wave we had in the PNW last summer, with only one AC, I knew we needed two. Now we do so we're ready for this summer.

Cougar25 · 02-22-2022, 12:19 PM

I have a Soft Start on my rear A/C on a 21 Cougar 25 RDS. Easy to install; they said the directions for my exact a/c model and the directions were spot on; customer support was there to help the two times I called them. (Once before I even started.) I can start the A/C with a Honda 2300 and it runs fine. My truck has a ProPower 2.0 KW generator and I haven't been able to get it to drive the A/C.

hlh1 · 02-22-2022, 03:16 PM

I see that Amazon has several versions of the Easy Start. Which one do I want?

jxnbbl · 02-22-2022, 03:18 PM

+1 on Cougar25's entry. I installed the softitart on the road one morning in a couple of hours before we got to Florida. Simple to install with basic electrical knowledge...imo you don't even need that as it is 'plug and play'. Great customer support as for my GE AC, they didn't have the exact elec. schematic online - they sent me the exact one I needed and the guy gave me his phone number to call if I had any questions even though I was installing on the weekend! I use a champion 2500W dual fuel generator and it works fine with the AC on both fuels.

JDDilly · 02-22-2022, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hlh1

I see that Amazon has several versions of the Easy Start. Which one do I want?

You can go look at the MicroAir site (https://www.microair.net) for what you need. I have not done the EasyStart, but I ordered my new thermostat there.

RickV · 02-23-2022, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

+1 on Cougar25's entry. I installed the softitart on the road one morning in a couple of hours before we got to Florida. Simple to install with basic electrical knowledge...imo you don't even need that as it is 'plug and play'. Great customer support as for my GE AC, they didn't have the exact elec. schematic online - they sent me the exact one I needed and the guy gave me his phone number to call if I had any questions even though I was installing on the weekend! I use a champion 2500W dual fuel generator and it works fine with the AC on both fuels.

I have been thinking about buying the easy start for my 13.5K rear ac and picking up one of these generators https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KIKX0DER&psc=1 is this the same generator you are using just not dual fuel? I have a Champion 3400 that will run it without the Easy Start but it is heavy and bulky. The 200951 is only 39lbs and has a much smaller footprint.

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