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A. The main issue most every RVer faces is reducing or overcoming the initial spike to start the RV A/C. If you’ve got a motor coach, 5th wheel, big travel trailer, toy hauler that has 2 A/Cs and you’re at most campgrounds with 30-amp connection, you can only start 1 A/C because of the initial power spike to get the second A/C started. That’s a sweaty problem no one wants with only part of their vehicle cool. Or if you’re adventuring in truck campers, vans and tiny trailers, did you ever try starting your A/C with a small generator and maybe it blew a fuse or tripped a circuit breaker? Or did your small generator just stop under the heavy A/C starting spike? One RVer was so overcome with frustration, he leaned against the closed door of his camper and silently screamed in the dark – with no power on. Once is enough, right? We all learn. We go without A/C and spend another sweaty sleepless night, get a large generator, or get lucky and find one of the few 50-amp campsites.
There’s never been any smart, effective lightweight and low-cost solutions to all these camping problems… until now.
Now you can gently start your A/C with no power spike. You can eliminate all these power spike problems with a SoftStartUp™ soft starter. You get freedom to adventure into national parks and remote campgrounds knowing you, your family and friends can stay cool. Freedom to run two A/Cs on a 30-amp connection. Never worry about a start-up spike preventing you from using the A/C while boondocking in your towable. Worry-Free camping at last! Until now, your only options were to find a rare campsite that offered a 50-amp connection or to buy a back-breaking, heavier, costly generator, or a more expensive inverter. Everyone knows these cost more money, often over $2000. New generators and inverters prices are increasing, and the cost problem for rewiring an older 30-amp system is not cheap either. SoftStartUp is specially designed, engineered and tested for as all RVs: motor homes, 5th wheel campers, travel trailers, toy haulers, truck campers, vans, and tiny trailers.
The SoftStartUp reduces startup power demand by up to 50%. Now there is an easier/cheaper/better/ way to solve the RV A/C start problem. RVers can start their RV A/C without investing $2000 or more. The SoftStartUp is an innovative device that gently smooths-out startup power demand of the RV air conditioner’s compressor. You can use a small lightweight generator, like a Honda EU2200i.
The SoftStartUp reduces compressor startup power demand by up to 50%. The SoftStartUp unit controls the inrush of current by starting the compressor motor slowly. It controls the start-up voltage of the motor/compressor smartly to effectively reduce the inrush and outpouring current while starting up. It consumes much less power from campground networks or a generator system but still delivers full startup torque for motors and compressors. This small, inexpensive, reliable device leads to happy RV campers enjoying their family holiday.
A. For RVers, travel trailers or truck campers who need to start their A/C using a small Honda 2200i generator, it’s an endless problem to get the A/C to start because the A/C starting surge spikes beyond the generator capacity. Every day, campers flip the A/C switch in order to chill off and it fails to start.
The main issue you face is reducing or overcoming the initial spike to start the RV A/C which leads to no A/C cooling; hot, muggy, and sticky camping; and sweaty sleepless nights. Until now, your only option was to buy a back-breaking, heavier, costly generator, or more expensive inverter. Everyone knows these cost more money, often over $2000.
New generators and inverters prices are increasing, and the cost problem is not going away. Now there is an easier/cheaper/better/ way to solve the RV A/C start problem. RVers can start their RV A/C without investing $2000 or more. The SoftStartUp™ soft starter is an innovative device that smooths-out startup power demands of the RV air conditioner’s compressor. You can use a small lightweight generator, like a Honda EU2000i. The SoftStartUp reduces compressor startup power demand by up to 50%. The unit controls the inrush of current by starting the compressor motor more slowly. This small, inexpensive, reliableSoftStartUp™ unit leads to happy RV campers enjoying their time in the great outdoors.
A. Compressor motors are connected in a way that lets them draw as much power as required to get up to speed quickly. Because of this design, compressor motors require a massive current surge when they start. On each motor identification plate, there is a notice called LRA. This is an abbreviation for Locked Rotor Amps and is the maximum current the motor can draw according to the manufacturer.
