Micro-Air easy start

Re DC a/c's, that has been done many times. I did a 3 ton solar powered 120Vdc icemaking system out in the desert in Egypt. That was back in the early 90's, when inverters were expensive, inefficient, and unreliable.  And conventional a/c's were inefficient. Those days are in the past, I wouldn't design that system the same way now. Now you can get cheap, high efficiency, reliable inverters that allow you to run the new ultra high efficiency a/c of your choice. 

And if I was going to do a dc a/c of any reasonable capacity it wouldn't be at 12V. The resistive losses will kill you. Even a 12KBTU/hr high efficiency a/c will draw about 800W/67A (our crummy a/c's use about 2kW). 67A at 12V over a 20ft conductor run requires 1/0 copper conductor to keep the losses below 3%. 

Start surge capacity shouldn't be a problem with dc battery based systems, batteries aren't current limited like gensets are. The problem will come if the compressor uses a permanent magnet dc motor because the high start currents can demagnetize it. That can be solved with current limiting starting resistors that get switched out after the compressor is up and running. or just use a wound stator dc motor. 

So the Hot Spot a/c has a modified inverter to take dc rather than ac into its AC motor drive, or both for its 12KBTU unit. That one is interesting as it is advertised to be able to run in hybrid mode using solar and 220Vac in parallel. Could be a good way to go for a a grid tied home system where you have 220Vac continuously available and want to mostly use solar for daytime a/c operation, without needing a battery pack. 

They also have a 48Vdc input unit for straight off grid operation which would be more appropriate for boon dock RV'ing. The problem with this is that you're working with a very small company and paying a high price for a customized a/c unit. For my rPod project, I think I'm better off with a conventional inverter and OTS high efficiency mini split from a major company like Mitsubishi or Panasonic. The mini spit price difference will more than pay for the inverter, I can use the inverter to run the microwave and any other AC loads, and I can select an inverter that will run at the battery voltage I want for a Li pack, in my case 24Vdc. 

Haven't seeing the dc airco product but it looks to be a similar configuration. They are targeting industrial and military mobile markets so they ain't exactly gonna be cheap...

I tried a hard-start capacitor and sure enough, it made the AC hard to start. Without, the iX2000 would start the AC. With the HS, it immediately put the generator in overload. The HS capacitor got removed and returned ASAP.

I installed the EasyStart. What a difference! The AC does not have that same jolt of the compressor when it starts. It is much smoother. Admittedly, it is somewhat subjective as I have no hard data, just what my ear hears.

It would be interesting if someone that has a Easy-Start, that is beyond warranty, to open it up and see what capacitors are actually in there.

Think about this folks. In order for a developer of a product he wants at least 150% of his costs (ideally 200%) for the product to be viable to produce. Then comes marketing and outlets (re-sellers) to get said product out to the masses (us). The reseller to handle and promote wants 150% of his costs.

With some give and take, and of course now for them mass buying power. That puts the unit somewhere in the area of $100- 150 for us to copy. If so learned as to how. Is all the other electronic's required. Not in my mind... Bells and whistles for regulations so the unknowing do not hurt themselves. 

Just my humble opinion on the matter.

You folks deffenently have a greater need for AC then I... 

Nor, in the Nor'East. We only require AC for a couple weeks a year. Typically we head for the mountains.

The low light solar was (and will be again) a experiment amongst a group of us attempting different ideas and approaches. One working films/coatings and getting interesting results, 3 of us working electronic's in different directions and 2 others as pure experimenters going where no one had before (or at least was our joke). The Group disbanded almost 4yrs back. One just dis-appeared (the AC guy I spoke of), 2 passed away the balance of us try to stay in contact and pass notes of ongoing projects. 

My bench test is built from a 15watt panel. I'll return again to this experiment at some point.

Currently I have a Sleeper Cap build I've almost completed for my pickup. Being I'm currently trailer-less.

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