SoftStartRV Soft Start for RV Air Conditioner, RV AC Soft Start Kit for Air Conditioner, Easy Start Even with a Small Generator, 100% Waterproof, Trailer Camper, Motorhome HVAC -NetworkRV

I got tired of fighting with my generator and decided to finally get this upgrade. They walked me through the process and the installation took a total of about an hour. Works exactly as it should. My generator no longer bogs down and the AC starts quieter, without that loud thump. Very happy i made this purchase.

I finally decided I needed to add softstart to my RV AC when I decided to move to a solar generator instead of my pair of Honda 2000's in parallel that I used to lug around when dry camping. I could never get a single Honda 2000 to start my AC and would need both... I wonder if this softstart would let me do that? But doesn't matter - I switched to an Ecoflow that probably could handle the startup surge, but why stress it? This softstart was pretty easy to install. I had to lookup my particular AC model (Dometic something) and the instructions tell you where to run all the wires, jumpers, etc. Just make sure to double-check everything. I had done some of it and realized I'd done the wrong wire on one part (I read the letters from the AC incorrectly at first), so I'm glad I checked again before starting it up. That was my fault for not being more thorough, no fault of the instructions which were correct. After getting the wiring correct and finding a good spot to mount it, well... that was it, I was done. I flipped the breaker back on, went inside and started it up, and wow, it was SO much nicer when starting. Before, the AC would "clunk" when starting up and was pretty loud during that startup phase. Now, it starts up nice and calm, the clunk is gone, and that "hum" I'd hear for the first couple seconds when the compressor and fan were starting up had all but disappeared. I mean, there's still the noise of the fan and compressor, but you get to skip the other noise. Which is great if you have this running on and off at night because those clunks and hums are distracting. There are more expensive softstarts out there but this one, I think, is a good value. There are also cheaper ones out there and I'm kind of skeptical of those. This one seems solidly built, works great, and the manufacturer has been around for a while so I feel like they'll stand behind the product. As far as how it works to reduce the initial amp draw, I didn't do any direct measurements to get the peak current before/after install. Other people have done exactly that, so you can refer to them. I do know that my single Honda 2000 inverter generator couldn't start up previously (I'll have to try that at some point now), so the startup current definitely exceeded what that could handle. I even had trouble getting the AC to start if I was using a 15A circuit to power my RV... it would trip the breaker (it's a 30A trailer, but using the adapter to just keep it plugged in at home to keep batteries charged, etc... I tried getting the AC to start while nothing else was running, and the breaker would always trip). Now with the softstart and using the energy monitor on my Ecoflow, I could see that it ramps up nicely and my AC averages between 7-8 A (at 120V) which is far less than I imagined it would use. With that in mind, assuming the softstart lets it gently ramp up to that 7-8A (or could be up to 13A for a 15A circuit), I bet I could use a single generator or a 15A circuit to run *just* the AC to start it up, and a couple other low current things. My converter, for example, is a 55A converter. If it decides it needs to charge my batteries, it could be using 5-6A of 120V all by itself. Anyway, all that other stuff aside, this unit does exactly what it says, the price is decent, easy enough to install, etc. Worth the price and effort it takes to install it.

installation was straight forward 5 steps spelled out good it all made sense and what better it fired right up and works great.

Installed the unit in my RV, Furrerion AC and it worked great. Was able to run the AC on my 2500 watt portable generator with no problem. Easy to install in approximately two hours. Comes with all the connectors which is nice. AC runs quieter

I knew about the soft start for a long time. My neighbor installed on on his rig and said it was well worth the money. I put it off for a long time until my generator was really acting up. I first had to fix the source of the issue which was the generator but I knew the soft start was a must once that was addressed. I have to say I am very happy I purchased and put the unit it. The install is very straight forward and only takes a couple of hours. I am not crazy about the universal kit so I got my own connectors to use in place of the provided ones. I understand the need for a single kit that works across different AC units. That said, the product is great and my AC is quiet and no longer has the loud thump when starting and stopping. It reduced the load on the generator as well. They also have a great tech support team and will even walk you through the install if you are not sure about how to proceed. Truth be told it is only 5 wires and is really well documented. Even if you are not the most handy person you will not have an issue installing the unit as it it really that easy. The hardest part for me was deciding where to place it and getting up and down the ladder.