During a typical start, you can expect your compressor to draw this current from the supply. RV rooftop 16,000 BTU compressors are rated around 50 to 60 amps LRA. A standard 2200-watt inverter generator is rated at 2000 watts peak which is about 16.7 amps at 120 volts AC. The generator will not start a load that draws four to five times its peak rating! The solution is to reduce the peak LRA, so we created the “Plug and Play” SoftStartUp™ device.
It is designed to connect directly – in a plug and play mode – between the power source and the RV to reduce the power surge that occurs on startup. It achieves this by supervising the power provided to the windings of the A/C compressor and other appliances. SoftStartUp™ gradually increases this power (in less than one second) until the A/C compressor is running. This increases the time it takes the motor to get up to speed and creates a very smooth start that reduces the peak current by 50%. An RV rooftop 16,000 BTU, 120-volt compressor can now start with under 20 amps of current.
Will It Work With…?
A. Yes. Using our own Honda EU2200i and a SoftStartUp, and we were able to successfully start and run the largest 115V RV A/Cs on the market, even from ECO mode, using SoftStartUp.
A. Yes, with a SoftStartUp connected to your RV, you can run both on a 30 or 50-amp connection.
A. Absolutely. In fact, that was one of the first tests run to assess the capacity of the SoftStartUp unit. We ran this test with the help of RVer Chris Hinton, who already had a few SoftStartRVs installed on A/C units and wanted to add the SoftStartUp to his RV power-management system. We are happy to report that there was no interference, and Chris himself noticed an even quieter startup noise from his A/C.
A. Yes, you probably need a SoftStartUp™. Power management is key to how large a generator you have and what appliances you operate at the same time. Without SoftStartUp™, the A/C startup surge is massive. Generators react to load by slowing down and decreasing the voltage to the air conditioner. If the decreased voltage slows down the generator, they overload and then the air conditioner can’t start. High outdoor temperatures increase the refrigerant pressures triggering a greater current draw. Customers with a Honda EU3000i generator and a SoftStartUp said when temperatures are high their generator won’t start the A/C consistently. Many 4KW generators do start a rooftop A/C consistently but they are much larger and heavier.
“Yes, I’m using it to run my Penguin II 15K BTU air conditioner from a Honda EU2200i generator and it works great.” – Mike Sokol, Mr. RV Electricity
A. Heat pumps are essentially the same as straight A/C units – there’s just some additional internal valves to reverse the coolant flow. It’s the same compressor load in either mode of operation, so the SoftStartUp will work fine when it is cooling or heating the RV.
“Well, here’s the secret of 15 vs. 20-amp outlets. Most of them have exactly the same amount of contact area inside. And if you look at any 15-amp plug you’ll see its contacts have exactly the same surface area as a 20-amp plug. So, if there’s a 20-amp circuit breaker and 12-gauge wire feeding a 15-amp outlet, it’s actually rated for 20-amps of current. There’s an exception in the code as well as UL allowing this, so don’t worry. If you’re on a 20-amp breaker with 12-gauge wiring, then you have a 20-amp circuit, even if it’s using a NEMA 5-15 outlet.” – Mike Sokol, Mr. RV Electricity.
NOTE: After the SoftStartUp reduces the inrush at startup, the steady-state running amps of a 13.5 K BTU is only around 9 to 10 amps.
Yes, you can install the SoftStartUp and reduce the size of your generator and you would even be able to operate both 15k BTU A/Cs on a 30A utility hookup. Operating 2 x 15kBTU A/Cs would not leave a lot of capacity for other applications on a 30A cord. You’ll need to allocate about 1800W for each of your A/C 15k systems. Estimate about 3600W for both. You will also want to budget capacity for your converter/battery charger, water heater, microwave, and your refrigerator. The best solution is that you won’t need any extra generator capacity to make up the startup spike of your two A/Cs because SoftStartUp reduces the starting surge.
“I’ve built something I call a HRDL (High Resolution Data Logger) which lets me see the startup and running current data captured 44,100 times a second. See how I did it and the graphs I created from the raw data here: https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-electricity-hrdl-the-turtle/” – Mike Sokol.
Mike, fascinating. The data looks amazing. Thank you so much for this article. A SoftStartUp device is in my future.
