AC & Generator Question

[labontefan]

Some of you may remember a post I made about my generator conking out at Charlotte back in May. Apparently running the AC with it was just too much! I took it to a local hardware store that sells & repairs generators hoping they could fix it. Well, the guy called a few days ago and said the motor was worn out and he didn't know where I could get a replacement. So I now have a dead generator.    (*moment of silence please*)

I was considering buying a new one anyway so this made the decision really easy. Yesterday I went to Lowes and bought a Troy-Bilt 5550:

http://www.troybilt-gen-pw.com/generators/model.cfm?id=144

As you can see, it's rated at 5550 running watts and 8550 starting watts. The tag on it at Lowe's said it could run a 10,000BTU window A/C plus a bunch of other stuff.

I wanted to double-check the stats on my A/C unit to make sure I didn't kill another generator. I still have all the paperwork from where I bought the camper (including all the separate stuff on the A/C, frig, etc.). I checked all the info on the A/C and nowhere could I find any specs on it!

Anyone have any info they can offer or know any place I can look?

[mike4947]

Ann, considering the shore power cord on your trailer is rated for 30 amps and the AC runs off a dedicated 20 amp breaker you will not have a problem (other than the genset being very loud).
5500 watts is 5500/120 or 45 amps. You could run 2 AC units off that genset.

[labontefan]

I was pretty sure it could. I think the main thing I was concerned about is the start-up surge. Thanks!

(Since I only use the generator when camping at the racetracks, loud is not usually a problem. Sometimes it's an asset since it helps drown out some of the more enthusiastic parties! LOL!)

[byrdr1]

Ann,
That is the generator I ran last fall at Lowes and it will run your popup just fine.
It will run the AC and one other good amp drawing electric piece of equipment.
Here I can explain it better.. You can have my TT plugged in with the AC running and use a toaster or electric griddle. BUT not all 3 at the same time. You can run a hair dryer, but not while cooking on griddle or using a toaster..
ASK how I know these things??
That gen set will be fine for the race track.. the only thing it will be heavy for you to lift and move around.. It is heavy for me and I am a BIG guy..
Once you get it near where you want it.. CHAIN IT up..with heavy steel cable or chain and the best lock you can buy..
You could build a box and I think you might want too. To cover it from rain plus to deaden the noise some.. This gen set is quieter than most as it is OHV and the new larger some what quieter muffler..
You would crank the gen set then plug in the camper. (You need to make a jumper cable for the 30 amp side, this would be 30a RV plug on one side and the 30a twist locking plug on the other with 10/3 rubber coated wire in between. this would need to be nor more than 3 ft long. all the stuff to make this wire should be a LOWES.) Then once all this is done you could turn the AC on and the camper will be ready as if you were hooked to a 30a SHORE power hookup.
Turn it off around 12 midnight and start it up in the morning around 8 am so you can cook on the griddle and have Mr.Coffee working..
If you need a parts list of for the jumper cable let me know. I can get it up real quik. It would be easy for you to make.
IF not I'll make you one and you can pick it up as I drive to Hillsville, va  that same Weekend. We could pass it off between 1-40/I-85, I-77 somewhere.. I will be leaving that Friday morning headed to RJ's Ranch.. NO fall race at Lowes for us this year and they dropped the prices BIG time... Kids and mama come first.. We are going to Darlington in November..for maybe another last race..
randy

[labontefan]

Thanks, Randy...for the info and the offer.  

I have a jumper to go from the camper's 30A plug to a 20A locking plug (which was what the other generator had). I should be able to take the 20A plug off,  since the cable and the locking plug were purchased separately, and just replace it with a 30A locking plug. I got the 20A at Lowe's so hopefully they'll have the 30A one also.

Also bought some chain when we bought the generator. I don't really worry about anyone bothering it--but it doesn't hurt to be a little cautious. I had a small steel cable (kinda like for a bicycle) that I used with the other one, but decided to upgrade my "security system" since I was upgrading the genset.

Yep! It's heavy! When I was checking out the specs and all the other info on the generator, I could find about anything I wanted to know about it, except the weight!  :rolleyes:  It's usually just two of us women camping but I think we can handle it. We were able to get it out of the back of the Durango anyway!

I cut the box open while it was still in the back of the Durango so we could grab the frame. We put two 40-qt coolers right behind the Durango so we didn't have to try and lift it all the way down at once. We lowered it from the Durango to the coolers (while standing on a couple of stools), then from the coolers to the ground. We got it down with no major injuries and no back strains! However, I'm going to try and make sure the gas tank is as empty as I can get it before trying to load or unload it from the PU. Sure don't need any extra weight!

It came with a wheel kit but I don't think I'm going to put the wheels on...at least not now. The hardest part will be getting it in and out of the PU, and the wheels won't help there. Also, the wheels will add additional weight. Finally (and this was the real deciding factor), I'm pretty sure that if we put the wheels on, it will be too wide to go through the door of the PU! I tried to measure the space available pretty carefully and then measure the generator before finally deciding to buy it.

So far all I've done is look at it and read the manual. This weekend I'll probably feed it some oil and gas and fire it up. Want to make sure I know how everything works before we leave for BRISTOL!!