Xantrex Freedom SW3012 Generator Support

[Stormy98]

Does anyone have experience with the Xantrex Freedom SW3012 Generator Support Mode? Specifically, I'm wondering if it would enable a Honda eu2200 generator to start the Starcool compressor.

[vlagat]

Yes it does but the house battery set has to be in first class condition with a SoC of not less than 80% irrespective of the alternator feed. One trick is to run the van motor for the initial start of the Starcool because the Xantrex is giving its all to the charge circuit. You may need to swap the Starcool for the later derivative by Danhar and add a soft start.

[Stormy98]

Thanks. I spoke with a technical support rep at Xantrex and they didn't mention SoC but said yes, the inverter would pull from the batteries once a configurable preset amperage was reached on the AC input.

Interesting trick to start the A/C with the engine running. I'll try with the Honda generator and existing inverter/charger and see what happens.

I also emailed with a Danhard sales rep about their part # 29-2109 soft start kit and received the attached document. I've emailed a tech rep and asked more questions but it appears to consist of a start capacitor and potential relay like the ones that already exist in the Starcool III system.

[vlagat]

That softstart made a big difference for me. Danhard has owned the Starcool product since 2010.

[Stormy98]

I heard back from tech support at Danhard. Their soft start kit is only for PSC compressors that don't already have start capacitors and potential relays. Older units like the Tecumseh compressor in my system already have them.

In theory the Micro Air product or similar might work if it's possible to get access to the run capacitor, but I don't want to disassemble the system that much. I need to upgrade the current inverter/charger anyway so I'm going to go the Xantrex route.

How do you start the Starcool off of shore power when the van is running? I thought there was an ignition cutoff that switches the Starcool to 12V mode and disables the Starcool compressor when the vehicle is started.

[Scalf77]

The real battle with running starcool on smaller generator is having enough power for the compressor and some left over for charging the house battery as there is a lot running off of 12 volts.

You would be correct the starcool AC compressor is isolated when the van is running. That isn't they same for the Danhard.