“It should help get the compressor started, but running any air conditioner at 100 volts for extended times will tend to overheat the compressor and is not recommended by any of the air conditioner manufacturers.” – Mike Sokol, Mr. RV Electricity
We don’t recommend the 2000 to be used because there are too many limitations: at temperatures above 90ºF, or at altitudes above 1000 feet above sea level, you lose 3.5% efficiency in ANY generator.
Maintenance: Don’t store fuel in the generator for long periods as it may cause a dirty carburetor.
Battery Charger: Whenever you plug into either shore or generator power, you have a battery charger that uses 7-8 amps. The SoftStartUp does help but still must keep limitations in mind. We recommend to not to go lower than 2200 watts (limitations may still occur).
The SoftStartUp has no limitation to generator sizing. It will work with any power source/generator. The primary limitation is whether the RV’s total electrical load is too large for the generator. That situation can exist and if the customer runs into that situation we may be able to customize his setting for that particular application.
In general, SoftStartUp will work with a 2200-watt generator and larger.
Both the SoftStartRV and the SoftStartUp will work well with your generator.
Yes! Our engineers tested the SoftStartUp device together with Power WatchDogs both upstream and downstream and they reported no compatibility issues.
Yes, the SoftStartUp is compatible with the Surge Guard. With both units working together, RVs are able to be off grid or in a lower power situation while maintaining electrical power flow.
Yes. You can do that as the dogbone will only pass 1 hot leg. I had a customer doing that already at his home to test it before going to a 30-amp campground.
Is There Any Setup Required?
Yes.
Note: The SoftStartUp is water-resistant but not waterproof, so make sure it is not sitting in a puddle of water.
“Correct, no difference. This technology will reduce the startup current no matter what the power source.” – Mike Sokol, Mr. RV Electricity.
“SoftStartUp claims success with 15,000 BTW ACs on a 2,000-watt inverter generator. But be aware that not all inverter generators are created equal. A Honda is the gold standard (and priced like it), and in many tests it outperforms the various wanna-be 2,000-watt knock-off generators from other companies.” – Mike Sokol, Mr. RV Electricity
No wiring is required. Unlike a regular SoftStartRV unit, the SoftStartUp is just plug and play!
Yes, either one.
No. This is a feature of the SoftStartRV product.
Generators
“No, it won’t reduce the running current, and not your utility bills.” Mike Sokol, Mr. RV Electricity
The load that equals the difference between the steady state running amps for the A/C and the maximum generator’s output capacity can be operating before the A/C is started with SoftStartUp. For example, a Honda EU2000i generator can handle 16.7A of a steady-state load before declaring an overload fault. A typically 13.5kBTU rooftop draws 13A while operating at a steady state. Therefore, up to 3.7A of other loads could be operating before the A/C is started with SoftStartUp, and the generator will support it.
The idea of these small lightweight generators is so appealing that they have increased in popularity over the last several years. Many companies are making them, and they are not all equal in their abilities. These generators are rated for both continuous output and peak output, but some are very underrated. The Honda eu2200i is the most popular and probably the industry standard. This generator can easily produce more than their continuous rated power to start and run a rooftop AC unit with a SoftStartUp™.
There are many other generators on the market that can also produce good results. Generators with motors over 90cc are the best choice for reliable operation. Some smaller generators, such as those with 79cc motors, may be used with 13500 BTU air conditioners and less as long as all other loads are turned off and the elevation is not too high.
All generators are not created equally or rated equally. How you will use the generator is also important. Some generators work above their 13.3-amp rating to run an air conditioner. Don’t expect to add any other loads to a single generator while the air conditioner is running, unless you have allowed for it in sizing your generator. This means you may want to turn off any electrical appliances including the refrigerator and battery charger.
A. That depends on how big a generator and what electrical appliances and gadgets you want to run at the same time. Without SoftStartUp™ the start surge is massive. Generators respond to this massive load by slowing down and reducing the voltage to the air conditioner. If they slow down enough, they go into overload and then the air conditioner won’t start. Air temperature also affects the air conditioner. Higher outdoor temperatures increase the refrigerant pressures producing a higher current draw. Some customers with Honda EU3000iS generators note that the generator will not start the air conditioner reliably when temperatures get hot.
