Running AC off inverter generator on Hunter 410

[Don Lucas]

I tried to run my air conditioner off my portable inverter generator the other day. The bus breaker tripped even with the air conditioner off, which doesn't make sense as it is bigger than the air conditioner breaker and way more capacity than the generator itself.

Now the reverse polarity light is on when I use the generator, and I understand this to be normal. But maybe it is part of the problem even though I've used the generator on the other bus with no problem.

Anyone else out there have run their air conditioner off a portable inverter generator on a 2000ish Hunter with issues/no issues?

 

[Sailgunner]

I have not but friends have and they needed two 2000w generators tied together to make it work, The starting amps on an A/C unit are very high.

 

[Donnybrook]

Now the reverse polarity light is on when I use the generator, and I understand this to be normal.

Never heard of a RP light being normal. What are you using to connect the generator to the boat? I would look there.

 

[jdhohmann]

Just a quick note, on average, most motor starts require 3 times the current draw before the get sync'd in.. this will usually cause most generators and/or inverters to trip because they can't supply the current draw....

 

[Don Lucas]

Many many many many threads on various forums about running air conditioning off of a Honda etc. with many many many people doing so with one unit. Some/most have to install either a soft start kit or a start capacitor kit.

BUT, this thread isn't about that at all. It is about the bus breaker tripping and whether the trip breaker has a problem with the reverse polarity, which isn't a problem on my other bus even though it has the same exact trip breaker. I haven't even tried turning on the air conditioning as of yet as the bus breaker trips when I shut a air conditioning breaker, but haven't even turned on the AC.

So I looking for experience of other "newer" Hunters that have a trip breaker in the panel and have been using a Honda type inverter generator.

 

[kloudie1]

Note he says "...trips even with the air conditioner off."
Has to be something related to the GF in the breaker not liking the floating neutral of the inverter type generator.
Don, is the other buss breaker the same brand/model/capacity?

 

[Benny17441]

The Honda 2000 barely puts out 15A. In my experience I find the threshold in A/C unit size at 12,000 BTU. If slightly larger you may try installing a "soft start" capacitor to help start the compressor. The amount of current required to start an electrical motor can be as high as 5X the current required to run them. Everytime the unit cycles it will require a boost to re-start the compressor. Running 2 Honda generators in parallel will provide adequate current.

 

[sailor420]

Don
If I understand you, if all breakers on the 120v side are off and you plug the Honda into the outside connection everything is alright. You then turn on the main 120v bus breaker, leaving all other breakers on that side off, and it trips? If thats the case I would look at the bus breaker as the culprit.

 

[Don Lucas]

Yes, and I have run the generator on that Bus to power the battery charger, the hot water heater, and an electric heater in the past (not all at once) and the Bus A breaker didn't trip.

I once tried to run the battery charger plus the hot water heater and it tripped the generator internal breaker, but none of the panel breakers.

 

[Don Lucas]

Don
If I understand you, if all breakers on the 120v side are off and you plug the Honda into the outside connection everything is alright. You then turn on the main 120v bus breaker, leaving all other breakers on that side off, and it trips? If thats the case I would look at the bus breaker as the culprit.

No that's not right. I can shut the main 120V Bus B breaker and it fine. But if I shut the Air Conditioner breaker (the unit is off and I've done is provide power to it) the Bus B breaker trips. The Air conditioner breaker doesn't trip and the generator doesn't trip on high amps.

I don't understand why the main Bus B breaker cares that I shut a smaller branch breaker.

 

[Don Lucas]

I've looked at the Bus B breaker (I took it out) and the electrical diagram for hours now to understand it. Near as I can tell the trip part of the trip breaker trips at 65VAC.

What I don't see is what difference it should make shutting the Air Conditioning breaker. Other than current (the air conditioning or the internal generator breakers are smaller) I don't see how it would have any effect on the Bus B main breaker.

 

[kloudie1]

Ya might have a ground fault in the AC or its controls. You can sorta check with a good ohmmeter.. measure hot side to neutral No power and breakers open..and you should see the resistance of the transformers coils etc.. might be very low, like 8-10..so use a low scale on the meter.. Then measure between the black (hot side) and the green wire.. with the breakers all open.. that should be an open on a high scale on the meter.. Make sure the boat charger/inverter is off and isolated.
I am not nearly an expert on that stuff, but I'd look there to start.

 

[uncledom]

I've looked at the Bus B breaker (I took it out) and the electrical diagram for hours now to understand it. Near as I can tell the trip part of the trip breaker trips at 65VAC. What I don't see is what difference it should make shutting the Air Conditioning breaker. Other than current (the air conditioning or the internal generator breakers are smaller) I don't see how it would have any effect on the Bus B main breaker.

I have a 41 with NextGen on board. I assume your just plugging this in through your shore power connects? Do you have isolation transformers?
Buss A is all resistive loads aside from what you plug into your outlets, buss B is motors and electronic controls, two very different beasts for electricity.

 

[Don Lucas]

Buss A is all resistive loads aside from what you plug into your outlets, buss B is motors and electronic controls, two very different beasts for electricity.

Why would that make a difference to the breaker, and without even turning on the air conditioner?

 

[uncledom]

Why would that make a difference to the breaker, and without even turning on the air conditioner?

As we go further it might, but that wasn't a question. Are you plugging in via the shore power connector and do you have an isolation transformer?

 

[Jeff10528]

It has been a long time but I do recall a discussion several years ago wherein a point concerning the use of ungrounded ( landlubber) generators would cause problems not easily resolved in a marine wiring system.