EasyStart™ 364 (3-ton) Soft Starter-any experience?

stormpeakco

'19 M-B/'19 LTV U-TB
Folks,
Any first hand experience among the non-financially indebted/sponsored, sprinter-source group members for another $300 gadget?

(Read some reviews and viewed some videos on the soft start capacitor to reduce roof top AC start up energy requirements w/ a
single Honda 2000i but I'm more interested
w/ RE: reduced noise and vibration at start up
(and reduced periods of disturbed sleep)
AND an eye towards the future possibility of periodic solar/battery powered AC use boondocking, sans obligatory generator use).
thanks (couldn't easily find anything using the search mode).
Dave
 
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Yob2kanobe

2017 Unity U24MB LL+
Yes, I purchased the Micro-Air soft start 364 a couple years ago to run my TT a/c off a Honda 2000 generator and It does work as advertised. It smoothly ramps up the starting voltage/current to provide a less abrupt compressor start via microprocessor control, a/c operates quiet and efficiently. Altho there is no problem starting and running the 13.5K btu air conditioner, it does pull hard on the little generator as needed so it is still running WFO and hence at Honda's rated noise output.
There are reports of some using this with a huge solar/lithium battery setup and no generator at all and able to start the a/c easily but that I haven't tried.
 

stormpeakco

'19 M-B/'19 LTV U-TB
Thanks.
No experience with an Easy Start added to the rooftop AC on an LTV
(or other Sprinter derived coach) w/ RE: fewer, startling waking episodes?
Dave
 

Yob2kanobe

2017 Unity U24MB LL+
If you leave the fan on all the time you really wont notice the compressor noise much when it comes on, well except for the Honda revving its brains out.
 

SSTraveler

2014 LTV Unity Murphy Bed
Did anyone install an Easy Start on their AC yet? Just wondering if it makes the AC run quieter and improves electrical system performance on 30 amps. I was thinking it may stop tripping breakers when we forget to turn the AC off when running the hair blow dryer. RVGeeks just put out a good info/ install video. Very interested in feedback from others who have installed the Easy Start.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mCeNRODDxc
 

Gamma1966

2013 Chassis /14 Unity MB
I installed one on my Dometic A/C rooftop unit, shipped with my 2014 Unity MB.
Installation went easily following on-line video.
Unit does indeed reduce startup surge of the compressor, and it does run a little quieter, i.e. compressor is quieter, the fan system is still awful, so not to be used at night for sleeping.

I will be changing my Inverted circuits over to include the AC circuit, so I can run the unit off my 3000 Watt Inverter fed from my 650 AHr Lithionic Battery system. I will post more details once I have had experience running the system in boon dock mode.
 

DiverBob

2018 Unity TB
I installed one on my UTB. I immediately noticed a reduction in sound when the compressor kicks on. I can also run the A/C using a Victron 2K inverter also from 400Ahr of Lithium batteries. I agree that the fan is still noisy.
I re-wired my AC electrical panel so all circuits go through the inverter now. The only circuit not on the inverter is the Refrigerator AC connection, that is wired to only use the generator or shore power.
 

imstilllarry

Active member
I wish we had a real option for a quiet A/C. Not just start up but operating quiet enough to allow sleep.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Gamma1966

2013 Chassis /14 Unity MB
I installed one on my Dometic A/C rooftop unit, shipped with my 2014 Unity MB.
Installation went easily following on-line video.
Unit does indeed reduce startup surge of the compressor, and it does run a little quieter, i.e. compressor is quieter, the fan system is still awful, so not to be used at night for sleeping.

I will be changing my Inverted circuits over to include the AC circuit, so I can run the unit off my 3000 Watt Inverter fed from my 650 AHr Lithionics Battery system. I will post more details once I have had experience running the system in boon dock mode.
Yesterday I finished modifying electrical so the AC is now powered on by either Shore Power or the Inverter. I ran the A/C unit for about 1-1/2 hrs. at full on, just see how the battery system responds to the constant load. Once the compressor kicked in the system drew 135 to 137 amp from the battery bank. (Note: Outside air temp about 78 DeF, starting air temp inside RV about 85 Deg F, set point 60 Deg F - Never reached this set point after 1-1/2 hrs of running)

I have 5 - 150 AHr Lithionics batteries in my RV so I have the potential to provide (( 150 x 5 ) x 80%) = 600 Ahrs; which means conservatively I could run the A/C under full load for 5 hrs. In practical terms I will probably only turn it on for a few hours to cool down the RV enough for sleeping; when dry camping. I have 400 watts of solar capacity; which will help augment the drain on the battery while running the AC.

Since I no longer have a generator, I use the Auxiliary Alternator to charge the battery bank; while driving or parked using High Idle option on the engine. Speaking of driving one of the nice things about running the A/C from the batteries is I can also drive and run the A/C and cool down the whole coach before I stop to camp at the end of a day’s drive!

We will never sleep with the A/C running because of the fan noise. Rather open the windows and use small table fans to cool the murphy bed space and / OR the skylight vent fans.
 