A 3-ton implies an air conditioning measurement assessment. A SoftStartUp can run an A/C compressor up to 36,000 BTU (3-ton) of heating or cooling capacity. The typical SoftStartUp unit easily handles the typical 13.5K or 16K air conditioners found in most RV applications.
The SoftStartUp can’t deliver more power than your generator can make available. Using an undersized generator to power more loads than appropriate can cause power outages and other power problems. Remember, the loads you run still have to balance out to be less than or the same as the power made available by the generator.
Running RV Appliances Simultaneously
The typical issue RVers experience when they have trouble running on a generator is the unidentified auxiliary demands for power in their trailer that are requiring power in addition to the air conditioner. The typical generator may require up to 1750W to 1900W in very hot weather. This requirement indicates there is very little additional power left in a 2000W generator for other loads in your RV or trailer. The best way to understand what’s really happening is to use a clamp meter on one of the power conductors as it leaves the generator. You can measure the complete power requirement load the generator is helping. Other tips to consider: Make sure that your refrigerator is manually moved to propane Confirm the hot water heater is manually switched to propane andswitch the breaker to OFF for any converter or battery charger or confirmed to be in trickle charge or float mode. A 2000W generator provides about 16.7Amps, and research
indicates that you can’t draw more than 3-4A by other appliance loads before the normal A/C attempts to start. If you use more appliance load than that, and your generator could overload when the A/C startup begins – even with the SoftStartUp™ soft starter.
RV Appliance Operation: Amps x Volts = Watts and Watts/volts = amps
AC Compressor 8.5-11.2A* 980-1300 watts*
AC Fan 2-3.5A* 230-400 watts*
Converter/Charger 5-7A* 575-800 watts*
Refrigerator 4-12A* 460-1400 watts*
Water Heater 9-13A* 1000-1500 watts*
Toaster 6-10.5A* 700-1200 watts*
Hair Dryer 13-17A* 1500-2000 watts*
Microwave 5-10.5A* 600-1200 watts*
*Consult the individual appliance data plate for exact amps/watts
*Review the Amps/Watts you have available vs. the Amps/Watts of the appliances you want to operate e.g. If your A/C compressor is running 1300 Watts and you have a 2200-Watt Generator that RUNS at 1900 watts, then you only have 600 Watts available with your A/C running on 1300 Watts.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
– A 2200 watt generator normally provides around 1900 running watts
– Heat increases the amps/watts of some appliances and decreases the performance of your generator.
– Extension cord length and wire size affect the amps/watts – the shorter the cord and larger the wire size the better
– Altitude decreases generator efficiency by an estimated 3.5% per 1000’ of elevation
– Fuel source affects generator efficiency
Note that virtually all RV’s have a converter/battery charger in the electrical system to convert the 120-volt alternating current to 12-volt direct current to run 12-volt interior lighting and to trickle charge the house batteries. This converter will use 7-10 amps or 850-1150 watts. This device may need to be turned off at the breaker box if your input vs output are close or when attempting to running an air conditioner on a smaller generator or lower amp circuitry.
Altitude Above Sea Level
Yes. SoftStartUp will typically start the A/C compressor at altitudes, but the generator will probably cut out shortly after starting. It’s the running amps that gives us the issue, not so much the starting amps with the SoftStartUp. You will typically lose 3.5% of power for every 1,000′ in altitude gain over sea level. Your generator will further lose 1% of power for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit increase in temperature over 85 degrees Fahrenheit. A good rule of thumb is that you will lose 10% of the rated output every time you gain 3,000′ in altitude. Many generators offer altitude conversion kits for around $20 – $25. Look online for your type of generator and see if a kit is available. It changes the mixture to provide for the thinner air found at altitudes.
Again, you lose 3.5% of power for every 1,000 feet of altitude. Therefore at 6,000 feet you have lost approx. 20% of generator power. You may also need to re-jet the carburetor to get the generator motor to produce enough power since the thin air makes the mixture too rich. A kit may solve some of this issue.
