Air conditioner/generator problem.

[Mountainmike47]

I’ve recently purchased a 2016 28 foot cutwater boat, I am having problems with my air conditioner/generator the generator. I believe to be a Mase thank you for any and all suggestions I am having problems with my air conditioner/generator the generator. I believe to be a Mase 2.7KW, The air conditioner in the unit I am on sure of the manufacture, when I purchased the boat, it had less than 300 hours on it, The problem I am experiencing is when I am hooked to shore power. The air conditioner works fantastic no problems., The generator fired right up and seems to work quite well. but if I have a generator running and turn on the air conditioner in less than 30 seconds, the circuit breaker on the generator becomes blown, so while underway, I have no air conditioner, someone had suggested a soft start for the generator that may help the problem, I don’t know, and I am looking for any suggestions I can get as anybody else dealt with the same problem, and if so, please tell me what you did rectify it. I have the boat in Savannah Georgia and you definitely need an air conditioner, the vast majority of the boating season. and with the boat having just a little over 300 hours on it now I surely would not like to have to buy a new generator. Thank you for all suggestions.

 

[Jcat2010]

did the AC work when on generator during the sea trial/survey ? If so, you have a baseline. what model/size AC do you have ? I don't know what the stock C28 comes with from the factory. Does the AC/generator work when you have all the other AC loads off ? Also, look at the Volts and Amps when the generator is running, no AC. Then turn on the AC and watch the amps. Should come up to a small value - fan running, and then jump up when the compressor and water pump kick in, very high for a second, then somewhere between the fan and the peak.

 

[Mountainmike47]

Thank you for your response, I was not there for the sea trial/Survey I also don’t recall it being mentioned in the report.
The generator works great it’s like new, next GEN 3.5 KW. when the AC is turned on the main circuit breaker on the generator itself trips within a few seconds, when the boat is connected to shore power, the AC works fantastic on and off very cold no issues at all. Now I have been doing more research on this situation. It has come to my attention that a soft start device should be installed on the air conditioner unit itself and this should illuminate the problem I’m experiencing. The actual device should cost somewhere between 250 and $300 plus labor again thank you very much for responding.

 

[Jcat2010]

Just another data point for you...On the r27s we have a 3.5 westerbeke, the fcf 12000 AC and the starting load does not trip generator. The soft start will reduce the peak amps if that's the real problem. It could still be a genetic issue. Try loading the genset separately like water heater and microwave and plug in space heater. If the genset holds at Max amps, then you've eliminated one cause

 

[Mountainmike47]

Thank you very much. I will keep that in mind.