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Gamma1966

2013 Chassis /14 Unity MB
Just a side note about the A/C unit on the roof of the Unity MB, and all the other ones I have seen so far; all of them are painted black! The housing is absorbing sun-light and heating up the interior, where the compressor is exchanging heat from the evaporator coil. I pained my cover white to match the roof and I believe, but have no hard data, that this will help remove the heat from the evaporator coil under the cover.
 

SSTraveler

2014 LTV Unity Murphy Bed
I just Installed an Easy Start on my AC and now the compressor runs so quiet I can't hear it kick on. I also took Gamma1966 advice and painted my AC cover white, it should make a temperture difference. I know when I went to a white metal roof on my porch the temperature dropped 10 degrees. Anyway, all I hear now is just fan running. I hear no discernable noise difference when the compressor kicks on. I can't even tell when the compressor kicks on. The only way I would know it turned on is if I look at the voltage meter that I have plugged into one of my outlets. When the compressor kicks on the voltage drops from 123v to 119v. I like that it runs quieter but I wanted it so I can run my AC even if I only have access to a 20 amp outlet or a lower power 30 or 50 amp receptacle. Recently I was at a campground that gave me a site with a 50 amp receptacle but when I plugged in my surge protector when to power but it said low voltage  (L1) and 16 amps. My AC ran fine. I hope this PDF of my install helps someone else have an easier time than I did. I ran into trouble because the instructions lead you to believe you can use the generator for power to go through the Learn Process. That is absolutely not the case, so thankfully they have great tech support and a comprehensive document support on their web site. I've attached the documents I used for this install.


I also watched these 2 videos. The first one is an install on a unit that is very close to the one on my Unity. It just doesn't have the heat pump. So it's really the best to watch. The second video goes through more details and is just another reference.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4o0g4dTYYA


www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mCeNRODDxc
 

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SSTraveler

2014 LTV Unity Murphy Bed
I just cleaned it very well and lightly sanded it and used Rustoleum Painter Touch, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ol...-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334048/307244833, that is advertised to bond to plastic and it does. It comes in lots of colors so you could use cream, light gray, antique white, another light color if you don't want bright white. I just happened to have a bunch of cans of white that I bought at Ollie's so I went with white and I'm happy with it. It goes well with my Ultra Breeze vent covers which are white. A white AC cover definitely makes a difference, I found myself turning the thermostat up on the first trip with this EasyStart mod and I loved that I can't hear the compressor running and it stopped the quick cycling!
 

NBB

Well-known member
Reduced noise due to some sort of ramping of power to soften the step of the compressor is one thing, but claiming run-time noise would change at all is ridiculous. What exactly are you claiming - other than the placebo of feeling good about spending a bunch of time and money on something you could have done with a $30 capacitor?
 

Geriakt

2017 View 24J
Yesterday I finished modifying electrical so the AC is now powered on by either Shore Power or the Inverter. I ran the A/C unit for about 1-1/2 hrs. at full on, just see how the battery system responds to the constant load. Once the compressor kicked in the system drew 135 to 137 amp from the battery bank. (Note: Outside air temp about 78 DeF, starting air temp inside RV about 85 Deg F, set point 60 Deg F - Never reached this set point after 1-1/2 hrs of running)

I have 5 - 150 AHr Lithionics batteries in my RV so I have the potential to provide (( 150 x 5 ) x 80%) = 600 Ahrs; which means conservatively I could run the A/C under full load for 5 hrs. In practical terms I will probably only turn it on for a few hours to cool down the RV enough for sleeping; when dry camping. I have 400 watts of solar capacity; which will help augment the drain on the battery while running the AC.

Since I no longer have a generator, I use the Auxiliary Alternator to charge the battery bank; while driving or parked using High Idle option on the engine. Speaking of driving one of the nice things about running the A/C from the batteries is I can also drive and run the A/C and cool down the whole coach before I stop to camp at the end of a day’s drive!

We will never sleep with the A/C running because of the fan noise. Rather open the windows and use small table fans to cool the murphy bed space and / OR the skylight vent fans.
I run my Coleman Mach AC from 2 Tesla modules and a Victron Multiplus 24/3000 inverter charger. I have 8.4 kwatt hours of power and 400 watts solar that charge at 18-20 amps per hour. No need for the soft start as the battery system can provide the starting amps needed.
What inverter are you using?
 

RV2019

2017 Wonder MB
Reduced noise due to some sort of ramping of power to soften the step of the compressor is one thing, but claiming run-time noise would change at all is ridiculous. What exactly are you claiming - other than the placebo of feeling good about spending a bunch of time and money on something you could have done with a $30 capacitor?

Please provide more info on the $30 capacitor. How would that replace the capability of the easy start?
 

RV2019

2017 Wonder MB
I just cleaned it very well and lightly sanded it and used Rustoleum Painter Touch, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ol...-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334048/307244833, that is advertised to bond to plastic and it does. It comes in lots of colors so you could use cream, light gray, antique white, another light color if you don't want bright white. I just happened to have a bunch of cans of white that I bought at Ollie's so I went with white and I'm happy with it. It goes well with my Ultra Breeze vent covers which are white. A white AC cover definitely makes a difference, I found myself turning the thermostat up on the first trip with this EasyStart mod and I loved that I can't hear the compressor running and it stopped the quick cycling!

Thanks for the information!
 

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