The downside is the generator kit must be removed and the generator put back to normal factory settings when you return to sea level. You can try the kit and see if it helps. Just Google: “generator altitude kit” and look for your generator brand.
Solar
From Mr. RV Electricity, Mike Sokol. I’ve now begun testing regarding using solar panels to power an RV air conditioner. And it does look like in order to do this with a 2,000-watt inverter I’m going to need to reduce compressor starting surge considerably. So, in addition to talking
VMAX out of one of their storage batteries optimized for solar panel charging (yes, it has its own built-in solar charge controller), I’ll be testing this with traditional Lithium batteries and a REDARC® DC to DC charger with solar panel input. To reduce the compressor surge current to where a 2,000-watt inverter can reliably start the compressor, I’m also using a SoftStartUp™ into a 15kBTU Dometic Penguin II air conditioner for this test. As many of you have found, this technology allows you to reliably start a rooftop air conditioner on a 2,000-watt generator or inverter. See the graph below. And even if you do install a 3,000-watt inverter for your RV, the SoftStartUp™ controller will reduce the compressor starting surge from 52 amps down to 24 amps, which allows you to run more electrical gadgets at the same time without manual load shedding.
This technology also useful on a 30-amp campground pedestal that could already be loaded to the max. I think that reducing your air conditioner starting surge current is just being a good neighbor in a campground that’s struggling to supply enough power to all the other powerhungry RVs out there.Once again,I’ll use the CarGenerator™ Hybrid Inverter for the initial experiment, but since Xantrex provided me with a Freedom XC-2000 pure-sine inverter I’ll also include that inverter for this test in the next few weeks. And I’m setting this up with 200 watts of Xantrex solar panels for a start, and I’m asking a few other manufacturers for loaner products as well. But for now, 200 watts is a good start to gather recharging data. Again, everything I’m doing in my Funkstown Skunkworks lab is scalable, so if you want (and can afford) to install 2,000 watts of solar panels, then just multiply or divide my results by 10 to find capacity or charging time.
Yes, it’s really pretty simple once you understand ALL of the variables. This is sort of bleeding edge technology for now, but all the numbers I’m gathering are relevant no matter what new battery or inverter technology comes along. And I’m also going to do a test on a mini-split air conditioner soon which has an inverter compressor that shouldn’t have any startup surge current at all. But if you’re one of the 10+ million RVers out there with a conventional rooftop air conditioner, then you’ll want to follow along very closely.
From: https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-electricity-updates-hughes-dometic-SoftStartUp-solar/
Inverters
Yes. You can run your A/C with an inverter, but it’s not very practical for the typical RVer. RV Air Conditioners demand high wattage to start up. Once they’re running, they still have medium to high wattage requirements. Generally speaking, most RV house battery systems don’t have a sufficient amount of batteries to support air conditioning requirements with an inverter. You have to calculate how many house batteries and the watts your A/C uses on startup and running, Then, you need to think about the additional weight, cost, and where to locate them. Don’t forget the cost to enhance your alternator on your vehicle to achieve the additional charging needs of the new house batteries. Be sure to calculate for a more expensive Pure Sine Wave Inverter rather than the normally used Modified Sine Wave Inverter. A Pure Sine Wave Inverter needs to have a sufficiently high wattage ranking to achieve the air conditioner start-up power demands. Typically, an A/C can require up to 3 times more power to start it than it uses when it is running. You’ll need a SoftStartUp to start your A/C Compressor.
A. Small lightweight generator companies do not always have the same reliability and their rated peak output is sometimes inaccurate. The industry standard is the Honda eu2000i and their latest eu2200i. These generate continuous rated power to start and run a rooftop AC unit with SoftStartUp™. Other generators also produce good quality results. Looks for generators with motors over 90cc as the preferred choice for dependable operation. Smaller generators, with 79cc motors, can also be utilized with 13.5 KBTU air conditioners and smaller as long as all other loads are off and the elevation is not too high. All generators are not created equally or even rated equally. Googling research before deciding on your generator will make you a smart buyer. How you will use the generator is also important. Some of the above-mentioned generators are working above their 13.3-amp rating to run an air conditioner. Don’t expect to add any other loads to a single generator while the air conditioner is running unless you have allowed for it in sizing your generator.