Took about an hour to install and my AC now runs off a standard 15a house outlet. AC runs much quieter as well. Should work just fine on my honda 2200i. Awesome upgrade!

I have a 2012 Open Range 398RLS with a 15,000 btu Dometic Brisk Air II ducted system in the living area and the original Coleman Mach 13,500 btu non-ducted unit in the bedroom. The living room a/c has an RV Airflow kit installed which makes for a very quiet running unit. The bedroom a/c however is another story. As temps drop in the evenings and it starts to cycle off and on it will just about make you jump out of your skin when it kicks on because it is right above the bed. After being startled awake one too many times I began looking for solutions. My first thought was to install a mini split system in the front to take advantage of the efficiency, quiet operation and also to be able to run both units simultaneously off of my 4200-watt Firman inverter generator. It was hard to justify the money and modifications needed to install the mini split however when the Coleman unit was working perfectly fine except for the nerve-wracking startups. I ran across a few articles on soft starts and how they can smooth out startups allowing you to run a/c units off of smaller generators so it seemed like a nice way to save some money, time and effort and possibly achieve my goal of less bone jarring startups. I did some research and settled on the SoftstartRV brand because of its reviews and high ratings. I ordered from Amazon rather than the website because of Prime shipping and a $20 cheaper price. The unit arrived the next day and came wrapped in bubble wrap with instructions and an installation kit, but with no box or other packaging. First impressions were terribly underwhelming. For the price I guess I expected a better presentation, but the product itself seemed solid and well made. I went to the website and found my a/c units wiring diagram and instructions, printed it out and headed to the roof with tools and product in hand. Directions were surprisingly clear and in about 30 minutes everything was wired up. I should say at this point that I do have lots of experience with wiring diagrams and electrical devices, but very little a/c experience. That being said, I do believe anyone that can follow directions and is even a little bit mechanically inclined should be able to install one of these devices without much effort. I followed the instructions to the letter, got my green light on the first try and allowed the unit to run for the initial 30 minute set up time. After that I turned the thermostat up to a normal operating temperature and waited. I have a Power Watchdog EPO hardwired to my rig so I am able to watch wattage, voltage and amperage readings in real time via an app so I stayed glued to my screen for several startup cycles. The readings looked good as there was no initial huge spike in wattage and amperage like there was before so I knew the unit was doing what it was designed to do and was smoothing the surge out to a steadier and more gradual ramp up. The compressor and fan used to kick on simultaneously but now the blower turns on a second or two ahead of the compressor and this is very evident by the initial 300+ watt draw followed by the 1400+ watt draw after the compressor kicks in. It is a much faster ramp up than I anticipated though and without my ability to monitor the wattage and amperage it would be hard to tell any difference just by listening to the unit. Unfortunately, I do not see this solving my particular problem because from a sound perspective there is little perceivable difference. Again, I know the unit is working because I can “see” the difference in my readings, but for the money, I certainly expected more. If this was a $50 or even $100 item I would have shrugged it off and never looked back because I do see value in what it does. Maybe my expectations were just too high, and if all I was looking to do was smooth out the current draw to run my a/c off of a small generator then this might be a viable solution, but for my use case it was money not well spent. I wish now that I had spent my time and money on the mini split instead of this. I still have to give this four stars because even though it didn’t solve my specific problem, I still think it is a well made device that will work for the vast majority of people looking to smooth out their power consumption curve. I will eventually try to run both units off of my generator just to see if it works as advertised in that regard, but since that was not my ultimate goal it is not high on my priority list.

