Generator + AC: need soft start?

[Delicious1939]

Any electrical engineer-ish folks on here game to help me figure out if I need to use a soft start with these components?
- LG 8,000 (DOE) BTU 115-Volt Portable Air Conditioner Model #LP0823GSSM
https://www.lg.com/us/air-conditioners/ ... onditioner
- Honda eu2000i

[trilobyte]

Honda makes a great whisper-quiet generator, and that's definitely one of them. I wouldn't describe it as a soft-start so much, but I've never used it to run an AC (neither my partner nor I have a medical condition that requires it, we've been fine without).

I would also point out that your equipment pairing might work at sea level, but at 4000 ft elevation, you're looking at a 15-25% drop in peak power and performance. It might not be able to deliver enough power for that AC.

[Token]

LG doesn’t share real specifications like actual current draw, startup draw, locked-rotor draw - bummer.

Difficult to tell with sparse data.

You are right in the edge with the older EU2000i

That generator is 2K VA - Volt Amps - which is not the same as Watts. It’s true Watt rating is ~ 1400 - whole root-mean-square of the sine wave .
You can probably get a reliable 10A out of a single EU2000i up at that elevation.

BTW, the new window AC units are way more efficient than the portable ones. If you can pull that off with your setup it’s a much safer bet.

[some seeing eye]

In air conditioners and refrigerator, inverter power supply inherently does soft start.

This LG does not have an inverter power supply, so it will have a compressor motor startup peak.

There are soft start attachments, I don't know why they are expensive.

People report that this model draws about 1100W. With the derating of the EU2000 at altitude and that startup is often 2x run, you may have problems.

If you have not purchased the AC yet, can you find an inverter one? You could also go solar with a battery power pack for the same price as a new EU2000.

[trilobyte]

When I clicked the link, it showed a 15A draw on the AC, and Honda's site says the EU2200i (newer model) can do just over 18A. The older eu2000i comes up on 3rd party sites indicating it can do 13A. Again, those are sea level elevation optimized performance situations.

[Delicious1939]

Thanks so much! I can pivot to a window unit, I was thinking this one:
https://www.midea.com/us/store/cooling- ... MAW05M1WWT

[trilobyte]

You didn't specify the current draw on what you're pivoting to. As long as it draws less than 9.5ish amps, it could work.

[Token]

Thanks so much! I can pivot to a window unit, I was thinking this one:
https://www.midea.com/us/store/cooling- ... MAW05M1WWT

Midea makes a great inverter window AC. The U shaped units. Smallest one is 8k btu.

The one you linked - not an inverter.