Essentially you need to practice smart power management. Reduce the generator load by turning of the refrigerator and battery charger, since air gets thinner the higher you go, elevation also affects the generator. Small generators may not have enough power at higher elevations to keep your A/C running, even though SoftStartUp has been able to start it.
Engines lose about 3.5% of their power per 1000-foot rise in elevation. You may also need to rejet the carburetor to get the generator motor to produce enough power since the thin air makes the mixture too rich. There are cases where you may need a 3 KW generator or larger to run an air conditioner in the high desert.
Careful planning and generator selection are the keys to success. Be aware that running at lower elevations again will require the jet change again or you risk high combustion temperatures and burned engine components. Honda makes high elevation kits for its generator and some Yamaha dealers can also provide jets for those generators.
Hard Starters vs SoftStartUp
A hard start kit is simply a start capacitor and a thermal device that temporarily connects it to the compressor only for a short time during startup (a “PTCR”). During startup, the hard start diverts more current to the compressor’s start winding to help “boost” the torque to assist in starting. This actually results in more current be sent to the compressor, perhaps for a slightly shortened duration of time. A hard start therefore typically does not make a compressor that wouldn’t start on a particular generator suddenly start working, unless the generator and A/C combination were marginally close to working to begin with.
That is why some do report success when using a hard start kit. In most cases though, these results are a marginal improvement at best, and are not always reliable, especially when the generator also has auxiliary loads before the compressor startup actually occurs. SoftStartUp™ on the other hand, is a sophisticated, controlled soft start device that dramatically reduces the total startup current drawn by the compressor. This has a direct impact and improvement on the generator’s capability to actually start up the compressor. No hard start kit comes even close to doing any of this.
These intelligent SoftStartUp units work on a different principle than a standard starting capacitor. ALL single-phase air conditioner compressors use a starting capacitor of some sort that will draw 5 to 10 times the continuous running current during the startup cycle.
“The aftermarket hard start capacitors you’re referring to tend to draw even MORE current during the starting cycle which might help jump start a compressor on a low voltage shore power line, but will overload a portable generator even more than a factory capacitor. I’ve
personally measured the SoftStartUp unit and found that it limits the startup current to around 2x the running current by chopping the starting current and spreading it out over a longer length of time (1/2 second or so). Starting capacitors can’t do that, which is why they tend
to overload small generators and trip circuit breakers already running close to capacity. I know because I’ve run these experiments myself.” Mike Sokol, Mr. RV Electricity.
General Questions:
There’s no installation required. It’s a plug and play unit. Directions for use are in the shipping box or online at SoftStartUp.com
We do not publish a number however if you’d like us to call you back, we can do that. Just fill out
a support ticket at https://www.SoftstartRV.com/support
The green lamps are on. That indicates power is going through the unit. Turn on the A/C and it should start.
110 volts and 220 volts AC.
A. 30 amps and 50 amps
It depends on your generator or pedestal power. It may START up to two A/Cs but one or both of them may cut out after starting due to the amps needed to keep both A/Cs running. Typically, 10-13 amps is required to run each A/C.
Yes. It also depends on how many A/C units you run at one time. The RUNNING amps are the determining factor. The SoftStartUp will start the A/C units. One or more may A/C unit may stop due to insufficient running amps. Two A/Cs should operate with typical household power. Use a 15-amp adapter plug.
Yes, for one year. For an additional year (free), register at:
https://SoftStartRV.com/extended-warranty-application
Virtually all RV’s have a converter/battery charger in the electrical system to convert the 120-volt alternating current to 12-volt direct current to run 12-volt interior lighting and to trickle charge the house batteries. This converter will use 7-10 amps or 850-1150 watts. This device may need to be turned off at the breaker box if your input vs. output is close or when attempting to run an air conditioner on a smaller generator or lower amp circuitry.
The SoftStartUp is a 110-220 volt 30-Amp and 50 amp device. The additional free cable allows you to plug it into a 30-amp power source.