I have a 2003 Roadtrek 190 Versatile RV, fitted with a Dometic Cool Cat 10,500 BTU Heat Pump Air Conditioner. I wanted to be able to run the air conditioner using my Pulsar PG2300iS 18000watt running (23000watt peak) Portable Gas-Powered Quiet Inverter Generator. Unfortunately, when I turned the air conditioner on the generator would stall every time. Then I decided to get a SoftStart unit. The first task was figuring out where the wiring was hidden in the air conditioner. It turned out to be easy enough. I had to remove the roof cover and unscrew two lockdown screws at the rear of the air conditioner to be able to move the a/c backward. I also removed two screws from inside the RV to take off the front cover. I found that I could push the a/c back and rotate it slightly to get at the wiring compartment cover, held in place with two more screws. The a/c heat pump circuit diagram was attached to the inside of the cover. I went to the SoftStart website to look for a wiring diagram that matched my diagram. Unfortunately, none of the available examples matched mine. So, I put in a ticket request for help and they answered the same evening with a quick diagram to get me started, and with a promise that a professionally designed diagram for the Cool Cat was being processed. Armed with the rough diagram I was able to work out all but one of the connections. Installation was easy. Mainly cutting and splicing five wires into the circuit wiring. The step by step directions that came with the unit were excellent. I did have an issue with the Blue wire. It was shown directly connected to R on the compressor. I tried that and it didn't work. Because my unit is a heat pump there is a Cold Control also connected to R. I solved the problem by removing the White wire, going to the Cold Control, at the Run Capacitor, and connecting the Blue wire to the White wire. Problem solved! Now, the Pulsar 1800watt generator starts the a/c unit every time. The SoftStart unit is amazing. It is so gentle and quiet that it is hard to believe that the a/c unit is running. The cool air certainly proves that it is. The SoftStart's online help was impressive. They not only responded quickly via email but they had also attempted to contact me by phone several times to give me wire by wire directions. I live in a black hole for cell phone signals and was not getting their calls. So they sent further emails asking me to contact them. I do have previous a/c experience as well as an electronics background so I was able to work out the final part of the puzzle myself, but they were 100% there trying to help. Please DO NOT attempt to install a SoftStart unit based on my review. Always contact SoftStart and they will advise you to step by step with their phone assistance. All in all, I highly recommend the SoftStart unit. It is amazing, and if you have a basic air conditioner unit then you will be able to make use of the online information and excellent included installation notes, and live phone call assistance if necessary to do the installation. If you don't feel comfortable doing the installation then do contact an electrician to have the work done. Capacitors can hold a dangerous charge even after the power has been disconnected and electricity is potentially lethal so don't take any unnecessary risks I think that the SoftStart unit is worth every penny.

This amazing device works exactly as described. It functions flawlessly. When the ac kicks in, it’s so smooth, there’s no “hammer” when it starts. I can run the ac and microwave at the same time while plugged into a regular receptacle, as well as when plugged into my generator. I installed it on our 14 year old Coleman Mach rv air conditioner and installation was very simple. The step by step instructions from the SoftStart website made it really easy. One feature that I really appreciated was the small size of the unit itself. This enabled me to easily find a spot to install it that made it look like it was installed by a professional. I believe that the SoftStartRV will make it easier on my ac and easier on my generator.

I've just install the SoftStartRV SSRV3T in my travel trailer. Instructions were simple and clear. Installation was easy. The AC started and ran smoothly with my Honda generator EU2200i. The generator is also running smootly. The SoftStartRV operated as advertised. We're extremely satisfied. Definitively a big plus. We recommend to buy.

Received the unit promptly, but it was too cold here to do the install right away. Finally got to put the unit in and found the instructions incredibly easy to follow and the install went great. The unit worked well on the test run and seems to be quieter, not sure how much it saves on start up draw as my home plug supplies 30 amp. The draw test will come when we get to our seasonal site as it is a very old campground and only has 20 amp service to the sites. Update! OMG! This thing is awesome. Last year when the a/c cycled it would pull so much amps ( old campground and we are on a power supply that is only 20 amp) the satilite tv would cut out and reset. No more, not only that but we also run a bar fridge this year and still no issues.

After two months of daily use, in my driveway on house shore power, and while camping, this soft start does exactly what it promises. I can now run the rv ac without tripping a breaker in the house or overheating any circuits. Everything about this company is first rate. The instructions are clear and specific, and the kit incudes every necessary item for a successful installation. I installed it on my old Dometic ac in an hour and a half. It’s an easy job for any competent diy-er I recommend using Wago connectors vs wire nuts. I hadn’t used them before, and now I’ll never use wire nuts (Mar connectors) again. You’ll also want a wire stripper/crimper, which you can find in any hardware store or on Amazon.

Works awesome and very easy to install and help too keep the start up of our a/c units on our rv to a gentle start in instead of a hard start up I recommend this product to any rv owners