This SoftStartUp device is rated for 50 degrees C that is 122 ambient degrees Fahrenheit. This SoftStartUp will operate with the ambient temperatures in very hot days, we will have some degradation. If you’re in the desert and it is a hundred degrees out plus the heat generation from the current flowing through, you may see some degradation of the product at a hundred degrees Fahrenheit. It means, you won’t be able to turn on as many appliances. You may have access to two air conditioning units, depending on the size and the BTU, but you would stay away from running, additional appliances without turning something off. It’s very safe, 50 amps, 50 degrees C should not have a problem, if it’s in direct sunlight or you’re sitting in the desert where it’s 122 F degrees, yes, there, there is going to be some degradation, but the SoftStartUp will still work. You just won’t be able to run 50 amps, continuously through it, until it gets cooler.
Yes. The hotter it is – and the hotter it gets – the amps being used by your RV’s flow of energy are going to increase. This is because, in the excessive heat, it will be harder for your AC to compress the gasses to the required temperature because the rear coil can’t adequately cool down. This does vary between AC manufacturers. The outdoor temperature will also effect the temperature inside the SSUP. It is recommended in High outdoor temperatures to not run full power of your RV. The high temperature alarm will turn off the unit.
The amps available from your RV’s power connection is an extremely important number to know when balancing loads, or how many appliances you can run off of your generator. Fortunately, there is a simple formula: Watts divided by 120 equals amps. For example, a 2200 watt generator ultimately puts out only 15 amps. Remember, residual power will continue to drain, even when you think you’ve turned everything off. So ultimately, what is now reduced to around 1800 Watts puts out about 15 amps.
Click this link to go to https://softstartup.com/returns/
It’s water-resistant but you should not submerge it in water or a puddle during use. This product will work during rain and thunderstorms, snow, etc.
Altitude decreases generator efficiency by an estimated 3.5% per 1000 ft.
Heat increases the amps/watts of some appliances and decreases the performance of your generator.
This unit should be plugged DIRECTLY into the power source. Only use extension cords FROM the RV to the SoftStartUp, NOT from the SoftStartUp to the power source. Plug the SoftStartUp unit directly into the power source. This way, it can better monitor any surge in electrical current.
Extension cord length and wire size affect the amps/watts: shorter cords and larger wire sizes are better.
We recommend storing the SoftStartUp in a cool, dry place. Do not place the SoftStartUp near heat sources such as stoves, grills, or open fires.
It does not have an automatic restart for a dead short. If it senses that there was a dead short on the output, meaning the hot leg and the neutral was shorted together, there’s no automatic restart because that means that there’s really a big problem. The device is smart enough to be able to tell the difference between a dead short and an overload. They’re basically the same. It’s a high current, but a dead short is instantaneously while the other one is not. All the algorithms we put together make this a smart device. Meaning all the analog measurements were taken, voltage current, and then all the algorithms, for example, you faulted three times in 30 minutes. don’t keep trying. Alert the user to know that there’s a problem. We understand that this product is monitoring the whole RV. So, we don’t want to shut down the RV. For example, if your refrigerator is running off AC power, which means if you’re away from the RV, you won’t have any power going to the refrigerator. A lot of RVs have the dual refrigerators where it switches from DC to AC. So that’s a good thing, but the ones that don’t, we need to alert them. If there’s no power going to your RV, go check it out because we don’t want food to spoil or anything like that.
Every device that’s on the RV is an electrical load. It might be a motor; it might be something else. Typically, when we’re talking about inductive loads, we’re talking about motors that have a large spike. That’s called an inducted spike because you have to break the torque of the motor and it requires a lot more energy to do than a microwave. It’s because of what is turning on requires a lot of energy to get the energy of the microwave up. Although it’s an in-line product, it’s sensing when those items turn on.
Compressors are the “neediest.”They have multiple electrical spikes because it takes an average compressor depending on if it has a soft start incorporated or not, 300 milliseconds to start.
That’s a lot of current before it starts to go back down. That’s what hurts or causes a generator to stall is those additional spikes that first spike happens so fast. The generator doesn’t see it, but the repetitive spikes are what brings it down. This SoftStartUp will sense those additional spikes quickly and squelch them.
That’s a lot of current before it starts to go back down. That’s what hurts or causes a generator to stall is those additional spikes that first spike happens so fast. The generator doesn’t see it, but the repetitive spikes are what brings it down. This SoftStartUp will sense those additional spikes quickly and squelch them.
I can get four devices on before I’m tripping the current, but on this really hot day, I can only do three devices because I’m drawing way more current because of the increase and temperature, but it doesn’t have the ability to differentiate between a microwave and an air conditioner. It’s just looking at the total load coming through the device. The power meter is voltage times current, in the simplest equation. Your basic power equation is voltage xcurrent because we have voltage and we know current, we can tell you how much power you’re using.
Yes.
Lower than 100v and higher that 130v.
It will work in inclement weather, but not immersed in a puddle of water. So, it is water-resistant, not waterproof.
Yes, but not as thorough as with the SoftStartUp.
The booster is just that – it will boost the voltage. Typically, that’s only beneficial if the RV has really sagged power. So, if the voltage coming out of the power pedestal would say 108 volts, it would boost it to 120 volts. That’s good. So, with the 120 volts, you’re reducing the running
steady state amps.
Again, remember it’s voltage x current = power. But the power is still the same.
If you have low voltage, you have higher current, higher current means more heat. Current equates to heat. So, the higher the voltage the lower the current, you still have the same power. You need a certain amount of power to run a motor. It doesn’t change. The ratio changes: higher voltage, lower current, lower voltage, higher current. So, the booster is there to solve that scenario, but it doesn’t solve the in-rush current. A booster does not do that at all.
This SoftStartUp is the only product that will do that. If you have low voltage, this will still allow you to start, with the low voltage on the other device, it’s reducing the steady state current, but it will still trip a breaker, if it draws enough energy.
This booster product as described only boost the voltage up which means if the RV park has low voltage, it will bring it up to 113 VAC. So that’s why they have an auto transformer for adjusting the output voltage depending on the input.
The booster does nothing to reduce a current spike from a compressor starting. Since they are boosting up the voltage the net impact is the steady state current will be lower because the voltage is higher on the secondary windings. The primary will still have higher current.
Troubleshooting
Check the performance of all your inter-working equipment first.
For example, we’ve experienced old generator regulators needing a tune up before working properly with the SoftStartUp.
The regulator in a generator regulates the frequency and the voltage. When it starts oscillating, the SoftStartUP system will turn off the output to protect the downstream.
Keep in mind that when your generator frequency is too hard or too low, it can be damaging to electronics. That’s why the SSUP was designed to protect against possible damage from faulty equipment, which means the SSUP will automatically shut off and block the harmful current.
Yes, the SSUP is compatible with the Sure Guard. Working together, RV’s are able to be off grid or in a lower power situation.
For most instances, if the SoftStartUp shuts down and cuts off power to your AC or RV, the indicator lights will show what went wrong but are located inside the enclosure. But for those who don’t know, NetworkRV has built a smartphone app, designed for full management of your SSUP devices. One of the most supportive features is the alarm notifications; if something goes wrong with the SSUP and the power shuts off, your phone will get a notification from the app to alert you and explain the fault. However, the app user needs to open the alarm notification before the unit resets, because it will reset itself three times after a 60 second delay.
Yes, the SSUP does restart by itself. It will restart at least three times by itself, within 30 minutes. Then, if the problem still persists, then the SSUP goes into a lockout, meaning you need to unplug it and plug it back in.
- After the SSUP detects 140 volts or more over an extended period of run time, it will automatically shut off.
Remember, as you increase the load on your generator or power supply, the voltage decreases in the distribution. If your SoftStartUP is detecting low voltage of 100 volts or less for a certain extended period of time, the SSUP will shut down and cut off the current.
Yes! Our engineers’ testing the SSUP together with Power WatchDogs both upstream and downstream and they reported no compatibility issues.
Focus on running your main AC. This is the AC unit that’s going to have the best effect for you and then run the second AC on only fan. The fan setting takes very little power but still helps to circulate the colder air throughout the rig extremely important when outdoor temperature is very high and heating up the electronics.